The Bookish Type

#AWTeen Twitter Chat

2016-04-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Join 10 YA authors from AW Teen on Wednesday, April 6th at 8 pm CST for a Twitter chat and giveaway! You can tweet your questions and follow along using the hashtag #AWTeen.

Authors:

Susan Moger (@SusanMoger), Of Better Blood (2/1)

Anne Greenwood Brown (@AnneGBrown), Girl Last Seen (3/1)

Heather Anastasiu (@h_anastasiu), Girl Last Seen (3/1)

Laura Hurwitz (@hurwitzlaura), Disappear Home (paperback 3/1)

Amy Allgeyer (@amy7a), Dig Too Deep (4/1)

Elizabeth Briggs (@lizwrites), Future Shock (4/1)

Dana Elmendorf (@DanaElmendorf), South of Sunshine (4/1)

S.A. Harazin (@SAHarazin), Painless (paperback 5/1)

Derek E. Sullivan (@DerekESullivan), Biggie (paperback 5/1)

Deborah Blumenthal (@deborahblu), Hurricane Kiss (5/1)

Prize: 5 participants will be randomly selected to receive an AW Teen book of their choice!

Hope to see you there!

Blog Tour: Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker + Giveaway

2013-03-22T01:42:00.000-04:00

Today, I'd like to welcome Kathleen Tucker, author of Ten Tiny Breaths, to talk about the hot, up-and-coming New Adult genre!

New Adult: What’s all the fuss about?

New Adult is a relatively new term in the publishing world. So new that, up until very recently, publishing houses have not accepted works as “New Adult”, classifying them as either “Young Adult” or “Adult”. But finally people are giving this thing that exists between YA and Adult a closer look. Why do I call it a thing? Well, I’ve heard NA called a genre, a sub-genre, a category. I can’t say exactly what it is.

The NA books hitting today’s shelves (both virtual and physical) take the romance genre and give it new life, or an edge. Up until about a year ago, I didn’t read a lot of contemporary romance. In my head, I pictured one of two things: one—a bored housewife diddling the next door neighbor to satisfy her long-lost urges or two—fifteen-year-olds and a climatic kiss at a school gym dance. Neither appealed to me, especially with all of these amazing paranormal, dystopian, and high fantasy books out there, full of excitement and gripping heart ache; love stories tied to big, disastrous situations. Exciting, right?

Well, then I got schooled. Last summer I read a few fantastic books that could be considered New Adult or Mature YA romance. No vampires, no magic. Just real people dealing with disastrous situations and love. The authors took situations like rape, physical violence, and inappropriate relationships and spun stories that I couldn’t put down. Those books were Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, Slammed by Colleen Hoover, and Easy by Tammara Webber.

NA books have breathed new life into the romance category, creating a need to tell edgy stories about problems that people face in their late teens and twenties, when they are old enough to be out on their own and make decisions but still don’t really know who they are. It’s a time in their lives when they will make mistakes and stupid choices, where angst over love interests still exists, and where partying and sex can steer decisions. To be clear, New Adult isn’t about drugs, alcohol, and sex (not a well-written story anyway). That’s not what I’m saying. But, as is the case for many people during this time in their lives, these elements are a part of what makes life confusing. Sometimes it’s a big part.

That’s my take on why New Adult has taken the industry by storm. :)

Thanks to The Bookish Type for hosting me today! xoxo

Thanks so much to Kathleen for stopping by!

Buy the book

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, twenty year old Kacey and her fifteen year old sister Livie escape Grand Rapids, Michigan to start over in Miami. Struggling to make ends meet, Kacey needs to figure out how to get by. But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means that an explosive secret could shatter both their worlds.

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

For more about this author, please visit:

Blog | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

And follow the rest of the tour:

March 18: I Love Lady Porn AND ChickLovesLit
March 19: 3 Chicks & Their Books
March 20: A Book Lovers Review
March 21: FicTalk AND Shh Mom's Reading
March 22: Chapter by Chapter AND The Bookish Type
March 23: Waves of Fiction
March 24: Brittany Blabs Books
March 25: The Book Hookup AND The Bookish Babe
March 26: ReaderGirls AND Books Complete Me
March 27: Anna's Romantic Reads AND BookBite Reviews
March 28: Stuck in Books
March 29: Book Bitches Blog

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win 1 of 3 signed galleys! Physical copies will not be available elsewhere until October, so you don't want to miss your chance to get your hands on a copy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Art Revealed: The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

2013-03-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'm happy to participate in the cover reveal of Alyssa Rose Ivy's New Adult contemporary romance, The Hazards of Skinny Dipping! Hazards sounds like a fun, fresh read -- perfect for the beach, and it's hitting shelves in early summer 2013!

Without further ado...

ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF SKINNY DIPPING:

This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realizing Mr. Right might have been there all along.

ABOUT ALYSSA ROSE IVY:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

For more about this author please visit:

Twitter

Goodreads

Facebook

Website

Thanks so much to Alyssa's publicist, Kelly, for inviting me to be part of this reveal!

The Triple Threat Blog Tour

2013-02-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Win great prizes! Chat live with your favorite authors!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Triple Threat Blog Tour! If you haven't been following along, it's not too late to get in on the action! There are dozens of chances to win books by Myra McEntire, author of the hit Hourglass series, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of the bestselling Raised by Wolves series and her new hits Every Other Day and Nobody, and Kate Ellison, debut author of The Butterfly Clues and her new novel Notes from Ghost Town.

You can also be part of the exclusive cover reveal for Infinityglass, the final installment in the gorgeous Hourglass series. Submit your entry HERE to win a 6-book prize pack featuring all 3 authors' books.

Check out the schedule below and get caught up before the LIVE chat with Myra, Kate and Jennifer tomorrow night at 8 pm EST over at Mundie Moms!

Tuesday, January 22nd – Life as a Nobody at Read for Your Future

Wednesday, January 23rd – Letter of Advice from Myra to Emerson at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Thursday, January 24th – What is Ghost Town? at Page Turners

Friday, January 25th – The Society of Sensors at Read Breathe Relax

Monday, January 28th – Kaleb's Playlist at Evie Bookish

Tuesday, January 29th – Meet Olivia at Reading Teen

Wednesday, January 30th – Nobodies, Nulls, and Real World Psych at Cari’s Book Blog

Thursday, January 31st – Which Hourglass Character Are You? at YA Books Central

Friday, February 1st – Living with Mental Illness in the Family at Once Upon a Twilight

Monday, February 4th – Meet the Cover Designer of Nobody at Bookhounds

Tuesday, February 5th – Meet the Cover Designer of Hourglass at Luxury Reading

Wednesday, February 6th – Meet the Cover Designer of Ghost Town at Good Choice Reading

Thursday, February 7th – The Musical Inspiration for Nobody at I Read Banned Books

Friday, February 8th – Deleted Scene from Timepiece at All Things Urban Fantasy

Monday, February 11th - Art as a Form of Expression at Supernatural Snark

Tuesday, February 12th – 8-10 pm ET LIVE book chat on Mundie Moms with Myra, Kate and Jennifer

Madly in Love: The Evolution of Mara Dyer Blog Tour + Giveaway

2012-10-23T02:42:00.001-04:00

The lovely ladies at Supernatural Snark and Bewitched Bookworms have been kind enough to put together an amazing tour for the release of The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin which is hitting shelves TODAY!

Happy Release Day!

Today, Michelle is stopping by with a tantalizing quote and a couple of questions! Without further ado...

His lips brushed my skin and suddenly it was too much. I grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and pulled him against me, as close as I could but it wasn’t close enough. My hands were trapped between the hard ridges of his stomach and my softness and I was almost breathless with wanting, trembling with it.

But Noah was still.

Q&A with Michelle:

If you were to sit down to interview Noah and Mara, what’s the first question you’d ask each of them?

I would ask for accurate contact information, and a current forwarding address.

What’s one question you wish you, Mara, or Noah would be asked in an interview?

I wish someone would ask me to name all of the allusions in all of the books. That would be long, long post.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Book Depository

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

At the age of sixteen, Michelle Hodkin lost the rights to her soul in a poker game with pirates just south of Natchez. Shortly thereafter, she joined an acting troupe and traveled the world performing feats of wonder and mischief. She has been seen on stages nationwide and earned rave reviews for her one woman performance of Titus Andronicus before writing The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, her first novel which is available now. The sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, hits shelves October 23, 2012, and the third book in the trilogy, The Retribution of Mara Dyer, hits shelves Fall 2013. Michelle currently lives with her three pets and may or may not be a reliable narrator of her own life.

Tour Schedule:

Monday, October 15th - Supernatural Snark

Tuesday, October 16th - Mundie Moms

Wednesday, October 17th - The Book Swarm

Thursday, October 18th - Refracted Light Reviews

Friday, October 19th - Dazzling Reads

Monday, October 22nd - Candace's Book Blog

Tuesday, October 23rd (release day) - Bookish Type Reviews

Wednesday, October 24th - Page Turners

Thursday, October 25th - Pure Imagination

Friday, October 26th - Bewitched Bookworms

Monday, October 29th - Books and Things

Tuesday, October 30th - Alice Marvels

GIVEAWAY

During the tour, one lucky reader will win a copy of The Evolution of Mara Dyer and some Super Secret Swag of Awesome! Enter to win below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much to Supernatural Snark and Bewitched Bookworms for organizing this great tour, and to Michelle for taking the time out of her busy schedule to participate!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer is even more stunning than The Unbecoming, and that is saying something. You don't want to miss the suspenseful sequel to this genre-bending series!

Review: Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

2012-10-17T15:52:00.000-04:00

Seventeen-year-old Cas always knew that one day he would inherit the family business. He was merely the next in a line of ghost killers – people who send ghosts out of the human world. But that day came much sooner than expected when a ghost finally defeated his dad. Cas immediately stepped into his birthright, and although he never shared his plan with anyone, he always intended to avenge his father.

Then, Cas hears about Anna, a ghost so fearsome that an entire town avoids the house where she dwells, fearing they’ll be ripped apart if they step too close. But it seems that Anna may have crossed the boundary to seek out her victims.

Cas has been called up to face his most gruesome opponent to date, and he believes that if he can defeat Anna he’ll finally be powerful enough to take down his father’s killer.

Ever since her death, Anna, wrapped in the same white dress in which she died, stained with the same dripping blood, and covered with curses older and more evil than anything Cas has ever encountered, has violently murdered anyone daring (or stupid) enough to cross the threshold into her rotting, Victorian home. But she spares Cas.

Kendare Blake powerfully depicts an usual story. Refreshingly dissimilar from the Young Adult trends of dystopias and vampire romances, we enter the world of the paranormal and find it coexisting with our everyday lives. Unlike many stories of teenagers with unusual powers, Cas’ mom is well-aware of her son’s alternate life. After every kill, she casts protection spells on his athame, the tool he, like his father before him, uses to breach the barrier between human and ghost and send the spirit out of this world and into the next.

Blake tells an eerily familiar tale, a teenager trying to prove himself, to protect his family. The familiar setting of the story serves to emphasize just how different the main characters are from the average highschoolers. Ranging from popular jocks and queen bees to outcasts and freaks, we see typical teenagers break through stereotypes and become unique.

Although the violence in Anna Dressed in Blood was more graphic than my normal YA read, fans of the Hunger Games trilogy will barely flinch. If you’re looking for something new and little different, you won’t be disappointed. Blake’s witty dialogue and fascinating characters are as brilliant as the plot. Cas and Anna quickly added themselves to my list of favorite characters, previously populated by Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. This book will not only have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, you’ll be begging for more by the time it ends (but don't fret, Blake’s sequel Girl of Nightmares has already hit the shelves).

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand

2012-09-08T03:56:00.000-04:00

Designing Belleville:

The Wardrobe, Architecture, and Aesthetic of a (Not So) Picture-Perfect Town

I’m a very visual person, so when I sat down to write Cavendish, once those first essential elements of my heroine (Victoria) and the story concept itself (creepy orphanage meets Stepford-esque town) were in place, I began engineering a visual backdrop against which I could tell my story. Essentially, I developed the Cavendish aesthetic.

I began collecting images on Tumblr, and seeking out movies that captured the kind of tone I wanted to convey with Cavendish. I thought about what these characters would wear, what their homes would like, what their neighborhoods looked like. What I ended up with is something like the lovechild of Tim Burton (specifically, Edward Scissorhands and any of his stop-motion animation films like The Corpse Bride) and Edward Gorey, with a dollop of the kind of awesome vintage fashion I wish I had the money for in real life.

In other words, creepy with style?

Below are some images, architecture, and fashion that particularly inspired me as I wrote.

~*~

Belleville is all about Gothic architecture and creepy iron gates, immaculate cobblestone streets and perfectly groomed hedges, Victorian mansions and polished mahogany woodwork. I pulled these images from my Tumblr (credit is given when I could find it).

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I imagine the inside of the Cavendish Home to look like those two above photos. Tiled floors and lots of winding staircases, walls covered in portraits and dark, heavy cabinets. And that’s all the respectable veneer you see before the Real Crazy begins . . .

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The people of Belleville are very concerned with making sure everyone knows just how good they look. So as I wrote Cavendish, I imagined people walking about in clothes like these:

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Mrs. Wright, Victoria’s mother, would totally wear this snazzy number when hosting their annual holiday party—which, of course, would be the absolute best holiday party in the whole town.

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I just know Mrs. Wright dressed Victoria in adorable clothes like this when she was a wee snotty thing.

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Minus the quirky tights and blue shoes, I think Victoria would totally wear this on a weekend when she didn’t have to wear her Academy uniform. She would probably trade in the blue shoes for a nice practical pair of Mary Janes, or rainboots, since it’s been storming in Belleville so much lately . . .

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Aw, look! It’s like a little Lawrence! I should note that this photo came from the website of a private school in the UK, as an example of how not to wear your school uniform. Tie loosened, shirt untucked, buttons unbuttoned . . . which is exactly how Lawrence prefers it! Much to Victoria’s horror.

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Much better! “See?” Victoria would say to Lawrence, stabbing the photo with one finger. “This is what we’re supposed to look like.” And Lawrence would roll his eyes and purposefully dirty his clothes. Just to make her even angrier.

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A peek inside Mrs. Wright’s closet. I’m totally jealous.

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Mrs. Cavendish may be evil, but girlfriend is STYLIN’. She would totally wear this while going out shopping in town, and anyone who saw her would say, “Oh, there’s that Mrs. Cavendish. Isn’t she lovely? And such a good soul too, taking care of all those children.” Everyone else would just walk by in a daze, and not even notice she was there . . .

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Something like this would be Mrs. Cavendish’s everyday wear, as she goes about her business petting bugs and torturing children. You know, same ol’, same ol’.

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I don’t really know what’s up with this guy’s hair, but I know that it needs to stop. Also, this is the kind of suit our friend Professor Alban would wear.

And now for some of my favorite photos for inspiring Cavendish’s general aesthetic—these are photos from my Tumblr and screencaps from a couple of different films that I found especially appropriate.

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This is from an Edward Gorey book, although I’m not sure which one. L

from my Tumblr (source unknown)

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Belleville is like the town from Edward Scissorhands, except much wealthier and much less kitschy. Everyone has basically the same house and the same car because everyone is shooting for the same thing—trendy, impressive, reeking of money.

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Instead, Belleville’s neighborhoods would look more like this group of houses from The Corpse Bride.

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Ignore the creepy man posing Victor over there, and you’ll see what I imagine for the interior of Mr. Tibbalt’s house, except a good deal messier, of course. I also imagine the dorms in the Cavendish Home to have this dreary, prison-like feel.

~*~

And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed this visual tour of the Cavendish aesthetic. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the book!

At the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, you will definitely learn your lesson. A dark, timeless, and heartfelt novel for fans of Coraline and The Mysterious Benedict Society.Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster—lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.)

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he’s not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out…different. Or they don’t’ come out at all.

If anyone can sort this out, it’s Victoria—even if it means getting a little messy.

To win a hardcover copy of The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, fill out the form below! Contest is U.S./Canada only. Contest ends September 23rd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Claire Legrand is a Texan living in New York City. She used to be a musician until she realized she couldn’t stop thinking about the stories in her head. Now a full-time writer, Claire can often be found typing with purpose on her keyboard or spontaneously embarking upon adventures to lands unknown. The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is her first novel, due out August 28 from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Her second novel, The Year of Shadows, a ghost story for middle grade readers, comes out August 2013. Her third novel, Winterspell, a young adult re-telling of The Nutcracker, comes out Fall 2014.

Make sure to check out the rest of the Cavendish Blog Tour here!

And go say hi to Claire at her: blog | twitter | facebook | tumblr | goodreads

Thanks so much for stopping by, Claire! Congratulations on your debut!

Authors Are Rockstars: Kelly Keaton (A Beautiful Evil)

2012-08-23T02:09:00.000-04:00

Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. As Kelly Gay, she writes the popular adult urban fantasy series, Charlie Madigan, for Pocket Books. While she calls Raleigh, NC, home, she can also be found chatting about books and life on Facebook and Twitter.

What is your favorite myth?

I've always loved the Osiris/Isis myth; how Set betrayed and murdered Osiris, and how his wife, Isis, restored her husband and conceived a son, Horus, while Osiris was subsequently relegated to rule in the Underworld...

What about it appeals to you?

The conflict. The human-ness of it-the jealousy, the anger, the loyalty and love, how things change, but how the constant struggle between good and evil remains - though the Egyptians would call it order and chaos.

Athena is also known as the goddess of wisdom, as well as of war. What led you to focus on her martial side?

Athena is one of my favorite Greek goddesses. In the world I created, though, a couple thousand years have passed since the ancients wrote about the gods. So a question I had to ponder was, what was going on during this time period, from ancient times to the present day? Surely, personalities would change, experiences during this time would shape and change the gods. It's the same for Athena. Some very significant things have happened to her in the last thousand years, which have reshaped her and led her to become more war-like, more brutal, and unforgiving than ever before.

Will we eventually get to see the wise side of her personality?

Yes, I think so. Underneath all of Athena's pain is still an extremely intelligent being, one who hasn't forgotten how to be wise, but simply chooses other paths. We will definitely see her at some very honest/wise moments in the future.

One of my favorite things about Ari is how strong and independent she is. What do you think makes for a strong heroine? Who are some heroines you admire?

Thank you! Perseverance, resilience, character, integrity, and will are all things I think go into a great heroine. It's that never say die attitude. It's continuing on, day after day, even when you've been defeated or feel all is lost. It's sacrifice, being willing to put your safety, your time, or your energy to helping someone else. Strength doesn't always have to be flashy or epic to have an impact. Strong heroines, to me, aren't necessarily the ones who always win, but the ones who keep going despite what life throws at them. Some of my favorite heroines: I loved Morgainne and Vivienne from THE MISTS OF AVALON. Cleopatra, not only the historical figure, but her as a character in THE MEMOIRS OF CLEOPATRA.

The Medusa legend is particularly dark, as are many (if not most) of the Greek myths. Why do you think mythology tends so much toward the macabre?

Because often they're a reflection of human nature. Birth, death, hate, love, lust, envy... And the human experience, especially in ancient times, was fraught with dangers. The macabre was commonplace. Men carried clubs, axes, blades... we're talking close contact, intimate fighting. Health concerns like wounds, disease, childbirth, took lives regularly, and things like thunder, lightning, earth quakes, floods, they were all unknowns, all mysteries and as such attributed to gods. Myths tried to explain the unexplainable-why the sun rose every day, why the seasons came and went, why the mountains spewed fire. And they highlighted what it means to be human. Myths taught, and warned, and guided early mankind, too.

Do you think you'll work with mythology again in future series?

Without a doubt. I cannot see myself writing without some mythological inspiration. Mythology is what first sparked my creative/storytelling mind as a child; it's always going to be a source to draw upon or be inspired by.

Thanks so much to Kelly for stopping by to answer a few questions, and to Fiktshun and Two Chicks on Books for putting together the Authors Are Rockstars Tour!

A Beautiful Evil (Gods and Monsters #2) by Kelly Keaton

Myth and mayhem inhabit a richly reimagined New Orleans in this sequel to Darkness Becomes Her.After the epic graveyard battle at the end of Darkness Becomes Her, Ari and her friends know what they’re up against: Ari is facing the Medusa curse and is haunted by the image of what she will become. To make matters worse, the heinous goddess Athena has kidnapped young Violet and is threatening to destroy Ari.

Ari, along with the superhot Sebastian, is doing everything she can to learn more about Athena and to get Violet back. But the battle of good and evil is bigger than she realizes, and she’s about to be pulled into a world more horrific than she could ever imagine....

Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

2012-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Release Date: May 8, 2012
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

In Honor by Jessi Kirby is a bittersweet look at family, loss and growing up. From the first page, Kirby powerfully evokes Honor's complete devastation in the wake of her brother's death. Without Finn, Honor is lost at sea, not knowing which way to turn. Even before readers really get to know the heroine, their hearts will break at the hopelessness of her situation -- as orphans, Finn was not only Honor's brother, but also her father figure and friend. Without him, she feels utterly alone. In a desperate attempt to find meaning in a senseless tragedy, Honor sets off on a cross-country road trip to fulfill Finn's final wishes. Unfortunately, Finn's estranged best friend Rusty is along for the ride -- drunken stupor and all.

It's hard to know what to do with Rusty. He's drunken and abrasive, crass and a bit of a jerk, intruding his own issues on Honor's grief. At times, readers will wish that Honor would call Rusty out on his attitude, but as Kirby gradually reveals their long and complicated history, they will begin to see that his brashness comes from a dark and painful place. It takes a while, but ultimately Rusty becomes a sympathetic and even charming character. Honor's voice is clear and strong, though readers may occasionally grow frustrated with her naiveté. Both Honor and Rusty have something to learn from each other, and their sparring keeps the tension high and takes In Honor beyond the traditional story of youthful grief. Honor has a lot of growing up to do, and she learns that lesson the hard way with the help of constant misadventures and Rusty's brutal honesty.

The slight romance in the novel effectively represents the need to continue living even though a loved one is gone. However, I wish Honor didn't need two men to take care of her and set her on the path to maturity. While it makes sense in the context of her relationship with her brother, the gender dynamic of her relationship with Rusty is slightly uncomfortable. Ultimately, though, her trip across the country gives Honor new wisdom and leaves the reader hopeful that she will take control of her own life in the future.

By their very nature, road trip novels are episodic, but Kirby skillfully turns this series of events into a touching journey of discovery and growth. There are crushing lows and transcendent highs as Honor grapples with her grief and the realization that her brother had secrets of his own. The final twist of the tale will warm readers' hearts and make them question the nature of fate, casting the rest of the story in a poignant new light and giving Honor's journey profound meaning. True to form, Kirby takes overwhelming sadness and spins it into a strand of hope.

Rating:

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for an honest review.

You may also like Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.

Launch Party & Giveaway: Unspent Time by Graham Parke

2012-05-07T04:13:00.000-04:00

Unspent Time Launch Party

Get free books and win a Kindle Fire or a Kindle Touch

Warning: reading this novel may make you more attractive and elevate your random luck by about 9.332%*
(* These statements have not been evaluated by any person of consequence!)

From the award winning author of No Hope for Gomez! comes a collection of impossible tales. Permeating the cracks between the past and the present is the realm of Unspent Time; time that was allotted but never spent. This is where we find the stories that could have been true.

Such as the story of Kiala, whose caretaker disappears one day, leaving her as the sole Huntress to battle the giant octopi to feed her village. Or the revealing tale of Goki Feng Ho, the ancient Chinese art of decoding the meaning of car license plates. And the heartbreaking story of the man responsible for choosing the colors of the insides of your shoes. And letís not forget the story behind Unspent Time itself, the metaphysical ramifications of which will leave the scientific community feeling mostly indifferent about it for decades to come.

For the launch of the new novel I decided to discount it to $0.99 for today (PC and eBook), give away some exclusive content, and raffle off two Kindles. All entrants will get:

An exclusive spin-off novelette (not available for purchase anywhere!)

Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook
Signature for their paperback or kindle edition
Chance to win a Kindle Fire or a Kindle Touch

(Prizes can be traded for Amazon gift certificates if you already own them.)

Just email your receipt to nohopeforgomez@gmail.com to enter.

Each purchase counts, so stock up on birthday presents (for people you don't like that much, for instance) The discount ends today, but be sure to send the receipts no later than June 1st.

(Or order the books from any bookstore.)
Coupon code for today: ZB77D

And then get by tweeting about your purchase:

Sound bites from Unspent Time:

ìI'm looking into my past lives. I'm convinced some of them still owe me money.

ìI'm very polite by nature, even the voices in my head let each other finish their sentences.

ìI didnít actually want to do it,î Kiala told the boy. The universe just kind of conspired to force me to make a fool of myself. It does that quite a lot, actually.

ìSadly, my socks are like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike.

Here's what reviewers had to say:

"A veritable page turner of nonstop laughs!" -- Reader Views

"An unputdownable read. a Coens Brothers' film in book form." -- BookReview.com

ìExtremely witty and clever writing.î -- California Chronicle

"A Party for your Brain!" -- Warren Baxter

Bio:

Graham Parke is responsible for a number of technical publications and has recently patented a self-folding map. He has been described as both a humanitarian and a pathological liar. Convincing evidence to support either allegation has yet to be produced.

www.grahamparke.com
www.grahamparke.blogspot.com
GoodReads
Facebook

Thanks so much to Graham for stopping by! Leave your questions in the comments and Graham will stop by to answer them throughout the day!

You can also check out my review of Graham's previous novel No Hope For Gomez!

Giveaway: Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

2012-05-01T04:13:00.000-04:00

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Series: TBA
Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Click here to read an excerpt! / Add it on Goodreads

And you thought there were secrets in the Abby...

The Darlington family of Wentworth Hall, an elite British family, fills their time by caring for their extensive estate, and looking over their shoulders as they struggle to keep up an elaborate charade to hide their scandalous secrets of illicit romances, and bitter betrayals.

Wentworth Hall is a lush historical novel by debut author Abby Grahame, which is spot-on perfect for fans of Downton Abbey!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster, TWO (2) lucky readers will win a copy of Wentworth Hall by debut author Abby Grahame!

To Enter:

Leave a comment with your email address answering the following question:

If you could live in any historical era, which would you choose and why?

US only -- prize will be shipped by the publisher
Ends 5/8 at 11:59 pm EST
Two (2) winners will be randomly chosen
Following is appreciated, but not required
Please review my giveaway policy
+1 for each place you share this giveaway (leave links)

Good luck and come back next week to see my review!

Cover Reveal: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (#2) by Michelle Hodkin

2012-04-23T17:21:00.002-04:00

It's the cover we've all been waiting for since last year's stunning The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

If you need a reminder:

A thing of beauty

After many minutes of rabid refreshing, Simon and Schuster finally unveiled book 2, The Evolution of Mara Dyer (hitting shelves October 23 aka TOO FAR AWAY):

First of all, YAY they kept the same theme and photographer! The underwater theme is dark and haunting, just like the first book. I also love how they seem to be images in a sequence. It has evolved (cough) from them holding each other, to them being ripped apart but straining to hang on.

I also kind of love how you never get to see their faces. It keeps the air of mystery, and is also fitting since "Mara Dyer" is writing her story under a pseudonym (to protect the guilty?)

I also love the shift in color. Book one was green, and book two is blue... which seems darker and sadder to me.

Also, in case you missed it in all the cover excitement, there's a synopsis on Goodreads!

Two days after Mara walks into a police station in Miami at the close of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, she is committed for psychiatric treatment for what her parents believe is a mental breakdown. But what seems like a hallucination to everyone else is a chilling reality for Mara. Someone from her past has discovered her strange, disturbing secret and that someone wants her to pay. But she's about to discover that the price is more than she can bear.

Dark and thrilling, suspenseful and passionate, The Evolution of Mara Dyer will have readers breathlessly turning pages to find out what will become of Mara Dyer next.

Yes yes yes! Gimme gimme gimme! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was my most anticipated read last year, and The Evolution of Mara Dyer holds that title this year. This series is AH-MAZ-ING, and if you haven't read book one yet, what on earth are you waiting for?!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is on sale for $6.80 on Amazon!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer is available for preorder now!

How about you? What do you think of the newest cover in this stunning series?

Giveaway Winners!

2012-04-22T18:34:00.000-04:00

There are several giveaway winners that have not been announced, though they've been contacted. So without further ado...

The winner of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is...

Lexie@BookBug!

The winner of Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington is...

MarthaE!

The winner of The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe is...

brookea_2006!

The winner of Dragonswood and Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey is...

Bella!

The winners of signed Mara Dyer bookmarks are....

Amber, Nikki A, and Diana!

Congrats, winners! Please check your email if you have not already responded. I'll have to do another giveaway for the remaining bookmarks soon :)

Introducing Myself

2012-04-18T03:03:00.004-04:00

Hellloooooo Bookish Type readers!! I want to start my VERY FIRST POST by saying that I feel incredibly honored to be co-reviewing with Casey, and I’m SO EXCITED about it!! THANK YOU all for your welcoming comments on the post she wrote introducing me! I definitely feel the love. I remember when she first began her blog; it’s amazing to see how much it has grown, and I can’t wait to be part of it.

Like Casey said, we met at engineering camp way back in the day, oh how things change. Although, I seem to remember that we spent our lunches debating about whether or not Snape was truly on the good side, so maybe our English major selves were emerging even then.

Pretty much everything you need to know about me is in the About Us section or can be found on my Twitter. Two additional things that you probably noticed while reading this: I use way too many exclamation points, and I capitalize entire words when I’m excited (which is pretty often). Oh well! Anyway, I just wanted to say hello to you guys and let you know how eager I am to get started!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I’ll answer comments here or on Twitter. If you have any advice, feel free to post that as well! I'd love any feedback! (There I go with the excessive exclamation points..)

A New Reviewer!

2012-04-15T00:57:00.000-04:00

The blog has been quiet lately for a variety of personal reasons, but that will be changing! I've said before that I'd love to have a co-blogger here at The Bookish Type, and my wishes have been granted. My lovely, real-life friend Brittany is coming on board!

Brittany and I have known each other since we were 11 or 12, when we met at an engineering camp. Now we're both graduating English majors. It happens.

We like a lot of the same things (Orlando Bloom, Gilmore Girls, Starbucks... books, obviously) and a lot of different ones (she likes snow and, after 4 years living in New England, I will never like snow again), so it's a perfect match. She reads more high fantasy than I do, and I read more YA than she does. I think this will expand the range of what gets reviewed here, and also help keep the blog active and the review pile under control. I cannot tell you guys how excited I am to have her on board. She's awesome and I know you'll love her.

She'll probably be popping up to introduce herself, either in a post or on the About Us page. Keep an eye out for Britt's first review, coming soon to a blog near you! ;)

ETA: You can now find her on Twitter @freeverse2032!

PS -- If anyone who runs a blog with a co-blogger has advice on how to stay organized, please share your tips!

Q&A with Julie Kagawa (The Immortal Rules)

2012-04-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Today, we have a fun Q&A with bestselling author Julie Kagawa about her newest novel, The Immortal Rules, courtesy of Media Masters Publicity!

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.

Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you started writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:

What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.

For more about this author, please visit:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Preorder / Add it on Goodreads

Coming April 24, 2012!

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Also, don't forget to check out my review and enter to win a finished copy of The Immortal Rules!

Review & Giveaway: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

2012-04-10T02:24:00.000-04:00

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Preorder: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is a gripping blend of paranormal and post-apocalyptic horror. The outlook is bleak for the scattered humans living in the Fringe, where the spectre of starvation pales in comparison to the constant threat of thirsty vampires hidden in the shadows and their even more grisly cousins, the rabids. The rabids are a testament to Kagawa's limitless dark imagination. They are mindless killing machines with sharp claws, sharper teeth, and an unquenchable thirst for blood -- but without the sleek gentility of a normal vampire. This world is truly the stuff of nightmares.

Allison Sekemoto is a survivor, hardened by the grim realities of her daily life. She is cynical and stoic -- or at least she tries to be, but even the constant threat of impending death (or worse) can't quite keep her from seeing the good in the few remaining humans. However, Allie soon finds herself one of the creatures she despises, but rather than letting the struggle turn to angst, she carries on. Kagawa doesn't shy away from the troubling realities of vampirism, and it is fascinating to see Allie struggle with the newfound darkness in her own nature. Readers will never lose sympathy for this hungry girl who chose life over the unknown abyss of death, and resolutely faces the consequences of that fateful choice.

Allie meets quite a few characters on her journey, spanning the range of humanity -- from staggeringly naive teenagers to men more dangerous than the monsters they fear. Thankfully, Kagawa turns the clichéd setup on its head: rather than the helpless human among supernatural men, Allie is powerful, strong, and haunted by demons of her own. It is refreshing to see the heroine struggle to protect these fragile humans -- especially one innocent boy -- from herself, rather than the opposite scenario usually found in paranormal YA.

Allie can't help but be attracted to Zeke, who is almost too good to be true and the polar opposite of everything the vampires represent: hope, light, compassion and kindness. The Immortal Rules is not paranormal romance, and their relationship is tense and uncertain throughout much of the novel. However, Zeke's faith provides an excellent foil for Allie's cynicism, and the potential is there for their attraction to evolve into star-crossed love as the series progresses.

At times, though, the novel feels meandering. The narrative drive is unclear and episodic, trailing behind Allie as she aimlessly wanders through the desolate countryside. There is a great deal of exposition that will hopefully be tightened in the final version to keep up Kagawa's usual thrilling pace while still giving readers a crash course on this brave new world.

The Immortal Rules is a solid setup for a series unlike anything else on the shelves. Kagawa took this tale in directions woefully unexplored in the vampire lore that came before. I cannot wait to see how the significance of the title, hinted at in this first installment, plays out throughout this utterly unique series. Kagawa has a flair for taking staid tropes and molding them into exciting new mythologies, and The Immortal Rules won't disappoint even her most rabid fans.

Rating:

Disclosure: I received an advance galley from the publisher for an honest review.

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Harlequin Teen and Karen at Media Masters, one (1) lucky reader will win a finished copy of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa!

To Enter:

Leave a thoughtful comment on this review with your email address so I can contact the winner
US and Canada only -- prize will be shipped by the publicist
Ends 4/17 at 11:59 pm EST
One (1) winner will be randomly chosen
Subscribing and tweeting/facebooking are appreciated, but not required
Please review my giveaway policy
Extra entries are available -- please leave your total in the comments along with relevant usernames

Extra Entries:

+1 Like Julie Kagawa on Facebook
+1 Follow Julie on Twitter
+1 Follow Julie's Blog
+1 Follow HarlequinTeen on Facebook
+1 Follow HarlequinTeen on Twitter

Come back tomorrow for a Q&A with New York Times Bestselling Author Julie Kagawa!

Giveaway: Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington

2012-03-02T13:52:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Scholastic and as part of the Perception Blog Tour, I have one ARC of Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington to give away to one lucky reader!

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this post (with your email address) answering the question:

If you had psychic powers (any kind you like), how would you use them?

+1 for commenting on my review of Clarity
US/Canada Only
Ends 3/9/12 at 11:59 pm EST
Winner will be chosen via random.org

Good Luck!

Also check out the rest of the tour for a chance to win one of 3 finished copies of Perception (including a signed copy)! Every stop you comment on gives you an entry. Ends midnight on March 9th, the last day of the tour.

Mara Dyer 2 Title Revealed!

2012-03-01T13:39:00.000-05:00

Today, the always awesome Michelle Hodkin revealed the title of her highly anticipated sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer over on her blog.

Drumroll please....

THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER

I LOVE this title. It raises so many questions, and suggests that Mara is going to become an even more complex, strong and driven heroine. There are so many aspects of Mara that could be evolving, but I suspect the title will come to have a new and unexpected meaning once we finally get our hands on the book! I can't wait to see the cover they come up with for this one!

According to Michelle, the release date hasn't been confirmed and there's no official synopsis out there yet -- so if you see one, it's probably inaccurate. Keep an eye on Michelle's blog for more details as they're available!

If you haven't read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer yet, now is a good time to start so you'll be ready when book 2 hits shelves!

Review: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe + Giveaway

2012-01-16T14:06:00.001-05:00

Release Date: January 24, 2012
Series: The Way We Fall #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Preorder: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It starts with an itch you just can't shake.

Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat.

A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

The Way We Fall is a grim, unflinching look at one girl’s fight for survival in an apocalytpic world. Though the journal-like narrative style seems rather simplistic at first, it ultimately proves an effective method of conveying Kaelyn’s doubts, fears, and slow loss of control over an unfathomable situation. Through the journal, readers see the secret thoughts that she hides from the rest of the world: strength tempered by insecurity, determination tempered by doubt, love tempered by loneliness. Kaelyn experiences tremendous growth over the course of the novel, and her resilience in the face of unimaginable loss is both awe-inspiring and believable. Her complexity and vulnerability make her the grounding force in a world thrown into chaos, and readers of all ages and experiences will see something of themselves in the conflicted young heroine.

Unfortunately, the rest of the characters seemed rather one-dimensional, possibly because there are so many. A large cast of characters is necessary for this kind of tale, but the losses would have hit home more profoundly if the most important secondary characters had been given more depth. They each had one defining trait that, while interesting, did not give them the roundedness afforded to Kaelyn’s character. They felt a little flat, given a backseat to the inexorable march of the disease.

Megan Crewe is unflinching in her systematic destruction of Kaelyn’s world. The novel does not begin with much setup, but launches readers straight into the downward spiral of an apocalyptic epidemic. It was a little disconcerting to be dropped headfirst into the conflict, but The Way We Fall never pauses for breath. Crewe powerfully evokes both the best and worst in people, brought out by horrific tragedy. While some handle the devastation with compassion and proaction, others become animals in a total state of nature. Readers will find themselves nervously awaiting the next heart-wrenching blow to all Kaelyn holds dear, for nothing is safe or sacred in this degenerate world.

This gripping novel leaves readers with little resolution, and I am eager to see what Crewe can salvage from the ashes of Kaelyn's annihilated world in the next installment.

Rating:

Disclosure: I received an advance galley from the publisher for an honest review.

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion and Big Honcho Media, one lucky winner will receive a copy of The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe plus a Minimergency Kit!

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this review telling me why you're excited to read The Way We Fall. Include your email address so I can contact the winner.
US Only -- prize will be shipped from the publisher
Following is not required, but greatly appreciated
Ends 01/22/12 at 11:59 pm EST
One (1) winner will receive The Way We Fall plus a Minimergency Kit
Please review my giveaway policy

Good luck!

Best I Read 2011: Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins

2011-12-31T21:30:00.000-05:00

Over the next few days (the last of 2011) I'll be posting my top ten favorite reads of the year, in no particular order. They're not necessarily books released in 2011 -- just books that I've read in the past year. I'll be giving the synopsis and linking to my review (if it's been posted) and telling why I love these books so much. Feel free to share your own favorites -- I'm always looking for a good recommendation!

Release Date: March 22, 2011
Series: Hex Hall #2
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hex Hall Review

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

First Line:

At a normal high school, having class outside on a gorgeous May day is usually pretty awesome.

Why It Was The Best: Hex Hall made last year's "Best" list, and rarely do sequels live up to the original -- but in this case, Rachel Hawkins pulled it off flawlessly. I loved Hex Hall, but Demonglass was EVEN BETTER. I didn't even know that was possible. Sophie is as hilarious and hapless as ever, the adventures are even crazier, the world more sublime and OH that romance! STEAMY. I almost spontaneously combusted at one point (you'll know it when you see it... *fans self*). This is just such a fun series and it keeps getting better. I cannot WAIT for the final book, Spell Bound, which hits shelves in March -- especially after that cliffhanger O_O

That's it for this year's Best I Read! What were the best books you read in 2011?

Best I Read 2011: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

2011-12-31T19:00:00.000-05:00

Release Date: July 26, 2011
Series: Wildefire #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

MY REVIEW

Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

First Line:

Ashline Wilde was a human mood ring.

Why It Was The Best: Wildefire was high-energy and fast-paced -- I didn't want to put it down. Ashline kicks butt and takes names and is completely unapologetic about it. She's fierce and strong and a little bit wild. She's confident but flawed, loving but defensive. She's everything I want in a heroine. The mythology of this book is also different and exciting -- a blend of various traditions mixed with Karsten Knight's own imagination. This is a fun, thrilling read and I can't wait for more of Ash & Co's adventures!

Best I Read 2011: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

2011-12-31T16:30:00.000-05:00

Release Date: April 26, 2011
Series: Bumped #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

MY REVIEW

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

First Line:

I'm sixteen. Pregnant. And the most important person on the planet.

Why It Was The Best: I know some people hated this book. It's really a love or hate kind of deal, no in-between. I'll admit I was a little baffled for the first few pages, but once I got into the flow of the story and saw what McCafferty was doing, I was blown away. This is satire run amok -- in the best way possible. McCafferty isn't afraid to take risks, and I think they really paid off in Bumped. It is a bold, intelligent novel. It is unflinching in its look at the dangers of our sex-obsessed, patriarchal society. It is candid and incisive and thought-provoking. Though the world initially seems very black and white, by the end the novel reveals the gray areas inherent in both extremes. I can guarantee you'll never find another book like this one.

Best I Read 2011: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2011-12-31T13:55:00.001-05:00

Release Date: January 4, 2011
Series: Unearthly #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

MY REVIEW

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees...

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has apurpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

First Line:

The first time, November 6 to be exact, I wake up at two a.m. with a tingling in my head like tiny fireflies dancing behind my eyes.

Why It Was The Best: In a word, Clara. She seemed so real. Like a girl you would meet on the street, or who could be your best friend. Though she's a divine being, she's also just a teenage girl. She deals with hair-dying mishaps and irritating boys and going all tongue-tied around a crush. Her road's not an easy one, and sometimes she falters, but she's got a beautiful resilience that keeps her going. Sometimes she might get fed up, but she never gets whiny or angsty. It's impossible not to fall in love with her authentic, snarky voice. Another aspect that I can't say too much about without spoilers is the romance. Cynthia Hand takes it in a surprising and wonderful direction that is much more enjoyable and believable than the usual cliche love story. Overall, despite the paranormal elements, this is the most realistic, believable cast of characters I've read in a long time.

Dragonswood Tour: Janet Carey's Letter to Her Teen Self & Giveaway

2011-12-30T01:09:00.000-05:00

Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of eight Children's and YA novels. Her YA fantasy is critically acclaimed: "Verdict: This is quite simply fantasy at its best–original, beautiful, amazing, and deeply moving.” School Library Journal starred review. Janet links each new book with a charitable organization empowering readers to make a difference in the world. She tours in US and abroad presenting at schools, children’s book festivals, and conferences.

Photo by Heidi Pettit

Dear me at sixteen,

I’m writing to you from the year 2011 when you’re the whopping age of fifty-seven. I can still see you clearly. I still believe in your dreams. The first thing I’d like to tell you is not to worry about your mom’s second marriage. Doug will turn out to be a wonderful stepfather. I know you’re still bitter about your parents’ divorce. I can tell you now that loss ended up bringing a lot of amazing people into your life. You’re just getting to know Martha now and she’s going to encourage you to write poetry and songs. Listen to her. She knows what a joyful thing it is to create. Your world will expand beyond your wildest dreams. This year you’ll get involved with theatre, music, and the anti war movement. You’ll learn to deepen your perceptions through mediation. All good things. You’re going to be lonely for a while now you have broken up with David, but it won’t be too many years before you meet the boy you’ll end up marrying. He’ll be tall, dark, and handsome. He’ll be your best friend, a great father, and an inspiring travel companion along the ever twisting trail.

You think you’re too fat and you don’t like your body much right now. You won’t always be overweight. Eventually you will learn to love your body for the amazing soul vehicle it is. You’ve got your hopes set on creating a different kind of life than your parents had. You want to try something new and different. Go for it. The dreams of being a published author are good ones. Don’t let people talk you out of them. In future years you’ll write lots of books and get nothing but rejection. You’ll think about giving up. Don’t. Keep writing. Keep creating and sending in those manuscripts.

Finally, you have a tendency to try and do everything by yourself and never ask for help when you need it. This is going to backfire. Down the line you’ll have to learn to lean on your friends and on God a little more. Why? Because you’re going to face some things that would terrify you now if I told you what they were, but here’s the good news. You will survive. Your faith will grow. Not in spite of the difficulties but, in part, because of them. Continue to open your heart. Be generous.

Love,

For more about this author, please visit:

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Coming January 5, 2012

Preorder / Add it on Goodreads

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will receive both a signed copy of Dragonswood and a signed paperback of Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey!

To Enter:

Leave a comment telling me one thing you would like to tell your 16-year-old self. Include your email address so I can contact the winner.
US Only -- prize will be shipped from the publisher
Following is not required, but greatly appreciated
Ends 01/06/12 at 11:59 pm EST
One (1) winner will receive both Dragonswood and Dragon's Keep
Please review my giveaway policy

Good luck!