@PageTurnersBlog YA Book Review Blog

The Gathering Storm Review

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robin Bridges
Publish Date: January 2012 from Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Synopsis:

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

The Gathering Storm is a great mix of historical fiction and paranormal romance. It was amazing to find a book that does such a great job of mixing my two favorite generas that also presents an intriguing storyline.

The Gathering Storm is a paranormal retelling of 1880’s Russian history of the ruling class. The story follows Katerina Alexandrovna, a young Duchess that is trying to find her way in both the world of the paranormal and the world of the Russian and European courts that are dangerously intertwined. Katerina has a special dark gift, she’s a necromancer, and if this secret is found out, it could make her very valuable to some or get her exiled from Russia.

Katerina and her gift have caught the eye of two very powerful princes, Prince Danilo, the air to the throne of Montenegro & George Alexandrovich, the second son of the Russian Tsar. Along with figuring out her feelings for both Princes, Katerina is caught up in a paranormal plot to take over the Russian royal bloodline. Katerina’s choices will either help save or doom the Russian Royal family. I loved how Robin delved into Russian culture and made The Gathering Storm feel like historical fiction with a paranormal twist. It was amazingly executed and I cannot wait for book two in Katerina Trilogy.

My Overall Review:

Cover Crazy: Irises by Francisco X. Stork

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0000

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms! Stop by and join in on the fun. Putting this up a little bit early - got lots of stuff going on today.

We are thinking about moving our Cover Crazy post to Sunday. Stacey ran across another Monday meme that looks fun and we wanted to try it- it's called Make It A Movie Monday!

This week I am crazy about...

Irises by Francisco X. Stork

I am enjoying the mixed messages in this cover. The coloring makes it looks hopeful, yet foreboding. The girls look strong yet unsure of the path they are about to walk down. I also like the way the font is done - it seems like its just floating along the cover.

Two sisters discover what's truly worth living for in the new novel by the author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD.TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own. ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet

What cover are you crazy about?

Introducing Coliloquy & a Valentines Kindle Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We are SUPER excited to introduce you all to Coliloquy, a new way to read ebooks!

Coliloquy represents the next generation of digital publishing, taking advantage of new technology to reinvent the way authors and their audiences interact with reading and narrative. Coliloquy’s new publishing format enables multiple story lines, serials and episodic story-telling, personalized content, in-book engagement mechanics and the delivery of prompts and special or exclusive extras to create a more fluid and immersive story-telling experience.

Coliloquy is the first digital publisher to release active and interactive fiction, living narrative streams, and serial storytelling. Developed as part of the Kindle Developer Program for Active Content, Coliloquy leverages advances in technology to create groundbreaking new forms of digital fiction. Based in Palo Alto, CA, the company was founded by Lisa Rutherford, an AlwaysON “Top Women to Watch” award winner, and Waynn Lue in 2011.

Coliloquy is launching with 4 wonderful titles!

Heidi R. Kling, Witch’s Brew (The Spellspinners of Melas County): a contemporary young adult series about a modern day witch who must betray everything she knows to save her magic and her forbidden love.

Click HERE to read our review of Witch's Brew

Kira Snyder, Dead Letter Office (Parish Mail): a contemporary southern gothic mystery series about a teenager who discovers a cache of centuries-old letters containing clues to crimes happening in the present day.

Liz Maverick, Arcania, Trial by Fire #1 (Arcania): a young adult fantasy series about an underachieving teen thrust into an MMO-like world of magical combat, where she must master her own genetic gifts while investigating her twin sister’s suspicious death.

Click HERE to read our review of Arcania

Tawna Fenske, Getting Dumped: a serialized romantic caper about a woman who loses her job but finds love, intrigue, mayhem, and a new career buried in the unlikeliest of places.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

We're giving away a Kindle loaded with all 4 Coliloquy titles just in time for Valentines Day!

Winner gets a Kindle loaded with the 4 titles featured above and some fun Valentines Day Extras!
This giveaway is open to people with US addresses only.
All of our other standard rules apply.
Giveaway ends 2/14
You get +1 for spreading the word. You can post it on any form of social media you'd like. Leave a link in the entry form. If you tweet be sure to include @pageturnersblog and @coliloquy
CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Witch's Brew Review

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:58:00 +0000

Title: Witch's Brew
Author: Heidi Kling
Publish Date: January 2012 from Coliloquy
Synopsis:

The Spellspinners of Melas County is a fantasy YA romance series about a witch, a warlock, and their fight for their forbidden but prophesied love.

Once soulmates, the witch and warlock covens of the California coast have been estranged for a century. Raised to hate each other, their teenagers meet in the Solstice Stones, a magical battleground where they draw energy from each other to maintain their balance. 16 year olds Logan and Lily have spent years training for their first Stones…only to discover just days before that the enemy may not be what either of them had thought.

In Witch’s Brew, Lily is torn between her feelings for Logan and her coven’s need to know who—or what—he is. The young lovers race against time, their distrust for each other, and the powerful influence of their elders to unravel the mystery of their pasts before their future is destroyed.

This is an Active Fiction title "Active fiction" is a new type of e-reading experience that allows the reader and the author to interact with each other and the text in new and different ways.

In Witch’s Brew, Lily and Logan's fate is already decided, but Heidi explores several different possible pathways for how they get there. She shares scenes that wouldn’t normally fit in a book format and gives readers more precious moments between the two young lovers. As the series progresses, you'll see some normal narrative forms, interspersed with smaller scenes, alternate points of view, and a lot of "what if" scenarios.

The Witch’s Brew the first book in the The Spellspinners of Melas County Series. It is also one of the first books of its kind. It’s part of the first batch of books form Coliloquy, a new publisher, that allows the reader of it’s ebooks to interact with the story and choose the path of the story. Heidi’s writing fits this style of storytelling, she does an amazing job with her world building and leaves you always wanting more. And now that it’s “choose your own adventure” you get to read the same story in multiples ways and get to explore the world that much more.

In Witch’s Brew, we get one point of choice. I chose option 1, “When my eyes finally fluttered open, I was stunned to see a boy with wild black hair and piercing blue eyes staring down at me." And I REALLY want to go back and read the other option. I think this will be a fun way to read stories and I’m excited to see what else Coliloquy does in the future. I love the idea of choose your own adventure in a more mature story line and I cannot wait to read part 2 of this amazing story and to see what other options we get to choose from.

Witch’s Brew is the story of Lily and Logan, two Spellspinners, witches, that are on opposite sides of dark and light. They are trapped in a century old conflict that is about to come to a head and they are at the center of the resolution. This being the first of several books, we are introduced to the world, the characters and the conflict. Heidi does a great job building her world and making the characters worthy of our affection. The Spellspinners of Melas County seems like it will be more of a serial presentation, so it’ll be fun to see how Heidi divides up the story brings everything together.

My Overall Review:

Autism Awareness Blog Hop Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:31:00 +0000

Annual Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop
April 11th to 17th

April is Autism Awareness Month. To help spread the word about Autism we are hosting a giveaway hop.

Hosted by:

If you have been following our blog for the last few years, you probably already know that I am a parent to a child on the spectrum. Autism Awareness is very important to me - not only to get the info out there about my son and others like him, but to show how prevalent an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis is - based on statistics alone someone in your class, your child's class or at work will be on the spectrum. As of right now the diagnosis is around 1 in 110 - but boys are 4times more likely to be on the spectrum; for them it's around 1 in 70.

Each participating blog is hosting a giveaway. You will find lots of variety among the prizes. Some of the blogs are giving away prizes that relate to autism, other blogs are giving away gift cards or other prizes and posting information about autism to help make others aware.

I know the causes and treatment of autism can bring controversy. The point of this giveaway hop is simply to make people more aware about the subject by sharing information and experiences.

For More Information about Austism:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/index.php
http://www.autism-society.org/
http://autism-resources.com/

They are also changing the "definition" of autism. You can read more on

that info here.

To sign up just fill out the linky thing.

HUGE THANK YOU to anyone who participates in this giveaway. The more info out there, the easier it is for my son to do normal everyday things and for parents like me to get the support we need.

Never Eighteen Review

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

Title: Never Eighteen
Author: Megan Bostic
Release: January 2012 by HMH
Synopsis:

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

The title says it all - you know from the start this is going to be a heartbreaking story. And yet, you just can't stop reading can't stop hoping that a miracle will happen.

Austin Parker is on a mission - a bucket list of sorts; all he needs is the help of his best friend and the secret love of his life Kaylee. Over the course of one weekend Austin sets out to right the wrongs and make his last few days meaningful. If he can't save his own life, he is determined to metaphorically save someone else’s.

I was mesmerized by this book. I loved everything about it, but my favorite part was the way it was written; Austin living in the moment and telling us why things happened the way they did. Reliving the past and changing the future.

2012 Debut Author Spotlight: Interview with Jess Rothenberg

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Jess Rothenberg grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, graduated from Vassar College, and spent most of her twenties editing books for teens and middle grade readers. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she writes full-time, dances interpretively, and dreams of one day owning a sheepdog named Leo. The Catastrophic History of You and Me is her first novel. Visit http://www.jessrothenberg.com/ to find out more!

1. Dying of a broken heart - what a way for Brie to go! Why did you go with as the cause of death for your main character?

Brie’s death by heartbreak came about for a few reasons. The main one was that I was nursing a broken heart of my own when I first started experimenting with her voice. I didn’t know who she was, or even that she was speaking to me from the great beyond, but I did know she was hurting, just like me.

Then I happened upon an article in the Wall Street Journal all about a rare but potentially fatal condition called “Broken Heart Syndrome,” where it really is possible to die from the cardiac stress brought on by an intense emotional loss. And because first love tends to be all the more emotional and intense, I thought to myself, “What if that happened to a teenage girl?” And the story unfolded pretty quickly from there.

2. I seriously love the chapter titles. I was finishing the chapter "Take Another Piece of My Heart (Now Baby), when I realized what the chapter titles actually meant. I went through the whole book and read all of them first! What made you decide to give Brie the quirk of loving 80's music? I had them playing in my head as I read the book. Did you have the songs playing when you wrote the book?

Aw, thank you! I’m really glad you love them! : ) Yup, those are the songs I had playing on repeat for months and months as I wrote the book. Personally, I always prefer to write with music playing in the background because it helps me get into the true headspace of the characters and atmosphere of a story. The songs on the Catastrophic playlist (which you can stream here: http://jessrothenberg.com/playlist.html) are some of my all-time favorites from growing up and were such a big inspiration to me as I was writing the book—both in helping me get through my own heartache, and helping Brie figure out her own. She and I really did go through all five of those stages together, and the music was such a huge part of that journey.

3. Not to give too much of the novel away, but if like Brie, you were offered the chance to relive one day, would you do it? If so, what day would you choose and why? If not, why?

That’s a tough one. I think I’d have to relive two, because I’d want to spend one day with my Grandma Marjorie at her country house in the Berkshires in early October. She’d make her famous French onion soup and we would just talk and hold hands and laugh and tell stories, and the air would be cool and crisp and smell like autumn leaves. And I’d spend the other day with my grandparents (Mama and Papa) in Charleston, South Carolina—a warm summer afternoon where the three of us would head out in their cute little boat for a day of fishing along the Intracoastal Waterway. My grandpa would teach me how to ‘go shrimpin’ from right off the bow of the boat, and my grandmother would crisp quietly in the sun and— inevitably—catch the biggest fish of the day without any effort at all. (That really used to irk me and my grandpa,
haha.)

I miss my grandmothers every single day (they both passed away in 2006) and I dedicated Catastrophic History to them, along with my mom. And the poem at the end of the novel was written for me by my grandfather, Papa, when I was fifteen. So that’s what I would want. I would choose to relive a day with them.

4. Random shout outs for Hamloaf and the way you took Brie through the stages of grief. Hamloaf was one of my favorite little things you put in this book. He just added the right touch at just the right moment. Also, the irony of a dead girl go through the stages of grief usually associated the living dealing with the loss of a loved one was brilliant. Where did these two plot points come from?

Aww, Hamloaf. Such a good, sweet dog. I’ve always been a major animal lover, so it didn’t seem right that Brie and her family shouldn’t be too! The way I see it, EVERY family should have a dog—or at least a cat who thinks he’s a dog, like mine. ; ) *Fun fact: The real Hamloaf was actually not a dog, but a goldfish! He belonged to my friend and former editorial colleague Anne Heltzel (also a YA writer), and she was kind enough to let me use his name for the story. Hamloaf was hands down the most incredible goldfish I’ve ever met—he would literally wag his whole body like a golden retriever puppy every morning when we all got to work, and swim-dance aroundhis bowl for fish treats. Sadly, Hamloaf swam off to the Great Beyond a few years ago, but I like to think he’s found his eternal soul mate. Or should I say…Filet of Sole mate? Haha. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

As for the stages of grief—that’s an element of the book I was excited about right off the bat. The thing is, sometimes a bad breakup can feel like a death, and the grieving process for both can actually be quite similar. You might go through denial (it’s not over), anger (what a jerk!), bargaining (can’t we try again?), sadness (bawl-fest), and finally, acceptance (thank goodness I got rid of him!). Getting your heart trampled upon can be such an intense and, in Brie’s case, catastrophic emotional rollercoaster, and I couldn’t help thinking that the stages of grief perfectly applied to what she was going through—love-wise and death-wise. So even though she’s narrating from the other side, it made sense to me that she’d still be feeling all of those emotions, just like the people she left behind.

5. What is your favorite thing about The Catastrophic History of You and Me?

This book is very special to me for a lot of reasons. The most obvious is that it’s my first novel to be published, so that will always mean a great deal to me. But it’s also a very personal story, because Brie and I really did go through all the stages together as the story unfolded. When I first started writing the story two years ago, I had no idea how much it would change my life. I never dreamed it would lure me away from my job as a children’s book editor to test the waters of writing full-time, or that it would teach me just how much I still had to learn about love, loss, and letting go. I had to learn that sometimes the thing you want most is the thing you need the least. And, just like Brie, I had to learn that sometimes a broken heart isn’t the end of the road... it’s just the beginning!

My other favorite thing about Catastrophic? It brought me together with my fiancé, who also happens to be my literary agent. (I know, talk about a fun plot twist.) I guess you could say Brie and I both got our happy endings? : )

6. What is a typical "writing mode" day like for you when you are starting a new book? Is it different from when you know you are almost finished with it?

In the year since I quit my job to write full-time, I’ve learned that for me, there’s really no such thing as a typical writing day. 2011 was justa crazy year of changes (both personally and professionally) and I was literally all over the map through most of it. In general, I try to stick to writing a certain amount of words each day no matter where I am in a story, but with everything I had going on this year, I’ll admit that was much easier said than done. Writing tends to come faster for me at the beginning and end of the book—when narrative energy is super high and you can’t seem to get the words down fast enough. It’s almost like the characters are screaming at you to write, write, write! and you’re just trying to keep up with them. For me, it’s the mysterious middle section of a story that poses the biggest set of challenges… when you’ve got the great set up and you’ve got the great ending in mind, but now you need to figure out how all the pieces fit together.

7. How excited are you about you debut YA book? How did you find out your book was going to be published by Penguin? What are you doing to celebrate your book's birthday?

Oh my goodness, I am INCREDIBLY excited!! If you don’t believe me, just see for yourself. ; ) http://bit.ly/wXbbQJ

The day my book deal happened was, without a doubt, the most exciting day of my life, EVER. My book had only been on submission about 24 hours when I got the call letting me know that Penguin had made an offer. I was an editor at another imprint called Razorbill at the time, but the book was with a lot of people all over town and I had no idea if anyone would even like it, much less want to buy it. Then the deal happened and I was just so honored and over the moon to have Catastrophic History land at Penguin, because the house already felt like home to me on so many levels. It was (and still is) a complete and total dream come true.

To celebrate the release on 2/21, I’ll be throwing a fun party at a bookstore in NYC! Details still to come, but everyone’s invited! I’ll be posting more info on my website/blog in the coming weeks (http://www.jessrothenberg.com/), so check back soon for more, or follow me on twitter (@JessRothenberg) or on facebook (www.facebook.com/jessrothenberg).

8. Are you woking on any new novels?

I am! At the moment, I’m hard at work on a new YA novel which is set to be out in 2013. I can’t say anything about it just yet, except that it’s really funny. Or at least, I think it’s funny. I’m turning in a draft in a couple of weeks, so let’s hope my editor agrees. *Crosses fingers*

Big thanks to Jess for this 2012 Debut Author Spotlight Interview!

*Don't forget to enter to win an ARC of the awesome The Catastrophic History of You and Me. Just fill out this form. Giveaway ends 1/28/12.

US only & the usual contest rules apply!

Between Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Between is the Second book in the Crossroads Saga

Lets meet Mary Ting!

What do you like to do for fun?

Beside spending time with my family and friends…let’s see… shopping is always fun…lol!!! I love to bargain shop. I enjoy watching action movies. The lastest one I saw was Mission Impossible and I LOVED it. What else… I can tell you about my hobbies. I started off making photo albums by using fabrics. Then I got into crocheting. I made my daughter a long shawl and a scarf. Afterward, I started oil painting. I was so hooked that I painted about 50 of them in 2 years. I gave most of them away to family and friends. Then I learned how to make jewelries. My friends and I have two website. She manages the sites and delivery while my friend and I create and design. www.inspiredbytwilight.com and http://www.breastcancerphotojewelry.com/ Now, I can’t stop writing.

Visit Mary's Website HERE

Visit Mary's Blog HERE

Crossroads on Facebook HERE

Here are some of Mary's Artwork!

Pretty Awesome, Right?

And here is My review of Between

Title: Between Author: Mary Ting Publish Date: January 12th 2012 by World Castle Publishing Synopsis:

As the alkins head back to Crossroads, Claudia leads her normal life; but not for long. Having a special soul, Claudia attracts danger, and she soon finds out who Gamma asked to watch over her. The Twelve, known as Divine Elders on Earth, are very much involved when they find out that Aliah, one of the God’s first angels, escaped from the Abyss when the gates were opened by Aden. Needing Claudia’s soul to escape the only place Aliah can reside–a place between Heaven and Earth–he sends his demons in search of all Claudia Emersons on Earth. Taking her soul will enable him to be released from Between and cross over to Crossroads, which would give him immense power. As more secrets are revealed Claudia learns about the venators—nephilim, demon hunters. Now two opposing forces must work together in order to save Claudia and humanity from the most dangerous angel ever created. But along the way, trust becomes a big issue. Will love be enough to keep Claudia and Michael together? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice? Who will betray them all?

Between takes the Crossroad Saga to a completely new level of intense story telling! Claudia and Michael’s story continues in Between. New characters are introduced, the Venators. Who are they? Good? Bad? A love triangle unfolds for Claudia. Who could the third be? A new villain is after Claudia and her holy spirit. Will you despise this villain as much as Aiden? Intrigued yet? You should be.

I love a good story with an amazing plot. Mary’s descriptive writing made the words on the page disappear for me. I was IN the story. Watching the battles, hearing the clanging of the swords, and feeling the adrenaline pumping made it come to life. There were points where I laughed, and how can you not with Davin’s personality. In addition, other situations where I literally cried, having to put the story to the side and regroup myself before I could continue. What I mean by crying is the tears flowing, the snotty nose and the whole bit! Ahhh….when you read this story and get to this point, you will know exactly what I’m talking about. So not only is the superb descriptive writing take you into the story, the emotional writing will grab your soul. The ending of this story was so intense; I am literally bouncing in my seat waiting for the third installment of this saga.

On a personal note, I want to add how special this saga is to me. If you did not know, Mary wrote this Crossroads to help her deal with the loss of her grandmother. I too, lost my grandmother shortly after reading Crossroads, so it holds a very special place in my heart and I cherish that connection that I have with Mary. The passion I have for this story has created a beautiful friendship that means the world to me.

My Over All Rating:

To Enter the Giveaway, Please visit Late Bloomer here for a chance to win one of three autographed copies of Between and a Snowflake Pendant.

Here is the tour schedule for the tour, click each blog name to be taken there.

January 14^th - Books Ahoy

January 15^th - Totally Bookalicious

January 16^th – My Neurotic Book Affair

January 17^th – Dark Readers

January 18^th – We Fancy Books

January 19^th – Mundie Moms

January 20^th – What’s beyond Forks?

January 22^nd – Journey With Books

January 23^rd – ILoveTeenBooks

January 24^th - Once Upon A Twilight

January 25^th – Ellie Sew Sweet

January 26^th – Page Turners Blog

January 27^th – Between the Covers

"Waiting on" Wednesday: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:42:00 +0000

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week we are waiting on...

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

WHY WE WANT IT:
Cause Julie Kagawa is an amazing author - we loved her Iron Fey Series and cannot wait to see her dark side.

We're Celebrating #TeamKilt Burns Night

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Today is Burns Night in Scotland and because Zachary from Jeri Smith-Ready's Shade Series is from Scotland, she's celebrating! You can click HERE to learn about Burns Night and about some of the activities she has gone on today and THIS second post has more fun she has planned for today!

We chose to celebrate because both Pixie and I have a fascination with Scotland. We bond over our love for James McAvoy, but there's more to Scotland than it's pretty boys and their amazing accents! Scotland has an amazingly rich history that is full of oppression, attempted genocide, a fights for Independence, and amazing courage. And it also has a grate literary tradition as well! It's a country full of great myth and mysticism and many horrors (Edinburgh was also big into the study of modern medicine that lead to a lot of body snatching) that helped such authors as Robert Louis Stevenson to write some amazing books and stories.

I'm not totally sure when my love affair with Scotland started, but it's one that continues and I'm DYING to visit one day! It's a country full of great architecture, amazing natural beauty and kilts! What more can a girl ask for? But in all seriousness it is an amazing country that oddly has a very similar story as my own. And so here at PTB we are celebrating today to show our love for Scotland, Jeri Smith-Ready & Zach!

So to go along with this love fest, we're going to spread out love of Scotland to you, with a giveaway!

GIVEAWAY!

We're giving away a copy of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Yes, I know this isn't a YA book, but it's an amazing love story and shows off Scotland's history and culture and it's one of my favorite books of all times!

So to enter, leave a comment letting us know what your favorite thing about Scotland is or if you learned something new from this post that you didn't before along with your email (or if it's in your blogger profile, that works too) and you'll be entered to win. We'll make this international (so if you live in a country that bookdepository.com will ship to you are welcome to enter!) and if we get 200 entries I'll make it the 20th anniversary edition instead of just the paperback! This giveaway will go through Feb 1st and the winner will also be entered to win a prize from Jeri!

PS for an extra entries, stop by and tell us what Burns Night activities you have participated in, leave a new comment for each activity! (entering other giveaways counts too!)

This is a blog hop! So head over to For What It's Worth to check out the other blogs participating!

Arcania- Trial by Fire 1 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Title: Arcania- Trial by Fire 1
Author: Liz Maverick
Publish Date: January 11th 2012 by Coliloquy, LLC
Synopsis:

Born without arcania in her blood, Adia has lived in the shadow of her magical twin her whole life until the day she accidentally inherits her spellcaster sister’s talents. Now she’s got the ability to save the lives of everybody she loves…if only she knew the first thing about how to use it.

Once she leaves Earth for the training academy in Arcania, there are plenty of people who could show her the ropes, including darkly passionate Grey, the top shield at the school, devil-may-care charmer Seger, a swashbuckling rogue with a talent for daggers, and Finola, the clever and empathic healer with a gift for keeping her team out of sickbay.

With a battle heating up, Adia doesn’t have much time to learn how to use the magic that now flows through her bloodstream, earn a spot on a fighting team, and stop the ancient war between the forces of magic from spreading to Earth and destroying the loved ones she’s been forced to leave behind.

I was both excited and skeptical when I began reading Arcania. Excited because I thought that the summary sounded positively enthralling. But skeptical because of the "interactive" element to it. You see, the new Coliloquy books are interactive books. Readers determine which path the stories take and new segments are automatically downloaded onto their Kindle. To me, this sounded like electronic versions of Choose Your Own Adventure books, which I vaguely remembered from my childhood as being less-than-wonderful. Happily, the Coliloquy title Arcania was much much better than that.

At first, I worried that Adia and I were not going to mesh well-- her relationship with her boyfriend seemed a bit too clingy for my tastes, but once she was off into the world of Arcania itself, things changed. Adia became a character that I loved. She was frustrated with her seeming inability to master her new Arcania, but didn't become whiny. She worked her butt off for every little thing she got and won me over easily as I got to know her.

The same is true of many of the other characters like Seger, Finola, and Grey-- people that I wasn't all that crazy about in the beginning, but I grudgingly had to accept their behavior as realistic given the circumstances. I think that was part of what I loved about Maverick's writing-- she didn't cater to what someone would like right away. She created a good story and believable characters and let that be what I fell in love with.

Maverick's world fascinated me: between the war going on, the training school that Adia winds up at, and the magic itself. It's exactly the kind of story that is great fun to fall into and live vicariously through.

Needless to say, I can't wait for the next "episode" of Arcania to come through the Coliloquy platform.

My Over All Rating:

Teaser Tuesday: The Catastrophic History of You and Me

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by Mizb at Should be Reading

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

Share the title & author.

My teaser this week comes from:

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

I saw where the doctor had scribbled down my time of death (8:22 p.m.), followed by three words I'll never forget.
Acute congestive cardiomyopathy. Otherwise known as heart failure.

I didn't know it at the time, but that doctor was wrong. My heart didn't fail. Someone failed my heart.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me Review & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Publication Date: February 21st 2012 by Penguin Young Readers Group
Goodreads

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover
that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul...who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

DISCLAIMER
*I started and finished The Catastrophic History of You and Me in one session. Really. I stayed up until almost 2 am, just because I had to know what happened to Brie! Before you begin this book, know you may get sucked it, so plan your time to read accordingly!*

So, imagine you literally drop dead of a broken heart right there at dinner with your now ex-boyfriend. For Brie, it happened, and now she finds herself in the afterlife. She drifts for a while, looking after her family and friends, and eventually, watches her funeral. When Brie makes the choice to continue on, she winds up in a pizza parlor, Slice of Heaven. I know, cheesy name (yes, I meant to make that pun), but I like the name. Inside, she finds kids of different ages, all who have passed on. Patrick becomes her guide as Brie goes through the five stages of grief. He helps her come to terms with what has happened to her, what is going on with her family and friends, and helps her make some important decisions about what to do with her future. Patrick is able to guide Brie to look closer and become aware of what else was going on around her. Brie comes to realize there was more to her death than just a broken heart.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me had some really great things going for it. For starters - the chapter titles! They were all song titles that went along with what was happening in the coming chapter. When Brie dies of a broken heart - Take Another Little Piece of My Heart Now Baby. When she finds herself by herself, kind of exploring the afterlife - The Cheese Stands Alone. I had mental soundtrack playing in my head as I read this book. Loved it! The second thing I loved was Brie's Bassett hound, Hamloaf, who was the only one from her old life able to see her after she died. He was adorable! I also enjoyed how even though Brie was dead, she was going through the five stages of grief. It was an interesting concept to see someone dead to through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance just like you see the living go through. Rothenberg's writing really showed what it would be like for a 15, almost 16, year old girl to have suddenly died and have to deal with all the emotions this brings up.

My Overall Rating

GIVEAWAY
We have one ARC of this awesome book up for grabs! Just fill out this form to enter. Our usual contest rules apply.

Cover Crazy: Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms! Stop by and join in on the fun. Putting this up a little bit early - got lots of stuff going on today.

This week I am crazy about...

Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

I love the vulnerability in this cover - the un-sureness of the girl, the bright blinding spotlight. It draws you in and makes you want to know more.

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

Hallowed Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:07:00 +0000

Title: Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publish Date: January 17, 2012 Harper Teen
Synopsis:

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn’t prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

I will admit that I love an angel story, but lately I’ve been feeling a little meh about some of the entries in the genre and then I picked up Hallowed and I remembered why I loved books that use angel mythology in a believable way.

I need to pause a second and emphasize how wonderful it is to read a well written story. The characters – dear God, I love them all. Clara. Tucker. Christian (helloooooo, Christian). Clara’s brother and her mom. The story tackles a subject matter that usually makes me burst into tears shortly after I read the first sentence. But Cynthia handles this subject matter in a gorgeous, gentle and realistic way. Yes, I cried a little but I was also uplifted by the way the cast of characters supported Clara. I’ve lived long enough to know that true friends will support you through the bleakest of times.

Now, you guys know me well enough to know that I will need to comment on the romance and again, huge props to Cynthia for writing a believable love triangle. I totally related to Clara’s feelings about outgrowing her relationship with Tucker. Things have changed for Clara, rather dramatically, and sometimes those changing circumstances make us question all choices including the big one – is this person right for me?

For those of you who were firmly Team Christian, whoa, hold on. Christian’s character is developed brilliantly in this story and we see him as more than a two dimensional angel-hero boy. His character surprised me the most and I have to admit that I’m smiling as I write this.

So if you enjoy paranormal stories or are a fan of angel mythologies and you haven’t picked up Unearthly and Hallowed, what’s stopping you? Do it and then you’ll see that you’ll start recommending them, too.

My Over All Rating:

Thanks to Mundie Moms for putting on the Hallowed Blog Tour. For fun interviews, giveaways, author posts and reviews be sure to follow the rest of the tour stops. Next stop is on Monday (January 23rd) at GReads.

We are thrilled to also have a giveaway! ONE winner will receive:

- A Team Tucker Cowboy Hat
- Swag Pack (Unearthly patches, posters and bookmarks)

Fill out the form HERE. The giveaway ends on January 28th at midnight CST. Our usual giveaway rules apply.

The Deepest Cut Review

noreply@blogger.com (mamafox/Meagen) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Title: The Deepest Cut
Author: J.A. Templeton
Publish Date: July, 2011
Author Published
Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Riley Williams has been able to see ghosts since the car crash that took her mother's life and shattered her family. Guilt-ridden over the belief that she's somehow responsible for her mom's death, Riley is desperate to see her mother's elusive spirit to gain her forgiveness. When her father moves the family to Scotland so they can all start over, Riley believes her life couldn't get worse––that is until the ghost of nineteen-year-old Ian MacKinnon catches her purposely cutting herself. An uneasy truce quickly turns into friendship, and soon Riley's falling hard for Ian. Riley believes her gift could help Ian end the curse that has kept him tied to the land for centuries, but that would mean letting him go forever and she's not sure she is strong enough to do that. As if her life wasn't complicated enough, the spirit of the woman who killed Ian returns and she'll stop at nothing to keep Riley from helping Ian find eternal peace.

I read this book in 1 day. Yes, 1 day. I couldn’t put it down. I found the beginning of the book very interesting and Riley to be an intriguing female character. She is smart and clearly still reeling from the loss of her mother. The entire family is hurting and the move to Scotland, in the father’s eyes, is a fresh start. When Riley begins telling us about the car crash and her mother’s death, her pain is obvious. When she reveals she can see ghosts and has yet to see the one spirit she needs, it is heartbreaking.

Then, she meets Ian, a restless, centuries old ghost, and her world is turned upside down. One of the ways she has learned to cope with her emotions is through cutting. She self-mutilates and as Ian sees her doing this, he is perplexed. He tells her he knows she can see him, even though she is trying to ignore him, and he won't leave her be until she acknowledges him. People from his time did not do things like this to themselves and he is curious. I found the fact that he continued to push her to explain her actions interesting. Her explanation of the cutting, having to make someone who has never heard of it understand, is part of her healing process. Ian becomes her best friend and gives her the strength to work through the pain of losing her mother.

Ian becomes her constant companion and best friend. I love how they learn to know each other and I especially enjoyed that they could touch. I'm still not completely sure how that works with a ghost, but I don't want to question it. Eventually, they fall in love. Unfortunately, this draws the attention of a vindictive ghost, and Riley is now in danger. This ghost is the young woman who condemned Ian to walk this earth for eternity and she is evil. They discover she can affect the physical world and is still in love with Ian, the aristocrat she couldn’t have when she was a servant in his home. Riley and Ian embark on a journey though clues to try to send him to the other side and free him, but at great personal risk to Riley, her friends, and family. If she is able to free his spirit, will she lose him forever? The ending is wonderful and I am looking forward to the next book in The MacKinnon Curse series.

I handed the book to my daughter in an effort to get her to read. She said Ian is hot and hasn’t put the book down. She is not a big reader, so if she will carry a book everywhere with her and continue to read, I’m hooked on this author. The sequel, The Haunted, is out soon and I can't wait to read it. The third book is out later this year as well.

My Over All Rating:

Fracture by Megan Miranda Review

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publish Date: January 17th 2012 by Walker & Company

Synopsis:

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine -despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

     Fracture is a unique story about how a young girl acquires a paranormal ability. Is she a freak? How do you define Normal and abnormal?

     Delaney and Decker are on their way to meet some friends to hang out together. Decker decides he wants to take a short cut, across the lake. Delaney is hesitant, but Decker starts to drag her out, and walks on ahead of her. Being the clumsy person she is, Delaney falls, cracking the ice. She falls through, which turns her life into something she never expected. Delaney is in a coma, and can hear those around her speaking. She is trapped inside her body, and is desperately trying to get loose. After she finally wakes up, she learns that she died, and was brought back to life. Even though Delaney seems fine, her brain scans show different. Has her brain rewired itself? Moreover, what is this “itch” she feels deep within her brain?

     Delaney’s relationship with her parents is strained. They want so much for her to return to normal. Delaney, however, is past her normal self. She meets Troy, who has experienced the same thing. Will they become close because of that shared experience?

     Decker carries so much guilt. He blames himself for Delaney’s accident, but keeps it quietly to himself. He does not understand why Delaney is acting so differently because she will not talk to him about what is going on inside her. The friendship is strained, but Decker is always there for her.

     Fracture is an incredible story about friendships, loyalties, and a paranormal twist. You can relate to the strain on Delaney’s relationship with her family and Decker. Feel with her the confusion on why she lived, and what is happening to her. This story captured my attention because so much is unknown about the human brain and how it can heal itself. Who is to say that this cannot actually happen? You definitely must read this incredible story.

My Over All Rating:

#StopSOPA

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:27:00 +0000

So as you can tell, PTB has a click through today. It's because we're supporting the Stop SOPA Blackout along with

(this is what google looks like today),

Wikipedia and 100s of other blogs and news sites around the US.

To learn more you can watch the video below, Click HERE (the only working Wikipedia page today), click the google banner or watch your local news, I'm sure this will make headlines, it was already on NPR.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

And if you want to participate with the same black out click through, go to http://sopablackout.org/
Or if you're on WordPress, click HERE to see how you can participate.

Bewitching Review

noreply@blogger.com (mamafox/Meagen) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Title: Bewitching
Author: Alex Flinn
Publish Date: February 2012, Harper Collins
Synopsis:

Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in "Hansel and Gretel," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid"-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra's reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of "Cinderella," except the "ugly" stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

I am a huge Alex Flinn fan and Beastly is one of my favorite books to teach. Flinn’s other fairytale novels are also favorites of mine to read and recommend. I was looking forward to reading Kendra’s story and learning how she came into being. I felt she was such a unique, sarcastic, forthright woman, and it would be great to know more. Now, with the release of Bewitching, we have her history.

The story begins with Kendra’s childhood and explains in detail how she discovered she is a witch and how she came into her powers. Her initial story is heartbreaking and weaves the story of the gingerbread house and its witch into the plot. It was amusing to see the witch from Kendra’s point of view and learn with her about secrets witches do not want the general population to know. Then the story flips to a spin-off of Cinderella and tells the tale through 2 sisters who compete for their father’s attentions. This part of the story began well enough and I could follow along to the introduction of Kendra again. However, as soon as I got involved, the story shifted back to the story of Kendra’s childhood and mentally I had to shift gears. This continued through the book, flipping from one story to the next. I struggled to get through this book.

I thought maybe it was just me, but I gave the book to a student to read and she brought it back to me saying she didn’t like it. She loved Beastly, but this one couldn’t keep her attention. I was disappointed. Don’t let this review keep you from reading her novels. Usually, she is engaging and I can’t put them down.

My Over All Rating:

Teaser Tuesday: Black Heart by Holly Black

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by Mizb at Should be Reading

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

Share the title & author.

My teaser this week comes from...

Black Heart by Holly Black

But now I wonder - what if everyone is pretty much the same and it's just a thousand small choices that add up to the person you are? No good or evil, no black and white, no inner demons or angels whispering the right answers in our ears like it's some cosmic SAT test. Just us, hour by hour minute by minute, day by day, making the best choices we can.

Cover Crazy: Dust Lands Rebel Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms! Stop by and join in on the fun. Putting this up a little bit early - got lots of stuff going on today.

This week I am crazy about...

Dust Lands: Rebel Hearts by Moira Young

I LOVE this cover! It matches the new cover of Blood Red Road, the first Dust Lands book. It totally fits the Post-Apocalyptic feel of the series. I also love that we aren't totally sure who it is, is it Jack or is it someone else? Can't wait to read it and find out! And cool fact, our friend Sara from the Hunger Games Examiner gave the MTV quote on the cover!

The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued. The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well. But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba. And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands. Then a messenger shows up. With news of Jack.

Megan Miranda Author Debut - Fracture & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michele) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Megan Miranda

Author of Fracture

Check out the Fracture Facebook Page for some fun events and giveaways!

I am SO lucky that I had the opportunity to read Fracture and interview Megan!!

1. Fracture is a unique paranormal story about a coma causing the paranormal. How did you come up with such a cool idea?

Thank you! Honestly, I didn’t originally think of the story as anything paranormal. I approached it mostly from the science angle—I was inspired by questions I’d had for a while about the things we didn’t quite understand yet. And, along the way, I guess it stepped over the line into paranormal, which is technically just something that science can’t explain…yet.
I’ve always been fascinated with the brain—mostly with what we don’t know about it. I was always drawn to the stories that science tries to explain, but isn’t quite able to yet.

2. Did you do research on brain activity and coma while writing Fracture?

I did a lot of fact checking, and I tried to read a lot of first-hand accounts. I’ve loved science pretty much since birth, so I was always reading about it (and eventually studying it and working in the field)—most of my research was about the initial scenes and the hospital stay, but I also read a lot about different brain injuries, in general.

3. Delaney and Decker have such a great relationship, was it difficult to write about their troubles?

Yes. But… I really wanted Decker to be the main character of his life, in his own story. He's dealing with his own guilt, etc.. Meanwhile, Delaney has her life and issues as well. So I was happy with the arcs of each of their independent stories, but, yes, it definitely made for some serious difficulties.

4. Has it always been a dream of yours to write?

If by dream you mean thing I didn’t pursue seriously for far too long because I assumed it was just a dream, then yes. I’ve always loved to write, but making a career of it seemed like such a dream.

5. What inspires you?

Reading excellent books (of which there are so many) inspires me to dig deeper in my own writing. As for coming up with ideas, I’m inspired by questions, by things I don’t quite understand. Writing is kind of my outlet for addressing or exploring those questions.

6. I truly fell in love with Delaney and Decker. WIll we be seeing more of them in the future?

There’s a short story from Decker’s POV of the eleven minutes when Delaney is trapped under the ice and the 6 days that follow, but as for a sequel? I’m honestly not planning on it. I feel like their story is complete.

Thanks so much Megan for giving PageTurners your time!
Thanks so much for having me!

Giveway
Comment below for a chance to win a slightly used ARC of Fracture and some signed bookmarks from Megan!! Giveaway will end Jan 31. Please leave your email address in the comment. All of our standard contest rules apply.

2012 Debut Author Spotlight - Cinder Giveaway Extended

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:38:00 +0000

Thanks to Cinder's publisher, Feiwel and Friends/St. Martin's Press, we're going to add another hardcover copy to our giveaway. What does this mean to you?

We'll have TWO winners! And the giveaway will be extended until January 25th.
ONE winner will receive a hardcover copy of Marissa Meyer's Cinder along with the fun 30" steampunk-gear necklace.

ONE winner will receive a hardcopy of Cinder.

Have you read our exclusive Q&A with Prince Kai and Cinder?

Also check out the 5-star review and to enter the giveaway, be sure to fill out GIVEAWAY the form here.

2012 Debut Author Spotlight: Q&A with Prince Kai

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:08:00 +0000

Prince Kai, from Cinder's book trailer

It's always exciting to entertain royalty, and today we none other than His Royal Highness Prince Kai, heir to the Eastern Commonwealth in Marissa Meyer's New York Times bestseller (congratulations Marissa!), Cinder.

PTB: You have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders (ongoing negotiations with The Lunars, keeping research for a cure for letumosis going and not to mention your father's illness) and you handle it all well. Is there anything you fear?

Prince Kai: I have more fears than is probably safe to share in a public interview, but mostly I worry that I won’t live up to the expectations that the people of the Commonwealth have of me.

PTB: Just the fact that you voiced that concern will make you a great leader. But Prince Kai, I want to discuss something a bit lighter and more personal. You may not know this, but PTB girls love to dance and we hear that there will be a ball given in your honor. If you were to ask us to dance that night, what would we talk about while dancing?

Prince Kai: I’m actually rather fond of dancing myself (all those years of dance instruction have been good for something at least). But I tend to be curious and interested in other people, despite how distracted I’ve been with everything happening in the kingdom lately, so expect lots of questions directed your way. As long as it isn’t more tedious politics, I’m open to any topic.

PTB: I think we may be able to think of a few non-political topics. One thing we've noticed, your Highness is that you have a wonderful sense of humor and we do love our share of snarky boys, so what three words would you use to tell our readers why they should read your (and Cinder's) story?

Prince Kai: “Because I’m charming.” (Not bragging, just a fact.)

Let's just end on that note before I swoon (again) in print. If you haven't picked up Cinder, run to the store and buy a copy or enter our giveaway here. Whatever you do, don't miss out on this perfect blend of sci-fi and fantasy fairy tale.

Dreaming of Books Hop Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Pixie) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:12:00 +0000

We are participating in the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop hosted by Martha's Bookshelf and I am A Reader, Not A Writer.

Contest Info:

We are giving away a $10 book of your choice from the Book Depository
Open Internationally
Contest Ends 1/18
To enter fill out entry form

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Hop on over to the next stop!