Words on Paper

[Review] The Dead by David Gatward

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:00:00 PDT

Title: The Dead

Author: David Gatward [debut novel!]

Publication: July 1st 2010

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Review Copy: ARC

Pages: 240

My Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads:

Lazarus Stone is about to turn sixteen when, one night, his normal life is ripped to shreds by a skinless figure drenched in blood.

He has a message: The Dead are coming.

Now Lazarus is all that stands in their way. To fulfil his destiny, he must confront not only the dark past of his family, but horrors more gruesome than even Hell could invent. And it all begins with the reek of rotting flesh ...

My thoughts: As a contemporary YA lover, this is the first horror novel I have read. Ever. The beginning of the book is great, powerful and really left a great impression on me. The first chapter title is ROTTING MEAT. And yes, throughout the novel, Gatward writes in a way that appeals (or rather, affects) the senses: sight, smell, hearing, a bit of touch... Which is, I guess, especially important to have in a horror story. Leaving the choppy editing (it IS an ARC, after all . . .) aside, this isn't actually half bad. It read pretty quickly for me, and at 240 pages, it was short; not necessarily a bad thing.

The character development could have been more, well, developed. But maybe that's not such a crucial factor for horror, and my limited knowledge in this area is making it kind of hard for me to critically look at this, since this the first time I'm looking at something like this. This is kind of hard.

Last thing I can will myself to say about The Dead is, that there was a fair amount of dialogue. Perhaps a bit too much. Also, some of the dialogue was really unnecessary, or didn't help with pulling along the plot. Um... but, in my opinion, the story wasn't all that bad. The execution was about as good as I could expect of it, and I'm sure as Gatward writes more and more books, some of the things I didn't like so much will be ironed out a bit. {my goodreads "review"}

All in all, if you enjoy anything horror, especially ones dealing with the Dead (what else does horror really address?), you'll probably like this one. I'm interested to read the next book in the series; hopefully I find it as good as I thought this one was.

Watch out! I'll be giving this copy away next week, on Saturday! (05/09 - 12/09) It will be international, and I will be including a *surprise* bookmark. :) I am giving it away since it's already released, and I'd like another person to read it, too! Please enter only if you're genuinely interested in reading this one!!!

Amazon | The Book Depository

Learn more about The Dead and read more reviews at Goodreads!
The Dead is David Gatward's debut novel, and is book ONE of a planned horror trilogy.

Great news for me! :) + More contests!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:17:09 PDT

Not only did I receive 2 awards today (one of them previously received; I will be posting about them tomorrow, since this is only a brief update), but I'm going to be receiving review copies & ARCs from Penguin (Between the Lines)!! This is big! While I'll be going on break (for a month) once September is over, I hope to get some reading done so afterward I'll be able to throw in many reviews at one go. :) (November)

Remember Enna's very squeaky contest being held here: Win Nightshade by Andrea Cremer!

Check out the ARC tour for Daughter of Xanadu: 3 spots left! International, and the book is a debut YA 2011 release! The book sounds brilliant, and if you love historical YA, Asian culture and conflict in love and war, you'll want to check this one out! {link}

This week's review is: The Dead by David Gatward {auto-posting today}

Another contest:

- Not sure if international or not, but I've won a book from them in the past, and that contest was intl. Try your chances, I guess. ;) Anyway, great titles to be won here-- you won't want to miss it! {link}

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:41:47 PDT

What's happened last week (1-8 Sep)?
- I'm currently reading Minder by Kate Kaynak
- The contest for Nightshade by Andrea Cremer is still rolling along. Hosting for Squeaky Books!
- I'm taking part of the ARC Tour for Daughter of Xanadu {link}
- Review: Girl Parts by John M. Cusick {link}

ALSO...
- Win a copy of Firelight by Sophie Jordan (ARC)! It's international, guys! {♥} Ends Sep-30

Anyway...

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

For this week, I am swooning over The Locket by Stacey Jay, which is due for release on February 2011!

Why I'm Waiting on The Locket:

Beautiful cover aside (the tagline is "How far would you go for a second chance", which is cool), it is a 2011 debut novel. I love how this novel appears to play the "What if" philosophy, as well as some sort of fantasy/paranormal aspects, via the locket. Okay, now for the cover... the colours are brilliantly executed. The background is dark, with the emphasis obviously on the locket and title. And the contrast between the two sides of the locket: bright, serene VS. dark and distraught. Whoever designed the cover is a freakin' genius.

Synopsis (Goodreads):

What if you got a second chance to fix your worst mistake?

What if you found out miracles could happen?

What if you found out that sometimes, miracles are curses in disguise...

One girl, two boys, and one very scary piece of jewelry.

Links:
Goodreads page

Thanks for visiting my weekly WoW post. 2011 is looking to be a promising year in the YA book department. ♥

What are you waiting on this week?

[ARC Tour] Daughter of Xanadu @ Good Golly Miss Holly

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:17:17 PDT

So I'm a part of the ARC Tours at Good Golly Miss Holly -- a blog I love infinitely. She's an Aussie book blogger like me, and quite an established and well-known one at that. :) Anyway, for now, her tour program is the only one I am signed up for, I believe. (maybe IBT too)

Anyway, I thought I'd just take a breather and list all those I've been signed up for. I can barely remember signing for them, but am really glad about them, and excited to read & review each one of them!

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt
Fixing Delilah Hannaford by Sarah Ockler

I'm wondering what happens when you're at the end of the list- do you get to keep the ARC? :) Hehe. That'd be pretty cool. No shipping, AND a free ARC!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So anyway, why am I REALLY here talking about ARC tours? As is evident in the title, I am obviously here to promote a book that I want more people to sign up for, for the tour! There are still 4 more spots available, you can choose who you are able to send to (as in, within your country, or intl'), and it's free!

Athletic and strong willed, Princess Emmajin is determined to do what no woman has done before: become a warrior in the army of her grandfather, the Great Khan Khubilai. [MULAN, ANYONE?] In the Mongol world the only way to achieve respect is to show bravery and win glory on the battlefield. The last thing she wants is the distraction of a foreign man, Marco Polo, who challenges her beliefs during encounters in the gardens of Xanadu. Marco has no skills in the "manly arts" of the Mongols: horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Still, he charms the Khan with his wit and story-telling. Emmajin sees a different Marco as they travel across 13th-century China, hunting 'dragons' and fighting elephant-back warriors. She faces an even tougher inner battle as she struggles with her attraction towards Marco and her far-fetched goal of winning fame as a soldier.

I'm just loving the idea of this novel! It sounds like win all over, especially since Mulan is my definite favourite Disney movie (haven't watched the "real" Mulan, much too sad for me). It's a historical novel, so I'm interested to see how accurate the portrayal of China in the 13th century is. Sounds good though. Strong protagonista, dragons & warriors, a love story, a war? = action, and well, the cover is BEAUTIFUL. I don't know about some of you, but I'm sold!

ALSO, this is a DEBUT 2011 RELEASE!!! Want to get a head-start for The Story Siren's debut challenge for 2011? Well, this would be a great start, I'm certain. So, PLEASE, if you are interested, go over to Good Golly Miss Holly, and sign up! I'll be devastated if this tour doesn't go forward!

Title: Daughter of Xanadu

Author: Dori Jones Yang

Publisher: Delacorte Press (a division of Random House)

Release Date: January 11, 2011

ISBN Number: 9780385739238

Goodreads | ARC Tour | Amazon

In My Mailbox (7)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:48:02 PDT

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

I received 4 books this week, and a bunch of swag! Only 2 of the books are YA, the other 2 being contemporary/general fiction.

I will try to get up a photo, but I'm not sure if it's going to happen. I'd be thrilled if a miracle happened, and I were to have my first fully-functional IMM post in a month... Nope, still not working.

For Review {2}

The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen (Signed!) --> Thanks to Brian Cohen, author, for the pitch!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl --> Thanks to Penguin Australia (BTL) for the free copy (e-newsletter subscription)!

Won {2}

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Signed!) --> Thanks to Jeremy W. from Novel Thoughts! He sent me all that swag, too!

Second Chance by Jane Green --> Thanks to Debra at Debra's Book Cafe!

Bought {0}

Bookmooch {0}

Library {0}

Swag {1}

Swag pack with copy of Prophecy of the Sisters:

- 2 hair clips

- a photo frame

- Signed Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

- Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready

- Signed I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Shroeder

- Freefall by Mindi Scott

- The Missing by Shiloh Walker

- Lifed by Wendy Toliver

- 2 Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (will be giving one away!)
- Lisa Schroeder postcard Signed

~~~

Note: eBooks will only be counted in here if they are for review, sent by publishers. Netgalley is NOT included in this.

Packages (4)

I'm really happy about my book intake this week. Not only have I not spent money on books for a few weeks, but I also got a book one to a sequel I already owned, my first review copy that was "pitched", as well as tons of amazing swag! Oh, and also this week I have WON amazing books! I can't wait for them to arrive in my mailbox in the next few weeks. :) They just keep coming~

What did you get in your mailbox?

NEWS:

Currently Reading: Nothing... I am on a reading break in order to "study".
September Spectacular! Reading Challenge: Book 1 (Girl Parts) has been read and reviewed already. :) {review}

[Giveaway] Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:00:01 PDT

I'm hosting a contest as part of

Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash 2010

Presented by Squeaky Books

From August 23^rd until September 22^nd Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is having a HUGE bash to celebrate her birthday! There are twelve contests, tons of author interviews, and guest posts from over a dozen different YA book bloggers. And I get to host a contest!

I get to give away a pre-order of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer! As well as some swag that Andrea herself will send to the winner! You have until September 21st at 11:59 MST to enter. All winners will be announced on Enna Isilee's birthday (September 22nd) on Enna Isilee's blog (Squeaky Books). And today, Ennalee interviewed Andrea at Squeaky Books. You should totally go check it out.

Want to know more about Nightshade? Click here!

Book Trailer:

Without further ado, enter to win! Click below.

Click here

Sorry guys, this one is US/Canada only, which goes against me since I am an international reader too, but this isn't my contest. I'm only one blogger in Enna's web of awesome contests and interviews and reviews. It's going to be awesome! Don't be in it just for the contests!

Let's get squeaky with it! :D

Note: All those who already visited my page and tried to click the broken link, you'll be glad to know it has been fixed. Go ahead and enter now! So sorry, Enna, for posting it up early. The timing is confusing, so hopefully I post it on time this time around!

More Gayle Forman Love // Contests

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:06:31 PDT

If I Stay & Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

So, many of you may recall/know that I really really love If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Well, I was surfing around and I found some cool NEW If I Stay related stuff. :)

An original song inspired by/based on If I Stay, by Jacquelyn Girling {link}
'Official' site has been updated!{link} Also, to receive an extra teaser for Where She Went, the sequel, there's a questionaire-thingy to answer.
The Teaser Tour for sequel, Where She Went, has ended {link} If you haven't been following that, now is the time to read the teasers- you'll be ITCHING for April to come rolling by! Also, at many of the stops, there are *signed* covers up for grabs!

Here are the covers together:

For more covers of If I Stay, click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Contests

Over at The Eclectic Reader, Teddy is hosting an international book giveaway!

I want The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams! 1 winner, 4 books to choose from:

- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

- Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

- The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

- Torment by Lauren Kate

Ends September 30th

{link}

Massive Shelf Clearout Giveaway!

Look at all those up for grabs!

...

I'm kidding. There are 3 prize packs, each consisting 4 books. As well as for intl' readers, 2 winners will be able to choose 2 books from that TBR list (the pic) and will be shipping via The Book Depository. Great contest, right?

Ends September 30th

{link}

ARCs up for grabs.

An ARC package, which will include: The Duff, Beautiful Malice, Sapphique, I Am Number 4...and maybe some other surprises

Ends September 7th

{link}

Note: There are 6-7 hours left until my contest goes up again. Sorry to anyone who was hoping this was it. Don't worry, it will happen! :)

[Review] Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:02:52 PDT

Title: Girl Parts

Author: John M. Cusick [debut novel!]

Publication: August 2010 -- out now!

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Review Copy: ARC

Pages: 218

My Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads:

"Hello, David. My name is Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate…"

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can’t get enough of luscious red-headed Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal "companion" is about to become her own best friend.
In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uber-connected world.

My thoughts: Girl Parts is definitely guy YA lit; I enjoyed it, but it was flawed. The writing style was so different to what I'd become accustomed to, so it took a while to get used to it. Which is fine, and probably expected, since this book is for a different audience, and written by a male author.

It took until halfway through the novel to realise what the title Girl Parts was referring to. :P And I guess the sexual passages, while spread apart and slightly (very slightly) graphic, were necessary... since that's kind of a major part/point of this book. I think this is for 15+; I wouldn't be giving this one to a 12 year old, because of what I've briefly discussed.

Keeping in mind that this is a debut novel, there are obviously going to be issues with it, that will be ironed out (hopefully) with each coming release by Cusick. However, since I enjoyed this one, and it is guy lit, I'm rating it 4 stars with all of that in mind. This is completely new territory to me: guy YA lit, sci-fi-esque, with a guy MC and POV . . .

Another short review. School. All in all, I think this is worth a read. It will not win over some people, but I think there is promise-- Cusick drew upon an interesting concept and wrote an entertaining story about it. Plus, it's pretty short. I read it within the span of a day. :) Plus, the cover is gorgeous! I want to see a finished copy of this one-- I'd buy a copy.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Girl Parts and read more reviews at Goodreads!
Girl Parts is John M. Cusick's debut novel.

Book Trailer:

Note: For the handful of people who stumbled across my giveaway post a few hours ago, just letting you know that it wasn't meant to be up until tomorrow. Hope you check back later!

Blog Hop (6)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:56:37 PDT

Hey fellow bloggers and/or readers,

Thanks for hopping along to my little blog. :) Hope you enjoy your visit, and like what you see. If you do, feel free to follow. It's free!

If you'd like to hop around, too, then visit Jennifer at Crazy for Books for all the details!

~~~

Here's this week's question:

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Honestly, yes. I can say that most of the books I have read recently have been *blessed* with pretty covers. I'm not the only one out there, I'm sure. They're definitely important in order to draw in potential readers. However, in the way of ARCs and review copies, covers don't play such a big part in this, especially since many ARC covers are not finalised.

I usually browse titles on Goodreads, and if a cover catches my eye, I'll check out reviews & ratings as well as the description. So, a cover is really important, as it is what will make me find out more about the book.

This Week at Words on Paper

What I received in the mail this week: {In My Mailbox}
Upcoming Contests & Questions: {Contests & Q}
Review for Shug by Jenny Han {Shug}
Waiting on Wedneday: Where She Went by Gayle Forman {WoW}

Upcoming at Words on Paper

Giveaway for a popular YA paranormal novel, N...... (Sep 4th)
Review for Girl Parts by John M. Cusick (Sep 4th)
In My Mailbox (Sep 5th)
Waiting on Wednesday: E.... (Sep 8th)
Review for The Dead by David Gatward (Sep 11th)
Review for One Night that Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt (Sep 18th)
Review for The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood (Sep 25th)
Review for Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (Oct 2nd)
Note: I will be on reading break for the next week, and will be reducing reviews to one a week, until October 20th~. Look out for more giveaways in the next month! {International!} Stay following to stay informed! ALSO, an international book + swag giveaway will commence when I reach 200 followers!

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:11:46 PDT

Hey everyone! I've already read 3 of my 5 planned books to read for the September Spectacular Reading Challenge... I've read 7 books in the span of 10~ days. I've got 3 reviews that will be posted as the days roll by, so hope for that. :) I just finished One Night that Changes Everything, and boy was it a compelling read! I quite liked it. Review to come next Saturday, according to my plans.

Anyway...

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

For this week, I am swooning over Where She Went (#2, IF I STAY) by Gayle Forman, which is due for release April 2011!

Why I'm Waiting on Where She Went:

Hello? Seriously, if you haven't read If I Stay yet, what's wrong with you?!?! It is one of the only books I have re-read, and only in the span of a few months! I never re-read books, but since it's such a brilliant, short but effective, compelling, simply-written but beautiful, interesting, unique-- uses a somehow familiar notion but Gayle deals with all the issues so well; just definitely a MUST READ!

Ahem. So of course, this means that once I found out about Where I Went (I'm happy I found out about this "early on"), I was jumping for joy! Also, Forman has promised a darker-approach on the Mia-Adam dynamic, namely, that they are not together anymore. Slight spoiler, but if you haven't read it yet, that's your fault. :P

Just pimping If I Stay some more, I read this one on COMPUTER the first time around! I read it in the span of one afternoon! Anyone who has read anything on computer knows how terribly painful it is, and should find some merit to this achievement/un-put-downability-ness.

Information:

- Where She Went is set 3 years after the events in If I Stay
- It is written in the POV of Adam this time around
- Forman has said Adam is not as nice as he was in If I Stay
- Adam has become an extremely successful & famous rock God
- More tears and memory/soul/heart-searching to be expected
- As title suggests- "Where She Went", Mia is MIA. ROFL!! XD Sorry, I'm lame. I understand if you un-follow me now.
- Well, okay, Mia has gone to pursue her dreams. So she's not exactly MIA, I think. Though Adam & Mia have been broken up since If I Stay
- BIG SPOILER: If the appearance of a sequel didn't spill it out, I'm sorry. Mia is well and truly ALIVE! Yeah, shocker.

Links:
Goodreads page
Where She Went Teaser Tour
Gayle Forman's site

Other Tidbits
Gayle Forman will be posting the official jacket copy of Where She Went tomorrow, or she SHOULD be, since she promised she'd post it up after her Teaser Tour. I want something that matches my US hardcover of If I Stay, so I can't say I'm particularly happy. Unless I win a US paperback, in which case I can at least relish in all the pretty covers! :D

Thanks for visiting my weekly WoW post. 2011 is looking to be a promising year in the YA book department. ♥

What are you waiting on this week?

[Review] Shug by Jenny Han

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:27:00 PDT

Title: Shug

Author: Jenny Han

Publication: 2006

Publisher:Simon & Schuster

Review Copy: Paperback (UK), bought

Pages: 248

My Rating:

Blurb:

Annemarie 'Shug' Wilcox is beginning to think there's nothing worse than being twelve. Her friends are growing up all around her, and she's just not ready.
She's been best mates with Mark for as long as she can remember, and now, for no particular reason, she's fallen in love with him. But Mark's much more interested in gawping at Shug's curvaceous elder sister.

My thoughts: Shug is charming, funny, unique yet familiar; and just all-round a worth-while read. Remember any worries you had when you were in that awkward stage: growing up and having to let go of your childhood, losing friends.

The characters, as a whole, are enjoyable to read about and follow through the story. The 'love' story and arc are so so so adorable. It brought back memories to when I had to go through all those tribulations, myself. I found the end was satisfying, and left me on a good note. I kind of wish there was some sort of sequel, though...

Just, read it!

This is such a short review because, well, I've already expressed all I wanted to... and this isn't completely fresh on my mind as I type this review. (I've already read the next book, Girl Parts; you can read my review on Saturday!)

Similar reads: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Shug and read more reviews at Goodreads!

Shug is Jenny Han's debut novel.

[Question] About Blogger... & Upcoming contest news!!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:54:23 PDT

It's late at night here, and I'm on my laptop (hooray! the internet is fast on this little thing :)), so I'll make this quick. Answer these questions, blogging buddies, and you get a cookie. Metaphorical cookies- they're the best kind! I dunno, I like knowing random stuff about other bloggers.

The Questions:

Auto-posting. Yay or meh?
How long have you been blogging? (your current blog)
Is your blog 1, 2 or 3-sided? (~bars-wise that is!)
You receive a comment. How do you reply to them?
Contest time! Entry through: comments, email and/or form?
You're on holiday! Oh no! What about the blog?
What is your blog name and why did you pick it?

All right. I'll leave it at that, for now. Go on, post your answers! They don't even need to be all that long. I, myself, like answering stupid questions like these, so I'm hoping that some of you may like doing that too. :P Blogger should be auto-posting my review for Shug by JENNY HAN, which was prepared a few days ago, while I'm sleeping.

My answers:

Complete win! When life gets in the way, I can still get some posts in here. :)
2 months and a week~! It'll be a while for Words on Paper's One Year Blogoversary, hoping I get that far!
Look to your right and you shall see I am ONE-SIDED! :D More due to the fact that I have no idea how to have 2-sides without sacrificing all that content space... and I don't have the time to be fiddling with HTML. (yes, I know my HTML. I'm a true nerd!)
I recently implemented the comment moderation (no spam yet!), and then I receive an email with each comment. I will try to comment back to the commenter's blog, if they have one; or else I'll either reply via my blog or the email.
Comments, only because I don't know how the form is CREATED. I'd love some guidance on that one. ;) Maybe later. Hehe.
Depends on the length of away-time, and if there will be any internet-access involved. I'll probably try and chuck in reviews and auto-post them.
Words on Paper. Dunno. It was meant to be temporary, but eventually I just got used to it. Plus there was one person who said they liked the name, so I was like Okay then, I'll stick to Words on Paper!

Anyway, onto the upcoming contest/s!

Stay tuned for the 4th of September, because you will NOT want to miss out on an ARC of ________ by _____, giveaway as part of Squeaky Books' Enna's Birthday Bash. I'm trying to be subtle. Have I intrigued you? :P Okay, hint. It's a paranormal (2010) YA debut novel. And it has a beautiful cover. Did that narrow it down much? Ha ha.

Also, in mid/late-October I will be hosting a SWAGGERIFIC contest! (and I may take the liberty of calling it as such) I'd like for it to be sooner, but since my book fairy in the US is sending *hallelujah* THE BOX, I'll wait for that to reach me. Can't wait for that! And to explain that to my parents. It'll be SO much fun!

In My Mailbox (6)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:21:28 PDT

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

I really didn't get much this week, but I thought I'd post up an IMM, anyway. It's been slow lately... and I can't complain too much since I've been on exams. For the past 5 days though, I've had free time. I spent it reading 5 books! I have already posted up 3 reviews, so I have a weeks' worth to review about. :) I won't be able to keep up, so soon it'll be reduced to 1 review a week, since it's less than 2 months now, until D-Day...

Sorry, on top of having no photos, I can't get any pictures up. My internet is capped, my windows are phasing out every few seconds, and I can't get a decent page to load. So, I can't even get damn Goodreads links up! This is a sign to do some work... :\

For Review {0}

Won {3}

Matched by Ally Condie (UK ARC, my copy is WHITE, not black, with quotes)
{Thanks to Between the Lines (Penguin Group)}

Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera (eBook)

Killer Cows by D.M. Anderson (eBook)

Bought {0}

Bookmooch {0}

Library {0}

Swag {1}

The Hunger Games pin/badge

Note: eBooks will only be counted in here if they are for review, sent by publishers. Netgalley is NOT included in this.

Packages (2)

What did you get in your mailbox?

NEWS:

Currently Reading: The Dead by David Gatward (#1 of a horror YA series)
I'm taking part in the September Spectacular! Reading Challenge, hosted at The Thoughts of a Book Junky; you have to read 5 books throughout September, and there are international contests held every week! So... don't join in! :P

[Review] Manifest by Artist Arthur

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:00:03 PDT

Title: Manifest

Author: Artist Arthur [debut novel!]

Publication: August 2010 -- out now!

Publisher: Kimani Press

Review Copy: ARC

Pages: 248

My Rating:

Blurb on ARC:

KRYSTAL JUST MET THE PERFECT BOY.
TROUBLE IS, HE'S DEAD.

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener--and everything she'd ever want--except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door--Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

My thoughts: So yeah, Krystal has it BAD, so she says. No one seems to get her, but really, the way she talks about her whole life situation, it's apparent that she hasn't really taken the steps to get to a point where she can allow others to understand her. I think though, because of this, many teens will be able to connect to her situation on some level. But as this novel dictates, everyone has their problems, just different circumstances.

Arthur introduced me to the beginning of what I can only hope to be an exciting, interesting and stimulating series. There were a few parts that didn't bode too well with me, but overall I found myself enjoying the story that unfolded as the pages were turned. The premise is not entirely new, it's what I believe to be some wicked DISTANT spin-off of The Fantastic Four. I mean, there is the medium (Krystal), the all-rounder guy (Jake) and Invisible Girl (Sasha). Well, it's halfway to TFF anyway. :P But anyway, with the Power that the three have been bestowed with since birth, the focus is (surprisingly) turned towards Krystal and her ability to speak to ghosts. More importantly, the novel and the series is shaped around her Power and the decisions she makes in regards to her Power.

Speaking of Krystal, the character development is inspiring and done with good taste. [I mean, at the beginning she comes off obnoxious, but in the last pages you see how she has changed, and really appreciate that. Hopefully in the next book she'll be like that, too.] It didn't come off as cheesy or abrupt. It was necessary and drove the plot to its climax, and satisfying ending. Speaking of which, I actually did NOT expect the “twist” near the end when the mystery draws to a close. I liked most of the characters, though I think I could have done without the repetition of Krystal’s descriptions of how cute/hot Ricky was. But, yeah. That’s paranormal YA for you, I think. I dunno. This was actually my first paranormal book, though I guess Bad Girls Don’t Die is a paranormal book too… Hmm, it’s of a completely different kind though.

Anyway, this book is definitely worth a shot. It’s pretty short, took less than a day to finish this one. I’ll be buying my own copy in paperback, and once I have my own copy I’ll be giving away this ARC. :) I’ll be waiting to see what happens in the next instalment of this exciting and heart-racing series.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Manifest and read more reviews at Goodreads!
Manifest is book 1 of the Mystyx series.

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:20:25 PDT

Hey everyone! So, I've worked out a schedule, that I hope to adhere to. I will be posting 2 reviews a week, Tuesday and Saturday. On Wednesdays I will be having Waiting on Wednesday, and on Sundays I will have In My Mailbox. For now, this is as much as I will posting, other than the odd contest, interview or bite of news. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays will be my break days, since I'll need them so as not to burn out. This schedule will change when November comes and high school is OVER!!

Anyway...

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

For this week, I am swooning over Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer, which is due for release Feb 2011!

Why I'm Waiting on Rival:

Other than the eye-catching and unique (to me) book cover, the story sounds interesting.
Plus, I love "contemporary" YA, and music is just an added bonus. Ooh, and 2011 DEBUT NOVEL!

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Meet Brooke: Popular, powerful and hating every minute of it, she’s the “It” girl at Douglas High in Lake Champion, Minnesota. Her real ambition? Using her operatic mezzo as a ticket back to NYC, where her family lived before her dad ran off with an up and coming male movie star.

Now meet Kathryn: An overachieving soprano with an underachieving savings account, she’s been a leper ever since Brooke punched her at a party junior year. For Kath, music is the key to a much-needed college scholarship.

The stage is set for a high-stakes duet between the two seniors as they prepare for the prestigious Blackmore competition. Brooke and Kathryn work toward the Blackmore with eyes not just on first prize but on one another, each still stinging from a past that started with friendship and ended in betrayal. With competition day nearing, Brooke dreams of escaping the in-crowd for life as a professional singer, but her scheming BFF Chloe has other plans. And when Kathryn gets an unlikely invitation to Homecoming, she suspects Brooke of trying to sabotage her with one last public humiliation.

As pressures mount, Brooke starts to sense that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had. But Kathryn has a decision to make. Can she forgive? Or are some rivalries for life?

Thanks for visiting my weekly WoW post.

What are you waiting on this week?

Top 10 Tuesday (1) & Where She Went Cover Reveal!!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:41:08 PDT

This is the first time I'm doing this, but since the topic this week is interesting, I'll take a crack at it. :) There may be some *gasping* on your part as I uncover the BIG titles that I haven't even taken a peek at. So anyway this meme for this week is Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read! Let's begin, shall we?

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Any of the Penguin Five (The Replacement, Sapphique, The Eternal Ones, Nightshade and Matched)
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong
Anything by Sarah Dessen - So give me a helping hand and send me some YA chick-lit! :P
Anything by Shannon Hale - Though, I have most of her books over with my book fairy in the US. This preposterous disposition will be absolved by the end of the year, I promise!
Lisa Schroeder's verse novels - 'nuff said.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Millennium series by Stieg Larsson
Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - Okay, this is only half true. I read like half of Twilight but gave up on it. Won't go there, please don't unfollow me. Respect my opinions... I'm just not a vampire person. Which is why I've been reviewing pretty much only contemporary novels.

ALSO, news on Where She Went, the sequel to Gayle Forman's If I Stay... The cover is revealed! [link] Also, here's what Gayle had to say about the unexpected unveiling... (Twitter)

What do you think about the cover for the sequel? I have the hardcover edition, so I'm hoping there will be another cover for the hardcover up soon! This one seems to be a good companion for the paperback, and IMO it's super pretty!

[Review] Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:57:21 PDT

Title: Bad Girls Don't Die

Author: Katie Alender [debut novel!]

Publication: April 2009

Publisher: Hyperion

Review Copy: Hardcover, bought

Pages: 350

My Rating:

Goodreads description:

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My thoughts: What can I say about Bad Girls Don't Die? Okay, I'll begun with the easy things. The cover is brilliantly designed, the photo intricate, different, spooky and very very suiting for this story. The title is also interesting and definitely drew me in. Also, out of all of my The Book Depository orders, this one came to me in the best condition. The book is very durable, and even after reading it, it looks like it has barely been touched. So that's a plus on Hyperion's part, I guess.

About the actual story, now. I came in thinking that the whole thing would be just one big ghost story, but that wasn't even the case until about half-way in. In the beginning, we are introduced to Alexis, the main character, and her life in high school, as well as her relationship with her family and her totally-spinning-out-of-control little sister Kasey. As is expressed in the description, Alexis is something of a loner, preferring to hide away in her darkroom and take photos than have to spend an afternoon with her "fellow students". I'll say it was kind of slow-going for me for the beginning, but I knew that great things were coming, so I pushed forward, flicking the pages rather quickly (since the font size is pretty big and spaced out-- easy to read!).

When I really got into the heart of the story, and creepy things were happening (subtlety, you know you love it) and little bits of information began clicking together; from that moment onwards I just devoured page after page after page. (excuse the vampiric imagery) The story flowed beautifully, to its eventful and stimulating climax and then to its semi-confusing but intriguing almost-conclusion... You can tell that Katie intended for this one to be a standalone- but I'm not complaining that there will be more, as the story ends on a good note. (possible spoiler, I'm not sure)

About the characters, I like the voice that Alender equips Alexis with: narcissistic and sarcastic. For me, it wasn't so much the characters as it was the plot and premise that made me enjoy Bad Girls. Although, I did like a certain guy. While I would have preferred a slightly more 3D approach to him rather than just a family disaster story (more subtlety) to cling onto and claim as depth of character, I'm sure in the next novel Alender will give more depth and evoke more sympathy and emotion out of each character as we see them again.

Would I recommend this to others? Definitely. Looking for something slightly creepy that will blow your mind out of the water? Then perhaps Bad Girls Don't Die is one book you should pick up now!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Bad Girls Don't Die and read more reviews at Goodreads!

SUZANNE COLLINS LOVE, in giveaway fashion & A new book challenge!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:03:21 PDT

Part 1: Suzanne Collins Love (contest!)

Okay, so I'm extremely slow in the way of reading great big books. I have not read any of The Hunger Games just yet. However, lucky me (maybe lucky you), Note to Shelf is hosting a massive Suzanne Collins giveaway! 1 winner will win the whole series in HARDBACK. 2 winners will receive a brand spankin' new copy of Mockingjay. That is one great giveaway!

Part 2: New book challenge, 5 books in a month!

The season of SPRING is among us, or at least, us who live in Australia. I couldn't be happier. Winter has been nothing but cold weather and I'm truly sick of it, to be honest. Anyway, to welcome the month of September, I have decided to accept a book challenge. :D

This is a book challenge hosted at The Thought of a Book Junky, while the spelling of "junky" urks me (haha), the sound of the book challenge sounds great!

It is from September 1st all through to September 30th.
5 books ("one book a week") -- ANY you want! At the end of that week you will post your review on your blog and add your link to the Mr. Linky at the page.
There will be a giveaway at the end of each week. Extra entries apply when posting the button on your sidebar!
These giveaways are open internationally!

Okay, so this challenge is sounding like a done deal, right? Here are the five books I vow to read for September, and hopefully I'll be able to get through some more than this.

Enter too!

In other news: I will have a review up later today, for Bad Girls Don't Die. I'm moving on to Manifest by Artist Arthur, which released early this month.

[Review] Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:53:01 PDT

Title: Glimmerglass

Author: Jenna Black

Publication: May 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Review Copy: eBook, ~~Paperback~~

Pages: 300~

My Rating:

Goodreads description:

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she’s had it with being her mother’s keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go . . .

My thoughts: Glimmerglass promised a story of faeries, of magic, of adventure, love, betrayal, friendship, and more betrayal, family and what family represents... did it deliver? Yes, in this way, it did. I was not entirely satisfied, or WOWed, however, and that's what brings me to my final decision on the rating. It had the right premise, the overlapping of the human world and an alternate, faery universe. I was slightly disappointed that it didn't live up to my high hopes. I'll give you one thing, though. The novel ends nicely, and left me wanting to read more. I may have had several qualms about it, but I want to know what happens next!

The writing was fairly substandard. Some of the description wasn't well done, there were a few instances where it was done beautifully. {example} I know that the story was written with the intention of the fact that this is Dana's voice, Dana's words, her story. But there was a WHOLE LOT of telling, rather than showing, which I alarmed myself to by the middle of the novel... "My throat and nasal passages burned from expelling all that water from my lungs. My chest ached from taking all that water in. And all my joints throbbed from being a tug-of-war toy between Ethan and the moat monster. I was also soaked through and chilled to the bone, my whole body shivering violently." I felt that there were just TOO MANY WORDS!! Maybe some people like all this, but to me, it just seemed like Jenna was trying to chuck in some more words, and then some more, and a bit more just for the heck of it. It doesn't push the story along, and that's also part of why I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd have liked to. If it's going to be fantasy, there needs to be more action, less description over and over again.

Sometimes the grammar was clunky, or the word choice was awkward. Also, it felt like the pages were dragging me along, rather than me being genuinely interested to "turn the pages". There was a good interweaving between the beginning and end of the novel. Not giving anything away, so I'll remain subtle. The characters evoked some emotion from me, but sometimes I felt like they could have been fleshed out just a bit more. I liked Keane (Brownie points if you can tell me why :P), but most of the others gave me mixed emotions. Maybe that's how Black wanted me to think of them. However, perhaps the next installment will bring upon more reasons for me to really CARE about these characters.

Yes, the cover is pretty. To be honest, that is what compelled me to read Glimmerglass. I'm actually surprised I didn't enjoy this one as much as I should've. I tried to, I really did. Perhaps I was caught reading this at the worst time possible, in between my trial exams, AND I'm reading this one on computer... Perhaps I should give this book another try. Let me know what you thought of it. Maybe I read it all wrong. If you're going to suggest I read it again, you're going to have to send me an actual copy of it, because no way am I going to read this on computer again! >_< Oh, the agony!

[Breakin' News] #7 BOOK TRAILER - Delcroix Academy, The Candidates

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:52:43 PDT

I'm hoping this is official, since it pretty darn well looks it! I've been anticipating this book for a while... Many of you have probably already seen the cool cover, info and synopsis, but here they are anyway.

Title: The Candidates (#1, Delcroix Academy)

Author: Inara Scott

Release Date: August 24th 2010 (2 days!!)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
Synopsis: (From Goodreads)

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

Behold... the trailer!

In My Mailbox (5)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:56:24 PDT

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

So it's been a few weeks since my last IMM post. My camera is still screwing around on me, so I'll have to make do with what I've got. Anyway, although at 3 weeks, this is NOTHING... I can't complain. I have complet faith that many more things will be arriving over the coming week...including an ARC of ANOTHER highly-anticipated 2010 YA release, later this year. Psyched!

For Review {0}

Won {1}

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (ARC)
{Thanks to Steph at Steph Su Reads!}

Bought {1}
The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti (Chick-lit for teens! It sounds great!!)

Bookmooch {1}
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Trade Paperback, all the way from Ireland!)

Library {0}

Swag {1}

7 bookmarks:
- Signed The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
- Signed Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

- The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
- Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund
- The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

- Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

Note: eBooks will only be counted in here if they are for review, sent by publishers. Netgalley is NOT included in this.

Packages (3)

What did you get in your mailbox?

NEWS: This is pretty big. I'm almost finished reading Glimmerglass!!! After like 3 weeks of no reading, I'll finally be able to lay this book aside and tell myself that after putting it aside 3-4 times, I finished reading it! Like I said before, my copy is an ebook, which I can only read on my computer. :\

[Breakin' News] #6 More contests & QUESTION!!!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:45:20 PDT

Q: Hardcover or paperback?

I want your opinions! Give me reasons. It's always fun to see how people stand with this topic.

...

In other words, I have some more giveaways I've found. These two are from Reading Teen, which is a super cool blog!

Second Hand Saturday (#21) So many great titles! This is international, and has been since the start, I believe. {link} Winner announcement & new contest every Saturday!
Back to School Giveaway Bash International, also. Great ARCs up for grabs. I'm pining after that Pegasus ARC, so don't go choosing it! Well...there's only 1-2 winner/s, so it doesn't matter, I guess. {link} Ends September 24th.

Also, remember that there are more posts at THE CONTEMPS' blog!! Have a good weekend, everyone. :)

I'll be posting my first IMM post in a few weeks. Although I don't have all that many books to show for it, I've been busy with school so books haven't been my main focus, unfortunately. Also, my camera is still not being detected on my computer, so I'll just be using book covers. :\ It sucks because I LOVE arranging everything and showing all my swag. I got a huge load of swag I want to show you all, but sadly I'll only be able to talk about them...

[Breakin' News] #5 More contests & News!! + an award

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:08:39 PDT

Okay, so most of my trial exams are over. I don't think I've done all that well, but after a whole year of this, I'm kind of sick of learning. I just want to read all day, to be honest. (I now have over 20 books in my TBR pile, and that's not including the books that are coming) I'll stop talking and give you the giveaways & links...

GIVEAWAYS

4 books to be won! 3 are highly-anticipated YA ARCs!! {♥} @ Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf | August 24th
Virgin Territory, a 2010 YA release. The cover looks pretty cool! @ Roots in Myth | August 27th
Win $100 in books! @ Grab a Pen | August 22nd
Infinite Days audiobook MAKE A COVER CONTEST {♥} @ Rebecca Maizel's (author) blog | August 31st
Guess the Cover contest! @ Page Turners | August 31st
Choose one of three titles! @ The Eclectic Reader | August 31st
Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready review + contest @ The Book Butterfly | September 4th
MASSIVE ARCs giveaway @ Carol's Prints | September 6th {if you found out about this from my blog, please refer me! "Cass - Words on Paper", and you'll receive +1 entry}

NEWS

Mockingjay, #3 of the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins is due for release in the US in 5 days!
(AU) Kevin Rudd's (ex-PM) daughter, Jessica, has released her first novel, Campaign Ruby! A stunning, prophetic debut, "chick-lit". I'm interested to read it! {link}
Totally hilarious, and I'm hoping a sarcastic take on Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins + ARC contest {link}
UK vs. US book cover wars continue... Another edition, The Soul Screamers series {link}
Book sharing: "to share or not to share..." Candace's thoughts on the topic. {link}
Top 10: Favorite contemporary/YA novels @ A Good Addiction {link}

AWARD
I got my second award! Thanks, Brandi at Blkosiner's Book Blog for the great award. Here is how this award works:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

OK so here are the 15 lovely blogs I am awarding this to:

Scoot @ see scoot read (Super sweet, new blogger)
Joni @ Lost in Y.A. Wonderland (Nice, new-ish blog)
Romy @ Lost in Stories (Great title, layout and reviews)
Holly @ Good Golly Miss Holly (Great features, plus she's a fellow Aussie blogger!)
Jess @ Confessions of a Bookaholic (One of my favourite blogs)
THE Chapter Chicks (I love love love their vlogs & reviews!!)
Khadija @ Black Fingernailed Reviews (I love this blog!)
Kari @ Under the Fairy Dust (Love the cute title!)
Linna @ 21 Pages (Layout love!)
Carly @ Wirting from the Tub (Fantastical reviews)
Monica @ The Ramblings of a Book Addict (Probably surprisingly, I found her blog from her vlogs on 'tube)
The Readings of a Busy Mom (Adorable header, and great features)
The Overflowing Library (Her library really does overflow!)
Arena @ The Nerd's Wife (I ♥ the name!)
Mavie @ The Bookologist (I dunno, just enjoy visiting her blog so much)

I tried not to add those who have received the award before. :) I also want to say I love visiting each and every one of these blogs. :) There's a combination of new & pretty well-established blogs I've listed. Thanks once again, Brandi, for the award!

[Breakin' News] #4 Contests & Awesome news!

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:56:32 PDT

the contemps.

I'm sure all of you have already found out about "The Contemps", but if you haven't already, basically they're a group of cool YA lit authors who like to keep it real, kicking it off with contemporary REALISTIC fiction! No paranormal romances here.

Who?
21 YA authors, some with many books released, others are debut authors! {members}

Why?
"Our goal is to help teens, booksellers, and librarians connect with and celebrate books that feature true-to-life settings, characters, and situations, and to let publishers know about the ongoing demand for contemporary stories." {source}

How?
You can support this budding group by... if you're a blogger, make a blog post and inform your own readers about THE CONTEMPS! Make sure to include buttons, and you can win a swag pack! :) Readers can also join in, by accepting the CONTEMPS CHALLENGE! {get involved!} Short story, read 18 of their books, and you can win ALL 21!!! :D Great deal? I think so!

arcs! arcs! arcs!

I'm such a nice person for mentioning this. :) Well, okay, so I'm doing this for the +5 entries. Go ahead and judge me! But seriously? Wonderful, wonderful ARCs up for grabs, and this one is INTERNATIONAL!!! {♥} That's right, everyone can enter!

What you can win!

A set of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (hardcover) and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS (ARC)! BOTH are signed by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!!
An ARC of NIGHTSHADE, by Andrea Cremer.
An ARC of ROT & RUIN, by Jonathan Maberry.
An ARC of THE UNIDENTIFIED, by Rae Mariz.
An ARC of HALT'S PERIL, by John Flanagan.
An ARC of THE GOBLIN GATE, by Hilari Bell.
An ARC of JANE, by April Lindner.
An ARC of THE WINDS OF HEAVEN, by Judith Clarke.

When is it until?
"The contest runs from August 18 - September 8!"

What do you have to do?
All you have to do to enter is be a follower. But there are SO many extra entries that you're going to want to do some extras, since I sure went the mile. Come on! ARCs! For free! International! That's "flippin' brilliant"!

Dude! Where's the link?
Click!

LASTLY...and this is kinda important,
If you found out about this contest through my post, say so in "If you're a new follower, who referred you?". You'll get an extra entry! I don't think I get another entry, but it'd be nice to be mentioned. :)

More Tell Me a Secret news!

The serialised audiobook chapters 1 and 2 are now out! I listened to them last night, and it is amazing! I'm looking forward to reading the rest. If you want to know how many chapters there are, there are *checks* 45 chapters, so if they continue releasing 2-3 chapters every week, then we're looking at 4-5 months~ HOWEVER, you can purchase the whole lot of it and read it RIGHT NOW. I wish I could...

[Breakin' News] #3 Top 100 YA Novels (2010)

cc932005@hotmail.com (Cass (Words on Paper)) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:39:37 PDT

Over at Persnickety Snark, the people have spoken and the results are in! The top YA novel for 2010 is THE HUNGER Games, by Suzanne Collins! (Who is surprised?) Speaking of which, I won a The Hunger Games button from Nayu's Reading Corner! I didn't manage to snag the cool t-shirt, but a button is pretty cool, too!

There are lots of statistics which I find quite interesting. I'm also psyched that I've won Graceling by Kristin Cashore-- which got placed #23, so I'm expecting to be blown away. :)

Just mentioning a few books that I've read so far, and how they went...

If I Stay, my favourite novel thus far, ranked #70, narrowly beating Wintergirls which is #72. Unfortunately, Tell Me a Secret didn't make it in the list, but I predict it will be in for the 2011 list!! Also, it has been noted that most of Sarah Dessen's books made it on the list, 'cept her first release. Great effort...and this kind of goes with J.K. Rowling too.

Also, many of you may be aware of my love for Gayle Forman's If I Stay, as is evident even in this post. Well, Gayle Forman's teaser tour for her sequel Where She Went is hitting off tomorrow! Click here for more info, and let others know too!

I realised since I pronounced my break, that many things are still going on around the blogosphere, and so here's where "Breakin' News" comes in. Just a brief update every day or so... this is alerting myself, as well as all of you. :)