Cool Contest - 9 winners!

Hey guys!

My buddy Alethea just started back up with her blog and so she's holding a contest! You could win one of the following books:

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

My Bonny Light Horseman by L.A. Meyer

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

The House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo

The Robe of Skulls by Vivian French

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

To enter, simply visit her blog Read Now Sleep Later and check out the rules!
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Teaser Tuesday - Shiver

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of
Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week, my teaser is from Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater:

Hope hurt more than the cold. Maybe it wasn't Jack I should've been looking for.
p.181

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It's Monday, What are you reading?

J.Kaye hosts this wonderful meme.

Click on titles for my reviews or more info on the book.

Read this past week:
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
Undercover by Beth Kephart (audiobook)
Crash Into Me by Albert Borris
The Family Bones by Kimberly Raiser

Currently reading:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Assiniboin Girl by Kathi Wallace

Upcoming:
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
Troubadour by Mary Hoffman
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress by Tina Ferraro


Updates:

• I decided not to run any more contests until possibly next week - besides the comment contest. I'm going to throw some free e-books into the pot for that contest and I'm hoping to get a few more books in to total twenty books total. We'll see - cause school starts this week and adjustment to that may be brutal.
• I will be running a September comment contest - same set-up and possibly November (not sure!). Heck, this may be a regular deal. So keep commenting!
• Spotlights - I'm backlogged a bit, I've scheduled up to September 20th and have let those people know. So sorry if I haven't emailed you back, but I'm working on it - promise!
  

Can't wait for this week coming up but I'm nervous also. The librarian who was there before me is in another school in our district and snagged ALL of her stuff.. so I'm left with some really crappy, old posters. *sigh* Thank god for ALA and the free posters I got there, otherwise I'd have NOTHING. Blarg. Anyways, I hope to get some read this next week.

Now tell me - what are YOU reading?
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The Family Bones

The Family Bones
by Kimberly Raiser

A New Home, A Loving Family, A Dark Secret

Will they stay? Will they survive? The Weavers have inherited family property in Astral, Pennsylvania, a town so small that Mrs. Weaver can find no mention of it on the Internet, save for a tiny spot on Google Earth. Hoping for a simpler, small-town existence for their young family, Steven and Tara eagerly head to Astral to see what they hope will be their dream house. As they explore their potential new home, the Weavers begin to discover secret passageways, secret rooms, and long buried family truths; some difficult truths are revealed and no longer kept in the far reaches of the closet. There are reasons for everything, and sometimes the explanations are so simple. But sometimes, simple can also be horrifying.

Okay, I admit I really did not enjoy this book. I skimmed a little here and there because I just was really surprised by the way it was going. I thought this book would be full of a haunted house, some scary scenes and well frankly... it could be called frightening at time, but in the end - it was all about aliens. I didn't quite fall in love with any of the characters and I couldn't seem to get into the book at all.

I guess if you like spooky alien stories, you'll enjoy this, but I just didn't.


3/5 Roses

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Bree Despain's Awesome Contest

Hey guys!

Just wanted to share with you a contest I found today. Bree Despain, author of The Dark Divine is holding a rockin' contest over on her blog.


Qualified participants will be entered into a drawing to win one of three prizes:

1. A pedicure kit complete with my new THE DARK DIVINE nail polish! + An autographed ARC of THE DARK DIVINE + $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble.
2. Signed copy of MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS by Sydney Salter + Signed copy of LIFE IN THE PIT by Kristen Landon
3. A $30 gift card to Barnes & Noble


Read carefully, because you have to at least get 5 points in the entries to qualify. So go now and enter Bree's awesome contest!
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Sunday Spotlight - Between the Lines

It's Sunday, which means... Sunday Spotlight! Today we have someone who WILL make you crack a smile. Seriously, I was chuckling through the answers to my usual questions. Check it out:

Name: Prodhi
Nickname and/or blog name: WordVore Prod/Between the Lines
Blog URL: http://myriad-words.blogspot.com


Tell me a bit about yourself.

I'm a hopeless book and music addict who could leave psychologists around the world flabbergasted by the utter lack of stereotype or set pattern to my personality. No bragging, but that's also what people around me have to say about me. I kind of like being unique though--standing out is always fun. :D Since this is a really stupid autobiography of myself and I love getting to know new people, just contact me at the mail address on my blog and we'll talk. :) (And then I can freak you out. MUHAHAHA.) I love being the only book blogger from Bangladesh for one reason--it makes me feel like a representative. Otherwise it sucks to be a book blogger where you don't even get YA books easily.

When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog around the beginning of July. I have a tendency to yabble about my recent read or recent music find to anyone and everyone (yes, I have a reputation of freaking out newbies that way :P), so I decided, why not do it virtually too since I have an affinity with the Net, books and my opinions on them? That's how my blog came into being.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
My blog is all about Young Adult books. I review books, interview authors and fellow bloggers, put up covers of upcoming books and trailers, etc. The cool features about my blog I would say are (I'm coming off as a narcissist aren't I?):

• The template.

• My review system. It's ellllllaboraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttte. And it's got music recommendations with it. :D

• My interviews. I'll bet my life my questions are ones never, ever asked before! (I try to mix in wackiness and fun:D)

• I make up my own memes along the way.

• I like the word myriad.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?

My review system is very elaborate--it's called WorDissection for a reason. I dissect each and every aspect of the book and rate them separately. The review part is usually my analysis and opinion of the book. I also try to provide as accurate a recommendation as possible based on target readers as well as names of few songs to go with the book. I'm still expanding the range of segments to my review, and any suggestion is welcome. Only thing that's bothering me now--classic blogger won't let me put the link for older Posts, so blog readers are made to think my first post is something that came a lot later than the actual first post. Ugh.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?

Well, seeing as how I'm an amateur, I may not be the best person for this but I'll give it a shot:

Have fun. Reviewing should not be an obligation to you--it should be just like another conversation about book with friends. Don't force your opinion down on others. If you really didn't like a book, simply state that you didn't, but don't say things like "OMG it's the worst book ever don't waste your money on it!" Book tastes are subjective--what you didn't like might be the absolute favourite of another. Pick a cool name for your blog like Kristen did, and make Kristen follow you, and follow Kristen back, and stalk her until she features you in her blogger spotlight.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I live and breathe YA. I also like reading thrillers and dystopian classics at times. Sappy, mushy romance is a big no-no whatever genre it might be. My favourite book at this time: Psych Major Synfrome by Alicia Thompson. It's YA, it's fun and it's realistic.

When asked about anything else, Prod answered:
You didn't ask me what my favourite flavour of ice-cream is, or why the sky is blue, or why Superman loves to show people he's wearing yesterday's underwear. I'm offended, Kristen. How could you?

That cracked me up. If you want someone fun to talk to and follow, here's your girl. Check out her blog, because it's pretty darn spiffy looking and she's hilarious.

Thanks Prodhi for graciously accepting my offer to spotlight you. As always, it's been a great time. ;)

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.

The Neverending Shelf is doing a similar type of spiel over at her website. So check it out to find out about a different blogger!
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Crash Into Me

Crash Into Me
by Albert Borris

From goodreads:

Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.

Okay, so I rarely do this, but - I picked up this novel with NO idea what it was about. So I was surprised to learn it was about kids making a suicide pact, but going on a death road trip first to see famous suicide graves/places.

I really fell in love with Owen a bit, who is the main focus of the book. He really has some serious issues and I was surprised by what surfaced later in the book. I love the hilarious moments of the book and the way it was written - broken up by previous IM chats that the four teens had online before the road trip.

I must admit, I really enjoyed this book and was really quite satisfied with the ending. I like how the cover relates to part of the story as well - not all covers do that or even come close to explaining a book - so it was nice to see that for a change.

5/5 Roses

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Undercover

Undercover
by Beth Kephart

Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, Elisa ghostwrites love notes for the boys in her school. But when Elisa falls for Theo Moses, things change fast. Theo asks for verses to court the lovely Lila—a girl known for her beauty, her popularity, and a cutting ability to remind Elisa that she has none of these. At home, Elisa's father, the one person she feels understands her, has left on an extended business trip. As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father won't bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take center stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theo's friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisa's ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family.

The first things I must say about the book is I really love the tie to literature in this book. Elisa is a poet and helps boys win the hearts of their dream girls by writing for them. Unfortunately, the one boy who keeps coming back for more poems to keep his popular girlfriend is the one she falls for. And let me tell you, Theo's girlfriend Lila is not a girl to mess with. She is the ultimate evil popular girl, ready to do whatever it takes to keep her life exactly the way she likes it.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this book. I could relate a bit to the character as a girl who always observed love, but never really got it until Theo came along. There are some other themes - such as her parents becoming separated - that really help the novel become more than just a silly romance.

One of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a while. I think the actress's voice was perfect for Elisa and she did a great job of changing it up for the various other characters.

5/5 Roses
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Hush, Hush contest winner, BBAW, and tons of Awards

Alright, I usually am VERY prompt about ending contests. But not today. I was busy getting my wedding dress fitted, running errands, having lunch with a friend, and then seeing a movie with my fiance - we saw Inglorious Basterds - which was AMAZING! I was.. however.. surprised by the amount of old couples out to see it. I know it has the same title as an older movie, but supposedly is NOT a remake. *shrugs* I've never seen the other one.

Anyways, so I drew a winner just now and let her know. So I figured I'd let you guys know!

#1017 Ju!

Congrats to Ju! I've sent you an email asking for your address! :-D.


Next topic! I want to thank EVERYONE who even thought of nominated or did nominate me for the BBAW awards. I was nominated in FIVE - I know, amazing right? - categories. Best New Blogger, Best YA Book Blogger, Best Writing, Best Commentor, and Most Prolific.

Thanks guys!

Okay, now I have been VERY bad about accepting awards lately. I actually have been given 8 or 9 different awards by various bloggers. Some are duplicates and some are new. So I'm going to start with the new ones first and then go to the ones I've technically already gotten - which, I really don't mind getting again.

One Lovely Blog Award

Thank you to The Neverending Shelf and Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews for nominating me!

These are the rules:

1. 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.

2. Pass the award to other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

My nominees:
Book Dragon's Lair
Books and Literature for Teens
Twin Pigeon
Tales of Whimsy
Running for Fiction
A Place for Wicked Good Books
The Undercover Book Lover (not really)

Bingo's Beautiful Award

Thank you to The Eclectic Reader for nominating me for this award!

This award was started by Bookin With BINGO and here are the rules:

This "B-I-N-G-O" BEAUTIFUL BLOG AWARD means that this blog is...

B: Beautiful
I: Informative
N: Neighborly
G: Gorgeous
O: Outstanding

Please look carefully at as many blogs as you can to find the top FIVE blogs that YOU think also exemplify these standards and pass it along to them. Please don't break this chain of FIVE! If you are someone who doesn't want awards or doesn't pass them on, please tell the person who is giving it so they can share it with someone who would want it. Thank you. Also, link your award to the person who gave it to you so when people link on the person's name or blog name, it will take them there to see that person's BINGO-RIFFIC BLOG.

My nominees:
A Flight of Minds
The Neverending Shelf
Good Books & Good Wine
Mrs. Magoo Reads
The Book Explorer

Alright. That was hard.. really, always is.

Now, here are some awards I got for a second/third time. I'm not going to nominate more people, but I wanted to thank those bloggers for nominating me!

The Zombie Chicken Award

Thanks to Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm for this award!

The Lemonade Award

Thank you to La Femme Readers, That Chick That Reads, and Feed Your Imagination for this award!


The Me to You Award

Thank you to A Reader's Adventure for this award!


Super Comments Award

Thank you to Red House Books for this award!


The Hearthfelt Award
Thank you to Romantic Harbor for this award!

If, for some reason, you gave me an award and I didn't post about, please let me know. Email or comment. :)

I'll try next time not to let them pile up so high! I swear!

Thanks again to these amazing bloggers who nominated my blog for awards. :)

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IMM - VLOG!

In My Mailbox is hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren.

OMVLOG! Haha. Yes, I'm crazy enough to do a vlog this week. I figured, why not? It's time to change things up a bit.

I did do a vlog FOREVER ago (or at least it feels like..) for a contest. So without further ado:




People mentioned in the vlog:
My fiance - aka Chris
Deltay from Lucid Conspiracy
Books and Literature for Teens
Sweeps4Bloggers
Kimberly Pauley and YA Books Central
Andrea from Book Blather
April from Good Books & Good Wine
Bitten by Books

Books mentioned:
Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall
Dream Girl by Laura Mechling
Frogs & French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
The Eyes of a King by Catherine Banner
Meridian by Amber Kizer
Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin
Ash by Malinda Lo
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Soulstice by Simon Holt
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Freaks and Revelations by Davida Willis Huwin
Once was Lot by Sara Zarr
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
The Drowning City by Amanda Downum
Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer

Wowzers! A ton of books this week! What did you guys all get?

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Saturday Spotlight - Good Books & Good Wine

Welcome to another weekend full of blogger spotlights! Looking to read a new blog? Then, you're at the right place! I ask you to please check out my friend April's blog after reading her interview.

Here we go!

Name: April
Nickname and/or blog name: Good Books & Good Wine
Blog URL: http://readingisthespiceoflife.blogspot.com


Tell me a bit about yourself.

I'm 22, and about to begin student teaching. Like every other person reading this blog, I love to read. I have a soft spot for YA, but truly, I enjoy many other genres including fantasy, classics, and contemporary fiction as well as non-fiction history. Also, I'm totally hooked on Stephanie Plum and Sookie Stackhouse. I constantly quote The Office and am very self-deprecating. Oh yes, I forgot I'm also madly in love.

When and why did you start your blog?

I started my blog August 2009 because I like writing book reviews, I enjoy reading Kristen's blog and thought, why the hell not.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?

Well I don't just review YA, I review other books which catch my eye. When I review an adult book, I typically recommend an alcoholic beverage which I feel reflects the flavor of the book. When I review a YA book, I recommend a non-alcoholic beverage. I'm pretty into my beverages, be it mocha iced coffee or red wine or tap water, ha ha. I also participate in a few book memes, i.e. In My Mailbox and Friday Finds.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
I actually do not have a review system. When I review I book I like to give a very brief synopsis and then gear my review around how the book made me feel and what the book made me think.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?

Don't be afraid to ask for advice! I know I've asked more experienced bloggers for advice and they were tremendously helpful!

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
As I said above, I'm really into fantasy right now, as well as dystopian books. I also enjoy graphic novels and contemporary books, oh and classics. I really enjoyed Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, plus his blog is just plain awesome. Another recent favorite is The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, I'm a sucker for a swashbuckling love story. Cassandra Mortmain captured my heart in I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith.

Contest Alert!
April is holding her first contest! She's giving away a copy of Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier - a retelling of the fairy tale - The Twelve Dancing Sisters. This contest ends August 31st, so hurry up and enter it here!

April is a buddy of mine from over at Goodreads - so please check out her blog and I'm certain you'll fall in love with it! :) Thanks April for letting me feature you!

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.

The Neverending Shelf is doing a similar type of spiel over at her website. So check it out to find out about a different blogger!
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Intertwined Sweepstakes

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Friday Finds

Friday Finds is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

These are basically books I've found online and added to my ever-growing to-read list on goodreads.

Like usual, click the titles or covers to find out more about the book.

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
The Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton
By Blood We Live

Kiss in the Dark by Laren Henderson
Possessing Rayne by Kate Cann
The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones

What did you guys find this week?
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Link a Contest Thursday!

And we're back for another awesome week of contests. I was happy to see nearly 50 contests were linked!

A few people asked whether they could link contests they had heard about that weren't their own.. what do the rest of you think? Leave a comment below!

Also, I wanted to take a minute to share some awesome contests I've personally found this week.

• Taschima over at Bloody Bookaholic is holding The Mega Palooza Contest. She's giving away 11 books to THREE different winners - the first winner will get to choose 7, the second gets three books (chosen by Taschima), and the third gets one (also chosen by Taschima). Yep. Make sure to check it out before it ends September 27th.
• Stop, Drop, and Read is currently holding 12 different contests. Head over to her blog and check them out!
• Lee A Verday is giving away a copy of Wings on his amazing blog.
• Bookworm Readers is giving away a copy of Lipstick Apology.
• Want to win a signed, harcover copy of Prophecy of the Sisters? Well, head on over to Write for a Reader and join her Gothic Film Club for your chance to win.
  

Alright, Mr. Linky time. There's a slight delay for now until I decide to upgrade. So it may take a minute for your link to show up.

Again, I suggest you leave the name of the item(s) you're giving away as opposed to your name.



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Waiting on Wednesday - Anastasia's Secret

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

Anastasia's Secret
Susanne Dunlap
Release Date: March 2, 2010

From the Author's website:

The youngest grand duchess in the Russian imperial family comes of age during the revolution. Her family is imprisoned, conditions become worse and worse. But Anastasia has a secret that she keeps from her family, a love that endures through the horrors of war and the privation of imprisonment and deprivation. Will her love save her from the fate her family seems destined for? Or is she a creation of a rarefied atmosphere, unable to survive without her loved ones?


I absolutely love Romanov history and cannot wait to read this one!

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Violet Wings

Violet Wings
by Victoria Hanley

From the author's website:
Orphaned fairy Zaria Tourmaline suffers from having a mind of her own. Although she tries to be a good fairy, her quest to find out what really killed her parents leads her to break the laws of Feyland again and again, putting herself and her friends into the path of perils she didn’t even know existed.

I started this book a few days back, but got distracted by Fire (Kristin Cashore) coming in the mail. When I started it back up yesterday, I found myself engrossed in the novel.

Zaria is the last in her class to turn 12 - the age at which fairies get their crystal watches and wands. She almost misses her chance by taking a trip to Earth with her friend Leona. Her parents and brother all died on trip to Earth.

Zaria finds out she has more power than she imagined. She's a rare Violet fairy, as is her friend Leona. But Zaria's mentor seems to have her own interests in mind when she takes the young fairy on. The question is, how will Zaria be able to find out just what that is?

I really enjoyed the blurbs of history at the beginning of each chapter. It really set up the world nicely and I loved the consistency of information coming from the famous genie historian.

My only complaint, as usual, is that I want more. The author wrapped up the first book nicely, but there is a lot of unanswered questions and tons more adventures for Zaria to have. Can't wait to see what Victoria Hanley has in store for this world next.

5/5 Roses


(This one is in the pot for the August Comment Contest.)
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Movie Review - The Crow

Hi guys! This is the second movie that I watched and reviewed. the Gothic Film Club, hosted by Write for a Reader and is sponsored by the glorious, wonderful Michelle Zink, author of Prophecy of the Sisters. You can join too by clicking on Write for a Reader's link above. If you do review a book, you're in the pot to win some serious goodies.

So this week, my fiance made the decision of what we were going to watch. He basically said, "What do you mean you've never seen The Crow?" and off to the movie store we went.

Main synopsis: Eric and his fiance were murdered the night of Halloween, a night in the city where criminals come out to create chaos. Eric is thrown out of a window and his fiance is raped and beaten and then fought for 30 hours in a hospital before her body gave up. Well, Eric comes back from the dead to revenge his fiance's as well as his own death.

First of all, I must say that the main character in The Crow - Eric - reminded me a lot of the Joker, only a semi-good-guy. He had the same type of face make-up, only more simple - just black and white. I also love the young street girl Sarah who was friends with the couple when they were alive.

I must say, revenge was sweet, but gorey and - interesting. Let's just say that Eric made sure the men received the deaths they deserved.

The setting of the movie was dark and VERY gothic. Constant rain filled the scenes of the movie and the city was definitely not a city I would want to roam around in at night.

Absolutely loved and enjoyed this movie. A must see for fans of the anti-hero and gothic films.

5/5 Roses
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Teaser Tuesday - Violet Wings

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of
Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley:

I put all my strength into my answer, but it was no use- my voice was too weak to be heard by anyone but Lily. "Tell me why a gnome who battered a good genie stands by you with an iron club."
-p.295

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Want to win some Maggie Stiefvater books?

1) One advanced review copy of BALLAD, mailed immediately upon end of contest
2) One finished copy of BALLAD, mailed when I get my copies (September)
3) One OTHER finished copy of BALLAD, mailed when I get my copies
4) A frame of the winner's choice from the video

Go here to find out how to enter.

And now for the animated storyboard of Ballad:
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Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire
by Kristin Cashore
Release Date: October 5, 2009

From the author's website:

Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells.

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...


I wasn't sure if this was possible, but I loved this one more than I loved Graceling. The character Fire just took my breath away. She is half-monster, but makes up for it with her overly human feelings, emotions and most of all her empathy towards others. There's wondrous characters, beautiful settings, and tons of action to keep the plot moving. And, of course, romance.

I don't want to ruin anything, so I'm keeping this short. If you loved Graceling, I expect you'll enjoy this book as much, if not more.

I'm really excited now to see what Kristin holds in store for us in her third book, which focuses on the character Bitterblue.

5/5 Roses

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It's Monday, What are you reading?

J.Kaye hosts this wonderful meme.

Click on titles for my reviews or more info on the book.

Read this past week:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Candor by Pam Bachorz
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Dancing With Ana by Nicole Barker

Currently reading:
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Assiniboin Girl by Kathi Wallace
Undercover by Beth Kephart

Upcoming:
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
Crash Into Me by Albert Borris
The Family Bones by Kimberly Raiser
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

And I'm behind again! *sigh* As usual I should say. I added Shiver to that list because it's overwhelmingly winning in my current poll.

Okay updates:

• I now have 5 books in the pot for my August Comment contest: Dancing with Ana, Candor, Heartsinger, Fade to Blue, and T'Aragam. At this rate, it's looking like I may only finish 10 books. I may throw some duplicate books into the pot if things start looking grim at the end of the month.
• Hush, Hush contest ends this Saturday at NOON CST. Last week I had some entries coming in the second part of Saturday. This just allows me to pull during the day when I'm awake, instead of staying up late until midnight. So sorry guys if it's confusing.
• I'm working on a new poll idea. Trying to keep a poll running when the old one goes away.

Speaking of which: Poll results!

1. Shiver (63 votes!)
2. Beautiful Creatures (17 votes!)
3. Bran Hambric (14 votes!)
4. Ballad (8 votes!)
5. ghostgirl Homecoming (6 votes!)
6. Tie (3 votes each) for Dragon Spear and Ice

I'm obviously behind, so this coming week's poll will be more geared towards feedback.

Thanks for tuning in! Hopefully I can knock out more than 4 books this week before school starts.
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Dancing with Ana Review + Author Interview

Dancing with Ana
by Nicole Barker

From the author's website:

Beth is a lucky girl…

She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she’s grown up with has the most amazing green eyes…
Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

Sixteen year old Beth Baxter’s life merely resembles the one she’s always known. Her father has left. She is falling for Jeremy Duscana and the diet she started has somehow turned into an obsession. Yet her three best friends remain the same, always there for her.

But even their love can’t save her from herself.

Dancing With Ana. A story about the journey to acceptance of one’s own reality, the incredible bond that exists between friends and a love that truly endures all things.

I really was pulled into the story from the start. It's mainly about Beth and her three best friends. They admire one of the prettiest girls at school, who stays thin by not eating. The girls decide to all go on a diet, but it turns into something worse than that. Especially for Beth.

Beth's dad has left her mom, her brother and her for his secretary. This book deals with divorce, teen sex, underage drinking, relationships, cutting, and much much more.

The only thing was that this book wrapped up a little too well. Usually teenagers don't just bounce back from these types of situations. But I can see where it would be good for a teen going through these issues to read this book - to see that there is a way to do it themselves, to believe that they can stop those habits and situations.

4/5 Roses

Interview with Nicole Barker

Nicole Barker grew up in Portland, Oregon and attended Southern Oregon State College in the town of Ashland. Nestled in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, Nicole took to writing while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with a strong emphasis on early childhood development. Shortly after graduation, she spent several months traveling around the United States and parts of Canada. Nicole now lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids, two dogs, toads, frogs, hermit crabs and fish. She is currently working on her second YA book.

When did you decide to become a writer and why?

I've always enjoyed writing, ever since I was a little girl. It became more consistent in college, then sporadic when my kids were younger. About five years ago I really focused and have been writing ever since.

Tell me a bit about what your book is about.

Dancing With Ana is the story of a sixteen year-old girl named Beth Baxter and her three best friends, Jenny, Rachel and Melanie. They've been friends since they were little and have a very strong bond. About a year prior to when this story takes place, Beth's father left them for another woman. His sudden abandonment threw her into a state of shock. As the numbness wears off, Beth decides to distract herself by attempting to lose ten pounds with an extreme “diet”. At the same time, she's discovering new, intense feelings for Jeremy, the boy who's lived across the street from her all her life.

What made you decide to tackle such a difficult topic in your book?

Anorexia is more common than people realize. I wanted to write a story that depicted how easily it can slip into a person's life. I also felt it was important to focus more on the reason than the disease itself.

Can you explain a little bit of the way you tackled writing Dancing with Ana?

If a thought, idea, sentence or even just a word came to me, I stopped everything I was doing and wrote. Sometimes I wrote for thirty minutes, sometimes I wrote for hours and hours. When I write, everything else ceases to exist. Some days, I would make it just in time to pick my kids up from school. There was a lot of take-out.

What advice can you give to aspiring writers?

Every person has a story inside of them, there's no reason why you shouldn't share yours.

Anything else you would like to tell your readers?

I love hearing from you!

Thanks Nicole for allowing me to interview you! You can learn more about Nicole over at her website for Dancing With Ana.

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The Summoning

The Summoning
by Kelley Armstrong

From the author's website:
Chloe Saunders sees dead people. Yes, like in the films. The problem is, in real life saying you see ghosts gets you a one-way ticket to the psych ward. And at 15, all Chloe wants to do is fit in at school and maybe get a boy to notice her. But when a particularly violent ghost haunts her, she gets noticed for all the wrong reasons. Her seemingly crazed behaviour earns her a trip to Lyle House, a centre for 'disturbed teens'. At first Chloe is determined to keep her head down. But then her room mate disappears after confessing she has a poltergeist, and some of the other patients also seem to be manifesting paranormal behaviour. Could that be a coincidence? Or is Lyle House not quite what it seems...? Chloe realizes that if she doesn't uncover the truth, she could be destined for a lifetime in a psychiatric hospital. Or could her fate be even worse...? Can she trust her fellow students, and does she dare reveal her dark secret?


I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed it. I was surprised by the setting of the book - a group home - but that only added more to it. I like Chloe's personality and the way she tries coping with her new ability to see ghosts and be able to talk to them.

The other characters in the book were intriguing and interesting as well, ranging from ones you fell in love with to others you really did wish would plummet off the top of a tall building.

My only complaint about this book - is the horrid cliffhanger ending. How dare you Kelley Armstrong, how dare you leave me hanging! Good thing I didn't read this first book when it came out - I would have pitched a fit and gone on and on about how much I need the second. I snagged the second book from the library and hope to start it soon!

5/5 Roses


Want to win a copy of The Summoning and The Awakening - signed!? I know I do. Head over to Emma's blog - Booking Through 365 - for a chance to win!
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Sunday Spotlight - Book Chick City

Hello! Welcome to the second Spotlight this weekend. Today, I'm featuring a fun UK chickie who wants you to share what her blog is all about! Enjoy. :)

Name: Carolyn
Blog name: Book Chick City
Blog URL: http://www.bookchickcity.com


Tell me a bit about yourself.
Well, I live in the UK and I have been an avid reader since I was tiny. My mum was really the one who got me into books as she used to read to me all the time, and introduced me to the classics, which I love. I read about four books a week and am always looking for new ones even though my tbr pile is HUGE! I don't have many friends who read, my hubby reads but it's usually something scientific, so it's really nice to chat with like minded people. I'm also a bit of a shopaholic, which isn't really good when you love books! I also love going to the gym and I play golf, mainly with my hubby.

When and why did you start your blog?
I initially began my blog with the view of it being an online book club, but since then it has evolved into a full blown book blog, with reviews and author interviews. I started at the beginning of July this year and have worked really hard at getting a lot of content up quickly so I looked more established. I think it has worked as I am now getting emails from publishers and authors that like my blog and want to be interviewed or have their books reviewed, so I am really thrilled that it has started off so well. I have also met some really wonderful people and you book bloggers are just so friendly! At the beginning when I was feeling a bit lost I sent a few emails to J. Kaye's Book Blog who helped me out. Just so nice. I'm so pleased that I am part of this community - I just love it!

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
I love buying books and reading books - it's my passion and a bit of an obsession - so that's what you will find when you visit Book Chick City. I have book reviews, author interviews, a weekly featured author and I participate in a couple of weekly meme's. I am just starting my new feature 'Celebrate the Classics' where I focus on an author from the past. All this keeps me pretty busy and any spare time I have left I read like mad!

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
Writing reviews for my blog was the first time I had ever written a review. I've always had thoughts about the books I read but have never written them down, so I didn't really have a system. After looking around at other book blogs, I have now started to get an idea of how I would like to review the books I read, but it's still not perfected yet, but hopefully I will begin to sort that out with the next few reviews.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?

I have actually received a few emails from new book bloggers asking me how I managed to get so many books from publishers and authors for interviews. At first I didn't know this side of blogging existed but once I did I knew that I wanted to review books and include interviews, so I researched on the internet and sent a few emails to various publishers and just put myself out there. It paid off and I'm just so excited with how things are going, I just hope it continues. So my advice is, if you want publishers to send you books etc, then just do your research, send out a few emails and make sure to include your blog URL so they can take a look. I have also seen lots of great book blog that just review the books they buy or get from the library too. The other thing I did was to get as much up on my blog as quickly as possible, I think this helped get a bit more traffic to my blog and I participate in a few weekly meme's, which I think are really fun. There are so many fantastic blogs out there, I took a lot of encouragement (and ideas) from them.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
My favourite genre would have to be horror, urban fantasy and paranormal romance with a little bit of crime thrown in. I love all genre really but I tend to like these kind of books more. My favourite authors are Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, Dean Koontz, Anne Rice, Kathy Reichs... ahhh there's so many. I'm just reading my first book by Richelle Mead and loving it! My favourite books of all time would have to be Dracula by Bram Stoker and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

Contest Alert!
Carolyn is currently holding a contest for a copy of Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead - open internationally. It ends September 1st, so enter now!


Thanks to Carolyn for sharing her blog with us today! Now, go and give the girl a visit! Her blog is super cute and deserves your attention!


Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.

The Neverending Shelf is doing a similar type of spiel over at her website. So check it out to find out about a different blogger!
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