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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Teaser Tuesday - Willow


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!
In honor of Julia Hoban and her AWESOME book Willow (which I'm reading), I chose to tease you with the following passage:

Maybe her face isn't any different, but the look in her eyes is. She reaches out a hand to cover them in the mirror. She remembers the reflection that used to stare back at her. Those eyes weren't dead.
-p. 25
Read more...

Monday, September 14, 2009

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.

Blarg! I only read TWO books this week (AGAIN!). *shakes head*

Read this past week:
Emily & the Silent King by Irven Keppen
Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Currently Reading:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Willow by Julia Hoban

Upcoming:
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
The Cave by Steve McGill
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (audiobook)

Poll Results!
Last week I asked what I should buy next. This is what you guys thought I should buy next:
The Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare (16 votes)
Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore (10 votes)
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (8 votes)
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (7 votes)
The Hollow by Jessica Verday (5 votes)
Evermore and Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (5 votes)
Evernight and Stargazer by Claudia Gray (3 votes)

I will admit - I bought Eyes Like Stars this weekend. :) I'm adding up some swagbucks rewards - so when I get enough amazon gift cards.. totally going to start buying these. Thanks guys!

Updates:
  • I saw Julia Hoban on Saturday! It was so awesome (see post right below this).
  • I had my bridal shower on Sunday (Look below for some pics!)
  • I barely got sleep this weekend, but I'm still alive, promise. :)
  • Apple picking and apartment shopping this coming weekend.
  • My sister is working on some Jersey Boys tickets! WOOT! I just love her.
Bridal shower pics:

I had SO much fun. :)


The awesome food spread. :)




The future in-laws :)
(My new sister-in-laws read books! My own sisters don't, so I'm excited!)



Embarrassed by the balloon chair and sash.



The matron of honor - my older sis - and me.



My mom and her mother (my Grandma Loot).

There are a bazillion more, but I don't want to bore you. :) We had 27 women there to celebrate with me.



Read more...

Book bloggers + Julia Hoban = AWESOME!


Okay, I admit I'm a wee bit nervous about this blog post, because Kristi (The Story Siren) knocked the summary of the event out of the water.

On Saturday, I went to an awesome author signing. Julia Hoban, author of Willow, was signing copies of her book at Barnes & Noble in Valparaiso, Indiana on Saturday.

I heard about it from Kristi and then it grew into a party of four. I ended up staying after work and sleeping over at Andrea's (The Book Blather) apartment and then she drove us to Valparaiso. We stayed up for a few hours chatting books (I mean DUH.. what else would we talk about?).

Then, I passed out on her couch and we headed out the following morning at 11 am to get there. It took us about an hour to get there, which was filled with more book chat.



We arrive at Barnes and Noble around 12 pm and we walk in. We, of course, check out where Julia is signing and promptly beeline for the teen section. Neither of us has a clue what Erica (The Book Cellar) looks like so we whisper "Is that her" when we pass some tall teen girl and then keep walking, not wanting to question the wrong person. And who do I see standing there? Kristi! Then Erica comes up (yep, that tall girl we almost talked to...) and we're a party of four awesome bloggers.

We chat Kristi and Erica up, and when we ask Kristi about lunch, she tells us she's meeting Julia for food at Panera! Kristi promptly calls her and says it's alright if all four of us go!

So, we walk over to Panera - which is right next to the bookstore and we all nervously await Julia's arrival - all that we know is she is wearing a hat and gloves. I was trying my best not to look as nervous as I felt, but I could tell Kristi and Erica were full of nervousness - Kristi outright said it. :)

But, lunch was AMAZING! Julia was so sweet and wonderful, I couldn't believe it. I mean not that I was expecting a horrible person, but she was just amazing, really.

Then, the signing just got better. Julia started off by talking about how book bloggers made her book so successful and promptly introduced all four of us to the rest of the 20 or so people there. We were all slack-jaw shocked! I mean, we really couldn't comment. In fact, all four of us barely could remember the questions we were going to ask during her talk/reading. Luckily, an older librarian dude asked tons of questions and was quite hilarious. Everyone was impressed with us as well after the signing and asked us more questions about blogging and books and asked for our websites!

I mean, none of us saw it coming - Julia really is amazing. I ended up buying 3 books - one for myself, my to-be sister-in-law, and to giveaway. (I started the book last night and am loving it!)

I even received an email this morning from her with another thank-you. Isn't she a sweetie? I'm author-struck and can only really compare this to Brad Pitt asking me out for coffee just to talk about books (which would NEVER happen.. ahaha). We did have some yummy coffee and cheesecake and talked with Julia even MORE after the signing.


It was one of the best experiences of my life. I really hope I bump into Julia again. Oh, and THEN all four of us bloggers went to dinner at Chilis and talked for about an hour or so more. I don't think I got home until 9:30 pm.

I just love days that are that fabulous.
Read more...

Shrinking Violet


Shrinking Violet
by Danielle Joseph


From goodreads.com:
High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize -- Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare....

I could really relate to this book. I wasn't quite as shy as Tere was in this novel, but I certainly hated public speaking of any kind and would shake all the way through any speeches I had to present to a class of peers.

This novel was amazing, with realistic characters and a plot that could appeal to music lovers, shy girls and boys, or anyone in need of a decent realistic fiction novel.

5/5 Roses

This one is in for the comment contest. :)

Read more...

Sunday, September 13, 2009

IMM Vlog (4)


In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi from the Story Siren, who rocks. :)

(Please ignore the fact that my youtube vlog video says 3 and not 4 - I was way tired last night)

People/websites mentioned in this blog:
Kristi from The Story Siren
Andrea from The Book Blather

Erica from The Book Cellarx

Julia Hoban
Simply Vamptastic
Jillian Cantor
Word Smithsonia

Kay Cassidy from You 2.0 Blog

Book Mooch (add me! bookgoil)

Books won:
Daniel X Watch the Skies by James Patterson & Ned Rust
The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor

The Coyote Road Trickster Tales


Books bought:
Willow by Julia Hoban (will post more about that signing soon!)
The Last Summer (of You & Me) by Ann Brashares

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Read more...

Sunday Spotlight - The Undercover Book Lover

Hello readers!

Welcome to the Sunday edition of my weekend Spotlights. Today, I have for you a newer blogger who is only a few months into blogging and is already clocking some serious hours (and love) into her blog. Take a gander before OR after the interview - enjoy!

Name: Reggie
Nickname and/or blog name: The Undercover Book Lover (Not Really)
Blog URL: http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com



Tell me a bit about yourself.
I'm just a normal 14 year old who is totally book-obsessed. I have a dog named Fluffy (he's a pug and he isn't really fluffy). I like to read (duh!), write, play with my dog, and hang out with my family. My family doesn't really think I'm normal though...they think I'm nuts!

When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog at the beginning of July. I wanted to start it because I saw this other blog called A Garden of Books by Iryna (her blog is amazing). Her blog inspired me. I want to let people know how great books truly are!

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
My blog is basically full of YA book reviews and the occasional adult fiction. There are two non-review-related features in my blog. One is The Weekly Pen and the other one is called Post-its. The Weekly Pen has poems, short stories, or articles written by me. Post-its are quotes from books that are noteworthy.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
My review system is kind of complicated. This is what it says on my blog:
I'm going to be changing my rating system a little bit. Instead of just having an A+ or a B- or something, I'm going to add ratings for specific aspects of a book.
Here's how I'm going to do it:

Originality: /10
Ending: /10
Characters: /10
Plot: /10
My reaction/enjoyment: /10
Theme: /10
Imagery: /10
Setting: /5
Voice: /5
Style and Tone: /10
Cover: /10
Total Score: /100

A+ = 95-100
A- = 90-94
A- = 85-89
B+ = 80-84
B = 75-79
B- = 70-74
C+ = 65-69
C = 60-64
C- = 55-59
D+ = 50-54
D = 45-49
D- = 40-44

I'm not going to add an 'F' to the list because no author ever deserves an 'F'.
Do you like it? Do you hate it? Give me some suggestions as to what you think of my new system.


Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
Don't get discouraged! Even if nobody follows you, keep on bloggin'. For weeks, the only follower I had was my sister but I still maintained my blog. I thought of different ways to make my blog more exposed. Kristen, here, was awesome to give me a Saturday/Sunday Spotlight (Thanks Kristen!).

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
Currently, I'm still sticking to YA fiction but I LOVE Tom Clancy and John Grisham. My favorite books right now are Twenty Boy Summer, I Heart You, You Haunt Me, and Shrinking Violet. Such amazing authors!

Anything else you want to say:
Kristen ROCKZ!!! Oh, and a shoutout to all my followers! You guys rock too!!!

Thank you Reggie for sharing more about you and your awesome blog today! If you take a look at her blog, you can see she's really putting a lot of love into it and you guys should follow her. :) So go - shoo - look at her blog already! :-D

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.

Read more...

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Saturday Spotlight - Strange & Random Happenstance

Welcome to another glorious weekend here at my blog. Hope you guys had a great Friday and are ready to meet some new bloggers! Today we have a fun blogger, whose blog I love and who is great at commenting on other blogs.

Name:
Elizabeth Lefebvre
Nickname and/or blog name: Strange & Random Happenstance by Miss Eliza (my code regency handle if Mr Darcy is lurking about in the shrubberies)
Blog URL: http://strange-and-random-happenstance.blogspot.com/




Tell me a bit about yourself:
I grew up in a family of publishers and artists. Despite an early hatred of school (being downgraded in art due to "natural ability") and books (please find me anyone who likes My Brother Sam is Dead), I grew up to get a Bachelor of Science in Art and a second in Theatre (painting not acting) from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and am now at MATC getting a degree in Graphic Design with a Certificate in Web Design, so that I can make a living through art. Besides art my real passion is books. I think it is encoded in my DNA or something, my mom is now a librarian after years doing book publishing, editing and layouts, and I'm on the same track, doing a few book covers and layouts as well when time allows. I also know how to hand sew a book's binding and would love to take up bookbinding as yet another hobby (to go with the knitting, the gaming, the watching of miniseries, and yes, that is a hobby, and an endurance hobby if you marathon them). Plus reading as much as I can in my spare time.

When and why did you start your blog?
I had the vague inclination awhile back and got on blogger, but it wasn't until May that I jumped in feet first. No sense hesitating I thought, if I'm going to do this, here I go! But I really also do it for myself. I find that writing a review of a book you've read is a great way to marshal your thoughts and really distill what it is that you admired and what you thought worked or didn't work. Plus with sites like goodreads, I find that my reviews are overly short, sometimes terse and succinct, whereas on my blog I luxuriate in the review more. Plus I do enjoy writing, it's a very great creative outlet, but I've never been one for writing novels, more for criticizing.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
Books of course! With the occasional BBC miniseries or movie review, which I hope will somehow be related to the world of books but sometimes I go all tangential. But the one thing I hope will set me apart from other blogs out there is I'm not going to sugarcoat my reviews. If I book is bad, I will say so, with reasons to back up my opinions. I am not going to be malicious or unkind, I'm going to be truthful. Even some of the best bloggers out there can be drawn into the game of not wanting to hurt someones feelings so they overcompensate with false praise. For my praise you have to be worthy, this blogs special feature is honesty! I also hope, once I get more followers (not to discount you loyal few), to get a few competitions up for books I've reviewed. I also have a Halloween interview with the author Michael Norman to coincide with the release of his new book, The Nearly Departed: Minnesota Ghost Stories and Legends, and hopefully other authors will follow.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
I am a creature of habit and after about two years on goodreads (check it out if you haven't, AWESOME, and also where I met Kristen, Bookworming's lovely blogger), I have had the rating system ingrained in me so I just decided to stick with what I know. It's a 5 star rating system: ★ didn't like it and or hated it, in fact there might be a no stars coming in the future, I find that's lacking on goodreads, ★★ it was ok, ★★★ liked it, ★★★★ really liked it and ★★★★★ it was amazing, I love it!

How often do you post to your blog? I try to post three times a week because every day seems like overkill and I'd run out of interesting things to say, but anything less then three, it's not really enough. Plus I try to read one book a week so there is one post and I cover new releases of the week on Monday's so there's two, so whatever else I can find to fill in the last post.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
Look at other people's blogs and really pay attention to what you like and don't like. Don't be afraid to change over time to add or remove features, be willing to adapt. Also if you use a site like blogger, don't be afraid to change it to reflect your personality. I hacked the code so that mine reflects who I am and also so it links in to my personal website.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I love fantasy, young adult or adult. I love love love Terry Pratchett, for the more adult sci-fi fantasy, and Shannon Hale for the more young adult fantasy. Pratchett has a great sense of humor combined with a true grasp of human nature (as well as feline nature, as a cat lover I have to say he gets cats better than any other writer today) while Hale has wonderful characters you relate to, yet set within a fictitious would. But why really limit yourself to any one book subcategory? Other authors who really can't write fast enough for me are Lisa Lutz (humorous mysteries), Lauren Willig (historical romance like the Scarlett Pimpernel), Charlaine Harris (I liked those vampires long before they became mainstream), Louise Rennison (younger, funnier Bridget Jones), the list goes on and on. Also those are only authors still alive, if I were to take into account the classics like Austen and the Brontes, the list just keeps growing.

Contest Alert!
Elizabeth with be holding a contest for a copy of The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Check her blog out today for more details!

Thank you to Miss Eliza for coming by and sharing more about her blog! Please head over and check her blog out!

Stay tuned tomorrow to meet another new blogger!

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.


Read more...

Friday, September 11, 2009

Friday Finds

Friday Finds is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

I knew about a few of these, but found the covers and added them to my goodreads to-read list this past week.

Like usual, click the covers or titles for more info. :)



Winter's Child: A Retelling of the Snow Queen by Cameron Dokey
Shadowland by Alyson Noel
Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey



Forgive my Finds by Tera Lynn Childs
My So-Called Death by Stacey Jay


What did you guys find this week?
Read more...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Link A Contest Thursday!

I really do need to work on a pic for this.. *sigh* Maybe.. next month? Haha. I just got busier.. added a club AND another committee (I think I'm up to 4 now) onto my schedule at the elementary school I work at. At least the stipends are nice...

So... it's that time again.. where you link your contest to promote it and so others can enter!

Rules (or at least STRONG suggestions):
1. Name the item being given away (instead of the blog name)
2. Give the end date in () after the name
3. Make sure to link DIRECTLY to that contest post - if you don't know how to do this - just click on the title of the contest blog and it will give a direct URL you can use.
4. If you want to post a contest you've found, make sure it isn't already posted.

Thanks!

And please steal this! Not all my followers will be following your blog, so if you spread the contest love with a Mr. Linky, all the better for contest-loving-bloggers!





Read more...

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday - My Love Lies Bleeding


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



My Love Lies Bleeding
by Alyxandra Harvey
Release Date: January 4, 2010


From Goodreads.com:
The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer.

Mmm. Who doesn't like a good vampire novel? Especially set back in history?
Read more...

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

And we all learn that I'm human too.

I made a human error the other day. Something called forgetfulness. A blogging friend of mine pointed it out to me, thank goodness.

So, a few days ago I posted about doing me a favor. To get a book called Sea Glass from Maria V. Snyder.

In my haste (and tiredness), I posted it without the link to her website where she describes her referral program. Basically, if you chat her books up with other people, they can email her telling her you were talking up her books. If you get FIVE, you can choose one of her books, which she'll send signed to you. You just have to email her with your contact information and that you referred people to her.

So please check out Maria's website for more information.

I'm also adding it to my original post here.

So, don't hate me - please? I just thought I'd spread the word about her awesome books and get at least 5 people to email her so I could read her new book.

I also think you guys could use this referral service to get yourself a copy of one of her awesome books as well! So, again, here's the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/contests.php

Check it out guys! She's an awesome author!
Read more...

Teaser Tuesday - Anastasia's Secret



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's teaser is from Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap.

All the sorry hopelessness of my situation - our situation - burst over me in a wave. All through my illness, through our dear friends being arrested and our own captivity I had been in too much of a daze to think about what it really meant.

-p. 187
Read more...

Monday, September 7, 2009

Swagbucks

Now I don't like throwing out a ton of advertising, but I'm going to - because it's AWESOME!

I found out about this site through Sweeps4Bloggers and I actually am enjoying it and have gotten my first $5 Amazon gift card!

What is Swagbucks you ask? It's a search engine. But, when you search, you can win swagbucks! Now there are a bunch of prizes, but the best deal of which is the $5 Amazon giftcard. You just have to earn 45 swagbucks for one of these babies.

You randomly earn these bucks as you search, so I try to remember to use it when I'm looking for book descriptions and anything else. The image search is so-so, but try it out for yourself.

Just click this button and you can start earning too!

Search & Win

Read more...

Emily & The Silent King


Emily & The Silent King
by Irven Keppen

From Amazon.com:
Emily thought becoming a teenager was hard enough, but she had no idea what was in store for her. When the young girl from New Jersey finds herself and her three siblings magically transported to the wondrous land of Midralon, her troubles are only just beginning. Confronted by creatures right out of old fairy tales, Emily must shoulder the responsibility of getting her brothers and sister back to their own world safely or they will be forever stranded in this strange new realm! After an encounter with the sinister servants of the evil ruler known as the Silent King, Emily realizes more is at stake then just getting home. Midralon is a land at war and she must keep her siblings out of harms way and avoid the armies rampaging through the land. There's only one problem, all of her paths seem to lead to a confrontation with the frightening Silent King himself.

If you guys know me by now, it's that I love anything fantasy. In fact, I live, eat, and breathe it. So, I had to give this book a go. The first book in the series, it has all the elements of a fantasy series - an evil sorcerer, a quest, fighting, magical creatures and much much more.

This book echoes Narnia a wee bit - four siblings, two girls and two boys making their way into another realm and having to fight to save it. I can't say I fell in love with any of the main characters, but I'm sure I'll learn more about them as the series goes on. I did, however, love the dwarves. How can you not love those small fighting men who live for the forge and war?

I did enjoy it, but wasn't as engrossed as I like to be when reading fantasy. I will be interested to see how the series progresses though.

4/5 Roses

*This one is in the pot for the Comment Contest
Read more...

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.

Blarg! I only read TWO books this week. *shakes head*

Read this past week:
Frogs & French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski
Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

Currently Reading:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund (e-book)
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson (audio)
Emily & the Silent King by Irven Keppen

Upcoming:
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Okay, now for some updates!
  • My bridal shower is Sunday! So fun!
  • I'm going to see Julia Hoban - author of Willow - on Saturday! YAY!
  • I discovered BookMooch and LOVE it - already got rid of 10 books!
Alright, now for some poll results! I asked what you guys wanted me to read for the comment contest and here's the results:

Anastasia's Secret - 23 votes!
Shrinking Violet - 23 votes!
The Maze Runner - 16 votes!
ghostgirl homecoming - 11 votes!
Bran Hambric - 8 votes!
War Games - 7 votes!
Watersmeet - 6 votes!
Troubadour - 6 votes!
Magician of Hoad - 2 votes!
Mirrorscape - 2 votes!

I'll probably do another poll after I read the top 4 and see what people want to see next!

I have a new poll up about what books I should buy next. Some I've read and don't own and some I still need to read. Please vote!

Right now, for the comment contest, I have the following books in the pot:
  • 2 copies of Crash Into Me
  • 1 copy of Dragon Spear
  • 1 copy of Benny & Shrimp
I promise I'll try to read more.. swear it!
Read more...

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Benny & Shrimp


Benny & Shrimp
by Katarina Mazetti

From amazon.com:

Why is it so impossible to get a relationship to work between two mature single people, driven by enormous longing and loudly ticking biological clocks?

In alternate chapters, Benny and "Shrimp" tell the story of a love that started by mistake in a village cemetery, a love that should not really be as complicated as it seems. She is a childless young widow with a sharp intellect and a home so tidy that even her jam jars are in alphabetical order. He is a gentle, overworked milk farmer, who fears becoming the village's Old Bachelor. The attraction between them is powerful. But how will she learn to accept that he falls asleep at the opera and has a house full of his mother's embroidered wall hangings, and how could he ever feel at home in her minimalist apartment, bare as a dentist's waiting room?

Set against a charming Swedish backdrop, Benny & Shrimp is a quirky, humorous tale, beautifully told, in which Katarina Mazetti breathes new life into the age-old conundrum that is love...

I must admit that I really enjoyed this book. One of my latest "adult" reads and I really found myself interested in the strange characters that are Benny and Shrimp. It helps that Shrimp is a librarian, which I can obviously relate to.

The novel ends up being quite engrossing as the relationship progresses and then the books ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I really am dying to know what will happen next. I don't want to ruin anything, so I won't say what it's about.

So, it gets:

5/5 Roses

Read more...

Sunday Spotlight - A Reader's Adventure

Happy Sunday! Once again, I'm going to introduce you to a new blogger, who would love if you stopped by her blog. I am totally in love with her layout, so make sure you stop by!

Name: Mariah
Nickname and/or blog name: A Reader’s Adventure
Blog URL: http://mariah-readingadventure.blogspot.com/


Tell me a bit about yourself.
I am a teenage girl that loves to read and write. I like to watch the food network for some reason. And I volunteer at the library during the summer.

When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog on June 11 because I was reading so many books that I wanted to help others find good books to read and to combine my love of reading with my love of writing. I also wanted to have some kind of outlet for my opinions about books because none of my friends like to read.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
I focus on YA books primarily but sometimes I will review Middle grade or crossover adult books! The name of my blog came from the fact that every time you open a book you travel to another place and get to experience it.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
I review on a scale of 1-5 5 being the best.

5/5 Amazing one of my absolute favorites! Definitely pick it up!

4/5 Pretty good, Read it if you see it!

3/5 Ok- If you have time try it out!

2/5 I did not like it- If you have nothing else to read!

1/5 Hated it not worth your time!

Pretty basic

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
I guess if you want to do it go and try and if you don’t like it you can stop but fair warning once you start it is hard to stop. If you are just starting I would recommend checking out some of the really well known blogs and seeing what they do that makes their blogs so great. Some examples would be http://booksbytheircover.blogspot.com/ and http://www.thestorysiren.com/ also if you have any questions many other bloggers will be willing to help you.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I really like fantasy but I like most genres except nonfiction if I can help it.
Some of my favorite books right now would have to be Graceling by Kristin Cashore and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins I also really like Beauty by Robin McKinley

Contest Alert!
Mariah is holding a contest for one of those amazing Patterson Prize Packs! Check it out over at her blog.

Thanks Mariah for sharing more about your blog today! Make sure to stop by her blog and leave her and comment!

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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Saturday, September 5, 2009

A favor to ask..

Hi guys!

I'm going to ask a very special favor of 5 of you. I am absolutely dying to read Maria Synder's new book - Sea Glass - and I can get a signed copy of it from Maria, if five of you email her telling her that Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century chatted up her books with you.

Maria has this great referral program that anyone can participate in. You just have to talk to FIVE people about her books and then have them send an email to her saying you did. You get to pick one of her books and she'll send it to you signed! How cool is that?

Check it out on Maria's website.

Her email is maria@mariavsnyder.com


Let me know in a comment below if you're willing to do this for me! Thanks! If you comment that you will, I'll give you +10 for the comment contest this month.

And, if you haven't heard about her books, here's a little bit about them:

The Study Series - consists of Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study.


Poison Study

From Publishers Weekly.


Shivers, obsession, sleepless nights—these are the results not of one of the milder poisons that novice food-taster Yelena must learn during her harrowing job training but of newcomer Snyder's riveting fantasy that unites the intelligent political focus of George R.R. Martin with a subtle yet potent romance. Through a stroke of luck, Yelena escapes execution in exchange for tasting the food of the Commander, ruler of Ixia. Though confined to a dank prison cell and doomed to a painful death, Yelena slowly blooms again, caught up in castle politics. But some people are too impatient to wait for poison to finish off Yelena. With the help of Valek, her steely-nerved, cool-eyed boss and the Commander's head of security, she soon discovers that she has a starring role to play in Ixia's future—a role that could lead to her being put to death as a budding magician even if she hits each cue perfectly. The first in a series, this is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after they've read it.


Magic Study
From Publishers Weekly.

Family betrayal, a power-mad serial killer and a potential diplomatic crisis threaten the independent-minded heroine of Snyder's fine sequel to Poison Study (2005). With the overthrow of the royal family of Ixia, 20-year-old Yelena Zaltana, who was kidnapped as a child by the evil magician Mogkan, is now free to return home to Sitia. Her reunion with the family she hasn't seen in 14 years palls when her brother spreads rumors she's actually a spy from Ixia. At the Magician's Citadel, where Yelena enrolls to hone her prodigious magical talents, her powers raise concern that she might be a rare, powerful Soulfinder. Then a string of ugly murders reveals the presence of a rogue magician in the area. As Yelena joins the hunt for the killer, complications grow with the arrival of a diplomatic mission from Ixia—including her lover, Valek, a notorious spy and assassin, sure to be executed if anyone sees through his disguise. Snyder's lively, charming mix of romance and fantasy is sure to gain her new fans.


Fire Study

From Publishers Weekly
Fans of high-spirited adventure, intrigue and romance will celebrate the third book (after 2007's Magic Study) in the saga of reluctant mage and diplomat Yelena Zaltana. The news that Yelena is a Soulfinder, able to manipulate the spirits of the dead and the living, hasn't made her popular with the inhabitants of Sitia's Magician's Keep, since the last Soulfinder turned people into mindless slaves. First Magician Roze Featherstone's hostility toward Yelena increases until the Sitian Council decides to send Yelena north as diplomatic liaison to the rival nation of Ixia. When Roze takes over the council, imprisoning her rivals and driving the nation to the brink of war with Ixia, Yelena is caught between her duties as liaison, her love for Ixian intelligence officer Valek and her fear of her own power, which she must embrace fully to defeat Roze and restore the council. Snyder delivers another excellent adventure, deftly balancing international and local hostilities against Yelena's personal struggles.

Glass series: Storm Glass and Sea Glass

Storm Glass


From Amazon.com:

As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan's glass orbs, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers—particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade—require Opal's unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap in to a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance—including her own—Opal must control powers she hadn't known she possessed…powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she's ever known.







Sea Glass

Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound ability to steal a magician's powers makes her too powerful. Ordered to house arrest by the Council, Opal dares defy them, traveling to the Moon Clan's lands in search of Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because she is sure another man now her prisoner has switched souls with Ulrick.In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. She can't forget Kade, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn't want to let her get close. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain....

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List of 8 book Patterson Promo Packages

I saw a ton of these in the blogosphere, so I wanted to compile them in one post so my followers could find and have a chance at these contests.

Basically, you can win 8 Patterson books - the Maximum ride series, Daniel X and also the manga for Max. There are two winners per contest, so entering all 18 of them would give you a mega chance at winning one of these prize packs. As a contest-a-holic, I've entered all of them.. yes, I'm nuts.

So here's the list of blogs holding this promotion:




















Alright, if you're hosting one or know of another blog hosting one of these contests, please leave me a link in a comment so I can add it to this list. Also, let me know if a link doesn't work or has changed.

Enjoy entering all these contests!


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IMM Vlog (3)

Welcome one and all to another IMM Vlog! Don't mind the wet hair, I wanted to take this before I ran off to do a million errands, laundry and babysit.






People/Blogs mentioned:
Traveling to Teens
Lara M. Zeises' blog
Michelle Moran

Won in a contest:
The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises

For review:
When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton
Defenders of the Scroll by Shiraz
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Defining Twilight by Brian Leaf
The Other Side by Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns, and Dave Scrader
Ghost Huntress 2: The Guidance by Marley Gibson
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Saturday Spotlight - Tales of Whimsy

Woot for another awesome weekend of awesome new bloggers! Today I have a blogger who was highly recommended to me by TWO people and was sweet enough to share about her blog today.

Name: Juju

Nickname and/or blog name: Tales of Whimsy…

Blog URL: http://talesofwhimsy.blogspot.com/

Tell me a bit about yourself.

During the day I'm a grown-up; a mature responsible financially savvy secretary who enjoys traveling and exotic food. But by the time the sun sets, I'm a tween bookworm who enjoys board games, movies, and reading about far away places and magical abilities. Thankfully, I've been blessed with an amazing husband who is my Prince Charming, never tires of Scrabble, and consistently encourages me to stay among the very young at heart.

When and why did you start your blog?

3 things really propelled me (back in June) to start blogging:

  1. Finally reading the Twilight series (earlier this year) reminded me how much I love stories that bring magic to our everyday lives .
  2. When I told my husband I wanted to join the forces of bloggers who are brave enough to give a voice to their passions, he suggested I write about something that passionately moves me, books.
  3. Amazing blogs like Twicrack Addict (http://twicrackaddict.blogspot.com/) and Today's Adventures (http://ultimatebookhound.blogspot.com/) really finally gave me the courage to stop thinking and start typing.

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

At Tales of Whimsy you can find reviews of books that are fantasy, sci-fiction, or contain magical realism. I keep it simple and happy while allowing the books to shine.

Most unique feature is the Kiddie-o-meter. With it I try to make readers aware of any questionable content they may wish to be aware of before selecting a book.

My favorite feature is My Final Say. With it I get to say whatever my last thoughts are about the book. No matter how silly they are.

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

I stick to the 5 star scale system that Netflix has me completely and unequivocally addicted to:

1 star = hate it

2 stars = didn't like it

3 stars = liked it

4 stars = really liked it

5 stars = loved it

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

  1. Just do it. I know it's lame and it belongs to Nike but it's true.
  2. Be kind. Whether I am reviewing a book or commenting on a blog, before I allow my hands to brush the keys, I try to remember that the pen is mightier than the sword and writing isn't easy, so cut people some slack.
  3. Love what you're writing or talking about.

Who is your current literary crush?

Besides Jacob Black it would be Tamani from Wings. Talk about love and patience.

What book are you most looking forward to reading?

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

I could not put down Lament. I adore Luke but my heart aches for James. I can't wait to read from his prospective.

Contest Alert!

Juju is currently holding a contest for a copy of My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel. It ends on the 7th, so make sure to stop by in the next day or two to enter!


Thanks Juju for spreading the word about your awesome blog. If you haven't yet, take a gander at it and leave her some comment love!

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!


Read more...

Friday, September 4, 2009

Friday Finds and Friday Answers

Hey guys!

I actually have TWO Friday Finds this week. I know, I'm still slimming it down, but better than the big fat ZERO last week.

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.



Alvor by Laura Bingham
Fawcetta by Dalian Artanian


Okay, last week I had nothing to post, so I asked you guys to ask me questions. Some were seriously fun and I hope you find my answers interesting.

Go ahead and ask me a few more if you've thought any new ones up.

I think I'll start with epic rat's questions:

1) Team Zombie or other? What made you decide to be on Team Zombie or other?
Zombie, because undead is just so deadly. And well.. one bite from those guys ... and you have more on their team. I join to stay safe. :-D

2) What book would you recommend as a good cheer-me-upper?
Let's see... for a book to cheer me up - I grab some sort of paranormal romance - preferably some J.R. Ward or Kresley Cole. As to others, well.. I don't read a lot of "happy" books - or at least ones that aren't deep and thought provoking. I guess if you need to laugh - Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

3) What would you do for some delicious cookies?
Dirty up some dishes and make some. :-D Yes, I admit to being a decent baker and my cookies are delicious.

4) What are your favorite cookies?
I'm old school - chocolate chip. Or, in that randomly weird mood - peanut butter.

5) If there was a massive fire that burned all books but one and you could save only one book, which one would you save and why?
Blarg... one? I guess I'd run for Oliver Twist, cause I couldn't possibly let that one burn. Favorite Dickens novel. Plus, I just love the adventure of the tale. And, it's BEARABLE Dickens, unlike some of his other works.

6) What 3 writers/authors would you have a slumber party with and what would you do?
Francesca Lia Block, Lisa Mantchev, and Michelle Zink - I think we'd have to do something with glitter.. some decent wine.. and dreamy fictional men. Not sure what that adds up to.. but sure does sound like good, grownup sleepover material.

7) How many fingers am I holding up as I type this?
10 .. oh wait.. you'd need a few to type... hrm 2?

Okay, more questions! :)

Sheere came up with SEVEN more questions. Wow, I must be an international woman of mystery! :)

1. Some food that you can't be near because you find it disgusting?
I really can't stand the sight of meatloaf - I know, I'm weird, but I just can't.

2. First book you read?
Pretty sure it was a Smurfs book. I may still have it somewhere - I just found my Smurfs pillow case from forever ago!

3. So if there was a massive fire what book would you throw to the fire?
Um, probably Heart of Darkness, really didn't enjoy that book and it's fairly thin and easy to find another copy of... if I ever braved another read of it.

4. Book, movie and song which you cried the most.
I think I cried nearly all the way through Freedom Writers - it was so bloody moving. I rarely cry while reading a book.. the last one I think I cried while reading was The Lovely Bones. And there's a song by Fort Minor called Kenji. I always cry during it. It's about the Japanese Americans in internment camps during WWII.

5. Gift that somebody gave you and you didn't like at all. and when I say you didn't like I mean that you thought about throwing it to his/her face.
Okay, I really did tell my mom I hated it (didn't throw it in her face.. was too shocked to go that far). I was... 18 or 19 and my mom bought me bunny feet pajamas. No joke.. for Christmas. I literally asked her.. "Are you kidding me? Is this a joke?" and started to laugh. My mom wasn't upset, but she really stood there and told me she thought I'd like to take them to college with me. I almost died on the spot. Luckily, she whisked them away and I never saw them again.

6. Do you have pets? yes? name,kind? no? why? would like in the future?
Nope, never did. I had some chicks for about 2 weeks. Not sure why really. Um, in the future, I want a dog.. a mid-size to large dog. My fiance grew up having a dog and he's dying for one, but we're waiting until we get a house.

7. Why did you chose this job? You wanted to do it since you were a child?
I always did want to be a librarian. I was playing school and library with my older sister when others were playing house and barbies. Oh, we played those too - but we really went in depth with school and library. I had to do worksheets and my older sis was the teacher. When we played library, we had cards for each book and I would be the librarian. I wasn't sure what kind of degree I could go for, so I went for teaching and took some library classes to get into a school library. I love it and can't see myself doing anything else.

I've got more, not sure if I should take the plunge, but I'm going for it...

Teddyree asked:

Do you snack while you blog and web surf?
I eat dinner while I blog and definitely snack. I always have some sort of tea at my side as well.

What's your favourite comfort food?
Chocolate, ice cream, or cookies, depending on the day. If it's a bad enough day, I have a cup or two of hot chocolate or hot chai.

What book would you want to be buried with?
If I ever publish one.. the first one I do. If I never do... um ... Oliver Twist.. can you tell I love this book?

What's the bravest thing you've ever done?
Bravest? Oh geez... it's been a while since I did anything brave.. In middle school I was my friend's bodyguard so this girl wouldn't beat her up for dating the guy she was going with (the other girl had a HUGE crush). She threatened to beat her with a baseball bat. Later on, in high school, we tee-peed the guy's house - he was... a bit of a loser (they didn't last long, my friend and him). Also, I turned down a lot of cigarettes and other drugs in high school, which was brave considering it was my best friend offering and pressuring me.

I can't think of anything else - oh wait! I'm brave in answering my phone when grandma calls - I swear she's trying to take over my wedding... *sigh*

When's your wedding?
Saturday, October 24th, 2009


Woooo! You guys think of some serious questions! *dives into more*

Casey asked:

1. What got you started on reading? (was it a certain book, a person, or just reading in general)
My mom's a big reader like me and we were always at the library as well as reading every night. I kept it up - both my sisters don't like to read much though. I love being immersed in a different world and character.

2. What are your favorite genres to read? and Why?
Love fantasy and paranormal and then historical runs a close 3rd. I just like to read about what can't exist. I like the different spins authors put on different creatures of myth. As for historical, I love reading in a time other than my own. I'm an escapist reader - I like to be in my book, not in the world around, when I'm reading.

3. Do you have any other hobbies you enjoy, besides reading?
I play the piano, but not as much. I used to write a lot more, but that's fallen by the wayside... I'm a super moviegoer... I golf on and off during the year. Oh, and I'm an anime geek - gotta get my weekly anime in. Currently working on the billionth (or so it seems) disc of Bleach. I like the action/fantasy animes.


elnice asked:


The gummy bears? Were they on with the smurfs?
Around that time, yep! But on Disney. Back in the day when you had to buy Nickelodeon and Disney separately.

If you could shift into any form, what would it be?
Some sort of wildcat - a jaguar maybe.. or a cheetah.. I want to be a fast hunter when I shift.

April asked:

What is your favorite adult book? What is your favorite YA? What is your favorite children's/picture book? (That's a run on question)
Adult book - Bel Canto by Ann Prachett, YA - tough one.. um - Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block, I have a few favorite picture books - Blueberries for Sal, The Paperbag Princess - those are two of my absolute favorites (a run on answer for April).

What is your favorite boardgame?
I really like Scrabble - I win at that more than Monopoly. I do enjoy Life as well.

What is your favorite videogame?
I suck so much that I play the LEGO games - Star Wars, Batman, and Indiana Jones. :)

Are you a night person or a day person?
Both.. weird, but true. I have to be a day person because of my job, but I love being up at night.

What made you want to be a librarian, besides the sexy librarian outfits LOL?
Hehe, which makes me think of my fiance :-D Ahahaha. Okay, no seriously. Love books, want to live surrounded by books, and what better way then to be a librarian? I can't think I'd ever be good at anything else right about now.

Alex from a flight of minds asked:

If you could only live on one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Don't worry, you'd remain healthy.
S'mores. I love graham crackers, chocolate AND marshmellows (to the point at which I do eat all three separately at some point...).

Megan asked:

For your wedding if you couldn't find a dress which would you rather wear a duck suit with lots of weird designs on it and lots of bows or wear a curtain with like no style to it(I mean like just tied so it stays on)and the color is barf green.
What a crazy question, first of all. I'd wear the barf green curtain because I rather be unstylish then duck-like.

katie asked:

-What was your favorite book as a kid?
The Paper Bag Princess - I think.

-What got you started reading? Was there a certain person or event?
My mom. See way above for more info.

-What was your dream job growing up?
Teacher or Librarian - and I'm technically both :-D

-What is your absolute favorite movie?
The Boondock Saints - yummy Irish boys and great shoot em up scenes.

rhapsodyinbooks asked:

what other types of libraries did you work in?
For 4 years, I worked in a public library as a circulation clerk. For about the same amount of years (most of it overlapping), I also worked in a community college library working as an AV Clerk, down in the basement, all by myself.

Is the new job going to let you go on a honeymoon? If so, where?
I'm going to take two work days off - Friday before and Monday off. I'm going to Galena, IL for my honeymoon which is about 3-4 hours from where I live. We'll spend two nights there. It's a sweet historical town and we're staying at a resort.

What's in Galena that's relevant to your wedding?
Honeymoon :)

Last one for today and it's a biggee!

Tynga
asked:

Well I am a romantic so i'd like to know how you met your fiance.
Okay. This is a wee bit complex. I played the field for a bit in college. I got serious the summer when I was 19 about this boy. We had been seeing each other for about a month and he was leaving for school a few hours away. I tried to make it work, went down once to see him and then a few weeks later he told me he had a girlfriend.

So, I had been talking on and off to this other guy who lived close to me and went on a date or two with him - out of spite - to show up guy #1. Guy #2 really didn't interest me.. he was just a revenge guy to see. It semi-worked, but guy #1 wouldn't break it off with the new girlfriend.

So, I was all moony over guy #1, when guy #2 decided he was in love with this girl online and couldn't see me anymore. He felt bad (I didn't) and said he'd set me up with his friend.

Guess who the friend was? My fiance. Here's what happened basically:

I was a bit leary... I was 19 and he was 16, just a baby in my brain. But, he was super cute and super sweet. So we went out to Subway once and then Halloween was coming up so he invited me to come out with the guys. They roleplay - Dungeons and Dragons stuff - but weren't serious about it that night. I dressed myself up as a goth girl - make up, fishnets, latex black dress, and some serious black books with a four inch heel - the works.

There was a bit of jaw dropping when I met the rest of the boys and especially from my fiance to be. When we left the restaurant they frequented and headed to one of their friend's places, he took my hand and stopped me for a minute and very very cute and shyly said: "I'm never going to be able to ask you out, so you can just assume we're dating.." I know it sounds awful, but it was oh-so-sweet and he couldn't look at me for long before turning a few shades of red, as if waiting for rejection. But, I pretty much shrugged and told him "okay".

And that's how it happened. He's now my lover, best friend, and soul mate. It'll be about five years of dating when we're wed.

Yes, let the "awwwwwws" begin.

Shoot me more questions if you find any more in the back of your brain.

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