I try not to do update posts frequently because I think they can be tedious, but here we go...
First of all, big news is: September Comment Contest is extended.. until I have 10 different titles in the pot. I have 5 right now. Yes, I suck. Give me another week or two and I'll have five more, promise! So until I get those read and filled up to ten, you can still earn entries by commenting on new posts.
Secondly, I'm a bit behind. Things are getting hectic. I have a few reviews to post and I still need to post about Saturday's YA conference, which was fantastic. So, look forward to that sometime this week.
And last of all, I need help coming up with some names for my fiance's feature. He gave me his first review - which to be honest - put most of my reviews to shame it was so good. So, I need a name and possibly a regular day to post it on.
Some of my lame ideas have been: Chris' Corner (his first name) Saturday Sci-Fi Reviews
And really.. that's it. So, if you have a suggestion, please leave it here. He mainly is going to be reading and reviewing adult sci-fi and some fantasy. His name is Chris and he's my fiance.. um and that's mainly the info you could use for coming up with feature names.
Okay and last last last of all. I was thinking about making my own bookmarks for my blog. Does anyone else do this and what program/business do you guys use?
Thanks for being awesome and always helping me out. :)
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 a nonfiction book about ghosthunting called The Other Side: A Teen's Guide to Ghost Hunting and the Paranormal by Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns, and Dave Schrader.
Trance mediums are not very common, as many psychics are a bit skeeved out by the idea of allowing their body to be controlled by outside forces. And seriously... can you blame them? -p. 51
Poll Results! Last week I asked: My fiance reads mainly adult sci-fi and fantasy. Would you be interested in reading reviews by him? 36% said: Sure, why not? 11% said: No way. 51% said: You have a fiance who reads! Of course I want to read his reviews!
So I will be coming up with some sort of name for his review times and he's working feverishly on a few different reviews. :) He's excited. Look for that new feature in a few weeks.
Updates:
I am working on a huge awards post.. it's huge. I'm not joking. It's been 6 weeks and I keep getting nominated more! Gah! I really need to include it in this meme I think.
Things are getting stressful. I feel a bit overwhelmed with the wedding stuff. Hopefully I can read a few books.. maybe.
Check out my ongoing contests by looking right below my banner. :)
The first of which is because this book may already be going out of print! In order to support Danielle Joseph and her amazing book Shrinking Violet, I'm going to order a copy TWO lucky winners. My current copy is still getting thrown into the September Comment Contest (don't worry!).
Danielle herself is holding a contest for a $25 gift card if you help her get out the word and/or order her book. More information about that here.
To learn more about Shrinking Violet, read my review here.
The second reason I'm doing this is to celebrate my almost 400 followers! (399 at this second)
And, I've been wanting to do some sort of order contest.
Two winners will get a copy of Shrinking Violet ordered and sent to their humble abode.
So, onto the rules!
The Rules: 1. Open to anywhere Amazon ships to! (not sure what that includes...) 2. Please include your email address with your comment(s). 3. Contest ends Sunday, October 4th at 8 pm CST 4. How to get points:
+1 for commenting +1 for commenting on my review of Shrinking Violet +2 for following my blog (whether it's through google connect, email, or RSS) +5 add my blog button to your blog's sidebar (Leave a link!) +1 for every time you advertise this contest - You MUST leave a link!
I listened to this amazing book and finished it midweek, but haven't had time to review it due to all the book signings I've been going to.
The story is one of a girl who finds a pair of silver shoes when she is young. When worn, these shoes transport her to another world. Her mother warns her against the shoes, saying she should be able to choose her own life. Being young, Coriander does not understand and searches out the shoes.
She believes it is for this reason that her mother becomes ill and dies and her father remarries a most horrid woman who is cruel and believes deeply in the Lord's ways. So much so that the woman beats her own daughter - Coriander's new sister. When her father is taken away from aiding the king that is in hiding, her stepmother introduces a cruel preacher into the house who constantly hits Coriander until she will proclaim her name as Ann - a good Christian name.
Coriander finds herself again in a different world, the world her mother grew up in. Both worlds have their own troubles and only Coriander to help them right again.
The audio of this book was fantastic. I was completely engrossed on my travels to and from work. The story is entrancing, filled with adventure, romance, and cruelty that you want to scream for the perpetrators to stop.
Definitely a classic fantasy novel and one I would suggest to everyone who loves fantasy.
Alright, Sunday edition of my Spotlight weekends. Today we've got the Queen of YA books.. no really.. it's in her blog name. :-D Isn't it cute? If that doesn't catch you.. then read on - and if it does - read on as well!
About Me: I'm 18 and way too obsessed with reading. I love movies, quoting movies, music and so much more...
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog July 14th, but it took me a couple weeks to get into it, and understand it. I wanted to start a blog because I really love reading, and I'm always hanging out on blogs like Meg Cabot's, Melissa Walker's, Sarah Dessen's and recently The Story Siren's (doesn't she have the coolest blog name? I'm so jealous!). Blogging about books is fun, especially if I can show some people books I love, and find out what one's they love. In all, I just love the idea of sharing books and author names that sound awesome, and learning a few more.
What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
My blog is about YA novels, but every now and then I can't help adding in little tidbits about my other obsessions, like the TV show Dexter. So far, I have refrained myself from just blabbing and blabbing about Dexter...I don't really have any cool features currently, but hopefully, eventually, I will.
Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us? I don't have one set up currently, but I'm planning on it, and will make sure it's straightforward on my blog..
Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
Just do it, and give it a chance. It's a little hard at first (still hard for me) to get used to it, get followers, and find your style, what makes you different. I'm constantly changing the layout of my page, trying to find a set up that suits me. It all takes time, but you might as well start it and learn. If you're ever confused, just take a peak at some blogs you love, or ask someone who's doing well with their blog for help. People on the YA Blogosphere are especially helpful, and I'm so grateful for it.
What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently? I really love different genres/books for different reasons, but right now I'm loving futuristic novels, like The Hunger Games. I think my biggest weakness is anything fantasyish, something out there or wiccan. But then I also love books by Sarah Dessen, who's writing reflects life, and the struggles in it. I just love books in general! I can't decide!
Thank you Lea for sharing more about your blog with us today! Go on over and check her out.
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.
After hearing Ellen Hopkins speak today at the YA Book Conference held by Andersons bookstore, I just had to find a way to participate in Banned Book Week.
So I want to kick it off with an actual reading by Ellen Hopkins on the Manifesto she wrote for BBW.
Kids’ Right to Read Project: What was your motivation for writing the Banned Books Week Manifesto?
Ellen Hopkins: The idea for the Manifesto came from talking to my publisher around Banned Books Week. My book Burned had been and continues to be censored in Pocatello, Idaho. Although many Mormon readers have written to tell me they liked the book, Pocatello, which is a majority Mormon community, has made it so Burned is not available anywhere, including stores and libraries – everywhere. My book, whose main character was inspired by a friend of my daughter, tells the story of a girl who is abused and is questioning the world and her belief as anyone would. I tend to be outspoken and so the Banned Books Week Manifesto came out of this. Censorship is a hot button issue and I wanted the poem to address it.
KRRP: You mentioned that you are outspoken. How has that shaped your writing and your approach to “sensitive” topics?
EH: I don’t back-pedal and I don’t sugar-coat things for my readers. Crank and Glass were both based on true stories- fictionalized of course to give space to my daughter and those that the stories are based upon. I don’t feel as an author I need to tip toe around addiction, sex or anything else. In my books my characters experience things as they are. Kristina for instance feels meth is like riding a roller coaster the first few times she does it. The point is obviously kids should just say no, but they should do so because they understand the consequences of saying yes on their lives. My books allow youth an honest look at important issues affecting them.
KRRP: Why are the “controversial” parts of your books important?
EH: My books speak to real life. My latest book Tricks is about teen prostitution. To write it requires having sex in the book, and not pretty sex. It has to include sex. In Identical which is about sexual abuse by a parent and I take my readers right into the bedroom. Why not shut the door? Well, a lot of books do that and we need to really look at what is going on. What do perpetrators really look like? We expect them to be a certain way – and we need to explore our ideas of who sexual predators are to access the way to protect ourselves and our children. As adults we want to believe things like this, or drug use, are not happening anymore, or happening less and less, but that’s not the case and we need to acknowledge that in order to help the victims. We can’t make life prettier for youth, but we can arm them. In high schools today there are youth who cut, there are those who commit or think about suicide. We have to give our kids the tools.
KRRP: How has being outspoken led you to respond to censorship attempts? How have you responded in Pocatello?
EH: I haven’t been into Pocatello, but I would love to go. I’m not sure how I would address the community there, but I would love to go into the schools and speak to students, many of whom seem hungry for the kind of knowledge my books impart. I did the biggest book signing of my life in Boise because people drove all the way from Pocatello, and other points distant, to not only buy my nooks, but to hear what I had to say. I carry a strong anti-drug message when I speak, and it’s important young people especially hear a “real” story about addiction and how it affects not only the addict but also the people who love him/her, rather than “just say no.”
KRRP: What would you like youth to know about books that have been challenged or banned?
EH: I want them to know that it’s a minority trying to censor books. I want them to think about who challenges books, where banners come from and why they take things off the shelf. Who are the gatekeepers? Librarians should not try to redirect kids and censor in subtle ways and parents can try to censor, but in high school, I think kids will read what they want. It’s a better idea for a parent to read a book with their child and use it as a jumping-off place to open lines of communication.
KRRP: Have you ever felt pressure to censor yourself as a writer?
EH: I have a really good idea of who my readers are and always write with a sensitivity to my audience. I use the F word when necessary, but there are words I won’t use, mainly because I don’t like them. I don’t write about body parts when I write about sex. It’s not about the physiological, it’s more important for teens to read about the emotional aspects. I do think there are times when self-censorship is important, however. While I fully believe in the First Amendment, there are times when “free speech” leads to the kind of fear we’re seeing in America today. And that fear is driven by distortion, not to mention out-and-out lies; I think the pundits responsible should consider the hysteria they’re creating, all in the name of money.
KRRP: Do you have any advice for other authors?
EH: Authors have to write for their characters, for who they are, that’s the strength of books. Don’t worry about censors. Just write the story you need to tell and the rewards will come. I have maintained a file of letters from readers who tell me my books have helped them turn away from drugs, suicide and other monumental choices. If you are challenged, send the censors letters like these. It should stop the challenge.
KRRP: How do you plan to spend Banned Books Week this year?
EH: I’ll be speaking at high school and holding book signings to promote the right to read.
When I saw Ellen today, I actually shed many tears as she read the letters from her readers on how much her books have impacted them to make the right choices or understand what their friends and family are going through to due to her books. She is an amazing woman and author and her books should get into the hands of ANY tween/teen/adult who wants to read them.
If you haven't yet heard the deal about her canceled school visit in Norman, Oklahoma - check it out here.
Books won/given: Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber Stargazer by Patrick Carmen
Books mooched: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
Swap books (hosted by The Shady Glade): The Realm of Possibility by David Leviathan Mates, Dates Simply Fabulous Books 1-4 by Cathy Hopkins
Books bought: Absolutely, Maybe by Lisa Yee The Great Call of China by Cynthia Liu Going Bovine by Libba Bray What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell Here There Be Dragons by James Owen Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz The Fourth Horseman by Kate Thompson The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
Books for review: Cinderella and the Mean Queen by Tony Bradman Red Riding Hood Takes Charge by Tony Bradman The Zoo with the Empty Cage by Steve Brezenoff The Painting that Wasn't There by Steve Brezenoff Monster and Me by Robert Marsh Wind Power Whiz Kid by Scott Nickel Buzz Beaker vs Dracula by Scott Nickel Sleeping Beauty by Martin Powell Children of the Dawnland by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear City of Fire by Laurence Yep My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
Welcome welcome one and all! I really love weekends. First off, I get to sleep in, second of all .. I get to sleep in.. and well that covers up until number 9 and then 10th of all.. haha, no just kidding. I love weekends because I have blog time AND I get to share about new bloggers that are awesome. This girl is pretty amazing that you're going to hear about in just a moment. Her blog has really grown since she started it and is looking cool as ever.
Tell me a bit about yourself. I'm going to be a freshman starting this fall. I love reading, listening to music, going to the movies, running, playing with my dog, among other things! I'm going to be 15 in September and hopefully I'll get a lot of books! (:
When and why did you start your blog? I started this blog in July. I love reading and always feel like I want to tell everyone about the books I read, my friends like reading too, but it's not the same as having a whole blog just to spill out your feelings about a great book!
What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share? My blogs mostly young adult/teen book reviews, I have some special daily posts, like "Friday Finds" where I write about cool books I've found during the week that I want to read.
Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us? I don't really have a system. I right an honest review, highlighting the best points of the book and then give it x/5 stars.
Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog? Well, try to get the word out about it, and then just start posting reviews, features, etc. I'm still getting started myself, so I don't really have a lot of advice.
What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently? I love realistic fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy. I'll read pretty much anything though. It's hard to say what my favorite book is, it changes so often, but right now I'd have to say The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. I recently read it and really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. This will probably change by next week though. (:
Thank you to the awesome girl that is The Book Scout. I just love her blog more and more as it evolves.
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.
As I was cleaning up my bookshelves - to mooch and also to post my TBR pile picture.. I realized that I had some duplicates/books I don't feel like reading in with my books from ALA.
So, some of these are obscure, but I figured, why not throw some sort of contest to get rid of them all?
So here's the list: (click the link for more info)
There's seven books, so I will break it down like this:
3 winners!
1st place:
Chooses 3 books from the list above
2nd place:
Chooses 2 books from the remaining books
3rd place:
Takes the last 2 books not already picked.
The Rules: 1. Open to US and Canada (sorry! I'm poor for a while here). 2. Please include your email address with your comment(s). 3. Contest ends Saturday, October 3rd at 8 pm CST 4. How to get points:
+1 for commenting +3 for following my blog (whether it's through google connect, email, or RSS) +5 add my blog button to your blog's sidebar (leave a link) +2 for every time you advertise this contest - You MUST leave a link
Watch out for more contests coming soon. :) (I'm almost up to the 400 Followers! Gah!)
So last night, I went to yet another signing. This time for the fabulous Michelle Zink. I was relieved to see some kids in the audience because they were the ones that asked most of the questions.
Well, but first off - I got a little lost on the way to Borders and ended up at Half Priced Books - which I had heard rumors of from a friend of mine. Imagine... books that are half of the list price! Well, I found four, bought them and then headed off the RIGHT way to Borders.
Sadly, the Borders I was at did not have wi-fi yet. So I walked (in my nice sandals) to Caribou. I had to stop on my way - at Walgreens - where I bought some blister bandaids because my feet were already in pain.
I was nervous but excited - because Michelle said she may be available after the signing to go out afterwards for a bit with me. (More on that later).
So, finally at Borders and who do I see? Some other young woman - Danielle - who was at Maggie's signing. So we ended up sitting together and chatting. She's an aspiring author and was really awesome to talk to.
Here's a picture of us with Michelle after the signing.
I had actually won a signed copy of PotS and a regular copy previously. So I bought an extra - got one signed to my future sister-in-law whose birthday is at the end of October (she's 14 and loves to read!) and then one for one of my followers! But, I'm waiting a bit on the contest, because I'm going to be running a different contest first (so look for the PotS contest to come!).
While she was signing my book, she told me how much she had been dying to meet me! I was like.. wait.. that's MY line. :-D
I got a great big hug from Michelle and another picture and was sad to hear that she was dead on her feet and so was her driver. She was really fabulous and I can't wait to hang with her again during the YA Conference this Saturday. Hopefully she's been resting a bit between her school visits and book signings and will be ready to chat it up on the panels.
So, you'll see another post this Saturday or Sunday chatting all about that... :-D.
I had a ton of fun at the signing and wish more awesome authors would come my way!
Hosted by MizB, click here to see more Friday Finds
I said on twitter last night that I wasn't going to post, but here I am, 5:30 am, posting. I'm so tired...
Onward!
This week, only two finds:
Description from goodreads:
What would happen if an author went back to the darker themes of the original fairy tales for his plots, and then crossed the Disney princesses with Charlie's Angels? What's delivered is The Stepsister Scheme -- a whole new take on what happened to Cinderella and her prince after the wedding. And with Jim C. Hines penning the tale readers can bet it won't be "and they lived happily ever after".
Description from Goodreads: What would happen if a star writer went back to the darker themes of the original fairy tales for plots, and then crossed the Disney princesses with Charlie’s Angels? What he’d end up with is The Mermaid’s Madness—a whole new take on The Little Mermaid. And with Jim C. Hines, of Jig the Goblin fame, penning the tale, you can bet it won’t be “They lived happily ever after.”
Sounds pretty good, right? They're part of the same series. I saw this randomly around the blogosphere and thought the covers were pretty. I also am a sucker for fairy tale retellings.
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!
I just came home from seeing Maggie Stiefvater at a local bookstore near where I work.
Maggie was great, a little slap happy, but every one was too shy to ask more than a few questions so she rambled on a bit about subjects related to the book.
First of all, I want to assure you that Grace will not be having twins (nonetheless alien babies) in Linger and that the name will NOT change to Litter. (I told you she was slap happy...).
My favorite part of the night was when she was asked how she came to write Shiver. She actually described it like getting a pimple. One day your face is all clear, then you start to feel something coming up and then it just comes out of nowhere and you have to do something about it. Maggie did elaborate to explain that she wanted to write a book that would make people cry after she had read the Time Traveler's Wife for the second time. The idea of werewolves came from a short story contest she decided to do randomly.
I now officially feel guilty for not having finished Shiver yet and not reading my copy of Ballad... Bad me!
It was really a lot of fun. I may be doing a giveaway... haven't quite decided on what it will include. So... stay tuned for that.
Tomorrow, I see Michelle Zink. :) I think this is my official author week... lol.
Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.
Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.
When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.
Welcome to Bookworming in the 21st Century. Thank you for considering me to become a reviewer of your novel or product. I love accepting novels from authors and publishers as well as hosting giveaways, guest posts, and interviews. It is always nice to get to know other authors and booklovers.
If you are interested in having me review your novel or product, host a giveaway, or have me post an author interview or guest post, please email me.
My reviews of an item always involve my honest opinion. Sending me a product or novel to review does not guarantee a 5 rose review, but I will reflect my true thoughts on the item during the review post, including positive and negative feedback and how I felt about the item personally.
Genres that I enjoy:
Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction are the two main types of fiction that I read and blog about on Bookworming in the 21st Century.. I do accept some adult novels if they fall into the category of Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and some Science Fiction and usually only if the author is familiar to me. My personal favorite genres are paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction and dystopian literature. I also am a big fan of graphic novel and manga. I generally will not rate those types of novels, but will do so if the graphic novel is a review book.
I prefer actual ARCs or physical copies of a review book, but will consider a title in e-book format if the book highly appeals to my tastes in reading.
Here is a complete list of all the books I have reviewed since the start of my blog. My format has changed over the course of my blogging, but the ratings have not.
What happens when I accept a novel to review:
Accepting an item for review does not guarantee that I will write a review. If the book does not appeal to me after about 50 or so pages, I usually move onto a different book. I will, however, rate the book on Goodreads no matter if I finished it or not and explain why the book did not appeal to me. In my best interest, I do my best to accept books that I think I will enjoy most so that this situation does not arise. While I promise only to give an honest review of the item, I will make sure that there are always positives and negatives in my review. Even if I do not like a book, I like to convey the reason to my readers why it did not appeal to me personally and what the novel's stronger points were.
My reviews generally include:
The cover art of the novel,
The Author's name,
Release Date of the novel,
A summary of the novel, and
My personal opinion of the book.
If requested, I will also provide any information provided about the author, her website, social networking accounts or any multimedia that coincides with the books - such as a book trailer.
Generally, my reviews are posted here on Bookworming in the 21st Century, as well as on Goodreads. If you want a book reviewed on a website other than these two, please let me know and I will try my best to oblige.
Ratings:
I have created a review rating that suits my love of reading. I will rarely rate a book below 3 Roses because I think all books have merit and something good about them. This is how the Rose Rating is broken down:
5/5 Roses Loved the book
4/5 Roses Liked the book
3/5 Roses Did not enjoy the book personally.
2/5 Roses Skimmed most of the book.
1/5 Roses Gave up on it.
I'm very honest, but I try my best to find something good about the book I've just read. You won't end up seeing a lot of 1 or 2 rose books because I won't review them if I haven't read most/all of the book.
How long will it take for a review:
If sent a book for review, I will try my best to read it in a timely manner. I try to review novels that are already published first and then ARCs a week or so before they are due to be published. If you want the review posted by a certain date, please let me know so that I can make sure the book is read and reviewed by that date. Most likely, it will take me about 3 months after receiving a novel, but that is not a guarantee.
Bookmarks and Swag:
I love receiving bookmarks and swag to help promote Young Adult and Middle Grade novels. I tend to send out bookmarks and swag with my contests, so if you would like to send me some, please email me.
Other Products: If you have a product that you think would appeal to teens and adults that like to read, please feel free to contact me. I am definitely open to reviewing any items that I think my readers will enjoy.
