Feature and Follow (9)

Time for a blog hop :-) Who's looking forward to Labor Day weekend? I am, because for once, I sort of get the holiday off (well I still have to carry a pager around).

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Here are the rules to the blog hop!
To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

 

Q: Best Cover? What is the best cover of a book that you’ve read and didn’t like?

Well, oops! I answered this exact question last week. But I guess now it's legit. I was so excited to get this book from Early Reviewer Librarything giveaways because I mean LOOK at that beautiful cover. But the book didn't really live up to it.

Goodreads book description:

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

 

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. The first 100 or so pages dragged and I almost put it down for good. After reading some other recent reviews, I wasn't the only one and some people actually stopped reading it. Then, around halfway through the book, things start to get interesting. Daire's grandmother is teaching her some really neat things. I really enjoyed learning about Seekers, their powers, and their war with the Coyotes. But Daire throughout the book was a whiny, not very likeable protagonist. And the Cade/Dace split (not really into how their names rearranged are each other's) seems just too easy. Cade is just too evil and Dace is just too good. Put them together and HE would be a character worth reading about. I just can't stand two dimensional characters and then here we have two characters that are set up that way. However, I will say that there are some terrific supporting characters. Xotichl and Lita are both wonderful, well developed and unexpected. I would read a book about them.

While Fated has some beautiful prose especially about landscape and some great supporting characters, the main characters are not especially interesting and the plot drags for too much of the book. It's too bad because the backstory has a lot of potential. 

Don't forget to sign up for my three current giveaways!

1) International Giveaway of Signed copy of CS Einfeld's Neverdark OR A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Neverdark Giveaway

2) Prize pack giveaway (US only) of ALL FOUR of Antony John's books signed (Five Flavors of Dumb, Busted, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and the unreleased YA dystopian, Elemental)
Antony John Giveaway

3) US giveaway of either signed hard back copy of Insignia OR $10 Amazon Gift Certificate!
Back to the Books Blog Hop Giveaway 

Back to the Books Giveaway Hop (US only)

2nd Annual Back to the Book Giveaway Hop
Hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
& Buried in Books

This is how it works-- sign up for my giveaway then click on the next link to enter the next giveaway!

My giveaway: Signed copy of Insignia by  S. J. Kincaid OR $10 Amazon Gift card, winner's choice.

Goodreads Book Description: More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

What I Think: So I had mixed feelings about this book as you'll see if you read my review about it here.
Review of Insignia: There can only be one Harry Potter
But I just recently put up a poll about whether or not a blogger should give away books he/she didn't love and the overwhelming answer was yes. So I'm doing my part in giving you guys what you want! :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to sign up for my other two great giveaways!
1)Prize pack giveaway (US only) of ALL FOUR of Antony John's books signed (Five Flavors of Dumb, Busted, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and the unreleased YA dystopian, Elemental)
Antony John Giveaway

2) International Giveaway of signed copy of Neverdark by CS Einfeld OR A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Neverdark Giveaway

Curmudgeon's Corner: Age-disparity romances

Updates: I just opened up Antony John's giveaway to not have any required entries-- so sign up for more entries! Tomorrow, I'm opening up another giveaway for the Back to School Blog Hop. Stay tuned. And now, my sister's Thursday's Rant!

Okay, so, Christina highly recommended Incarnate to me, and I read it and liked it... except. Except. The main pairing is between an eighteen-year-old and a five-thousand-year-old, and that Just Happens to Be One of My Squicks.

Oh, it happens a lot. Twilight? Couple-hundred-year-old vampire and high school girl. Diana Wynne Jones' Fire and Hemlock-- I adore Jones, I do, she's one of my favorite authors, but this book I like less than the rest of her work just because of the age-disparate pairing. Bujold is another favorite author who hit this squick solidly with her Sharing Knife fantasy series, featuring a long-lived middle-aged male protagonist and a short-lived teenager female protagonist. (The rationale being that they'd live about the same number of years.)

So here's the thing. I'm thirty-five. I've done all the formal degree-based schooling I'm ever going to do. I have a husband and a child and a career. I know kids in high school, college, kids maybe fifteen years younger than I am. Kids I even have something in common with -- kids who love books, who love to talk to me about them. But we're in such different places in our lives -- I'm focused inward, they're focused outwards. I've become the person I was going to become, for the most part; they are still figuring out who they are. To think about dating one of them is just weird to me. Now multiply that by two, or by ten, or by three hundred. Just freaks me out.

I understand why these romances are so common and why people like them so much, mind. Who wouldn't like a love interest who could help you with anything? Don't we all want someone who's always patient and kind and supportive, like a perfect parent is supposed to be, but as no parent actually is? (I am a parent myself, as I said earlier, and I can tell you right now that I'm not always patient, kind, and supportive. I try to be!) And hot sex, too! But this kind of relationship is not equal. 

I can think of one large-age-disparity relationship that didn't make me cringe too badly: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Laurie King), a sequel to The Beekeeper's Apprentice (read that one first -- that's another one that I can't give spoilers for). That one worked (relatively so) for me because both the older man and the younger girl are depicted as... really weird. Really weird. And so it was believable to me that they got along better with each other than they would with anyone else. And also the female partner does fight for equality with the male partner (although it's still not full).

But anyway. Am I the only one with this squick? Do you have another squick that no one else seems to share?
-----------------------
If you liked this post, check out more rants here!

Don't forget to sign up for my other two great giveaways!
1) International Giveaway of signed copy of Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR hard back copy of Fear: A Gone Novel
Scott Cramer giveaway

2) Prize pack giveaway (US only) of ALL FOUR of Antony John's books signed (Five Flavors of Dumb, Busted, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and the unreleased YA dystopian, Elemental)
Antony John Giveaway 

Wednesday Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Dear All,
I'm going to break my tradition and post a review this Wednesday instead of participating in my usual Waiting on Wednesday meme. I may start alternating Wednesdays so I can make sure to post some reviews here!

Goodreads Book Description: Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’re sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.

Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her . . . and only she can save the future.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Vote on my Amazon review and earn entries into my giveaways!
Shadow and Bone Review

This book has been overwhelmingly rated well across the boards. So I knew I had to read this one, and I'm glad I did!

PROS:  This book is very creative. I agree with the reviews that say they've never seen anything like this. I loved the back story of the Grishas, and it was interesting how the author portrayed this world as a dystopian Russia (possibly a shout out to the reigns of some blood thirsty leaders). We are swept from a dark and poor orphanage to the most wealthy splendor possible. The characters are engaging, and my two favorites were supporting characters-- the wonderful and three dimensional Genya, the makeup artist Grisha, and Baghra, the grouchy teacher. Alina is likeable and has enough room to grow. Mal is a winning love interest and the Darkling was for lack of a better phrase, darkly ominous.

CONS: I guess one of my issues with this book is that Alina seems so American in a Russian-like war torn world. This wouldn't have been as big of an issue since this isn't TECHNICALLY Russia, but everyone else seems more Russian than she does. And was I the only one that thought the Darkling was in no way sexy but just way beyond creepy? He's 120 years old, totally acts really old, and then starts hitting on Alina. I know we are supposed to swoon, but I was more squicked than anything else.

That said, this is an original and fascinating start to a new trilogy. I'll be getting my hands on the next one!

Don't forget to sign up for my other two great giveaways!
1) International Giveaway of signed copy of Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR hard back copy of Fear: A Gone Novel
Scott Cramer giveaway

2) Prize pack giveaway (US only) of ALL FOUR of Antony John's books signed (Five Flavors of Dumb, Busted, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and the unreleased YA dystopian, Elemental)
Antony John Giveaway 

Part II of Antony John's Interview and PRIZE PACK giveaway (US only)

 

So excited to show you guys the rest of Antony John's awesome interview!

Blurb about Antony John: Antony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

Visit Antony's Blog: www.antonyjohn.net


Antony's Books (All books signed in Prize Pack!!!)


All of these books are great, but the one closest to my heart is Five Flavors of Dumb. Here's my plug for it!

Rating for Five Flavors of Dumb: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Book Description:  
The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.

The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Vote on my Amazon review and get an entry into the giveaway!
Review of Five Flavors of Dumb

And now back to the interview based on ELEMENTAL, Antony John's book that's coming out soon!

Part II of Antony John's Interview

1) What made you decide to write a trilogy instead of a stand alone like your previous books?

First off, I felt that the scope of the story I had in mind was simply too vast for a standalone. This isn’t just a matter of length, but of density of ideas. Most readers of ELEMENTAL admit to feeling slightly disoriented early on (which is what I wanted), though by the end everything comes together. I couldn’t imagine putting readers through all that and then saying “Congrats! You’re a third of the way through the book now!” It seemed important to concretely resolve some of the most pressing issues raised by the book, before launching into the next series of problems.

Second, I’ve always been interested in structure (whether in music or in prose), and the thought of writing a trilogy (which combines internal arcs with a single overreaching arc) was too good to pass up. Writing a standalone is easier in this regard, of course, and something I’m confident I can pull off. But I like to push myself every opportunity I get. It’s what keeps the job of writing fresh.

2) I love your two female characters-- Alice and Rose. But I also thought Thomas was a great character. Which character did you most enjoying writing?

If I had to pick one, it would be Alice, I think. Rose and Thomas are both rather passive at the beginning of the novel and need to earn their stripes, as it were. But Alice is the firebrand, the one who wants out of the colony and doesn’t flinch when their world turns upside-down. As someone who (as a teen) was much more like Rose and Thomas than Alice, it’s fun for me to imagine what it would have been like to have such inner drive and determination. Plus, being a self-identified outsider, Alice has more reason to distrust everyone, which makes her hard to like but also complex and fascinating.

3) Give us a little hint to the sequel to Elemental without giving too much away!

The setting shifts from North to South Carolina, and while it would seem as though earth, water, wind, and fire ought to be the same in both states, that’s not quite the case.

Okay, that was a really cryptic answer. Sorry. How about I just promise that next year we’ll do an ARC giveaway for book 2? That way, your readers can find out for themselves what’s going on.

Thanks so much for having me along today, Christina. And a big hi to all your readers!

Don't forget to enter to win all 4 of his books SIGNED! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to also enter my other giveaway - international giveaway of a signed copy of The Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR a hard back copy of Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant!
Giveaways

Part I Antony John Interview and PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY (US only)

Welcome back, everyone! I'm incredibly excited to introduce this next author, Antony John, who is a good friend of mine. He is very talented and has already won an award for one of his novels. His newest novel is Elemental (pictured), a dystopian YA novel. He has written three other novels: Busted, Five Flavors of Dumb, and Thou Shalt Not Road Trip. He has been incredibly generous to offer one prize pack (US only) to one lucky winner, which will include signed copies of all four books!

Goodreads description: A mysterious and powerful fantasy adventure from a Schneider Award winner

In the near future, most of the population of the United States has been destroyed by the plague. The few remaining survivors live in colonies on the barrier islands off the East Coast. In one colony near Cape Hatteras, almost all the members have elemental powers and can control wind, water, earth, and fire. All but sixteen-year-old Thomas. When the Guardians, the powerful adult leaders, are kidnapped by pirates seeking to take over their colony, it is up to Thomas and a small group of teens to save them and preserve the mysteries of the island.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Abbreviated Goodreads review

Elemental is a dark, brooding book that opens up with secrets upon secrets. The protagonist, Thomas, is apparently the only one in the Colony that doesn't have any powers to call upon the elements. This makes him an outcast-- to the point where no one can even bear to touch him. He has two friends that are as different as night and day and hint to a bit of a love triangle-- Rose and Alice. When a storm comes and their parents and the Guardians of the Colony disappear, Thomas and his friends need to discover the secrets that have remained hidden for years in order to save themselves and their loved ones.

I spent the first several chapters confused. But the tone and the interesting backstory of the characters kept me going until the secrets started revealing themselves. I think all of this was completely deliberate by the author. This book is written in first person, so all that we know is what Thom knows, which isn't very much. So he is as confused as we are. When he learns of information, it is the first time both of us know this information. I think this set up worked extremely well for the plotting of the book. And the secrets-- what bombshells. I almost thought there couldn't be any more and they kept coming, most in the last half of the book. While the last secret was something that had crossed my mind, it brought up so many questions that this didn't matter. I was hooked. As for the characters, I continue to enjoy Antony John's female characters who are strong, brave, resourceful and many times much more so than his male characters. I'm okay with this because Thomas is a likeable character and has three books to grow and change in (which I am sure he will), but Alice blows me away. She is daring and fearless. She reminds me of Tris in Divergent and I want to see more of her. Rose is less fascinating but what she lacks in intrigue she makes up for in aching sweetness. 

Needless to say, I want to know more about what is going on, what has happened before and what is going to happen next. This is the perfect first book to a trilogy; we have a sense of completeness and yet, there are many places where the next two books can go-- and we want to follow for as long as we can. The characters are terrific; well developed but there is room for even more development. And there are characters that still remain mysterious, and I am sure we will learn more about. I highly recommend Elemental and can only believe that this trilogy can only get better. Antony John has written a completely different novel than his first two, which is in itself a triumph; but the fact that he has made it immensely compelling is the greater victory. 

Blurb about Antony: Antony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.

Visit Antony's Blog: www.antonyjohn.net


Part I of Interview with Antony John

1) How did you decide to start writing YA?

I became a full-time stay-at-home dad in 2005. I loved it, but pretty quickly realized I also needed some sort of creative outlet in order to stay sane. I’d previously been a composer, so writing music was the obvious option; instead, I tried writing a book.

I’ve always loved YA, so deciding which genre to write was easy. (Indeed, every idea I’ve ever had for a book has been YA; some people are just wired that way, I guess.) The resulting book was not exactly great, but I loved the process and knew that I wanted to write more. Working at night after my kids were in bed, I produced another novel, BUSTED, which landed me an agent and publisher. Since then, things have gone from strength to strength.

2) This book is a big departure from your other books, including Five Flavors of Dumb and Thou Shalt Not Road Trip. How did you get the idea for Elemental?

I’ve always loved fantasy, and when you love something, it’s hard not to want to claim a piece of it for yourself. So I approached my editor with an idea, and we decided to run with it.

From the outset, I knew my book had to be set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (which for me is a fairly magical place) and, even more importantly, had to feature the elements: earth, water, wind, and fire. I’ve been rather obsessed by the elements for years now. (Weird factoid: the movements of my 2002 Ph.D. dissertation composition were entitled “Earth,” “Water,” “Wind,” and “Fire.” I thought I’d throw that out there for anyone who is afraid I’m slavishly following YA trends!)

Anyway, when I put the elements together with the Outer Banks, ELEMENTAL is what came out. And the truth is, I had a very clear sense of what the book was about, and what it needed to achieve.

3) If you could have an elemental power like your characters, what would it be and why?

Definitely not fire. After this summer’s drought, I just know I’d be the guy who inadvertently started a forest fire.

I rather like the idea of controlling water, though. For one thing, I grew up in a seaside resort in England, and I’ve always been drawn to the ocean. For another, five-sevenths of the earth is covered in water (it might be more after global warming)—I figure I may as well control as much of the planet’s surface as possible. (Hmmm . . . that makes me sound like a megalomaniac, doesn’t it?)

Thus endeth the first part of this interview! (If you read Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, you'd get this joke). Tune in tomorrow for part II!

Please enter to win this awesome Prize Pack of all FOUR of Antony John's books (US only)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget to enter my other giveaway, International giveaway of signed Night of the Purple Moon a YA dystopian by Scott Cramer OR hard back copy of Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
Giveaways
 

Winner of Girl of Nightmares and Review of The Fault in Our Stars

Congrats to Julissa, the lucky winner of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake! Please respond by 48 hours.



OK, I know that I am one of those rare beasts that didn't fall head over heels in love with this book. I have always liked John Green's writing, but I think my background in medicine set me up to not love it as much as everyone else. I liked a lot of it, however.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Fault in Our Stars (love that title by the way) by John Green is a book about Hazel, a cancer patient, who develops a relationship with Augustus Waters, another cancer patient. The way they meet, how their relationship develops, etc is very well done. I loved all the literary references, and the witty dialogue is something I've always loved about Green's writing. The conversations are really sharp, and that was probably the biggest strength of this book. I also thought a lot of the medical talk was very authentic-- and since I'm in the medical field and rarely feel this way when reading a book, that's a big compliment.

And now for my reservations. I know everyone has loved this book and I am very much in the minority with these issues, but hey, I'm a reviewer and this is my honest opinion. I wasn't as incredibly moved overall by the book as most people, likely BECAUSE I am in the medical profession. I think to a certain extent that we medical professionals get rather numb to this sort of thing because we see it all the time and if we were completely overwhelmed by it, we couldn't do our job. I think I was less into this book because it is so much like my life, and I use reading as an escape.

A couple of other minor details. I was a little shocked that a method of cheering up Hazel was taking her to Anne Frank's house. What?! Someone could at least ask her if she was okay with this plan. Second, I'm a little freaked out by how Augustus is attracted to Hazel because of her cushinoid appearance from the steroids she has been taking and how this makes her look like his ex even though in reality, they look nothing alike. That really bothers me.

Overall, extremely well written and I can see why it got all the glowing reviews it did-- it deserves them. But because of my background, this is not my book.

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
Giveaways

Tomorrow (I'll probably post it later today) is Antony John's interview, but go ahead and start entering the giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday Updates

Happy Saturday, everyone! I'm ecstatic because I'm coming off service (14 hour days and constant pages every night) and having a much more pleasant schedule (filled with much more sleep) for the next two weeks. I'm also super excited because I've reached 600 followers in less than three months of blogging, which I never expected! Thank you to all of my awesome followers.

1. Biggest update: Starting tomorrow, I'm once more open for review requests. I won't be able to say yes to everyone, but I will be able to read some of your books!

2. Next interview/giveaway starts Monday. I'm so excited to have Antony John on board with an amazing 4 book giveaway of all of his books to date including Five Flavors of Dumb, Busted, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and an ARC of his yet unreleased Elemental. All of the books will be signed by the author. This giveaway is US only.

3. I have just disabled word verification, yay!

4. Next upcoming giveaways/interviews:
-Interview with C.S. Enfield and Neverdark by C. S. Einfield, 3 copies (1 signed by both author and artist!), 9/3 (INT)

-Back to the Books Giveaway Hop, Sept 1-7. Giving away signed hard back copy of Insignia by S.J. Kincaid OR $10 Amazon gift card, winner's choice (INT but choice of book is only for US)

Don't forget to sign up for my current giveaways, ending soon!
Giveaways

Feature and Follow (8)

Thursday was rough, but Friday is a whole new day :-)

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read


Here are the rules to the blog hop!
To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Q: Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you’ve read and loved?

 Ok. I have no idea how to answer this question because mostly I don't notice book covers unless they are beautiful. I do have an answer for the reverse... I thought the cover for Alyson Noel's book Fated was just gorgeous... and the book was enh.

What about you?

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
1) Signed copy of Girl of nightmares by Kendare Blake
2) International: Signed copy of The Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
Giveaways

Curmudgeon's Corner: On the Wrong Side of the Love triangle

Sigh. Why am I always on the wrong side of the love triangle? Maybe it's because I've "outgrown" the whole bad boy motif. I know teenaged girls go for them most of the time-- but what about the really nice, handsome "boring" love interest? The most recent love interest done very well is Sam in Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. But back to the others...

Take Xander from the Matched series. I know that Ky is the exciting love interest that Cassia wasn't meant to be with. But I think Xander is super hot. Why? He's been her best friend from the beginning, he was so excited that she was his match, he still stood by her even when she decided to run off with Ky, and now supposedly he has joined the Resistance because he knew it was the right thing to do! I know I'm the minority, but I definitely think he's the better pick.

Then there's Julian from the Delirium series. We were introduced to Alex at the beginning of the series, and the whole first book was dedicated to Lena and Alex getting together and falling in love. Fine. I just wasn't that into Alex, maybe because I had such a big crush on Kent, the wonderful love interest from Lauren Oliver's amazing Before I Fall. Then in Pandemonium, we meet Julian. Again, I'm probably the minority here (dodges food flying at her face) but to me, Julian was the more interesting love interest AND there were more sparks!

I just finished Venom by Fiona Paul and had the same issue. I don't want to give too much away but I can say there are two guys, one is the "bad boy artist" named Falco and the "boring" fiance, Luce. I love how Fiona makes Luce much more three dimensional, and I promptly chose him as the better option. But since I'm always on the wrong side of the fence, I won't be surprised if she ultimately ends up with Falco.

And let's not get into Fifty Shades of Grey. I was totally hoping that Kate's brother would come in and sweep Ana into a healthy relationship. But again, not so--he barely had any more screen time after the first book. Sigh. Instead she sticks with creepy stalker Christian who needs more than just a few years of therapy.

Are there any love triangles that you've been on the wrong side of?

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
1) Signed copy of Girl of nightmares by Kendare Blake
2) International: Signed copy of The Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
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Waiting on Wednesday (10)

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

This week I just finished the wonderful Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. I have had this book on my radar for quite some time, but recent WoW posts have pushed this book higher on my list. Boy, am I glad I read it sooner. It's a terrific book. Because of how much I loved the first one, I am so excited about the followup, Asunder that is coming out in January. Just so you all know, Jodi Meadows has agreed to do an interview on my blog in the near future, so stay tuned!

Goodreads book Description:

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

Publication date: Jan 29, 2013 

Why I am excited: Um... More Sam? He's probably my favorite love interest in a long time. Finally, we have a terrific, interesting guy who doesn't have to be the bad boy that every teenaged protagonist seems to fall for. And more music scenes! I fell in love with him along with Ana. I also want to find out more about the mysteries that were revealed near the end-- I want some answers!

Why I am worried: Not really worried, actually. More just wondering what will happen next. Ana has a lot of growing to do, but she's getting there (and has two more books to do it in). Second books are hard, but Jodi Meadows has the chops to do it right.

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
1) Signed copy of Girl of nightmares by Kendare Blake
2) International: Signed copy of The Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer OR Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
Giveaways

Part II Scott Cramer interview and international giveaway of his book

Update: I reopen for review requests on 8/26. You can email me before then, but I will not be able to read anything until that time.

Welcome back to part II of Scott's great interview!

Blurb about Scott:

Scott has written poetry and published many feature magazine articles and optioned a screenplay. He figures he has tackled every type of writing project except a stage play. He and his wife reside outside Boston in a soon-to-be empty nest/zoo/suburban farm/art studio with too many surfboards in the garage.

Part II of Author Interview
1. Which character did you most enjoy writing about and why?
Well, I really like all four of my main characters, but what I found most challenging and interesting was to write from the points of view of Abby and Emily. I am not a girl. But I am very observant and we have two incredible daughters who continually impress me with their many strengths and minds and hearts. They are way tougher and smarter than I was at their ages. I asked them and my wife lots of questions.

2. How did you come up with the idea for the disease behind your novel?
I put on my thinking cap and tried to discern the differences between children, tweens, teens, and adults, young and old. Some of the biggest changes in a person’s life happen during adolescence, and the physical part behind that is puberty. The production of hormones--estrogen and testosterone--kicks things off.  That was the magic “ah ha” moment, and it got better when I learned that in old age the levels of these hormones decrease. That meant that when the space bacteria attacked those hormones, very old people might hang on a few more hours or days than younger adults. And, of course, those who had yet to reach puberty would be immune—until they started growing up.

3. Do you have any tips for new writers as to how to deal with feedback? What's the most helpful feedback you have gotten as a writer?
I figure that someone who really wants to be a writer is going to write. And they will continue to write after they discover the likelihood of making a living as a writer is very difficult. And they will continue to write after they start to share their work and receive rejection and more rejection. And they will continue to write after they conclude the process of writing is largely a solitary endeavor of hard labor. And if they are still writing by this point, they will have surely experienced some of the incredible joys that come from the craft and from being able to make a reader laugh or cry or root for a character.
P.S. Reading a lot, helps, and when you find someone on your wavelength who loves to edit as much as you love to write—be really nice to that person.

4. What do you have on the horizon?
Charley Echo. That’s the working title for the sequel to Night of the Purple Moon. And maybe someday down the road I’ll attempt a stage play.

Don't forget to enter to win his terrific book, Night of the Purple Moon!
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And don't forget to enter to win a signed copy of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake!
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Part I Interview with Scott Cramer and International Giveaway of 1 Signed Copy of Night of The Purple Moon AND Fear: a Gone Novel

Dear All: Just pretend this is Monday. I just wanted to make sure to promote this giveaway/interview as much as I could and it's hard to do that on a busy Monday morning!

I love new authors and love to support them whenever I can. That's why I still hang around librarything and pick up random books from time to time to see if I'll hit a jackpot once in a while. And once in a while I do. I recently read and reviewed Scott Cramer's book Night of the Purple Moon, which may not count as Young Adult, since all of the characters haven't hit puberty (if they have, they're dead), but is fascinating in setup and character interaction.

I'm excited to host this giveaway because this book deserves more buzz.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


Amazon Book Description:

Space germs wipe out virtually everyone who has passed through puberty...

For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.

But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.

On a small island off the coast of Maine, a group of teens and children struggle to survive in this new world, but all the while they have inside them a ticking time bomb -- adolescence.

Amazon Review of  Night of the Purple Moon: Night of the Purple Moon Review

Blurb about Scott Cramer:
Scott has written poetry and published many feature magazine articles and optioned a screenplay. He figures he has tackled every type of writing project except a stage play. He and his wife reside outside Boston in a soon-to-be empty nest/zoo/suburban farm/art studio with too many surfboards in the garage.

Scott Cramer Interview Part I.

1) How did you first get into writing?
I was a senior in college. It’s a long story, but I was a chemistry major who had no interest in chemistry. I had taken all my required courses and so I signed up for a literature seminar. It was four grad students and me, and by far I enjoyed the class the most. Meanwhile, some friends and I were planning to drive to New Orleans for Mardi Gras from the Boston area--classic roadtrip. But I got sick at the last minute and didn’t go. I had a really high fever and was delirious for several days. During that period of delirium I started writing poetry. I showed the poems to a well-known poet at my college and she encouraged me to join her poetry seminar. Ever since I have been writing and writing and writing.

2) What inspired you to write this book?
Two things came together…
I had written two quiet, coming-of-age, character-driven YA novels. They both had agency representation, but nobody picked them up. So I wanted to try writing something bigger, more expansive, the elusive high-concept story. (Along the way I learned that to tell a big story you need more than ever to focus on your characters and their strengths, weaknesses, needs, arcs, etc.)

And the second influence… 
Two YA novels always stayed with me: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. Each novel features kids facing incredible odds. In Night of the Purple Moon, I wanted to create a situation where the odds were greater and the stakes higher. The virtual elimination of the adult population, I think, accomplished both.

Come back tomorrow for the second half of this great author interview!
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Don't forget to enter to win a signed copy of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake!
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Winners of 500 Follower Giveaway and Vicky Savage Giveaway!

Congrats to the following lucky winners of the giveaways! I have emailed all the winners. Please respond within 48 hours or I will select another winner!

Just for fun, the top 3 most popular choices from the poll:
1) Anna Dressed in Blood
2) Pandemonium
3) Shiver

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Don't forget there is another new giveaway starting tomorrow and the Kendare Blake giveaway is still ongoing. Have a great Sunday!
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Saturday Updates

Lots of fun updates!
1) Don't forget to sign up for one of my 3 current giveaways (Rafflecopter to enter will be at the end of this post). Two of them end tomorrow!
2) I have added a new page to my blog, entitled Interviews. The interviews are labeled alphabetically by last name of author so they'll be easy for you to find. Since my blog is focused on interviewing authors, I wanted this feature to be easy to find!
3) I added a button to my blog. Please grab it and use it on your blogs! If you do, don't forget you can get mad entries in my giveaways for doing so.
4) I somehow have reached over 500 followers! You guys rock. I can't believe it's only been a little over two months. Thank you so much.
5) I have updated the page for Giveaways. The next giveaway and interview will start Monday. I am interviewing Scott Cramer, and he is generously giving away a signed copy of his book The Night of the Purple Moon AND Hard back copy of Fear: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant.
6) I also finished putting together the next great giveaway will happen a week from now. I am interviewing Antony John and he is giving away an awesome PRIZE PACK of 4 SIGNED Antony John books INCLUDING (Elemental ARC, Five Flavors of Dumb, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and Busted). This giveaway will be US only.
7) Other interviews and giveaways are being added daily so check out my updates on a regular basis!

Tune in tomorrow for the winners of:
1) Signed copies of Transcender: First Timer by Vicky Savage
2) Entire trilogy of Hunger Games
3) 2 winners from my YA book giveaway

Have a great Saturday!

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Feature and Follow (7)

Welcome back, everyone! Thank goodness it's Friday :-) It's been a long week, but the weekend is finally here. And so is this great blog hop!

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read


Here are the rules to the blog hop!
To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers

• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Q: What blogger inspires you? It can be any kind, it doesn’t have to be a book blog.

I've already waxed poetic about this particular blogger because she has been so pivotal to the success of my blog. Here's another shout out to Jessi from Reading in the Corner. 

http://readinginthecorner.blogspot.com/ 

I met her at a Lauren Oliver event randomly by sitting next to her. Since then, we've connected on Goodreads, and she taught me which memes to join, great ways to get followers, etc. We've met up at several other book events, and it's been really fun getting to know her!

Don't forget to sign up for these great giveaways!

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Curmudgeon's Corner: Spoilers (no spoilers in post :) )

I often like to read books without any idea of what I'm getting myself into, ideally without reading reviews, without reading book jacket copy, anything. I find that immersing myself in a story without any preconceived notions of what I think it will be about, or what I think it should have been about, is the best way to experience a book that's really good. 

Plot is, of course, the big reason that I don't like to know anything about the book. I was spoiled for Ender's Game's plot, and although it's still one of my favorite books ever, I do wish I'd been able to read it without knowing anything about it beforehand. And then there's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, which is one book that is constructed in such a way that if I'd known anything about the book before reading it (including published reviews and Amazon reviews) I would have enjoyed it less than I did, as part of the fun is figuring out what is actually going on. (I'm really trying very hard not to mention C--- N--- V----- here! But that's another one where you really don't want to know anything, going in.) Sometimes even knowing that a book has a spoiler, or an unreliable narrator, is enough to spoil some of the fun of it for me.

There are some things I don't mind being spoiled for. Books that are just fluffy. Books I don't care about that much (apologies to anyone who loves them, but I read David Weber more for the fluff than for anything deep, so I'll frequently flip to the end to see what happened. Same with Cassandra Clare.) Romances (for the most part -- I appreciated not being spoiled for Georgette Heyer's Cotillion) -- usually it's pretty clear who ends up with whom from very early on in the romance.

Then there are some things I feel better off spoiled for. I reeeeally like happy endings, so if your book has a seriously unhappy ending? I need to know about it before I read it so I can psych myself up for it! (I don't mean if there's death, or rape, or trauma, or what-have-you, and the character comes to some terms with it -- I mean if it's actually a hopeless depressing ending, you know, rocks fall everyone dies.) Sometimes (this is more true for TV than it is for books, for whatever reason) I want to know if there's going to be a character death. Not always -- sometimes that can be one of the plot twists that I really appreciate -- but if it's telegraphed too blatantly and annoyingly, then I kind of want to know if I'm right. K.J. Parker's Engineer trilogy (which I don't necessarily recommend, unless you like depressing and misogynistic and engineers and Rube Goldberg -- if you do, well, it plays to all of those, and because I like engineers and Rube Goldberg I at least found it interesting) I had to flip to the end to see what happened to one of the characters, because if he was going to die I was going to be really annoyed.  I also like to know if a book that starts strongly is going to end up wimpy. Or if it's going to make me angry (for whatever reason... being a curmudgeon, lots of things make me angry, from bad science to misogyny).


Books I wish I had been spoiled for (in case you DON'T want spoilers for these books, I shall not tell you why exactly, but comments are fair game if you want to know): Thirsty (Anderson) (I absolutely hated this book, but one of my friends loves it). Entwined (Dixon) (which mostly I quite liked). Girl in Translation (Kwok). I'd Tell You I Loved You But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Ally Carter). (Both of which had things I liked about them, and things I didn't.)

What books do you think are best read with or without spoilers?
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For more book (music/TV) rants, you can also visit my personal journal.

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Updates: Take a look at my new Interview tab! That way it'll be easy for you all to see what some great authors are saying.

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

One of my all time favorite reads this year was Everneath by Brodi Ashton. I loved the characters, I loved the world she built around these characters. With that intro, you will all be unsurprised at my choice for this week's WoW. Yes, it's the sequel, coming out next year, Everbound.



Goodreads Book Description: Two months ago, the Tunnels of the underworld came for Nikki Beckett. That night, Nikki's boyfriend, Jack, made the ultimate sacrifice. All Nikki wants is to save Jack before it's too late. All Cole wants is to find his queen - and he thinks Nikki is the one. Both determined, both desperate, Nikki and Cole form a tense alliance, leading them on a dangerous journey to The Heart of The Everneath.

Why I Am Excited: I can't wait to see where these characters are going-- Nikki, Jack, and Cole are all equally fascinating to me. This feat is difficult for an author to do-- to have a great villain (that admit it, we're kind of rooting for), a terrific female protagonist, and a great love interest. And look at this gorgeous cover. I can't wait!

Why I am Worried: Second books are always hard. It's rare that if the first book made a huge impact that the second is going to be just as good. But Ashton is so good, that I'm sure she's up to the challenge!

Don't forget to enter these great giveaways!
1. International Giveaway of Transcender First Timer OR entire hard back trilogy of Hunger Games
2. 500 follower giveaway (US only)
3. Signed copy of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (US only)
http://cahreviews.blogspot.com/p/giveaways.html

Part II of Kendare Blake Interview and US Giveaway of a signed copy of Girl of Nightmares!

And now for the second part of Kendare's awesome interview!

About Kendare Blake: Kendare Blake likes food, and animals, and bookshelves, except when it makes her exercise, bites her, or needs to be dusted. She lives and writes in Lynnwood, Washington

Kendare's blog: http://kendare-blake.livejournal.com/

Part II of Author Interview

1. I was impressed by how authentic the voice of your main character Cas was. What made you decide to write in the voice of a male protagonist? Was it hard? 

It wasn't hard. Cas was just Cas. And I'd written males before. Actually the novel I'd just finished prior to Anna was a male protagonist. I'm glad you thought it was authentic! Cas was the natural narrator for the book. If it had been Anna, we would've been stuck in her house for most of it, and the whole thing would've been shorter, and just...less.

2. Do you have any words of advice for new writers on how to develop great characters?  

Watch people around you. Listen to how they talk. The quirky traits that your friends have, or that you notice in people, make note of them. You never know when they might come in handy. For instance, Thomas drives my best friend's old car.

3. Tell us a little about the sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares, without giving too much away!
Girl of Nightmares picks up a few months after Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas is trying to move on with his life, but he doesn't quite know what to do with himself, having just lost Anna after barely finding her, and ditto with his father's killer. When Anna starts to manifest in torturing ways, he knows he's got to find out what's going on, with both her, and ultimately, with the legacy of his athame. Blood, death, travel. Ring bologna. I hope you like it!

Kendare: Thank you for having me by the blog! Now that the series is over, it's always fun to talk about Cas and Anna, just a little more :)

Thank YOU for agreeing to tell us a little more about yourself and your terrific books!

Don't forget to enter to win a signed copy of Girl of Nightmares, US only!

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Part I of Interview with Kendare Blake, Author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Giveaway of Girl of Nightmares (US only)

First of all, I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to my followers. I broke 500 followers in just over two months! As promised, I am adding another winner to my YA giveaway. You guys ROCK!

That said, I am completely excited and honored to be able to introduce Kendare Blake, the author of Anna Dressed in Blood and the highly anticipated sequel, Girl of Nightmares. If you haven't read Anna Dressed in Blood yet, you should!

This was by far one of my favorite reads this year, and it doesn't hurt that Kendare Blake is super nice and has offered to give away one signed copy of her new book, Girl of Nightmares!

Goodreads Book Description: 
Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.
  
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Amazon review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2JZ79B2PV7SLI/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

About Kendare Blake: Kendare Blake likes food, and animals, and bookshelves, except when it makes her exercise, bites her, or needs to be dusted. She lives and writes in Lynnwood, Washington.

Kendare's blog: http://kendare-blake.livejournal.com/

Part I of Author Interview:

1. What led you to write YA versus other genres? 

Um...chance? I wasn't writing YA, but when my first novel got picked up, my small press publisher said it might be worth looking at as a crossover book. So it got me thinking, and I started looking around at the YA world. It's excellent.

2. The idea behind Anna Dressed in Blood is creepy and unique-- how did you come up with it? 

Oh, thank you! I'm glad you find it creepy. It sort of just...came to me, like stories do. The title came first, this ghost I had to know more about. Once I knew who she was, I just had to figure out who was going to kill her, and there was Cas.

3. Anna is by far one of my favorite characters in the recent past. Tell us about the experience of writing about her character.
Anna was tricky. I knew the ghost but not the girl. It took a long time to find out who she was. I sort of found out while writing, so I got to meet her right when Cas did. And I figured that she would be a hard character to like, being a murdering monster and everything. I wasn't going to hold back on the gore, but I didn't know if that would make people hate her.

Tune in tomorrow for the second half of this great interview! And please enter to win a signed copy of Girl of Nightmares-- US only!

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