Cover LOVE?

Judith Graves shared the cover for book two in her Skinned series, Second Skin. 

 Here is the blurb she shared on her website (this may change before printing).

With FIENDS Like Eryn…

Eryn McCain is alive and kicking paranormal butt back to the netherworld with her newly formed crew of hunters. Flesh and blood, fang and claw, the Redgrave High crew takes on all comers. Eryn’s made a deal with a master vampire, and she can’t let a dead man down. Unless she wants her friends and family to relocate – six feet under.

When Eryn and her crew each face their own demons, loyalties are tested and temptations abound. Eryn struggles to resist the beast clawing at her soul. Darkness settles over her like a second skin. Can she share a future with the brooding, noble, human Alec – the hunter after her heart? Or will she succumb to her enemy’s son, Wade, a seductive predator as bloodthirsty as she is?

Here is the other cover in the series.  I loved Under My Skin, you can read my review here.  I also had the chance to interview her, she is a riot!

I can't find a preorder link yet, but it should be good, Graves is a brilliant writer.  For more information, visit Judith at the Wolfy Chicks Blog. 

Blogoversary Winner #2

Alright, this time I am sure I am using the correct form. 

This international giveaway was for a book from the book depository, already published, valued up to $15.  The response was great.  I asked what books readers might choose if they won, some popular answers were...

Linger

Mockingjay

Sea

Shadow Hills

and Silver Borne.

I heard a few new titles that I will be checking out, so thanks.

So there were 246 entrants, with a total of 318 separate entries.  I used random.org to help select the winner.  Winners will have a few days to respond, or I will have to use the alternates. 

The lucky winners are...

SC8003

and

Sheila

Congrats and check your inboxes, I will be emailing you for your book choice and mailing addy. 

Didn't win?  Check back tomorrow for the winners of Giveaway #3.

Happy Reading!

WHOOPS- New Winner

I think I am doing too much at one time.  Grad school is supposed to make you smarter, right?

Anyways, I used the wrong form when I was calculating the winners for blogoversary giveaway #1.  I went to look for Jessica Secret's email, and saw that she didn't even enter that giveaway.  WHOOPS!

So I have a new winner to announce thanks to random.org.  There were actually 86 entries into this giveaway (much better odds).  So the new winner of a $60 GC to the amazing CSN stores is...

Carole Spring

Congrats Carole, I will email you this evening or shoot me an email at zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom if you see this first!  Sorry for the mixup everyone. 

I am off to the beach-have a great day!

Ellz Newz

LOCAL NEWS...
July has been a busy month.  I am packing up to leave for PA in a few days.  But~have laptop, can blog!  I am hoping to find some cooler temperatures up there. 

YA CORNER...
Special congratulations to YA author Maggie Stiefvater who hit #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.  What an amazing accomplishment. 

AUTHOR NEWS...
Are there any Stephanie Plum fans out there.  Janet Evanovich and her agent are searching for a new publisher because St. Martin's Press refused to pay her request for $50 MILLION dollars for her next four books.  Book one in the series, One For The Money, is in production with Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum. 

WANTED: REVIEWERS
*If you love romance and are interested to review, please send an email to Carole at The Romance Reviews-  caroletrr(@) gmail.com

GIVEAWAYS AROUND THE WEB...
*Some YA ARCS @ Carol's Prints- ends 8/9
*The Iron King @ The Book Guru- ends 8/6
*200 followers giveaway @ The Bookshelf Sophisticate- ends 8/1
*Donna@ Bites is holding a Summer Blast Giveaway from July 24-September 10th.  She is giving away something different each week so be sure to stop by!

*$60 GC to CSN stores @ Blkosiner's Book Blog ends 8/6

*200 friends giveaway @ 25 hour books ends 8/1

*Despicable Me Giveaway @ There's A Book ends 7/30

INTERVIEWS AROUND THE WEB...
*Kitty Keswick @ Leap Books
*Maggie Stiefvater @ Pages- G
*Kiersten White @ Amy Breccount White- G
*Tricia Rayburn @ So Many Books, So Little Time
*Kirsten Miller @ The Undercover Book Lover
*Chloe Neill @  A Hidden Haven -G
*Michelle Zink @ Bloggers Heart Books- G
*Nicole Peeler @ Book Chick City- G
*Ann Finnin @ Bookworming In The 21st Century

NEW BLOG ON THE BLOCK...
*Thanks to the Got Books? event, I found a bunch of great new blogs to haunt.  Here is one of my favorites...The Nerd's Wife.  She covers everything from cooking to video games.  Click on her reading link and you will find some great reviews and interviews.

HAPPY READING!

Review: The Crazy School

The

From the acclaimed author of A FIELD OF DARKNESS comes another compelling novel featuring the acerbic and memorable voice of ex-debutante Madeline Dare. Madeline Dare has finally escaped rust-belt Syracuse, New York, for the lush Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. After her husband's job offer falls through, Maddie signs on as a teacher at the Santangelo Academy, a boarding school for disturbed teenagers. Behind the academy's ornate gates, she discovers a disturbing realm where students and teachers alike must submit to the founder's bizarre therapeutic regimen. From day one, Maddie feels uneasy about smooth-talking Dr. Santangelo but when she questions his methods, she's appalled to find that her fellow teachers would rather turn on each other than stand up for themselves, much less protect the students in their care. A chilling event confirms Maddie's worst suspicions, then hints at an even darker secret history, one that twines through the academy's very heart. Cut off from the outside world, Maddie must join forces with a small band of the school's most violently rebellious students-kids whose troubled grip on reality may well prove to be her only chance of salvation.  (summary from goodreads)

My thoughts...For me, reading The Crazy School was a bit like riding a roller coaster.  It has its ups and its downs.  Let me start with what I liked about the book.  The plot of this story contains a huge mystery to be solved.  This mystery is written in a way that you have no idea who can be trusted, who is lying, or manipulating everyone in the story.  I second-guessed everyone.  The characters were interesting.  It is my understanding that the school portrayed is based on an actual institution.  In today's society it seems to be a stretch that places like this exist, however the book takes place in 1989.   While shocking at times, I found it believable, scary but believable.  

The Crazy School has quite a bit of shock value.  I was shocked by the way the students and the teachers conversed.  I was shocked by the language and innuendos.  Initially (mainly due to the cover), I thought this was a YA story.  It's not.  I stumbled through parts of the story because I wasn't sure if certain parts were an attempt at crude humor or a display of the twisted reality of this school. 

Overall, I liked the book.  Cornelia Read has a unique writing style that won't appeal to everyone, but would entertain a wide range of readers. 

For more information, including links to purchase this book, visit Cornelia Read at her website.

Melting Pot Monday

Follow this link to order from Amazon. 

The Bent Sword
by, Stephen Gashler
young adult fantasy
July 8, 2010

When a daydreaming peasant named Steffin decides to take control of his own destiny, an adventure begins that has serious consequences. Though his adventures are reckless, Steffin's passion is contagious, and he eventually recruits men to fight against his nemesis, the Lord of Boredom. Yet, the journey is difficult, and problems constantly block the path these comrades are taking. Will the Lord of Boredom succeed in quelling what could be the greatest of all adventures? The Bent Sword is as an inspiration for anyone who ever wondered why life isn t more like a storybook.(summary from Goodreads)

Follow this link to purchase your copy.

Letters From Sweetwater
By, Dale Garland
Fiction
August 20, 2009
Publisher: Revival Nation Publishing

Deep in the mountains of North Carolina is a tiny but wondrous valley called Sweetwater. Mysterious forces, both good and evil, have converged there to produce a tender but compelling story. Through occasional flights of fantasy, Jesse Gernon gets to peep "behind the curtain" and catch a glimpse of the Glory land. What he discovers there may prove to be far different from anything you ever have imagined, but come see for yourself and be prepared for the unexpected. Romans 8:28 KJV... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. When Keith, Jesse's troubled uncle, comes to visit it is with the intent of disclosing a secret he hints could involve the family honor. En route, however, he encounters a mysterious stranger who strongly advises against such. Soon thereafter Keith is stricken with bacterial encephalitis, leaving him permanently brain damaged and with amnesia... Is his secret lost forever? A question that is certain to haunt the reader. Written in poetic prose, LETTERS FROM SWEETWATER is a tribute to the human spirit with its ability to overcome and achieve when guided by Divine purpose. (summary from publisher)

Cover LOVE?

Richelle Mead shared the cover the

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel. 

She believes the GN will be out next summer.  Cool huh?

It looks very edgy, I like it. 

Are you in Cover LOVE?

In case anyone is interested, here is the preorder link from Amazon.

Got Books? Winner

Before I announce the winner, I wanted to mention GMR from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers and 1stDaughter from There's A Book for hosting the exciting and successful event. 

I had 248 people enter the giveaway with a total of 468 seperate entries.  WOW, that is amazing for two days!  Welcome new friends, I hope you stick around and enjoy yourselves. 

Random.org helped determine the winner.  I really wish I had something for everyone, but if you didn't win, you still have time to enter my blogoversary giveaways on the sidebar!

So the $20 GC to Cafe Press goes to....

Margay R

Congrats and check your inbox because I am sending you an email.  If she does not respond, I have an alternate winner chosen already. 

 Happy Reading!

IMM (33)

This week from Paperback Swap I received...

In The Golden City, Twelve Hawks delivers the climax to his spellbinding epic. Struggling to protect the legacy of his Traveler father, Gabriel faces troubling new questions and relentless threats. His brother Michael, now firmly allied with the enemy, pursues his ambition to wrest power from Nathan Boone, the calculating leader of the Brethren. And Maya, the Harlequin warrior pledged to protect Gabriel at all costs, is forced to make a choice that will change her life forever.

A riveting blend of high-tech thriller and fast-paced adventure, The Golden City will delight Twelve Hawks's many fans and attract a new audience to the entire trilogy. (summary from Goodreads)

This is the last book in the Fourth Realm trilogy by John Twelve Hawks.  It is about interdimensional travel.  Really good!

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren.  What did you get in your mailbox?

Got BOOKS?

Today is the big day.  Over 100 book blogs are having giveaways right this very minute. 

If you are new to my blog, please follow me (on left toolbar) or bookmark my site so you can come back and check things out.  Please enter my other giveaways (found on the right toolbar). 

Today I sending a lucky winner shopping at Cafe Press.  The winner will receive a $20 GC.  What does this have to do with books you ask?  Well some of my favorite Cafe Press items are inspired/created  by some great authors.  For example...

The Dark Divine store has some beautiful Tshirts.

How about something from author Chloe Neill?

Let's now forget NY Times Best-Selling Author Maggie Stiefvater.

You could select any of these with your $20 Gift Certificate to Cafe Press.   There are tons of items to choose from, something for everyone. 

This will be open to residents of US/Canada.  The winner will receive a $20 GC to Cafe Press.   To enter, complete the form.  For an extra entry, follow my blog.  Good luck!

*Please ignore the typo on the form, it is driving me crazy, but I can't fix it. 

*If you are an author with a Cafe Press store, or if you know of another author store, please leave a link in the comments.  I will displaying this information in a future post. Thank you.

Looking for more giveaways?  Visit the Got Books?  main site. 

Upcoming Giveaway...

The wonderful Kirthi at Pages is hosting a Green Extravaganza to promote awareness of our environmental footprint. 

This event will be similiar to Book Extravaganza.  There will be prizes given by individual blogs.  This will be a great way to promote your blog, increase your blog traffic and promote good environmental karma. 

Visit Pages for the sign up information!

Inside The Treasure Chest...

Inside the Treasure Chest features sponsors for my Blogmania Giveaway. Be sure to check out their website. These talented artists will be donating items for you to win in September.

What a perfect time to start your Christmas shopping, or pick something special for yourself.  All items are marked 25% off the original price! Here are some items on my Christmas list...

Conquistador Ring

A fantastic picture jasper cab is set in a handmade sterling silver bezel embellished with larger sterling dots. The bezel is set atop a handmade sterling silver woven ring. The entire piece is heavily oxidized and heavily polished to a wonderful sheen. This ring is a very snug US Size 6.

Starlight Necklace

sparkly shimmery confetti lucite vintage button is set in a handmade sterling silver bezel and is hung from a sterling silver chain. The pendant is 1 inch in diameter and the necklace is 18 inches with a sterling silver lobster clasp.

Tigerlilly - oxidized sterling silver, brass, vintage reproduction glass flowers, hessonite garnets
golden hued vintage reproduction glass flowers with hessonite garnet centers dangle from brass earwires. Simply lovely.

See anything you like?  Happy Shopping!

Cover LOVE?

Stephanie Burgis shared the US cover for her book Kat, Incorrigible (known in the UK as A Most Improper Majick).  This adorable middle grade book is due out in April of 2011.    Cover art is by French Artist Anette Marnat. 

This first title in the Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson series evokes Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Alfred Noyes, and Libba Bray with tongue firmly in cheek. It’s 1803 and 12-year-old Kat must deal with her heritage of as-yet-untrained magic powers while saving her eldest sister from marriage to a wealthy cad old enough to be her father and helping the middle sister connect with her true love. Also in the mix are a loving but ineffectual father, a vicious stepmother, a dashing highwayman, and the mysterious “Order” of witches trying to recruit Kat for proper training in magic. Although it’s unlikely that young readers will be familiar with all the literary references, Burgis’ debut title rides on its swift pace and the delightfully feisty Kat, whose fearless and frequently impulsive actions will have readers cheering her on. Historical-fiction fans will enjoy this quick romp, and romance readers may discover Regency England’s charms, perhaps even enough to seek out Pride and Prejudice and other inspirations. (summary from Amazon)

You might recognize the UK cover from around the blogosphere...

I have to say while they are both cute,  I think the US cover is much better.  It looks more fun and whimsical.  For more information, including how to preorder your copy, visit Stephanie Burgis at her website.   

So what do you think?  Are you in Cover LOVE?

Review: Tracking the Tempest

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An ove...more Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An overwhelming dose of boyfriend interference and a last-minute ticket to Boston later, and Jane's life is thrown off course.

Ryu's well-intentioned plans create mayhem, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings. All the evidence points towards another Halfling, much to Jane's surprise... (summary from goodreads)

My thoughts...Tracking The Tempest is my kind of book-interesting characters, magical worlds, and just the right amount of humor.

Tracking The Tempest is book two in Nicole Peeler's Jane True series.  If you are new to the series, I recommend you start with Tempest Rising.  This second book has snark, more magic, move adventure, and more romance.  Jane leaves the comfort of her Rockabill home to spend some time in Boston.  This change in setting really opened up the doors for a bunch of new paranormal creatures, both good and evil.  We meet probably one of the scariest beings in paranormal literature in Boston, Graeme.  This character gave me chills and made me sleep with the light on for a week.  We still get to read about our favorites including Iris, Nell, Grizzie, and Anyan (sigh).  Let's talk about Anyan.  In book one we learned he was smart, cunning,mysterious,  and sexy.  In book two, he is all of that and then some.  I can't wait to learn more about this character in Tempest's Legacy.  Did I mention sexy?

Tracking The Tempest gives readers plenty of page-turning action.  The new halfling called Conleth keeps everyone on their toes.  Boston provides the perfect backdrop for a good  mystery.  This one is perfect for readers who like to solve a crime while enjoying a little romance.  Peeler's magical world grows more complex and interesting.  She immerses readers into the fantasy without confusing them.  Jane's character growth is reflected in her increased abilities, personal strength, and blooming confidence.  I look forward to seeing how her characters continues to grow. 

At the end of the book, readers get a taste of book three, Tempest's Legacy.  I am not sure when it will be released, but I do know it is not soon enough. 

For more information, visit Nicole Peeler at her website.  Follow this link to order your copy of Tempest Rising or Tracking The Tempest.

WoW: The Other Side of Dark

The Other Side of Dark
by Sarah Smith
November 2, 2010

Since losing both of her parents, fifteen-year-old Katie can see and talk to ghosts, which makes her a loner until fellow student Law sees her drawing...more Since losing both of her parents, fifteen-year-old Katie can see and talk to ghosts, which makes her a loner until fellow student Law sees her drawing of a historic house and together they seek a treasure rumored to be hidden there by illegal slave-traders.

Law Walker knew Katie Mullens before she was crazy. Before her mother died. Law knows Katie’s crazy now, but she’s always been talented. And she keeps filling sketch pads even though her drawings have gone a little crazy as well—dark, bloody. What Law doesn’t know is that these drawings are real. Or were real. Katie draws what she sees—and Katie sees dead people. People who have died—recently, and not so recently—in accidents, from suicide, even a boy who was trapped in a house that burned down more than 100 years ago. And it’s this boy who makes Law want to get to know Katie all over again. So what if his dad doesn’t want him dating a white girl? So what if people think Katie is dangerous? The ghost boy is hiding a secret that Law needs to know—and it’s much bigger, much more shocking than anyone ever expected.(summary from Goodreads)

Preorder your copy from Amazon. 
*Waiting on Wednesday was created by Breaking The Spine

Buy a Book, Win A Prize

Right now, if you visit Shooting Stars Magazine, you will see a list of prizes including:

An ARC of Clockwork Angel
$25 GC to Amazon
$10 GC to Barnes and Noble
A copy of Raised by Wolves
A paperback copy of Linger

Tons More

How do you win?  Preorder Trance by Linda Gerber. 

Go see Lauren and check it out!

Cover LOVE?

I am soooo excited about this one.  One of my favorite adult paranormal series is by author Kimberly Frost.  This is the third novel in her Southern Witch Series.  I love them.  Halfway Hexed hits bookstores in February 2011. 

A small town that’s about to be in some big trouble.

Pastry-chef-turned-unexpected-action/adventure heroine Tammy Jo Trask is finally ready to embrace her mixed-up and often malfunctioning magic. Too bad not everyone wants her to become all the witch she can be.

First, there are the local residents who form a scripture-spouting posse and kidnap Tammy to “defend” Duvall against witchcraft. Next, someone saddles her with a secret package chock full of dangerous visions, just as the president of WAM—the World Association of Magic—arrives with his entourage to investigate her. And who worse to examine Tammy’s entanglement with off-limits and drop-dead gorgeous wizard Bryn Lyons than his ex-girlfriend? Not to mention that the clash between the locals and the magical visitors leads to a series of unnatural disasters that may doom them all.

Will Tammy Jo's magical synergy with Bryn be enough to help her save the town or will her enemies succeed in putting Tammy out of commission for good? One thing’s certain: this would-be witch is ready to rumble, Texas style…(summary from goodreads) 

This is not out yet, but you can  preorder from Amazon. 

Here are the other covers in the series...

Visit Kimberly Frost on her website for more information.  If you have not read these, I recommed them!

Are you in Cover LOVE?

Ellz Newz

LOCAL NEWS...
I am taking a trip to PA to visit some family for a few weeks, so my blogoversary giveaways will be ending a week early.  I would like to get the prizes in the mail before I leave.  I will still be posting from Erie though.  Hope everyone is enjoying their summer (or winter)!

AUTHOR NEWS...
Melissa Marr will be doing a new mini series (2 books) based on a new character.  Visit her on Livejournal for all the details. 

CLASSIFIEDS...
Looking for ways to improve your blogging techniques?  Want to know how to give the perfect interview?  Register for the Book Bloggers and Author's Online Conference.  The date is for August 6-7.  Visit the main site for more information. 

INTERVIEWS AROUND THE WEB...
*Emma Michaels @Bloggers Heart Books
*Alyxandra Harvey@ Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! -G
*Vicki Peterson @ Larissa's Bookish Life -G
*Leigh Russel @ The Book Bundle
*Anastasia Hopcus @ Reading Rocks

GIVEAWAYS AROUND THE WEB...
*Guardian of the Gate Prize Pack @I Heart Monster- ends 7/24
*Summer Saradise 7 ARC giveaway @Babbling Flow- ends 8/6
*Fall Release Six Titles @ A Good Addiction- ends 8/8
*$50 GC to CSN @ Any Anything Bookish- ends 8/1
*$60 CSN Giveaway @ My Reading Room- ends 8/2
*$70 CSN giveaway @ Fangs Wands and Fairy Dust- ends 7/21
*$100 GC to CSN @ Fangtastic Books- ends 7/27
*Moral Devices Giveaway @ Cry Havoc Reviews- ends 8/15

NEW BLOG ON THE BLOCK...
This week I found Dahlia's Eclectic Mind.  She is an author and blogger.  This blogs just looks like fun and I love her button. 





Funnies...

(click on image to enlarge comic)

That's it for now, HAPPY READING!

Book Extravaganza Winner

Book Extravaganza was a hit, I received quite a few new visitors to the blog and made some new friends!  It was fun browsing the other participating blogs too!  Did you guys have fun?

*Special thanks to Kate and Kristen who put a lot of time into organizing this event. I hope they do it again. 

Now to the winner who will win a 3 pack of Summer reads...

There were 190 entrants with a total of 351 entries.  This was an awesome amount considering the contest was only open for a few days.  So, with the help of random.org, the winner is...

Alex O.

Congrats Alex, I will send you an email for your mailing addy.  Didn't win?  Don't fret, Got Books?  is this weekend.  Come back for your chance to win!

Melting Pot Monday

Burn
by, Ted Decker and Erin Healey
Thriller
January 2010

In Burn, young gypsy Janeal Mikkado’s world is turned upside down when she finds herself faced with two choices: will she save her best friend who is about to be consumed by a fire or disappear with a million dollars? Her decision will alter the course of her life forever.

The sudden reappearance of the people Janeal believed to be dead threatens the lavish existence she has made for herself far away from her gypsy home. There’s a debt to be paid for the stolen money: she must make a new life-or-death choice—but this time, escape is not an option. (summary from publicist's site)

Burn is available for purchase from Amazon. 

Drawn To The Land: The Romance of Farming
by Elizabeth J. Cockey and Barton M. Cockey
Art Book
June 15, 2010

Drawn to the Land: The Romance of Farming takes readers on a spellbinding tour of upstate New York and its farming community. The reader learns about raising chickens, building silos, and growing potatoes from conversations with the people who remain devoted to the natural world in an increasingly urban age. A follow-up to Upstate New York: Towns That We Love, this volume tells the story of the dedication and passion that mark every sustainable homestead, and celebrates rural upstate New York’s unique culture, conveying the richness of both its soil and its traditions. (summary from publicist's site)

Follow this link to purchase a copy from Amazon.  Visit the authors at their website.

Cover LOVE?

Check out this elevensie cover by author Maurissa Guibord.  My first impression is...oooohhhh.  But as I get a better look at the girls face, she looks like a porcelain doll, which makes it kind of creepy.  I like it!

Warped

by, Maurissa Guibord

Young Adult

January 11, 2011

Tessa doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But there's something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa's life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy.

Sounds exciting.  Visit Maurissa at her website to learn more. 

You can also preorder this book from Amazon. 

What do you think?  Are you in Cover LOVE?

Blogoversary Giveaway Update

I have passed 850 followers so I decided to add another winner and two more books to the 3rd Blogoversary giveaway.  I am adding...

Beautiful Dead (Jonas) by Eden Maguire to the YA list

True Blood and Philosophy to the adult list

There will now be 3 winners.  1st place will pick 3 books, 2nd winner will pick 2 books, and the 3rd winner will pick one book from the remaining list.

Follow this link to enter...entries left on this post will not count!

Happy Reading.

IMM (32)

This week I didn't get a lot, however the ones that did come were fantastic.  They made me do a little dance!

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto from Around The World Tours

September 2010

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings. But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

 

Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

October 2010

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Gleek, The Unoffical Guide To Glee
July 2010-UK, August 2010-US


"High School Musical" with a difference, "Glee" is the hottest TV show of the year. This all-singing, all-dancing musical dramedy ...more "High School Musical" with a difference, "Glee" is the hottest TV show of the year. This all-singing, all-dancing musical dramedy follows a bunch of aspiring misfits and underdogs as they attempt to make their school choir cool. The perfect guide to the cynical, sweet and downright funny hit show, this companion book is packed with behind the scenes facts, set gossip and full colour photos - it's a must-read for all you Gleeks!

*Crescendo and Gleek came completely unexpected and I cannot explain how excited I was.  Thank you Simon & Schuster and Random House!

*Book summaries are from Goodreads.

*IMM is hosted by The Story Siren

Got INK? (26)

I am sure most of you are familiar with this cover.  Melissa Marr does not disappoint with the cover in her Wicked Lovely series. 

Hunger for nourishment.

Hunger for touch.

Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

Here is the trailer in case you haven't seen it before.

For more information, visit Melissa Marr at her official website.

Fangy Friday (6) review

This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved in creating or producing the Southern Vampire Mysteries, True Blood, the novels, or TV show.

• Does God hate fangs?
• Is Sam still Sam when he turns into a collie?
• Is coming out of the coffin the same as coming out of the closet?
• Are all vampires created evil?

Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies, telepaths—True Blood has it all. In a world where supernatural creatures coexist with human beings, Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton wrestle with powerful desires while facing complex issues concerning sex, romance, bigotry, violence, death, and immortality. Now, True Blood and Philosophy calls on the minds of some of history's great thinkers to perform some philosophical bloodletting on this thought-provoking series. From the metaphysics of mind reading to Maryann Forrester's cult of Dionysus, from vampire politics to the nature of personal identity, and from contemporary feminism to the rights of nonhuman species, True Blood and Philosophy mines the thinking of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and John Rawls to enlighten us on the intriguing themes that surround this supernatural world. You'll find no shortage of juicy metaphysical morsels to sink your teeth into! (summary from back of book)

My thoughts...I have been following Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series for years. Like so many other fans, when I heard about Allan Ball's creation of True Blood, I was elated.  Seeing this imaginary world come to life, especially through the eyes of Ball,  became something I look forward to every Sunday night.  The world is complicated and fascinating.  It is presented in a way that makes viewers believe in that realm that sits on the boundaries of our imaginations.  While visiting this world, I have often asked myself questions about the rules of the character's lives.  True Blood and Philosophy explores these questions and more. 

This book is a great read for True Blood fans.  It is insightful and informative, exploring questions about the series and its world.  It is broken into 5 sections including:

•  Vampire-Human Ethics
• The Politics of Being Dead
• Eros, Sexuality, and Gender, Nature
• Natural, Supernatural, and Divine
• Metaphysics of Supernatural Beings

As you can see, the topics are fun and very creative.  My favorite section is found in part 5, it is called Keeping Secrets From Sookie (cough, cough, BILL, cough).  Overall it is a fun read and I would recommend it for fans of True Blood and the Southern Vampire Series. 

Follow this link to order your copy from Amazon.

*This book was provided in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Extravaganza

Welcome to my blog! 

If you are new here be sure to bookmark my site so you can come back and enter my other giveaways. 

For BOOK EXTRAVAGANZA, I am giving a lucky reader a summer reading pack which includes...

Twenty Boy Summer (SIGNED) by Sarah Ockler

Shadowed Summer by aundra Mitchell 

and 

Death By Denim (SIGNED) by Linda Gerber

International readers are encouraged to enter.  If the winner lives outside of the US, they can choose one of the books listed above to receive from the Book Depository. 

Visit our hostesses...

Follow this link to go Bookworming In the 21st Century

Follow this link to go to The Neverending Shelf

To enter, please complete the form.  For an extra entry, follow me. 

Another Giveaway!

Before I tell you what I am giving away today, just a reminder that tomorrow is Book Extravaganza!

I have a Summer Reading prize for a lucky winner!  Stop back tomorrow for entry details. 

But for today, I have an additional copy of Greek Double Date up for grabs.  This book is based on the popular ABC Family TV series.  Greek DD is book one in the series, to read my review,

 follow this link. 

To enter, leave a comment.  You do not have to be a follower, but it is appreciated.  Readers from US/Canada are eligible to win.  Giveaway ends 8/4.  Good luck!

*Thank you Tricia for sponsoring this giveaway!