Waiting on Wednesday (9)--Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Ooooo....I can't wait for this one. Here's the scoop...

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions.

This sounds amazing and it's the first in a series, so yay to that. I am really looking forward to this book and look at that cover, it's so awesome. If anyone has a copy they'd like to part with let me know. I would be stoked. Yes...I just used the word stoked.

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill and we love her for it.

Contest ending soon!!

My contest which you can reach here is ending tonight. Well, I work 12-8 tomorrow, so it's actually ending around 9ish tomorrow (that's Central time). So hurry and enter while you still can. I'll announce the winner in the next few days.

Thanks everyone who's entered thus far, it's been rockin'.

New Award!

Yay a pretty new award! And this one was bestowed upon me by the awesome Jo over at Books to the Rescue and I thank her for it.




This blog invests and believes in the Proximity - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award.

So now I have the honor of passing this award onto 8 other blogs so here goes:

1) Wondrous Reads
2) Lucid Conspiracy
3) Readings of a Teenage Tree
4) In Search of Giants
5) The Compulsive Reader
6) in BetweeN the pages
7) The Not So Closet Geeks
8) cupcake witch

So there you go. Some of you may have already received this award, so I understand if you don't want to repeat a post, but I just wanted to let you know that I think you guys are pretty cool and I love reading what you're posting.

Thanks again Jo!!!

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Here is the blurbage courtesy of bn.com:

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.

"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.

I am that girl.

I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.

I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Amazing, I know, right? This is the second book I've read by Anderson in the last six months, the other one was Chains. There couldn't be two more different books about two vastly different subjects, and yet they both shook me to my core. She writes in such a clear and lyrical way which gives her main characters a very true and powerful voice.

Lia is an incredibly sympathetic character and yet at times she made me so angry I just wanted to shake her. There are some truly disturbing moments in this book, but it never feels overdone or over dramatic. It just sucks you in from the first line, "so she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee" (in case you were wondering) and keeps you enthralled until the last page, last word, last period.

I will keep showing up for Anderson's books as long as she keeps writing them and no matter the subject matter, I will enjoy the ride. By the way, I am waiting breathlessly for the sequel to Chains, which I believe is called Forge. Can't wait!!!

For another view on Wintergirls check out Aerin's review at

http://www.insearchofgiants.com/2009/03/wintergirls-by-laurie-halse-anderson.html

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Well, here I am finally back from the brink of, hmmm, well not death, but let me tell you it almost felt like it when I was in the full throes of stomach flu hell. So, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, which means lots of homework to do and a couple reviews to post.

Here's the first one for the wonderful Graceling, which I loved, loved, loved like the crazy fangirl I am. Here's the description for anyone not familiar with the story.

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

What can I say other than WOW or perhaps WOWZA or some variation upon that theme. I thought this book was beautifully written, action-packed and with a believable love story that really made you cheer for the couple. And is Po like the perfect man or what? Where can I get myself a Po?

I can't wait to read more of Cashore's amazingly lyrical writing. She truly swept me away to another world that I was disappointed to have to leave. I know that she's writing a second book called Fire that takes place in the same world, but I don't believe it's a sequel to this story. I can't wait to get my hands on it though. Definitely recommended!!

I'll probably post my review of Wintergirls tomorrow if I get all my homework done, if not then Monday. Also my contest is still going on. It ends March 31st so enter to win 3 cool books.

Awards!!

I've received some awards lately from some awesome fellow bloggers and I thought I would take this time to thank them:

The first one is from Diane over at http://thebookresort.blogspot.com/

Thank you Diane, I really appreciate it.

Next I received the Sisterhood Award from the Green Bean Teen Queen over at http://greenbeanteenqueen.blogspot.com/ and from Reverie over at http://reveriemedia.blogspot.com/

Thank you guys!!

And last but not least, I received the Zombie Chicken Award from Nathan and Beth over at http://bnbookblog.blogspot.com/

Thank you, thank you!!

If I missed any others just let me know. I know I'm supposed to nominate people to keep it all rolling, but I'm still feeling under the weather, so that will have to wait until a later date.

But really thanks everyone, it has made being sick a little less miserable. Hopefully I'll be back up to full blogger speed soon.

Stomach Flu Blues

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted anything new this week, but I was struck by the stomach flu from hell last night. I am definitely down for the count. I hope to be back up and running in a day or two, so just hang in there for me. Sorry again!!

Home Again, Home Again with stuff In My Mailbox

Well, I'm back home. I just got home like 3 or 4 hours ago and I'm soooo tired I can hardly think straight, but I had a great time and I came home to 2 awesome books in my mailbox, so I do have something to share. Thanks to http://thestorysiren.com/ I get to see what everyone else got as well. No descriptions today, just pictures, but the descriptions appeared at earlier dates on my blog.

I'll probably post more tomorrow. I received an award from Reverie(thank you, thank you), so I'll post about that probably tomorrow night. I really need to just watch Supernatural and Reaper and go to bed, so see you all tomorrow.

Waiting on Wednesday (8)--Meridian by Amber Kizer

Here's the description:

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Doesn't this look awesome? I don't think it comes out until like August, but I can't wait to read it (hint, hint Delacorte). I'm not above begging here, we all know that. Anyway, I'm still at Disney, but as always my mind is firmly planted in the YA universe. Tomorrow it's back to Hollywood Studios for a little Toy Story Mania, which is an amazing ride that I can't get enough of.

By the by, Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/ and I love her for it. It's so great to see new and upcoming books to add to my ever-growing list.

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

Well, here I am in sunny Orlando and the weather is great, my feet are killing me and boy is it crowded. I love it though. It's so much fun being here and basking in the Disney glow. I'm still reading Graceling. I haven't had much time the last few days to read, but I'm anxious to get back to it, because it's so good. My sister and I took a little break tonight after a long day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We figured we'd stay in tonight since we have an extra long day at Epcot planned for tomorrow.

I've really missed blogging since I've been here though. In such a short time, it's become a huge part of my life. So, I figured I'd bring a little Disney action your way with two books which I think capture the magic of Walt Disney World completely.

Ridley Pearson has two books in his Kingdom Keepers series, which are mysteries that take part in the parks here in Orlando. The main characters are kids who have been turned into hologram hosts for the Magic Kingdom. Something goes wrong with the software though and they start to come to the parks after closing in the form of their holograms. Why are they being brought to the parks? Well, there's a war going on in the Magic Kingdom and they have to fight to protect it. The Overtakers are the bad guys. They are the Disney villains come to life led by the evil Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

Crazy things happen when the lights go out at the parks. The animatronics on the rides start coming to life and the kids soon find themselves running for their lives from the Pirates of the Caribbean and the dolls from It's a Small World among others.

There's a lot of insider stuff about the parks and who hasn't dream of having the parks all to themselves at one time or another. The second book takes place in Disney's Animal Kingdom where the Overtakers are up to their old tricks.

I love these books. Pearson of course knows how to write a good mystery. They read fast and are a lot of fun and that's not just because I'm a Disney addict. They aren't YA; they're for younger readers, but if you are at all interested in the magic of Disney, then these are a great choice.

I'll be posting more when I get home. I'm going to try to do a Waiting on Wednesday post tomorrow, so we'll see.

Vacation Time!!! Woo Hoo!!

Well guys it has finally arrived. In a few short hours, my sister and I are leaving for 7 fun-filled days at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The weather is supposed to be good, which is a nice change from Missouri's current weather, so I'm really looking forward to it.

I plan to have Internet access from the hotel, but just in case, I wanted to let you guys know that I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I'm still reading Graceling. I've been too busy packing and whatnot to read too much, but I am over halfway through and loving it. So a review is imminent.

While I've got you here, I'd also like to thank Krista from http://towerofbooks.wordpress.com/ and Debbie from http://wrightysreads.blogspot.com/ for awarding me the I Love Your Blog award. It's so great to know that people like what I'm doing and it's even greater to know that it's coming from people who's blogs I really admire. So thanks guys. You are awesomely rockin'!

So that's it for now. Just a little update. And now I'm off to the land of Mouse Ears and Fireworks, with a few rides thrown in for good measure. Talk to you soon!!!

Great New Contest in the Blogosphere!!

I just saw this awesome new contest going on over at Karin's Book Nook to celebrate the 2nd year of her blog. Here's the link:

http://karinlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/contest-contest-contest-my-blogoversary-celebration/

And here's what you can win and how. Check this out...it's huge-tacular!

International Entries Are Welcome

So, to recap, you can have up to 3 entries for the contest. Please do each entry as a separate comment. It will make it easier when choosing winners.

Deadline for entries will be March 27 at Midnight (CST).

Here are the prizes:
1. FANTASY PACK
EVERMORE by Alyson Noel (PB)WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr (PB)INK EXCHANGE by Melissa Marr (HB)
2. SCI-FI Pack
THE COMPOUND by S.A. Bodeen (PB)THE ROAR by Emma Clayton (ARC)
3. HUNGER GAMES AUDIOBOOK
4. DEATH PACK
DEATH BY LATTE by Linda Gerber (PB)GENERATION DEAD by Daniel Waters (ARC)DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK by Marlene Perez (PB)
5. AUTOGRAPHED PAPERTOWNS by John Green
6. 39 CLUES PACK
THE MAZE OF BONES by Rick RiordanONE FALSE NOTE by Gordan KormanTHE SWORD THIEF by Peter Lerangis
7. LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON PACK
CHAINS by Laurie Halse AndersonFEVER 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

I know right?! It's big. And her site rocks, so go check it out.

Waiting on Wednesday (7)--Swoon by Nina Malkin

I've been hearing a lot about this on various blogs and I have to tell you, it looks really good. Unfortunately it isn't out until May, but I totally can't wait to read it.

Here's the description:

Sin is Coming...Prepare to Swoon!

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him—but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

It's coming from Simon Pulse and it's 432 pages, so it'll be nice and long. Looks fantastic to me. Not to mention I absolutely love the cover. What do you guys think??

By the by, Waiting on Wednesday was created by the awesome Jill over at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/ and I thank her for it.

Strange Angels by Lili St.Crow

I was incredibly anxious to read this so I was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to receive an ARC in the mail. The author Lili St. Crow writes paranormal fiction for adults under the name Lilith Saintcrow. This is her first foray into the YA world and she does not disappoint.

This is the story of Dru. Dru has a gift; her grandmother said she was touched. She can sense things, the things that go bump in the night. Her hunter father, follows Dru's sixth sense to track down dangerous creatures like zombies, werewulfen and suckers to name just a few.

When we first meet Dru, she and her father have just moved to a small town in the Dakotas where her father is on the hunt once again. She's just trying to blend in at school and she's not looking to make friends, but goth kid Graves didn't get that memo. When tragedy strikes, Dru and Graves are thrown together in a race just to survive. All of a sudden, the things that go bump in the night are knocking on Dru's door and she's coming up with more questions than answers.

Enter the mysterious Christophe who says he has all the answers she seeks. But can she trust him; is he even human?

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It reminded me of everything I love about Supernatural with an amazingly kick ass female for a main character. The relationship between Dru and Graves is portrayed wonderfully. You get the sense that these are two lost kids who are thrown together and are just trying to make it through alive. The setting really adds to the story as well. The story takes place during winter in the Dakotas. The blizzards that take place in the book become like another character in the story. It gives the book a very creepy, claustrophobic feel, which only adds to the tension.

St. Crow has taken familiar paranormal creatures and put a new spin on them. With the amount of paranormal fiction in the YA world today, it's always nice to see a fresh perspective on these classic creatures. There is so much room to grow with this series and I can't wait to see where she takes these characters next. On the back of my ARC it says "Look for the next Strange Angels novel coming Spring 2010." 2010?! How am I going to wait that long? I'll wait though, and I'll be there to buy book 2 when it arrives on shelves.

Highly recommended!!

An Awesome Award--Dig that alliteration!

I received the I Love Your Blog award!

This one I received from Wendy over at http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/

You completely and utterly rock Wendy and thankyouverymuch!!

Here are the rules to keep the award moving:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Blogs that I love lots and lots:

1) http://thestorysiren.com/

2)http://aussieya.blogspot.com/

3)http://cupcakewitch.blogspot.com/

4)http://lookatthatbook.blogspot.com/

5)http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/

6)http://thebookgirlreviews.blogspot.com/

7)http://cityofbooks.blogspot.com/

So there you have it and thanks again Wendy!! By the way, thanks to you....not so tired anymore.

I'm very tired.

Just a quick note to say that I am almost done with Strange Angels and will probably post a review tomorrow or Wednesday. It's been taking me awhile to read, because 1)I am tired...daylight savings sucks, 2)I'm trying to finish my homework before heading to (hopefully) sunny Orlando, and 3)Did I mention tired? I'm loving the book though!

Anywho, a good thing did arrive in my mailbox today. I got my copy of Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta from my awesome friend Jen in Melbourne. Yay for my Aussie!!! I can't wait to read it and yet I have to because after I finish Strange Angels, I'm reading Graceling for my fantasy pick in my Children's Lit class. Oh well, I've been wanting to read Graceling anyway.

Okay, that's it for now. Review coming soon. Then Orlando and lots of Disney fun!!

The 39 Clues: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis

Okay, so this isn't a YA book, but a girl's gotta branch out some times. I love this series. If you like action and adventure mixed with a good healthy dose of sibling rivalry and hijinks, you should definitely check these out.

Here's a short description of this one, which is the third in the series.

ATTENTION! Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, this time in the company of the notoriously unreliable Alistair Oh. Could they have been foolish enough to make an alliance?
Spies report that Amy and Dan seem to be tracking the life of one of the most powerful fighters the world has ever known. If this fearsome warrior was a Cahill, his secrets are sure to be well-guarded . . . and the price to uncover them just might be lethal.

I believe there are going to be 12 books in the series and each one is written by a different children's author. Book 1 was by Rick Riordan (The Lightning Thief) and book 2 was written by Gordon Korman (No More Dead Dogs). Part of the fun is seeing how these authors with their varying styles can continue the story of Dan and Amy and their race to find the truth of the Cahill family.

There's also an online game where you can search for clues and solve the big puzzle to win lots of money, but I'm too old to play. Sad isn't it??

Anywho, I love this series and can't wait to see what happens to these two next. It's full of a wonderful casts of characters some of whom you can't't help but love and some who you love to hate. Check these books out, you won't regret it.

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox was created by the genius that is http://thestorysiren.com/ Go check her blog out; it's great.

So, I didn't get anything in the mail this week, but I did buy some books, so here goes:

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.
kayla is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying—and thrilling—gene that will change her life forever.
lucas is dangerous, gorgeous . . . and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way. As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny.

I'm giving a copy of this away in my new contest, which is explained in my last post.

The September Sisters by Jillian Cantor

Abigail Reed and her younger sister, Becky, are always at each other's throats. Their mother calls them the September Sisters, because their birthdays are only a day apart, and pretends that they're best friends. But really, they delight in making each other miserable. Then Becky disappears in the middle of the night, and a torn gold chain with a sapphire heart charm is the only clue to the mystery of her kidnapping. Abby struggles to cope with her own feelings of guilt and loss as she tries to keep her family together. When her world is at its bleakest, Abby meets a new neighbor, Tommy, who is dealing with his own loss, and the two of them discover that love can bloom, even when it's surrounded by thorns.

This exquisitely written first novel illustrates life as it truly is—filled with fear and danger, hope and love, comfort and uncertainty.

Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle

Always one of the popular kids, sophomore Paisley Hanover gets a rude awakening when she’s booted out of yearbook and into the badlands of drama class. Out of her element but only momentarily out of ideas, Paisley takes action—and an unexpected liking to her drama buddies. The result? An undercover crusade that could bring down the popularity pecking order, and Paisley along with it.
This is the story of how Paisley Hanover gets wise, gets bold, and gets into a hilarious mess of trouble. With a package as fresh and clever as Paisley herself— including a cool slipcase, a fabulous novel, and Paisley’s notebook of embarrassingly funny ideas and doodles—it’s the start of a series that embraces the “Un” in UnUsual.

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton

I am so dead... Now, was I supposed to go left or right at the Light?

Seventeen-year-old Amber Borden has a lousy sense of direction—so lousy that she takes a wrong turn when returning from her near-death experience. She ends up in the body of the most popular girl in school, who has just tried to commit suicide.Can a girl who can't even navigate the halls of Halsey High discover the secrets of her new identity and find her way back to her own life?

So there you have it. That's what I bought this week. Oh, I also picked up the third book in the 39 Clues series, which I read earlier this week. I'll probably post a review tomorrow. It's not YA, but they are a lot of fun.

What did you guys get??

New Contest!!!

Okay, so for my second contest, I am again giving away 3 titles.

1) I have an extra copy of You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay. It's a great book and somehow I ended up with another one, so all the better for you guys. Here's the description:

Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a whole bunch of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you're trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it's kinda hard to score a date. Let's just say Megan's love life could use some major resuscitation.

Megan's convinced her life can't get any worse - until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it's up to Megan to stop the Zombie apocalypse. Her life - and more importantly, the homecoming dance - depends on it.

2) Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

This is the first book in the new Dark Guardian series. I bought one for myself as well, but I have lots of books to read before I can get to this one. Looks great though.

I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever.

kayla is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying—and thrilling—gene that will change her life forever.

lucas is dangerous, gorgeous . . . and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them all in harm's way. As Lucas and Kayla struggle with their feelings for each other, a greater danger lurks: Humans have discovered the Dark Guardians and are planning their destruction. Kayla must choose between the life she knows and the love she feels certain is her destiny.

3) Haunted by Meg Cabot

This is an old ARC that I had laying around the house. It's part of the Mediator series and is really good. Thought you guys might like it.

Suze Simon, a mediator who can see and communicate with the dead, begins her junior year of high school in Carmel, CA. On her first day, she runs into Paul Slater, another mediator who is the drop-dead-gorgeous new guy at school, and the subject of Suze's nightmares due to the fact that he tried to kill her over the summer. The protagonist has other things to contend with as well: her boyfriend happens to be a ghost who lives in her room because that was the site of his murder 150 years ago. He has been standoffish lately and Suze can't understand why. Also, her stepbrother brings a new friend home from college, and the friend's dead brother tags along. Suze has to help him to come to terms with being dead. This fifth installment in the series (the first four of which were published under the name Jenny Carroll, Cabot's pseudonym) is full of high school concerns (student elections, friends, cliques, homework) and family issues (stepsiblings, getting grounded) while also dealing with the supernatural and Suze's powers.

Here's how to enter:

1 entry for leaving a comment below

+1 for becoming a follower

+1 if you already were a follower

+1 if you add me to your blog roll

+1 if you blog about this somewhere else (please leave a link in the comment)

You can put all of this into one comment. I don't mind. You can also do separate comments if you'd rather. It's all good.

Good luck everyone and thanks for reading!!

Contest ends March 31st.

Contest coming soon!!!!

Okay, well, I won't be posting much today, because I'm getting ready to go out with my friends for dinner and to see the Watchmen at midnight tonight. I hope I can stay awake because it's like 2hours and 40 minutes long. Woooo!!

I'm really very excited. I'll be taking a book with me tonight to pass the time waiting in the theater.

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be starting a new contest soon, probably late tomorrow night after I've recovered from tonight's festivities. So be sure to check back and see what's up for grabs: perhaps something old and definitely something new.

Also, I'd love to thank Jenny over at http://cityofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-first-blog-award.html or Wondrous Reads for nominating me for the Fabulous Blog award. This means I've been nominated like 4 times which is totally awesome. I love you guys. I won't list all of my obsessions again, since I did that just a few days ago, but I wanted to officially thank everyone for being so cool and welcoming in the big wide YA blogosphere. YAY to the 10th power!!

Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

I read Jellicoe Road early this year and I loved it, loved it, loved it. I mean I really liked it quite a lot. So, needless to say, I rushed out and bought her other two books, Looking For Alibrandi and Saving Francesca. Then, because I'm sick like that, I had my friend Jen in Melbourne send me a copy of Finnikin of the Rock her new book, which is sadly not yet available here. It should be on it's way as I type. Yay!!

Well, I finally got around to reading Looking for Alibrandi and am I glad I did. This book is the story of Josephine Alibrandi, who has been raised by a single mother, never having met her father. She grew up in an Italian family with a grandmother who she can't seem to get along with.

She's going through a year of changes. She's graduating from school and making decisions about her future. She's trying to decide between the nice-guy friend who she has a lot in common with and the tough-guy rebel who she can't stop thinking about. And then out of the blue, her father shows up back in town and they begin to reconnect although tentatively.

It's a story about all of the relationships in Josie's life: Josie and her mother, Josie and her grandmother, Josie's mother and grandmother, Josie and her father, Josie and her friends.....the list goes on and on. All of these relationships blend seamlessly into this really beautiful story about one year in a girl's life and how each choice counts.

I highly recommend this book. It's wonderfully written and Josie is the type of girl I totally would have hung out with in high school. The dialogue is quick and witty and it's just a really moving story. So go get this book people and read it now!!

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Here are two books I'm really, really looking forward to reading. They both deal with eating disorders and they both look great.

First up, Purge by Sarah Littman. Here's the description:

Janie Ryman hates throwing up. So why does she binge eat and then stick her fingers down her throat several times a day? That’s what the doctors and psychiatrists at Golden Slopes hope to help her discover. But first Janie must survive everyday conflicts between the Barfers and the Starvers, attempts by the head psychiatrist to fish painful memories out of her emotional waters, and shifting friendships and alliances among the kids in the ward.

And second, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Here's the description for this one:

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls."Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.I am that girl.I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest.

But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Don't these look awesome? It seems like everyone has already read Wintergirls, but here I sit patiently awaiting the release date. Can't wait to get my hands on these two.

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill over at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/

Hunted---P.C. and Kristin Cast

So, Hunted comes out next week. The fifth book in the House of Night series and the first one to be released in hardcover. I'm very excited as are many other fans I'm sure.

Here's the description:

What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you?
At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well – they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home – but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex-, Eric, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

And here's a trailer that was sent to me earlier today. It's pretty darned cool and I like the music quite a lot. Check it out!!

Need by Carrie Jones

Here's the description courtesy of Amazon:

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal. Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

Hmmm....When I first started this book, I didn't think I was going to like it. It just seemed so incredibly Twilighty to me. New girl in small town, meets incredibly good-looking guy who might like her or might not be able to stand being around her. You all know the drill.

However, I kept reading, because I really liked the character of Zara. After all, I did help create the Amnesty International club at my own high school oh so many years ago. I also like the phobias and how Zara lists them in her head to calm herself down, because I am bit of a hypochondriac myself. Most of all though, I like the pixies. I've always known pixies were evil, I mean come on people, Tinkerbell was a total bitch, so it was nice to see someone address the pixie lore.

There was enough different in this book to keep me reading and to probably make me pick up the sequel when it's released. Was it like Twilight, yes somewhat, but it was also just a good quick read about a supernatural being not often discussed in paranormal fiction.

What did everyone else think about this one??

Carrie's Lengthy Wish List---Mad Props to Adele

So earlier today, Persnickety Snark (http://persnicketysnark.blogspot.com/) posted her own wish list of things she wishes the oh so mighty Book Gods would bestow upon her. This post is a little bit that and a little bit Books To Pine For from http://thestorysiren.com. I think it's a grand idea, so here's my list of things I can't wait for. I'm telling you, I am totally not above blatant begging.

1) The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan---come on...everybody's In My Mailbox posts are just taunting me with newly received copies of this book. I can't wait. Boo hoo!!
2) Hunger by Michael Grant
3) The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
4) Once Dead Twice Shy by the most awesome Kim Harrison
5) Fairest of Them All by Jan Blazanin
6) Hunted by PC Cast
7) City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
8) Purge by Sarah Littman
9) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
10)Meridian by Amber Kizer
11)The Hollow by Jessica Verday
12)Blue Moon by Alyson Noel
13)Immortal by Gillian Shields
14)Sea Change by Aimee Friedman
15)Crash Into Me by Albert Borris
16)Love You Hate You Miss Me by Elizabeth Scott
17)Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
18)The third book in the Looking Glass Wars series. I'm not sure of the title Wonderland Lost or perhaps they've changed it...either way, totally can't wait.

Okay, I think that's all for now. See what happens when I'm bored and avoiding homework.

What books are you most looking forward to?

Apparently I'm Fabulous...Who Knew?!

So, Cecilia over at http://epicrat.blogspot.com/ nominated my blog for Fabulousity (is that a word...I don't think so). Well, she thinks my blog is pretty cool and I feel the same about hers.

I think I was supposed to do this earlier this week, but forgive me I'm a little behind the times. So here are the rules:

Write 5 things you’re addicted to and then nominate 5 other blogs to pass this award on to!

So first things first, here are 5 things I'm addicted to. It's hard to narrow it down to just 5!

1) Books---I'm sure it's obvious, but until you witness the sheer amount of books I own, you can't fully comprehend my sickness.

2) U2--They are my all time favorite band and they just so happen to have a new CD coming out Tuesday: No Line On The Horizon, which I'm sure will be awesome to the 100th power. Plus new awesome CD=new awesome tour, so YAY!!

3) Disney Theme Parks--Yes, you read right. I love visiting Disney theme parks. I try to go to either Disneyworld or Disneyland at least once a year. In fact, in less than two weeks, I will be on my way to sunny (hopefully) Florida for some madcap Disney shenanigans.

4) Horror Movies--I prefer those of the zombie variety, but any will do. I've seen the new Friday the 13th two times already and it's not just because Jared Padalecki is beautiful (see number 5)

5) Supernatural---What's not to like. Two gorgeous guys going all Buffy on supernatural creatures?! Love it. I'm obsessed and watch it religiously.

Okay now my nominees for being FABULOUSNESS go to:

1) http://fortheloveofbooksblog.blogspot.com/

2) http://princess2293.blogspot.com/

3) http://thestorysiren.com/

4) http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/

5) http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/

You guys rock!! And thanks again you epic rat.

First contest winner!!!!!

The winner of my first contest which consists of 3 pretty darned awesome supernatural titles is....

Steph Su

Congrats to you and I will be sending you an e-mail momentarily. And thanks to everyone for showing up in such great force and making my very first contest a success.

You guys rock!!!