Contests to Look into and Some Advice

 So many great opportunities to win some amazing books...*happy sigh*

1. http://withoutabookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/05/qotd-week-getting-to-know-alona-dare.html

win Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

2. http://naughtybookkitties.blogspot.com/2011/05/beach-bound-prize-pack-giveaway.html

Win a summer tote bag with Moonglass by Jessi Kirby and We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

3. http://thedisgruntledbear.blogspot.com/2011/05/contest.html

Win a copy of Accused by Kate Kaynak

4. http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/2011/05/bea-contest.html

Win Daimon swag, Half-blood Swag, and a special rune stone swag (If you’re in NYC this week and have some free time this will be easy, if you’re like me and nowhere near there you are SOL)

5.  http://tarahudsonwrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/two-weeks-till-hereafter-final-giveaway.html#comments

1st prize: HEREAFTER hardcover pre-order, with 2-day shipping so you have it June 7th!
2nd prize: HEREAFTER hardcover pre-order, with standard shipping
3rd prize: HEREAFTER ARC and fun, book-related swag
4th prize: Fun, book-related swag

6. http://www.teenreads.com/features/beach_bag_2011/index.asp

Win BEASTLY MOVIE TIE-IN EDITION by Alex Flinn, BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray, CLARITY by Kim Harrington, DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth, HEREAFTER by Tara Hudson, THE IRON QUEEN by Julie Kagawa, LOST VOICES by Sarah Porter, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL by Suzanne Young, NIGHTSPELL by Leah Cypess, PROM AND PREJUDICE by Elizabeth Eulberg, RUBY RED by Kerstin Gier, SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater, STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini, SUPERNATURALLY by Kiersten White and TEN THINGS WE DID (AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE) by Sarah Mlynowski. And a bag full of summer essentials such as: a blue polka-dot beach towel, a Mega Fling Toss Game, a deck of invisible cards, an inflatable beach ball, Coppertone Sport Sunblock, H2O+ Mineral Spa Shower Gel, Crystal Light Drink Mix, a metallic sports bottle to keep your drink cool, and a terrific cap.

Even if you don't win you should raid your library as I did today and get some books to kick off your summer.  For example this is what I got today and plan to read before the due date June 14 (challenge accepted!):

Waiting on Wednesday

The Iron Quill

By Shelena Shorts

Publication Date: August 1, 2011

Publisher:Lands Atlantic Publishing

From Author's Website
"With Weston's self-imposed forty-eight hour deadline having already lapsed, Sophie's patience is pushed to the max—especially with her realization that his concern is not for his own well-being, but for hers.

Just when they embrace a reconnection, she'll learn that her greatest threat is not necessarily something that might happen in the future, but something that’s happening… right now. And this time, Sophie and Wes will need the help of more than one person to fix it—even if it means giving up his secret.

With time forever moving, and the dark cloud at its lowest, the third book in the Pace Series stays true to its signature grace and determination as Sophie and Weston take the biggest detour so far."

Great Sci-Fi series, you should read the first two in the series, The Pace (book 1) and The Broken Lake (book). Has a really interesting idea and I can't wait to see where the author takes it.

Book crush: Wes

If Your in NYC...

You should head over to the Jarvis Center for the BookExpo of America (BEA). Authors, signed books, and everything book related is going on over there. Sadly I can't go this year, hopefully next year. Great things you should check out is:

1. Spencer Hill Press booth #4779 who are giving out a bunch of SWAG and ARCs.
2. Lisa Desrochers giving out copies of Personal Demons and signed ARC's of Original Sin.
3. Gena Showalter signing ARCs of Twisted.
4. R.L. Stine will be there (My first chapter book was A Night in Terror Tower)
5. Meg Cabot will also be in NYC at that time so go check her out. I just found out she will be going to a book store next to my college and I won't be there...NOOO! it's even worse than missing Suzanne Collins when she was there right after Mockingjay came out and I was still on summer vacation.

Review: Intertwined

Intertwined by Gena Showalter
Publisher: HarlequinTeen (Harlequin)
Publication Date: August 19, 2009


"His eyes are the window to his souls . . .

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel.

One can raise the dead.

One can tell the future.

And one can possess another human.

Everyone thinks he's crazy, which is why he's spent his entire life shuffled between mental institutions and juvie. All of that is about to change, however. For months Aden has been having visions of a beautiful girl -- a girl who carries centuries old secrets. A girl who will either save him or destroy him.

Together they'll enter a dark world of intrigue and danger . . . but not everyone will come out alive." (From author's website)

My Review:
Aden is sent to a foster home in Oklahoma as a last resort and if it doesn't work out he will be locked up in a psychiatric hospital. He has been having premonitions of a beautiful girl that he will fall in love with so he is desperate to stay. The book starts off with the main character fighting off zombies and only gets better from there. Showalter writes believable character that I loved getting to know. I kept trying to figure out what would happen but the plot kept me guessing, the book hits its stride once all the main characters get to know each other (Aden, Victoria, Mary Ann, and Riley). There is a lot of action and mystery about why four spirits are trapped inside Aden's head.  I found it very refreshing that Mary Ann and Aden aren't interested in each other and become great friends.  The character came alive for me and Showalter writes believable dialogue and interactions.  We get to see the book from Mary Ann's and Aden's POVs which was a great aspect because it allows the reader to learn more about all the characters as opposed to one POV. My favorite couple is Mary Ann and Riley, they have great chemistry. It ends in a cliffhanger so I would suggest having the second book nearby.

Review: Accused

Accused by Kate Kaynak
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: August 15, 2011

My Rating 5/5 stars (Must Read)

"Someone in the government has files about Ganzfield... and now they have Maddie. The story continues with the fourth installment of the Ganzfield series." (From publisher's website)

My Review:
This is the fourth book in the Ganzfield series, so if you haven't read the first three you should stop and go read them now. I don't know where to begin, I was hooked from the beginning as government agents took Maddie into custody. Maddie faces alot of challenges in this book and you can feel her emotions vividly through the words. We also get to see other favorite characters such as Trevor (of course), Rachel, Drew, Seth, etc. There are many surprising turn of events throughout the novel that I just couldn't put it down. The romance between Trevor and Maddie is as amazing as ever (I want my own Trevor) but their relationship is put the test. A new adversary is introduced that poses a threat to everyone in Ganzfield. The cliffhanger will leave you gasping and make you wonder about Maddie's future. I have no idea how I'm going to wait till the next book. This is the best book in the series so far. Make sure you don't have anything important to do because you will not be able to put it down. I was so hyped after reading it that I just had to write this review right away and it leads into...

Waiting on Wednesday

Operative
By: Kate Kaynak
Publication Date: March 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

After reading Accused this became my must read book for 2012.

In My Mailbox

So I just started this blog recently, and am excited to start the IMM meme about books I'm going to be receiving next week to kick off my summer. I'll be writing reviews as I finish them.

1.

Abandon by Meg Cabot
Publisher: Point (Scholastic)
Publication Date: April 26, 2011

A modern retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth. I started reading Meg Cabot's books in middle school starting with 1-800-Where-R-You (reprinted: Vanished), Mediator Series, Princess Diaries, etc. From the excerpts on her website I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

2.

Die for Me by Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins)
Publication Date: May 10, 2011

There has been alot of hype about this book and I can't wait to start reading it. I've read the first chapter on amazon.com and am excited to learn more about the revenants.


3.

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
Publisher: Obsidian Mountain Publishing
Publication Date: August 1, 2010


This book caught my eye a while ago since I kept seeing it on different book review sites and I decided to give it a shot. Mystery, stalkers...I can't wait till tuesday.

4.

Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
Publisher: HalequinTeen (Harlequin)
Publication Date: September 1, 2010

I just started reading this last night, I'll hold off saying anything until I finish the book.

Great Contests to Check Out

Who doesn't love free stuff especially when it involves books. Check out all these great contests going on:


1. Lisa Desrochers is giving away a signed copy of Original Sin and Gayle Forman's book Where She Went over at: http://lisadesrochers.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-fifth-of-many-contests-for-no-reason.html#comments

2. Kate Kaynak is also holding a contest on her blog to win a signed copy of Accused (book 4 in Ganzfield series)over at: http://thedisgruntledbear.blogspot.com/2011/05/contest.html

3. The Knight Agency is having their weekly Freebie Friday to win the book Demons Prefer Blonds by Sidney Ayers over at: http://knightagency.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-freebie-friday_13.html#links

4. Check out Jennifer Armentrout's Daimon Blog Tour that is having a giveaway over at: http://preternaturalprimer.blogspot.com/2011/05/daimon-blog-tour-presents-interview.html

Waiting on Wednesday

Twisted
By Gena Showalter
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

From Author's Website:
"SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN:

Tortured by angry witches.
Hypnotized by a vengeful faery.
Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence.
And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice.

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over . . . changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker – just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?"


Since there is some time before the book comes out you should read the first two books in the series: Intertwined and Unraveled.

Book crush from this series: Riley

Daimon Free Read

Hey!
Check out the prequel to Half-Blood over at:
http://www.site.spencerhillpress.com/Daimon.php

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date: May 10, 2011

"For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards… and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her."


Once your done go over to:
http://www.bookscompleteme.com/2011/05/exclusive-excerpt-half-blood-by.html

to read an excerpt from Half-Blood.

Review: Half-Blood

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: September 15, 2011

My Rating: 5/5 stars (Must read)


"The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi—pure-bloods—have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals—well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the pure-blooded Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck."(from author's website)

My Review:
This book captured my attention from the first page, where the reader is dropped right in the middle of the action. Alex, the main character, is strong and not afraid to stand up for herself. Her mother has died and she is trying to figure out how to survive. You find yourself cheering for her to become a Sentinel, despite the inequality between half and pure bloods. I also fell in love with the supporting character specifically Aiden St. Delphi (needless to say I have another book crush). Armentrout strikes the perfect balance of action and romance. The world building was amazing it made me wish I could train at the super exclusive Covenant. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say too much more, other than I cannot wait till the second book Pure comes out next spring. How addicting is this book? I read through most of the night even though I had a 9:50 class in the morning, I just couldn't put it down.

Jennifer Armentrout (Author of Half-Blood) Contest

Check out Jennifer's awesome contest over at her blog http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/2011/05/six-sentence-sunday-and-contest.html

She's giving out some great prizes such as
First place winner receives:

* A Signed and Personalized (with doodles) Print Copy of Daimon
* Daimon Swag
* Half-Blood Swag

Second place winner receives:

* An e book format of Daimon
* Daimon Swag
* Half-Blood Swag

Third place winner receives:

* Daimon swag
* Half-Blood swag

This contest will be running till May 8th.

Win an ARC of Original Sin

Lisa Desrochers is holding another contest at http://lisadesrochers.blogspot.com/2011/05/fourth-of-many-contests-for-no-reason.html