May 29, 2009

Off to BEA!

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Okay, so I should totally be in bed sleeping so I'm not walking the aisles tomorrow like a zombie but I just realized I haven't updated my BEA status!

I'm leaving tomorrow morning at the butt crack of dawn, 4:00 AM, so that I can get to NYC by 8:00 am. :)
I'm soo excited and I know I'm not going to sleep very well at all!

Tomorrow I have a few stops already scheduled. Here's a sneak peak of what I'll be headed to.



So, if you're going to be there come by and see me at the Firebrand - NetGalley booth # 4077! Here's a link to see the full schedule of "blogger signings" at that wonderful booth! :)

I'll be sharing the 12:00 PM slot with Smart Bitches Sarah, which I'm just thrilled about! She's a totally cool lady. I can't wait to meet all the other bloggers too though!

And don't forget! I'll be wearing my BEA t-shirt!



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May 28, 2009

New Moon Scene Photo Montage

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Wow. I saw the pictures floating around yesterday from the Italy filming of the Edward and Bella reunion scene.

Don't watch if you don't want it spoiled. It's done fairly well and is quite amazing. :)

The hype surrounding this movie is tangible! I can't wait for it. Even though it's my least favorite book of the series.

Source: Twilight Lexicon



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May 27, 2009

Quiz: What Kind of Reader Are You?

Saw this posted on A Book Dork's, Aimee, Blog.
It's a short little quiz to determine what kind of reader you are.

My results:

Your responses showed you fitting into three different personalities:

Exacting Reader: You love books but you rarely have as much time to read as you'd like - so you're very particular about the books you choose.

Serial Reader: Once you discover a favorite writer you tend to stick with him/her through thick and thin and eagerly await the next in the series.

Eclectic Reader: You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors.

I'd say I agree with each of these. I'd like to think that I have lots of time to read but I really don't and that makes me sad so I don't think about it. Sigh.

I love my authors. If they were good I keep coming back for more. Examples: Rachel Vincent, Patricia Briggs, Lois Lowry, Charlaine Harris, Anya Bast, Claudia Gray, Erin McCarthy, Gena Showalter, J.R. Ward, Jacquelyn Frank, Jeaniene Frost, Karen Marie Moning, Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Sherrilyn Kenyon. Just to name a few. ;)

Eh, I'm not too eclectic. I have my comfort zones. I don't usually expand out too much. I tend to stick to YA, Paranormal romance, urban fantasy and the general fantasy. Occassionally I'll read a deeply profound book with a deep meaning but it's usually under the genre of YA. :)


So, what are you? Take the Quiz! It's located on BookBrowse.
return to home

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May 22, 2009

Contests: May 24 - 31

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Win a Blog Revamp!

Win a blog revamp!

Gisele Jaquenod, a designer I've used in the past, is hosting a blog revamp contest!

1000birdies

Here are the guidelines per her post:
  • You must be subscribed to the blog (via RSS or email)!!
  • You must have a blog, and you have to post about this giveaway on it, using the banner above!!
  • After posting about the giveaway, come back here and leave a
    comment with the link to the blog you want to revamp, and a link to
    your post about the contest!!
  • The comment numbers will be shuffled and a lucky winner will get a blog revamp!!!
Deadline:

You have until the midnight of June 15th, 2009 to enter this giveaway!!

Prize:
  • The winner will win a blog revamp by Gis!!
    Attention tho, the prize is a new “skin” for your blog, but not a
    content redesign. You must have the blog already running, and make sure
    the structure of your blog is just want you want it to be, and I will
    make sure to skin it over following your preferences
  • The prize includes up to 10 credits in images from istockphoto. If
    you want more, or images that are more expensive, you will have to pay
    the difference (which I would advice if you really like an image since
    it will be just a few dollars).
  • The prize also includes the design of a 125 x 125 px banner to share on your blog.
  • If you have questions about what qualifies and not in this “revamp”, please write me using the contact form above.
So, head over to Gisele's blog, follow, post about the contest, and enter to win! Let her know I sent you!

You can see some of the other layouts she's created. I used to use the Birdie's Secret Garden.

Loved it but I just recently switched. :( Was sad to switch but now I'm hoping I'll win and she'll make me a "personalized" layout! :)

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May 19, 2009

My BEA T-Shirt!

So, I decided that I would do some self promoting while walking the aisles at BEA. What better way than to wear it!

Here's the FRONT:



And the BACK:


Click for larger images...I think.

I created this shirt with the help of Zazzle.com. I just put the text I wanted and uploaded some select book covers of some of my recent favorite books. I wanted to be relevant so I didn't pick anything that's too old. Actually at least 2 of the books featured on my shirt haven't even been released yet. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev releases July 7th and Prey (Werecats, book 4) by Rachel Vincent releases July 1. The other book covers featured are:

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Stargazer (Evernight, Book 2) by Claudia Gray
The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld, Book 3) by Gena Showalter (the sexiest cover of the series IMO)
Bone Crossed (Mercy Thomson, Book 4) by Patricia Briggs
Dayhunter (Dark Days, Book 2) by Jocelynn Drake
Passion Unleashed (Demonica, Book 3) by Larissa Ione
The Vampire's Bride (Atlantis, Book 4) by Gena Showalter
At Grave's End (Night Huntress, Book 3) by Jeanine Frost

So, if you see some lady walking around with this shirt at BEA....IT'S ME!

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True Blood Character Posters

Ohh, nice. I <3 me some Eric.

Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman in character art for HBO’s ‘True Blood’ Season 2

Click on Eric to see the other character posters featuring: Bill, Sookie, Tara, Maryann, Jason, and Sexy, er, Sam. Of course we all know season 2 premieres June 14th! And I can NOT wait! :)

Source: Shock till You Drop.com

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New Moon Trailer & Poster

The "official" teaser poster is out:



Source: Shock TIll You Drop.com


Wow. And an amazing trailer by a very talented person.

ETA: This is NOT an official trailer, if anyone is confused after watching it. :)

Source: Saw this on Bridget's blog over at Readaholic. Thanks Bridget!

Enjoy:


Oh, and thanks to Cinnamon over at A Journey of Books there's news, rather dated, but news the same, on the third movie, Eclipse!
From Summit Entertainment's website:

Los Angeles, CA April 22, 2009 — Summit Entertainment announced today that David Slade has been hired to direct THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE from a screenplay written by Melissa Rosenberg. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, the third film in the studio's TWILIGHT film franchise based on the Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster book series, will be released theatrically in North America on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. The announcement was made by Erik Feig, Summit's President of Production.

Meyer stated, "I am thrilled that David Slade will be directing ECLIPSE. He's a visionary filmmaker who has so much to offer this franchise. From the beginning, we've been blessed with wonderful directorial talent for the Twilight Saga, and I'm so happy that ECLIPSE will be carrying on with that tradition."



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May 18, 2009

Put Twenty Boy Summer On The Map Contest

Put Twenty Boy Summer on the map!
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Twenty Boy Summer has escaped from its boxes before the official June

1 release date and has already been spotted in the wild at a bookstore

near Buffalo, NY. Author Sarah Ockler is hosting a contest to track

sightings of TBS all over the country. Now through June 30, if you

spot her book in a bookstore or library, you can enter to win a cool

TBS Beach Prize Pack!

Guidelines:

  1. Take a picture or video of Twenty Boy Summer on the shelves in the

    store, kiosk, or library

  2. Email it with your first name, store/library name, and the city and

    state where it was taken to sarah (dot) ockler (at) gmail (dot) com

    with the subject "TBS Map Contest"

  3. For an extra entry, take a picture or video of the book with YOU in

    it, holding it or pointing at it or singing to it or doing some other

    creative (but not illegal) thing :-)

Pics and videos will be posted at SarahOckler.com along with a Google

map showing all of the places Twenty Boy Summer has been spotted in

the wild. The more times you find and document TBS in different stores

and libraries, the more times you can enter!

The contest is open to U.S. residents only. Participants under age 13

must have a parent/guardian enter for them. Sarah will randomly select

a winning entry from all of the entries on July 1 and will notify the

winner by email.

Good luck and happy book hunting!


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May 16, 2009

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Harcourt Children's Books (February 1, 2009)
368 pages
$11.56
(Amazon.com, at time of purchase, it's now down to $10.83 as of 05/16/09)


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Originality: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Setting: 4
Plot: 5
Passion: 4
Overall: 27/30 90% = A
Cover Bonus: 0


First off, I need to address why I ended up reading this book. I was NOT going to read this. I'll address some of these reasons *cough* cover *cough*, *cough* title *cough* later. Until I read Beth Fantaskey's guest blog on Wondrous Reads. This guest post sucked me in and I purchased my copy that very afternoon. And please note that if I can help it I do not buy books that I can't purchase in Kindle format. I will wait until it's out on the Kindle before buying the physical book. Not with this book. I HAD to have it. Now, on with my review.

Originality:
I awarded this element of the book a 5 not because it was "truly" 100% original but it's execution was original. I have never read a book where a young male swoops in and insists on wooing a young female into being his beloved for fear that if he fails his family and her family will throw themselves into all out war.

Characters:
Jessica (woot! my name!) is someone that I immediately related to. It's strange though because we are incredibly unalike but that doesn't matter because ultimately she was just an average, teenager blossoming into a young adult and all that entails with that change. She was real. She was also very mature, unwilling to rush into anything with out thinking it through. Her parents were a wacky pair but they too where amazing parents.

Lucius. Now Lucius is a guy that I could fall head over heels for. He's 110% chivarly. His accent (yes!) had me lured in from the get go. He was way too funny at points that I was wiping tears from my eyes. But I did hate him in this book too. He gives up and I can't stand a weak male lead character just as much as I can't stand a weak female lead character, but I have to give him credit because Jessica does not make it easy for him, not in the least. He does evolve and seeing him do that is very fulfilling.

The other characters play some huge roles too. (I read this a while ago so I can't think of their names!)

Writing:
Now this is what sucked me in! Beth's writing is phenomenal. I only read that guest blog and couldn't get enough. It seems to come naturally to her or something. Everything flows so well. Nothing is pressured, nothing is presumed to happen. I hate it when I "know" what's going to happen and I never felt that with this book. The ending was just craziness but it all worked out and I really hope to be able to continue learning about Jessica's world.

Setting:
The setting was just the coolest to me! It's set in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. This is just north of where I live so it felt very familiar to me. Some of the story took place in Romania, I believe, which is where Lucius comes from. There's some amazing castle scenes that I just loved! I would have loved more of that in this book.

Plot:
The plot was awesome. I hate giving away any major details concerning books so I'm just going to paste a bit of the first chapter here instead of me rambling off every detail that I can think of.

Excerpt: (briefly, read the rest here)

Chapter 1

The first time I saw him, a heavy, gray fog clung to the cornfields, tails of mist slithering between the dying stalks. It was a dreary early morning right after Labor Day, and I was waiting for the school bus, just minding my own business, standing at the end of the dirt lane that connected my family’s farmhouse to the main road into town.

I was thinking about how many times I’d probably waited for that bus over the course of a dozen years, killing time like any mathlete would, by doing the calculations in my head, when I noticed him.

And suddenly that familiar stretch of blacktop seemed awfully desolate.
He was standing under a massive beech tree across the road from me, his arms crossed over his chest. The tree’s low, gnarled branches twisted down around him, nearly concealing him in limbs and leaves and shadows. But it was obvious that he was tall and wearing a long, dark coat, almost like a cloak.


Passion:
The passion in this book gets to a boiling point a few times. The pot never spills over but that's okay. The true meaning of love is what matters in this book. They are teenagers with hormones but it never steals the scene completely. It was kind of sad at times for Jessica and Lucius because they both end up fighting their hearts.

Cover & Title:
You probably noticed that I did NOT give any bonus points for the cover. That's because I HATE it. I mean it's not the ugliest thing but what hurts me to look at it is the title and the cover together. It just doesn't make sense. Even after you read it you're still not going to like the title. The cover kinda makes sense but not the title. There is a "guide" book in the story but it's not what I would have picked, at all. I can't really make a suggestion as to what I would have named it but almost anything would be better than what it is. Or at least a cover that reflected a guide book in some fashion.

Overall:
I LOVED this book. I had the hardest time putting it down in any fashion. It made me laugh and I might have teared up a bit at a point, but ultimately it made me smile. It was a true love story with teenaged angst and super natural twists. I didn't mention the vampire element in any of the above because it's really not what swayed me to loving the book. Lucius could have been just any normal exchange student and the story would still make sense, minus the impending uproar between the two vampire clans of course. :)





Like my review? Buy a copy today from Amazon.com!

Beth is also hosting a contest until May 30 for this book and some other great prizes!

Connect with Beth Fantaskey:
Blog
Website
Goodreads

What did you think of Jessica's GT Dating on the Dark Side? Will you read it now?

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Review Rating System

I'm changing my rating system just slightly going forward.
I will be rating on a 0-5 scale.
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0 - HATE
1 - Dislike
2 - Eh, could have been better
3 - Good but not great
4 - Great!
5 - Awesome!

Hopefully this will give a better view of how I really feel about the different elements of the book and how I review it.
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Trek Yourself!


Thanks to Larissa Ione I played along and "treked" myself. Fun for all!

If you make one post the link in comments so I can see! I only wish there were other female options. It's cool to be a male Vulcan too but I would have preferred to be female. :)


Create Your Own




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