Giveaway: Freedom to Read Blog Hop

Plain & simple. Short & sweet. I'm all for everyone's freedom to read so I joined the fabulous hop hosted by the wonderful I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Katie @ Mundie Moms. And what am I giving away?

To the lucky winner, either a $15 Amazon.com Gift Card Code or, if you are from a country that is unable to utilize Amazon.com, a $15 BookDepository.com Gift Card Code

Rules

1. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter.
2. You must be 13 or older.
3. Open internationally!
4. Contest deadline is 12 a.m. EST on July 5, 2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other blogs in the hop!

Waiting on Wednesday #018: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

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

* * *

Dualed by Elsie Chapman
Release Date: February 26, 2013

From Goodreads.com
You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

"Dualed" is a thrilling high-concept YA where citizens must prove their worth by killing their Alts--twins raised by other families.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage--life. But then a tragic misstep shakes West's confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she's no longer certain that she's the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

I love dystopians. And this concept just blows my mind. I can only imagine what sort of angst will be involved in a society that requires only one version of a person to live. It brings up all sorts of questions that I can't wait to find answers to! I can't believe I have to wait until next year to read it though. Eep!

Let's Talk: That's Not A Review, It's A Bitch Slap!

I've written about this in the past but I feel the need to re-visit it for a moment because it's been weighing on me lately with all the ridiculous stories of authors harassing reviewers. And in the past I've had more opinions on what exactly a review should be, but I don't think anyone can really put parameters like that on reviewing. I do have some further thoughts though. Things that I think both reviewers & authors ought to take into consideration with regard to reviews. And lists seem to be my most preferred method of getting my thoughts gathered in some semblance of order. So let the listing commence.

Book Tour: The Forbidden Game by LJ Smith

The Forbidden Game by LJ Smith
Pages: 768
Publisher: Simon Pulse

To capture the love of Jenny Thorton, Julian--a visitor from a dark world--draws Jenny and her friends into forbidden games; the contest for a human soul. The prize is Jenny's freedom. The stakes are all of their lives. Jenny's friends are determined to help her win. But Julian is the master of the Game. Jenny's most desperate fight will be with him, this eerily handsome boy with electric blue eyes. He knows her deepest secrets, her darkest fears. He has almost infinite power. And the only thing he wants is for Jenny to surrender to him--body and soul.

-- Goodreads.com

I am in love with this book. I have been for eep, over 20 years! And it's still a great read! LJ Smith was definitely ahead of her time. I mean, if you like The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle... they were written by her! So you'll like this book.

Here's The Gist

I want to do a tour with this book. If I get enough people signed up I will buy a copy (yeah, right like I'd circulate my own beloved copy!) & send it around.

The Rules

1. You must be from the US/Canada & over 13.
2. You will have 2 weeks (since it's a long book) to read & send on the book to the next person with a delivery confirmation.
3. You must let me know when you receive the book so I can let you know where to send it next.
4. You must also let me know when you send it on & what the delivery confirmation number is.
5. And lastly, you must write a review when you're finished & let me know about it!

Interested?

I need 10 people to sign up before I'm willing. So leave a comment below stating you're interest, what state you're in, & that you're going to write a review when you're finished reading.

Blog Interview: Me! I Was Interviewed at Midnight Reads

The very cool Midnight Readers over at Midnight Reads just interviewed me! I discovered I love being interviewed & hope you'll check it out.

Excerpt of My Interview

What is your favourite book?
My favorite (yeah, no "u" because I'm a wonky American :D) book is actually a trilogy combined into one paperback. It sits on my shelf & I read it every year over the summer...

Read more!

TGIF #002: Authors Are Our Celebrities

TGIF is hosted by Ginger @ GReads! I found it through the fabulous blog run by the lovely Melissa & really liked the questions being asked so I thought I'd join in!

Authors Are Our Celebrities: Have you ever contacted an author you admired? How did that experience go? If not, which author would you love to have a chat with?

I've actually contacted several authors that I like & had responses that have been great to read or interact with. My most recent was when I contacted LJ Smith (writer of The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle, and MY FAVORITE The Forbidden Game). I emailed her hoping that she would not ever give The Forbidden Game to The CW because I have watched them destroy both TVD & TSC by trying to warp them into Twilight knock-offs. And LJ emailed me back within minutes! She promised me that she had a new agent who was protecting her rights which she unfortunately was too young & naive to know she was signing away 20 years ago when she signed with Alloy. She also said that The Forbidden Game had been optioned for a MOVIE! Result! I cannot wait for that though I'm sure I'll be super picky about who they cast. Especially for Julian. And people, if you have not read The Forbidden Game, you must. Now.

I routinely interact with some of my most favorite authors on Twitter & via email too. Rusty Fischer, Jenn Sommersby, Angela Carlie, Theresa Lo, Kimberly Pauley, Christina J. Adams, & Elsie Chapman are all chatty on Twitter & in email from time to time. I love picking their brains or reading their blogs on the processes of writing. I miss them when they duck out of sight for a while, as another of my favorites Anne Michaud has done for a few months. Authors definitely are my celebs. They are fantastic. One author, PD Martin who is an Australian author, almost named a character after me in one of her books when I entered a contest with why my name would fit so well, to which she personally replied even though I didn't win.

Authors I would love to interact more (or at all) with but haven't yet would have to be CJ Redwine, Mara Purnhagen, Dean Koontz, Lauren Henderson, & Agatha Christie (though I know it's impossible to talk with Christie since she's long been gone).

Books & Movies: Trust & Want To Go Private?

The subject of cyber stalking & cyber predators is a really hard one. To think that our kids are just a moment away from being seduced by someone they feel is their age, who they feel loves them more & wants better for them than we do. It's a seriously tough thing to have to experience on both the screen & the book front.

Trust is about a girl who has a family who is very involved in her life. Her father & mother & siblings all love her & are all part of a happy family. But somehow a predator manages to sneak his way in. He lies & manipulates & finds ways to tear apart the happy family. It's up to the family to fix what has happened but only if they can give up what they think should be real for what is actually real & deal with THAT regardless of whether or not the girl wants to deal with it.

Want to Go Private is even scarier because the girl in this book doesn't get to come home right after her encounter with the predator she falls for. She is found in the midst of a child pornography plot. But both girls from both stories struggle with how they feel about the man who takes advantage of them. They both defend him & have a long, hard go at trying to let go of that to accept that they were taken advantage of in order to recover & heal.

Both movie & book are hard to absorb. It's a seriously difficult topic. But I feel both book & movie handled the topic well & with as much intelligence & care as could possibly afforded this type of story. I wouldn't say "if you ENJOYED one then get the other" because enjoyment shouldn't be a part of it, in my mind. But if you felt one had a good amount of information to be helpful, check out the other because they complement each other well.

Sneak Peek: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher

The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher

Friday Flash: #005: The Blessing

We were always taught that by the time we reached 15 we should have at least one murder under our belts. Preferably a family member because if we could kill someone we love, we could kill anyone. And even more preferably a sibling because that bond is the thickest & any bond that tight is dangerous.

You will never know what is in someone else's mind.

Would You Read This Book?

The Perfection Garden. Breeding the best blood slaves since the 4th year after the fall of the White House & the end of the last World War. Lux is beautiful & one half of a set of twins. Grade A pure & trained in the blood arts. And somehow she has managed to attract the attention of Sir Mandrake, the vampire Lord of the region. She's being sold at auction & he's looking at her throat which is never done unless the vampire wishes to take a mate.

Except when Sir Mandrake attempts to put her under his Thrall, an artificial sensation of complete adoration & devotion created by vampires to ensure easy prey, something else awakens within Lux. Something more primal & more organic than anything anyone has ever seen.

So when her sister is kidnapped to fulfill an ancient prophesy & Lux finds herself free amidst the chaos, it sets in motion events that no human, let alone vampire could ever have predicted. The only question is will a girl who uses fantasy as her protection against reality be able to harness her own inner strength & find her sister? Or will she end up lost in her own mind instead?

Guest Post & Giveaway: Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00 by C.R. Hiatt

What are my writing quirks and must haves to write?
By: C.R. Hiatt, Author of Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00

Before I sit down and start writing, a lot of things need to be in place. Some may call them quirks. I call them: tools to a future bestselling novel. ☺

For starters, where I write is critical. I am somewhat of an odd ball when it comes to that. I don’t have an office (by choice) - at least not the kind of office that everyone would consider normal. I love the outdoors, and don’t like being confined to a room with a desk and a computer, or four walls closing in on me. Instead, I bought myself a portable laptop desk that I can move around to wherever I plant myself for a particular day. The portable desk has compartments for all my accessories, phones, Kindle and USB cords. The legs can be folded underneath, and it can easily sit on my lap, or I can put the legs down and sit opposite a comfortable chair.

If the weather outside is poor, I park myself in front of a large window of the seasonal home. Now that summer is creeping up on us and the temperatures are starting to get warm, I will move the portable desk out on a screened-in deck, or I might even park myself down by the water.

Another quirk is; I need noise. A lot of writers need it to be completely quiet when they’re writing. If I’m stuck inside because of rotten weather, I either have the TV on tuned into an action flick, or I have the music cranked up. When the weather cooperates and I can sit on the deck, I put a sign out letting the neighbors and toursis know I’m “working”; then they know to steer clear. I may like the noise when I’m writing, but I prefer to not be interrupted when I’m in the middle of plotting a scene.

Now comes the must haves…I must have tons of dark chocolate in the refrigerator, and a case of Dasani water. Once I start the writing process, the only thing that I will definitely break for is; exercise. Exercise is a major part of the process to keep the juices flowing. Chances are; I won’t have time for full meals during my process, so I will have stocked up on salad fixings, and of course, my chocolate. To keep the hunger at bay, I will nibble on small pieces of the chocolate. It also helps with my concentration - at least that’s my excuse for getting to eat chocolate. ☺

When I’m finally seated and settled, first I check emails and social media outlets. I CANNOT start writing unless that is done. Otherwise, my mind will constantly drift off while I’m writing, worrying that I might have missed something. With that out of the way, I begin my writing process using my regimented “quirky” process, and I do not deviate from:

1. Write out a one or two sentence logline describing the story.
2. Write out a list of my characters and mini bios and backgrounds.
3. Using my logline as a guide, I write a one-page outline which can be used as a synopsis later.
4. Using my outline as a guide, I then write a draft screenplay using the three-act structure, and make sure to include the action scenes and dialogue.
5. Now that I have three-act screenplay (beginning, middle and end), I start adapting the story into a novel.

About The Author

CR HIATT is a writer of screenplays and an author of YA action-mystery novels. The daughter of a military veteran, CR grew up in a small town where she became an All-American athlete. CR knew early on that she wasn't cut out for the nine to five type of job - her tendency to day dream about adventures often got in the way. But, being the daughter of a Navy Veteran she also knew one had to do what was necessary to be secure, so she disciplined herself to push those dreams aside and settled on working in the entertainment legal field. When those dreams invaded her world once again, CR finally gave in and set out to write her own adventures. What the heck, right. If you can't live 'em, you might as well write about them. The McSwain & Beck series are works of fiction, only based on real life events. Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00 is the first in the series, and available now. Fireworks on the 4th will be released in late June, just before the 4th of July holiday season.

Find Ms. Hiatt Elsewhere:
Twitter

Purchase Gone At Zero Hundred 00:00
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Gone At Zero Hundred 00:00 by C.R. Hiatt

Gone At Zero Hundred 00:00 by C.R. Hiatt

Release Date: April 31, 2012
Publisher: Self-Pub
Pages: 351
Reading level: Young Adult

Synopsis

Sydney McSwain is nothing like her mother except for the fact they both have a nose for sniffing out crime as private investigators. Though for Syd, the biggest mystery is finding out who her father really is. That is, until Syd's mother is gunned down on live television & Syd is propelled into one of the biggest cases she's ever worked.

In between shooting promos for her new PI business with best friend Cody & surveilling the step-brother of a model who appears to be up to no good, Syd manages to find herself knee deep in danger. She's running from masked men & possibly dirty cops.

As the dead bodies pile up, so does the evidence that something very sinister is happening with the Devil's Door Club, a secret club whose members are filthy rich & hiding some very big secrets.

Now how will she find out who her father is?

Excerpt

The ticker tape on the bottom of the TV read: In an unusual turn of events, Investigator Anna McSwain assists law enforcement personnel in the arrest of Marty Cole, an officer with the Sutter Beach Vice Unit. Cole is another individual alleged to be involved in the pension fund scam that McSwain uncovered earlier this year.

Anna slipped her weapon back in its holster, and started down the path toward her own SUV, when…

POP – POP – POP – POP…

A sniper opened fire, and a round of bullets ripped into her chest. She stumbled and faltered; then fell like a dead weight to the ground.

It was immediate pandemonium at the scene. "Shots fired! Shots fired!" an officer screamed at the top of his lungs. "Officers take cover." Uniformed officers took up defensive positions and scanned the area for the shooter.

Review

I have to say that the plot of this story was very intriguing. It sounded a lot like Veronica Mars which was one of my most favorite shows while it was airing. Veronica was always getting into trouble with her adventure-itis (an apparently genetic issue discussed in this book) & running away from someone who didn't like her poking her nose into their private business. And the story is very much a Veronica Mars-ish type story. I enjoyed the mystery as it unfolded & the suspense of discovering just what exactly was happening in the town of Sutter Beach. I also liked wondering who was really as good a guy as we were supposed to think they were & who was not exactly a villain even though it looked that way.

That said, I struggled a bit with reading this book for two reasons. The first is that there is no character depth. We are given a few tidbits here & there about who Cody & Jaden (Syd's two best guy friends) are but we don't get much of a feel for who they are really. We see them through Syd's eyes & she is the least fleshed out of the characters overall. Syd functions as a first person narrator who merely relays everything that happens around her. There's very little personality in how she conveys information or in how she acts or speaks with other people in the story. The personality quirks that she claims to have are only told to us & not really shown. The most realized character was that of Carter, the grown man & father figure of the book. His deeds & dialogue speak for his personality more loudly than any other character in the story.

The second reason I struggled with this book was the lack of strong copy editing. There were times I had to stop the flow of reading to understand what was being said because a word was misspelled, an incorrect word was used, or words were missing altogether. Instances of punctuation didn't make sense also jarred me out of focus on the story as I had to stop & re-read. Also, a lot of the narration was written the way a young adult (more like 15 than the 18 years old Syd was supposed to be) might talk but it was just so annoyingly grammatically incorrect that I was tempted to write letters to the California education system.

The story itself was really well worth the read because it was interestingly detailed & the mystery intricately unveiled little by little. I was glad I read until the end because the ending was great. And, if you are not a reader with as critical an eye as I seem to have, you will probably not notice any of the negatives that I mentioned & simply enjoy the book. Which I hope is true! The plot twists are fun & the race to Zero Hundred keeps you going to the last page.

My Rating:

Disclosure

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

These Are Not Proper Sentences... Can Someone Tell Me Why?

I'm peevish right now so bear with me while I get a little something off my chest. I'll be brief & try to hold my tongue. However...

These Are Not Proper Sentences... Can Someone Tell Me Why?

• All people wanted to have money, don't they?
• When I looked at the photo what I saw was; the basketball hoop was nearly toppled over.
• I backed out of the parking space waiving at my boyfriend.
• The sooner he dropped the check off, the sooner we were to having money in the account.

That is all.

Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Release Date: August 30, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 440
Reading level: Young Adult

Synopsis

Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth... protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies, the Mogadorian, are hunting him down.

The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts—his legacies home; Planet Lorien—stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.

But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it’s only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there’s no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five.

-- from Goodreads.com

Review

The idea behind this book isn't a new one, per se. Aliens escaping a dying homeworld overtaken by a hostile enemy end up on earth. It's been done. That being said, that's where the similarity between this book & anything I've ever read (or watched for that matter) ends. What we have here, kids, is a launch into a really fun thrill ride full of new magics & new ways to look at aliens on Earth.

The monsters in this book were my favorite part. Yes, that's ghoulish, I know, but they were unique to anything I've ever read. There was a very dark, gritty feel to them & their reputation. I could feel the noose tightening around John & his friends the closer the Mogadorians got to them. It was a tangible, real fear that I relished. Then, once the showdown begins, you see that they definitely deserved the fear! They have some pretty terrifying powers, weapons, & beasties!

I loved the gentle yet fierce romantic undercurrent of the book. John & Sarah were sweet together & I completely believed that they would find each other attractive. It was a great complication too that John had to try to keep such a large portion of himself, his alien-ness, a secret from the one person he wanted to tell everything to. The angst was subtle & just enough to pull the romance along without it becoming even minutely annoying.

Overall, I thought this was one of the best books I've ever read in the sci-fi genre. It had all the things that I enjoy: history & lore, future prophecy, real-feeling characters, grit, suspense, great friendships, & a little bit of love to tie it all up in a nice bow.

My Rating:

TGIF #001: Cast Your Own Story

TGIF is hosted by Ginger @ GReads! I found it through the fabulous blog run by the lovely Melissa & really liked the questions being asked so I thought I'd join in!

Cast Your Own Story: If you could use existing characters from some of your favorite books to create a new story, who would be in it?

I love this idea! Sort of like My Dream Reality Show Cast -- Fictional Character Style. Anyhow, the story I would love to cast would have to be the story I started to write myself. It's about a group of friends (& frenemies) who end up all at this huge house for a weekend-long party. The house has a lot of secrets including the strange, locked door in the basement which, according to the markings on it leads into a sub-basement. Not to mention there are secret passageways, a huge hedge maze one must solve in order to get to the pool where the best part of the party is happening. Which means we need some people. Some inquisitive & curious. Some arrogant & unyielding. Some good & heroic. Some fearful & weak. Let's see who we've got.

The Protagonist: Evie from Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - She's snarky & definitely interested in getting to the bottom of things. She comes equipped with Tazy (her little pink taser) & has a vulnerable side that makes her sympathetic.

The Best Friend: Auden from Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - Auden would be the one helping everyone keep a level head & working to keep Evei's feet on the ground. She has sort of a dry wit when she allows herself & is an insomniac which could make for some interesting encounters.

The Heartthrob: Four/Tobias from Divergent by Veronica Roth - He's the super nice guy who isn't lame. He's got loads of heroic qualities plus he's practically fearless. Not to mention he's just so darn swoon-worthy.

The Jerk: Aris from The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - This guy just rubs you wrong with his smug expression & know-it-all-but-you-don't attitude. He comes across as very arrogant & somewhat irredeemable. It could be fun to see what he's like when dealing with terror.

The Snob: Plum from Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson - This girl gets under your skin right from the get-go with her perfect appearance, bedroom eyes, & an acid tongue. Plus she's British which means she'll be very refined while being a snot to your face. Yet there's another, softer girl under the surface that only desperation or fear can bring out.

The Funny Dude: Grover from Vamplayers by Rusty Fischer - Hands down, beyond a doubt, the best funny dude ever. He's the guy making pop culture references in the face of danger but he's not (too) afraid to scale a wall to save his own behind.

5 Tips To Great Blog Writing

Hello & welcome to today's Grammar Lesson. I am Jenny, but you may call me Ms. Grammar Nazi. I am here to give you 5 tips regard to great (& proper) writing for your blog. Take notes. There will be a test (Well, not really, but take notes anyway :D)!

1. Do not try to write above your actual capabilities.
   It's fabulous if you know how to use words like ominous, flabbergasted, bellicose, pugnacious, or antidisestablishmentarianism. But if you're just throwing around big words without really knowing what they mean, you will sound less serious than you're trying to be. Stick with words you know. No one is going to fault you for writing with simple English but there are definitely those of us out there who will notice that you're not making sense. The same goes for complicated sentence structure (like trying to stitch up those dangling participles but doing it wrong).
2. Remember the rule of thumb where "so-and-so and I" & "so-and-so and me" are concerned.
   I think a lot of people see it as more sophisticated to always say "so-and-so and I" but it's not always correct. The rule of thumb is if you can remove "so-and-so" and the sentence still sounds correct, that's the way to go.
   Example: "Mary & I went to the ball game." Remove Mary and "I went to the ball game" still sounds right. But if you have "The book was given to Mary and I" and you remove Mary you get "The book was given to I." Doesn't sound right, does it? "The book was given to Mary and ME." It's not unsophisticated. It's correct.
   PS: It's NEVER "me and so-and-so." NEVER.
3. Quotation marks.
   First, when using them in a sentence, you use double quotes with the punctuation at the end INSIDE the ending double quotes. "I did something new today." "What hamburger?" Second, when quoting inside a quote you use a single quote NOT a double inside a double.
   Correct: "I thought I heard him say, 'What was that?'"
   Incorrect: "She told me that Roger said "I am wrong.""
4. Would of, could of, should of.
   NO, SHOULD NOT HAVE. The proper usage is would've, could've, should've. It's a conjunction of would+have. The definition of "of" is "Expressing the relationship between a part and a whole: 'the sleeve of his coat.'" "Would" is not a part or a whole , it's a verb, so there is no proper reason to use the word "of" next to it when what you want to say is you would have done something. I know it SOUNDS like "would of" but it just isn't.
5. No net/text speak.
   EVER. Using the letter "u" instead of the word "you" is just not acceptible. The same with "2" instead of "to" "two" or "too." And "4" instead of "for" and so on, and so forth. Abbreviations are fine in text messages but not on your blog or as part of your social media presence.

Happy Birthday to Me Giveaway

Sooo, my birthday is this week & I thought that I'd like to give away some gifts to YOU to celebrate! This is probably my biggest giveaway ever!

ONE winner will win:

Their choice of 3 books/ARCs from the list below

A Swag Pack

And a $15 Giftcard to Starbuck's

AND if my followers go up 100 on either here on my blog (250 followers) OR on Twitter (500 followers), I will add a SECOND winner who will win:

Their choice of 2 books/ARCs from the list below

And a Swag Pack

AND if my followers go up 100 on either here on my blog (250 followers) AND on Twitter (500 follower), I will add a THIRD winner who will win:

Their choice of 1 book/ARC from the list below

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (ARC)
Eve by Anna Carey (ARC)
Exposed by Kimberly Marcus (ARC)
Flip by Martyn Bedford (ARC)
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (ARC)
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard (ARC)
Shine by Lauren Myracle (ARC)
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (ARC)
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis (ARC)
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (Hardcover)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (Hardcover)
Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Hardcover)
Supernaturally by Kiersten White (Hardcover)
Wither by Lauren DeStefano (Hardcover)
Bliss by Lauren Myracle (Softcover)

Rules

1. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter.
2. You must be 13 or older.
3. You must be from the US or Canada (sorry I can't afford international)
4. Contest deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST on June 30, 2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blogger Showcase: The Wrap Up

Ah what a great week of reading some really diverse & fascinating posts by some of my most favorite ladies in the YA blogosphere! I almost want to do it all over again right now! Thank you to the 7 of your who took time from your schedules & your own blogs to feature your content here. I truly appreciated it & loved getting to read what you had to say.

And on to the recap! Here are some of the quirky or insightful things I learned this week:

• Sometimes the man of your dreams DOES exist & maybe he will find you! Who says happily ever after is only for books?
  Thanks to Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads
• Branding your blog to a specific genre encourages niche readers who are excited about your blog since you review books that they are interested in.
  Thanks to NC @ Truly Bookish
• You don't have to read a gay or lesbian book just because it's a gay or lesbian book. You have to read it because it's a good book in it's own right.
  Thanks to Eli @ Eli to the nth
• The best fictional guy to set your sister up on a date with is Wes, from The Truth About Forever, because the boy defines "sa-woon."
  Thanks to Bookworm1858
• Wes is also the one fictional guy you should keep for yourself & NEVER share with your sister because he is just all sorts of wonderful.
  Thanks to Alli @ Magnet4Books
• YA Literature may come under criticism for being too dark, too unrealistic, or just plain fluff but that's not the case. YA Lit Matters!
  Thanks to Ash @ Typing Tiara
• Being attached to your own skin, mind, health, safety, chocolate, & especially COFFEE is next to impossible in some fictional worlds. And aren't we glad we don't live there?!
  Thanks to Angie @ Pinkindle

See, it was a fantastic week! I hope that if you're just dropping by you'll go take a peek at what you missed because it was a lot of fun! Thank you again to my participants & I invite anyone who would be interested in a guest blogging showcase here to definitely comment or email!

Guest Blogger Showcase: Angie @ Pinkindle

So this week I wanted to feature a bunch of my most favorite bloggers. The gals that I really enjoy reading because they are authoritative, thoughtful, and creative whenever they set out to post on their blogs. I am not sure if my readership is also reading them too but they should be!

Today we have another wonderful gal I got to know while I was giving her blog a makeover. It's Angie @ Pinkindle. Angie is "a 22 year old Californian and full-time student." Pinkindle is the name of her kindle & she is DEFINITELY a dog person. Check her out on Twitter & Goodreads!

-------------------------------------------

Top 5 Fictitious Worlds I'm Glad I Don't Live In

Reading can take us to many amazing places and let us experience all kinds of great things. We can study magic at Hogwarts, learn to fight at St. Vladamir's, or enjoy life through virtual reality in Reverie. But reading can also take us to dark, dangerous places that we wouldn't even want to visit! So here are my Top 5 Fictitious Worlds I'm Glad I Don't Live In:

5. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

The main thing that probably stands out to readers about this one is that chocolate is illegal. I can live without chocolate, that's not a problem. The real problem with this world isn't even that most basic supplies and luxuries, like paper and ice cream are rationed, it's that COFFEE is illegal! I need my two cups of morning coffee daily or I get very cranky, not to mention the killer headaches. Sure I could just go to a speakeasy for a latte, but that's a risk I'm not willing to take. In a world where the juvenile detention center puts teens in dog sized kennels for days on end, I can't even image what they do to the adults!

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Panem is terrible, especially District 12, but that may be because it's only district we see in detail. People starving to death, getting into mining accidents, and of course the Hunger Games themselves! Thankfully, I'm too old to get drawn at the reaping, but I wouldn't want to watch anyone's children fight to the death! Plus the Capitol sees nearly everything as an act of rebellion, and I'd be scared to break any of their billions of laws and face a brutal execution.

3. Pure by Julianna Baggott

This world is just down right scary. People are fused with objects, animals, other people, and even dirt! The "dusts" are probably the most terrifying thing in this world, as you don't know they're there until you step on them. But by then it's too late. Life if in the domes isn't much better. Sure, you're safe from the mutated people, but you're also a lab experiment for those in charge. I don't want my DNA altered to make me the perfectly well-behaved citizen, optimized for whatever they need more for.

2. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

The worst part about this world? It's OURS, but technology has turned against us. All of it! Cars are driving themselves and their owners into accidents, medical equipment is killing instead of healing, friendly domestic robots are committing crimes, military vehicles are going on killing sprees. Everything electronic around us has one goal: exterminate humans. Even Baby Alive dolls are coming to life, complete with death threats! No thanks!

1. Angelfall by Susan Ee

Holy crap, this world is scary. And it's worse, since we mainly experience the destruction in Northern California. Guess where I live? Exactly! The angels have destroyed the cities, food and supplies are low, money is useless, gangs rule by day, and the supernatural rule by night. To make matters worse there's cannibals, or something else scary, that eats people unfortunate enough to be caught outside at night. I'm pretty attached to my flesh, so I'm glad this isn't my world...although it could be...

Guest Blogger Showcase: Alli @ Magnet4Books

So this week I wanted to feature a bunch of my most favorite bloggers. The gals that I really enjoy reading because they are authoritative, thoughtful, and creative whenever they set out to post on their blogs. I am not sure if my readership is also reading them too but they should be!

And now we have a little more light-hearted fare thanks to Alli @ Magnet4Books. Alli is a rockin' writer who sometimes lets me peek at her creations (Love them!). She loves "getting to know characters, and loving them, and caring about what happens to them." Check her out on Twitter & Goodreads!

-------------------------------------------

Fictional Best Friends and Boyfriends

First- Thank you SO much Jenny for having me on your blog! You were one the first bloggers to really help me when I first started, and I can’t imagine I would be where I am without you! Both with my blog, and my own writing! You are fabulous!

NOW- onto my post. Fictional Boyfriends & Best Friends! I’m going to name a few of each. I feel slightly cheated that someone has beaten me to the punch of my number one fictional boyfriend- Wes from Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever. Although, I would NEVER share him with my sister. The Truth About Forever was one of those books that changed me at the very core. It will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart, and with that place, is Wes. He is just all sorts of wonderful. YES HE IS. J He’s kind of the pentacle of fictional boys in my opinion.

Honorable Mentions: (Not in order)

1. Ethan - Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg. HE’S IN A BAND. That’s all I have to say about that.
2. Cricket – Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephen Perkins. He’s just- SO amazing. Loved him!
3. Cassel - Holly Black’s White Cat series. Yes, he’s kind of a magic mobster, but I love him. And he would love me. I JUST KNOW IT. (Erm. And Jesse Eisenberg narrated that series which adds a whole new level of obsession for me. NO BIG DEAL.)
4. Cole - The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab – Um. Just yes. Yes yes yes.
5. Kaleb - Myra McEntire’s Hourglass series. SA-WOON! READ TIMEPIECE. I DEMAND IT. ☺

Now, onto fictional best friends. This one actually is surprisingly harder. I have connected with so many characters, but alas. A girl must choose her best friend’s wisely because they ARE her best accessories! ☺

My top pick for my fictional best friend would be…. Sophie from Rachel Hawkins’ Hex Hall! She is so witty and awesome. I think we’d probably get along really well!

Honorable Mentions: (Not in order)

1. Ruby – Jackson Pearce’s Purity.
2. Kristi - The Truth About Forever- Sarah Dessen
3. Isabelle - Cassie Clare’s Mortal Instrument Series
4. Ismae - Robin LaFevers’ Grave Mercy
5. Whitley – Kody Kepplinger’s Midsummer Nightmare

I know there are some overlaps. I tried not to- but some books are just that special. ♥ What are your picks? Any agreements? Disagreements?

Guest Blogger Showcase: Eli @ Eli to the nth

So this week I wanted to feature a bunch of my most favorite bloggers. The gals that I really enjoy reading because they are authoritative, thoughtful, and creative whenever they set out to post on their blogs. I am not sure if my readership is also reading them too but they should be!

This morning we have a somewhat serious topic brought to us by Eli @ Eli to the nth. Eli is "a 24 year old Library and Information Science graduate student at the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Art in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Science in English Education. Yay for books, reading, and writing!" Check her out on Twitter & Goodreads!

And before I go on, I thought a lot about how to preface this topic because it's one that weighs heavily (at least for me) in that I am not an active supporter of GLBT YA literature. I know that any position on this topic can be controversial but I also feel that everyone should have their voice heard. I always want my blog to be an equal playing field for everyone. Which is why I am honored Eli sent this to me, knowing that it could be a touchy thing to talk about. Thank you, Eli.

-------------------------------------------

I was so excited when Jenny asked me to guest blog! I love her blog so much, and I’m sure all of you do too!! When I asked her what she wanted me to talk about, she said that is was completely up to me. So I’ve decided to write about something near and dear to my heart: GLBT fiction, especially within the world of librarian/educators/authors/publishers.

I’ve been an ally of the GLBT community since I was in 10th grade when my sister came out to me. Before that I had read GLBT YA along with all the other genres out there. So suffice to say as I start my career as a librarian I want to make sure that this particular demographic is represented, and represented well, within my community.

I’m sure many of you have heard of David Levithan, and if you haven’t he is the author of such amazing books as Boy Meets Boy, Realm of Possibility, The Lover’s Dictionary, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and many others. He is also an editor with Scholastic, and founded the PUSH Imprint; needless to say he is a big deal in the publishing world. He also writes articles discussing literature, many of which I’ve read in my library classes. One article in particular, “Supporting Gay Teen Literature", really hit home for me; especially the idea that "...being gay is not an issue, it is an identity" (Levithan, 2004, p. 44). For anyone who dedicates him or herself to free expression and the sharing of knowledge, this is a fact that must be branded in the nations minds, as this attitude affects the reality of GLBT people.

For gay teens, coming to grips with who they are in an assumed heterosexual society is one of the hardest things that they'll ever do. Not knowing how family, friends, or even strangers will react is a scary reality. But being able to let them know that it will be better and that there are resources and places to go for a safe space is one thing that we can do to help.

Changing how people think about what being gay means, moving from an "issue" to an "identity", is the first step. But then we have to take it further. Levithan states, "We've reached the point where you don't have to read a gay or lesbian book just because it's a gay or lesbian book. You have to read it because it's a good book in it's own right, about something important" (Levithan, 2004, p. 45). He wrote that eight years ago, and while GLBT books are entering the mainstream more and more, we aren't that much further along. We can't simply think of GLBT books as being only GLBT books when they contain so much more.

This is seen the most within libraries and bookstores. Of course displays are made, and labels are given, in order for the books to be located more easily by their demographic. But I believe that a disservice is being done not just to GLBT books, but to all books if the labels are kept that way. I'd like to see labels such as, "Humor/GLBT/Body Issues", or "Strong Female Protagonist/Fantasy/GLBT". My point is that this isn’t just another GLBT book but a great book with characters that are GLBT.

This is a hard battle. The climate of our country is changing slowly, but it is still an oppressive place for any teens struggling outside of the "societal norm". It is always going to be a battle, but that is why we need to have warrior librarians/educators/authors/publishers, fighting for all voices to be heard and represented within the collection of our community.

Levithan, D. (2004). Supporting gay teen literature. School Library Journal, 50(10), 44-45.