Armchair BEA Day 3: Giveaways & Literature

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

Before I jump right into the giveaway, I want to talk about what I'm giving away. Something we haven't talked about officially all week are series! If you have had time this week to check out my archive, then you'll see LOTS of series. I'm a pretty big fan of book series. To me they are like a television show with seasons, multiple episodes featuring the same core characters that I love to hate and just flat out love and my heart breaks when it's over, either for the season or series ending. Some of my favorite series are: Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater, Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs, Revenants by Amy Plum, & Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent. I've been fortunate enough to meet some of these women (it's not intentional that they're all ladies, I promise) and I've even hosted a week celebrating one of these series.

Now here's where the fun part comes in. While I don't have a first copy of all of these to give away, I've got something just as good. There will be two giveaways. The first one is for US residents only and will allow you to win your choice of one of the following books:

• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
• My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
• Angus, Thongs, and Full-frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
• Die for Me by Amy Plum
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

The second giveaway is open internationally! I'm giving you the chance to pick your own book(s)! I will pay up to $15 (US) for you to choose your own book(s). You tell me your selection and I will pay for it on your behalf.

Contest rules: You must be over 13 years old to enter; if you submit an entry into the US only giveaway, you must have a US address for me to ship to; if you submit an entry in the international giveaway you must tell me your book selection(s) within 72 hours of receiving my winning notification email; both giveaways close at 12:00 AM (CST) on June 1.

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you're still with me, we'll now progress to the more "high brow" portion of today's segment. :) General literary fiction is a term I associate with assigned readings in high school and college. That being said, there are still a few great ones that really had a profound impact on my life or helped me to see another point of view:

• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood was the first book I read about women's roles in society that actually frightened me; and it's fiction! There were so many parallels between this book and our world that caused me to take pause and reevaluate how I was thinking and behaving in regards to what's going on this world. I also think this book started me on my post-apocalyptic/futuristic world kick. It also encouraged me to educate myself about real women's roles & lead me to reading more women's memoirs (like Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali & Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi).
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett doesn't always get the credit it deserves. While the content wasn't earth-shattering, the execution was incredible. Told from three very distinct points of view, we follow the events of a few months in the lives of a non-traditional Southern belle writing a book about "The Help", her maid, and another maid. This book shone a fairly accurate light on the reality of life in the South during this time period. It had such a profound impact on me because of the conversations it opened up with other people about that time period. 
• L'assommoir by Émile Zola was one of the first books I read completely in French. In my literature class during my semester abroad we read selections from several time periods and only a few select books. This one was one of the books we read. It was a whole new way for me to learn a language. By reading it on my own, digesting what I thought was the meaning, and then dissecting it in class I gained a new respect for writers, their craft, and second language apprehension. If you've never tried it, give it a shot some time!

There you have it folks. Three of my most influential, and most non-required by school, reading assignments. What books did you choose?

Waiting on Wednesday: With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7) by Rachel Vincent

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.


Apparently this is the year for finales. First, The Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano and now one of my long-time loves, Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent. This one has been quite a long series (starting back in 2009) and coming to a conclusion in 2013 with the 7th book's publication on March 19, With All My Soul. I was fortunate enough to get to host a Soul Screamers celebration week including an interview back in early 2010. Enjoy the summary of this final installment, but only if you've read the preceding novels. Naturally, there are spoilers below.

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America?

It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (after all, she did die), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to the find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity and the rest on each other. And so she–and her gang–make plans to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath. And Kaylee realizes that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. Especially when one more person she loves is taken...

From Goodreads

What a whirlwind of a series! I honestly have no idea how this is going to end. While I don't love every book in the series, I do love the characters. They are all unique & dynamic & entertaining in ways that I have always found incredibly comforting. I am truly grateful to Rachel Vincent for writing such vibrant and astounding characters in her books.

What are you waiting on this week?

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent review

Naturally as this book is the 6th in a series, major spoilers abound. Enjoy at your own risk!

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

From Goodreads

Kaylee is having a difficult time adjusting to her afterlife. As if being a bean sidhe teenager with a hellion out for her soul wasn't awkward enough, after slaying her incubus math teacher (and dying the process) Kaylee has been restored. No she hasn't been brought back to life, she is a restored soul who will spend the rest of her perfectly preserved at 16 and immortal afterlife chasing down bad guys.

Her personal life (beyond the obvious transition) is anything but cleared up. Would you think death would allow most people to forgive & forget, but setting up your ex-boyfriend for your murder while simultaneously hooking up with his reaper brother can put quite a crimp in anyone's social life.

With a serial soul thief on the loose, drama in all of her relationships, and a few new friends, Kaylee is out to finish off what started just short of one year ago. But how many people is she willing to lose in the name of taking down a hellion?

I must admit. I've read all the book in this series. There was a bit around book four I think where I kind of lost interest and that may have been due to the relationship building/not much action dynamic, but Rachel has me back on board in this sixth installment. The next to last book in a delicious series, Before I Wake doesn't stop to even let you catch your breath. We're dropped right back into the story from the ending of If I Die and move full steam ahead into Kaylee's new life. 

Friendships are strained, her triangle with the scrumptious Nash (the ex) & his brother Tod (the reaper) is escalating, and her family is becoming increasing determined to bar her from self-destructing. Death does not really suit Kaylee and while her adjustment can be considered normal, we really get a look at what holds her relationship together. There is a lot of soul-searching taking place & some deep, emotional fragility being displayed throughout the entire book by all the players. This peak behind the curtain puts a lot of past incidents into perspective in a way that begins the process of closure.

One last thought...I want to warn fans. I found myself completely unprepared for some of the heartbreak that takes place in this book. Have tissues on standby if you tend to get attached to characters. Rachel is pulling no punches when it comes to what happens. One might even compare her to Joss Whedon in some ways... I had to send Rachel a tweet about one particular scene and that was when it dawned on me..."Sometimes I forget that as hard as it can be to read it, that it must have been infinitely harder to write it."

So I just want to take a minute to say thank you to all the writers who do what they have to, no matter the pain or the cost, to stay true to the story.

I am truly looking forward to the final installment of the Soul Screamers series in March 2013. As sad as I will be to see the series end, I have a feeling that she has something else coming up in the near future.

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadow Bound (Unbound #2) by Rachel Vincent

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

As many of you know, I am enamored with Rachel Vincent's work. No matter if it's adult or teen, I can't seem to get enough. Shadow Bound is the second book in the Unbound trilogy (her new adult series) and is set for a May 22 release. While she has already finished the final novel for the series & is beginning work on the final Soul Screamers novel, I will be devouring her most recently published item. While the summary below doesn't really have any spoilers, I'm sure the book will, so read at your own risk!

If you live in the dark long enough, you begin to forget the light…

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….

From Goodreads 

I was a big fan of Kori in the first book & I'm glad to see that we're shifting main characters for this second novel. I'm not exactly sure what to expect from this Ian character, but I'm fairly certain Rachel won't disappoint us. If you haven't read her other series (Soul Screamers, teen, starting with My Soul to Take or Shifters, adult, starting with Stray) I suggest you play some catch up!


What are you waiting on this week?

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent review

By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over…
From Goodreads

Liv Warren likes living by her own rules. Unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't like to play by her rules. That's how this blood tracker ended up using her powers for monetary gain. In a world where those with "special abilities" (like walking into shadows, name tracking & even blood tracking) aren't formally recognized by any government, but used by all, Liv finds herself in a pretty tight spot.

An accidental binding from childhood is coming calling in the form of one of her best friends trying to protect her daughter from the child's father's assassin. Sound complicated? It gets worse. This friend also happens to pull in the only other person on the planet that Liv can't stand to be around. Her former lover Cam Caballero is still just as smoldering as he was when Liv left him six years prior, to save both their lives. No time like the present to jump headlong into the fray with danger lurking around every corner from the local criminal families. Is there enough time to save the girl or will Liv just ending failing to keep every promise she's ever made?

Rachel Vincent is seriously my freaking hero! This woman is so diverse I can barely contain my excitement. Between the bean sidhe lore of the Soul Screamers series & the werecat drama of the Shifters series, I honestly wasn't sure how well she'd be able to pull off a whole new series. Let me assure you, Rachel is a remarkable craftswoman never to be doubted.

Blood Bound takes the meanings of "signed in blood" & "my word is my bond" to a whole new level & explores the murky waters of contractual bindings. It truly was fascinating reading about all the different types of bindings, means of tracking a person & situations that arise from such predicaments. Things can really start to get tricky when you're contractually obligated to more than one person & they're on opposing sides of a war in which you're an unwilling recruit.

Liz is a headstrong, complex character (Rachel seems to prefer these and I've got no complaints!) who is trying to do what she thinks is best in a bad situation. After running away from longtime boyfriend Cam (in order to save their lives) she finds herself the unwilling recipient of his assistance in her newest endeavor. Tension & sparks fly because while nothing about these two together has changed, more than enough has changed about them.

A promising start to a new series, Blood Bound is sure to delight. Keep a weather eye on the horizon for book 2 Shadow Bound, due May 22.

If I Die by Rachel Vincent review

While Kaylee Cavanaugh has been fighting hellions & saving people's lives for the last six months, she never knew that she was running on seriously borrowed time. Just when things are starting to settle back into a normal rhythm she's dealt two blows: her dreamy new math teacher is actually a lust-sucking incubus hell-bent on having a son & Kaylee's soul extension is up, her death date is in less than a week.

With the clock ticking, loudly, Kaylee starts to focus on what few things she wants to do before she dies. At the top of that list is spending some quality alone time with hunky boyfriend (and fellow bean sidhe) Nash. Unfortunately his ex & almost everyone else in their lives seem to be conspiring to keep them from taking their relationship to the next level. Tod, Nash's grim reaper big brother, is the number one offender because he can blink in at any time he chooses. But as the clock ticks down, Kaylee gets more deeply embroiled in the nasty mess that her incubus teacher is leaving behind. While on a mission to out the incubus, Kaylee makes a decision that changes everyone's life, permanently.

Rachel Vincent has done a fabulous job with the Soul Screamers series... up until this book. Now before anyone gets upset with me, I'll give you the quick & dirty sum up: yes I still enjoyed this installment in the series, yes the characters are still as endearing & unique as they have been, I just feel like the content of this book strayed from where it's been headed all along. Now for the details:

The flow & content of If I Die felt very different from what I have come to expect from her work. The 5 books take place over just 6 months which is not an issue in and of itself, but the fact that Kaylee is trying to lose her virginity to her boyfriend of just 6 months (despite that just a few months earlier he was addicted to a deadly Netherworld drug & hasn't fully recovered yet) & the new bad guy in the story is a lust-sucking demon who is sleeping with (and potentially killing) young women in the hopes of having a son was just too much for what has actually been a very tame storyline thus far. I'm not opposed to sexual situations in YA, I just feel that these situations felt forced. They didn't seem to really mesh well with everything else that we've seen in the series. The baddies are bad, but they've never crossed the inappropriate line, until now.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can move on to what was AWESOME about this book. Kaylee is as self-sacrificing as ever & really does make me feel like there are still really good character role models. Granted she seems to bring about as much trouble as she tries to negate, but I think that's part of the territory. Despite the tone of the storyline, I was surprised to see less of Nash & Kaylee's dad than I would have expected, but let me assure, there is a very good reason that we don't see much of them. While Kaylee is out to stop the incubus, another character is plotting a different ending to the love story. I can't tell you any more than that without ruining a very well-planned surprise, but let me assure you that you won't be disappointed. :)

Overall, the writing still oozed the sarcasm & wit that I adore from these characters. There's nothing like teenage angst mixed with otherworldly tempers to make things interesting. So go ahead & read this enticing installment in the fabulously popular Soul Screamers series. And be sure to let me know what you think about the book in the comments. Think I'm being overly sensitive or do you think it is just the natural progression for the storyline or something else entirely? Sound off below!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

Armchair BEA: Blogging Community Relationships

Today for Armchair BEA we are focusing on relationships in the blogging community. I have several stories to share about relationships because in the last almost 2 years I have had several wonderful experiences that I'd love to share!

Unofficially, I have always loved getting items signed by their "makers": cds & t-shirts by band members & books by authors mainly. Well when I realized what a GOLDMINE I have in Quail Ridge Books (our local Indie bookstore) I definitely got to ramp up my number of signed items. While I am not on a first name basis with the staff there, they have started to recognize me for the sheer number of events I have attended there recently. They get to bring in some of the BIG names in not just adult book, but teens & kids books too. I have met Adrianna Trigianni, Beth Revis, & Ally Condie just to name a few. It's such a great resource!

I have to say though, the best relationships I have discovered so far are the ones with authors. These wonderful people have so much talent & they are so patient with the fans that I can't help but admire them.

• Terra Elan McVoy (author of Pure & the newly released The Summer of Firsts & Lasts) is actually the author you have to thank for my blog. I met her in July of 2009 at a signing in a local library. I had read her book & was in love. I asked her honest opinion about blogging & what she thought about me & she strongly encouraged me to at least try it out. Without her nudge (as her book was one of the first I publicly reviewed) you might not be reading this at all. :)
• Rachel Vincent is a phenomenal author with a huge heart. She gives her loyal fans lots of sneak previews & even asks their opinions on things that end up influencing her writing! She has always been extremely courteous & helpful when working together on extensive projects (I hosted a Soul Screamers week celebrating her series & she really took an interest). Rachel is also an amazing cross-genre author who can write differently for her fans.
• Finally, Maggie Stiefvater is also one of my favorite newly-developed blogging relationship. I drove 3.5 hours to see her in Virginia & despite the smaller crowd turn out (this was a signing for Shiver, before it got big) she stayed the whole time, answered every single question we had, told hilarious stories & really made us feel like we were rockstars. She is extremely helpful & patient at signings & in communications. All around she's just fun. Not to mention she also believes in keeping her fans in the loop & enjoys creating exciting things for us to explore (her art, her music, etc).

The other relationships that I have really come to love are the ones with fellow bloggers. I have had email conversations, met in person & really come to enjoy all the different types of bloggers that exist. There are moms & students, full-time workers & high schoolers & we all bring something different to the plate. Just to name a few, my best memories of blogging lie with these people (in no particular order):
Zombiegirrrl from Crackin' Spines & Takin' Names (A pleasure to meet another local blogger)
Cindy from Princess Bookie (she's so cool, she also runs Around the World Tours)
Misty from Book Rat (I love her style!)
Katie from Sophistikatied (This girl is so quirky, I love her panache!)
Taryn from Super Librarian (We library people have to stick together!:) )

So what are some of your favorite memories or relationships created through blogging or even just related to books? Share some stories with me!

Casting of The Vespertine

Welcome back to The Vespertine Week at Tattooed Books! Today I'm featuring something new that I've never tried before. When I did a Soul Screamers week I created my very first music playlist for a book. This time I decided I would try my hand at casting the main characters. I only chose four as this is my first time & I didn't want to overdo it. After presenting my case & giving you two options, feel free to use the poll to choose who you think would fit the part best!

Zora Stewart is described as having a heart-shaped face, with bisque skin, small freckling & colorful cheeks. My choice actresses are:

Kate Mara or Kaili Thorne

Amelia van den Broek,as the narrator, is never really described in detail, but I pieced together her likeness by comparisons. I'd say she had a petite frame with a rounder face & darker hair & mesmerizing eyes. Naturally I chose:

Alexis Dziena or Ashley Rickards

Thomas Rea is described as rather tall, with a lean frame. The best I could determine for his hair was that it glinted in the sunlight (telling me sandy brown) and that it was a bit shaggy. I played it safe with these two:

Liam Hemsworth or Gregory Smith

Finally, Nathaniel Witherspoon (sigh...) is the rogue of the group. He is described as an artist, with a sculpted jaw, thing lips & a relatively flat nose.My favorite guys for the part are:

Patrick Fugit or Gaspard Ulliel

So now you get to way in on your thoughts! You can vote below, or if you don't like the options, leave a comment with your thoughts! Thanks for stopping by & be sure to enter the giveaways that END TODAY at 5! THE GIVEAWAYS ARE CLOSED. Check back on Monday for the winners of the giveaways!

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Lisabeth Lewis is absolutely positive she is hallucinating & that there is no way that Death seriously just showed up & gave her the job of Famine. Too bad this isn't a nightmare, it's her real life. The seemingly normal seventeen-year-old wouldn't find this job nearly so weird if it didn't contradict everything she believed about hunger. As an anorexic, Lisabeth believes that her ability to control her food intake is what gives her power.

As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Famine is learning to deal with her powers while trying to stay out of the way of the ever-itching-for-a-fight War. Where ever Lisabeth goes, she brings pain & misery. Suffering has become who she is. Or was it part of her all along? Needless to say, Lisabeth is struggling to control her personal demons & understand her role as Famine. Can she balance her life & her job? Or will she lose it all to hunger?

This was a phenomenal book! I cannot even begin to speak highly enough of it. Jackie Morse Kessler has brought a form of Christian mythology to the forefront of the YA genre. Lisabeth is one of the more compelling & discerning characters that I have read of late. How appropriate is it that a girl who chooses to starve herself must dole out the pain & suffering of famine to those who would never wish it upon anyone? It's very cathartic & emotionally draining.

What I really enjoyed about this book are the interactions between the characters. Death is one funny guy! Such a smart ass, he reminds me a lot of Tod from the Soul Screamers series. Watching Lisabeth struggle with her anorexia, trying to hide her condition from her friends & family, & then see her take such control of her powers is very stirring. I think Kessler handled this subject with the same care as the likes of Ellen Hopkins.

I must say, I can't imagine having missed out on this book & I truly hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. Let me know what you think & be sure to keep an eye out for the April 18th release of Rage, the second book in the series.

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read the first two Soul Screamers books (My Soul to Take & My Soul to Save) please read no further!

Kaylee Cavanaugh just can't seem to catch a break. It has been a whirlwind last few months learning about being a bean sidhe & all that entails on top of the other-wordly happenings that seem to plague her life. Just when she was starting to catch up & feel a bit more in control of her life, more craziness begins.

The Scooby Doo-esque couple making a startling discovery at a friend's party. Kids in their school are in to heavier stuff than the normal "recreational drugs." These kids are in to demon's breath. Kaylee gets a whiff of it off a friend after he rammed her car & it immediately sends her into a tailspin. The highly-addictive & extremely deadly substance is almost impossible to obtain (since demons can't come into the human world & this substance is literally the exhalation from a demon) & it's dropping kids like flies.

Unfortunately Nash doesn't feel like rising to the occasion. He doesn't think that just because one kid got his hands on a very dangerous substance that the "bean sidhe signal" has been waved. All of his rationale is based around keeping Kaylee & himself safe, but there is only so much that can be done. And when these two finally get on the same page, the world will literally never be the same.

Rachel Vincent has done it yet again. She has woven an intriguing & entertaining story with some very dynamic characters. Kaylee continues her struggle with her identity & makes great strides to put forth her best effort. I really feel like we get to see her stepping out of the sheltered protection & really taking some risks. Albeit, some of those risks are stupid & dangerous, but she does them because she knows they are the right thing to do. All I will say about Nash is that he is an intriguing plot device that worked magnificently. I totally didn't see that coming!

The Soul Screamers series is one that I find myself enjoying more & more as I read them. They are one of the few series that I can enjoy reading multiple times because I seem to pick up on different details every time I read them. Each book seems to have it's own tempo & meter, while still maintaining the overall plot & balance. I really look forward to the next installments!

Book Blogger Hop (10) & Follow My Book Blog (7)

Hello again from the Book Blogger Hop & Follow My Book Blog hop! This is a weekly get-together so that we can showcase our blogs and discover new ones!

NEW part of the Book Blogger Hop ~ Crazy Question:

Who is your favorite new-to-you author so far this year?

Words cannot describe how much I LOVE that my friend introduced me to Rachel Vincent! I fell in love with both of her series: Soul Screamers for teens and Shifters for adults. I was enamored so much that I hosted Soul Screamers week earlier this year & I'm hoping to do something special for the release of the final Shifters book in September. You should really check out her work if you haven't already!

I review mostly YA books with a definite slant towards paranormal/fantasy & realistic fiction. Historical fiction & prose work occasionally pique my interest as well. This week I reviewed Virgin Territory, This is What I Want to Tell You & posted Dear America in my Nostalgic Friday feature. Be sure to look around, follow if you like, check out my reading challenge or grab my button! Comments are a pleasure too, so fire away!!

The time has come to close the giveaways. Thank you so much to everyone who entered! I did make 275 followers, so there will be FOUR winners for the blogiversary contest. I will announce both the blogiversary contest & Linger contest winners by Monday! Thanks again to everyone who made this possible!

Bringing in the Loot

This is part of the In My Mailbox series hosted by The Story Siren. This meme allows book bloggers around the web to showcase what awesomeness we bought, swapped, borrowed, or got this week. Check out my loot below!

I only got 2 this week and they're ones I have been waiting on.

Bought:Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers #3) by Rachel Vincent

I think I've got a few coming from ARC tours this week, but in the mean time I'll keep enjoying the ones I've currently got. What loot did you score?

Soul Screamers Love Continues!

So I obviously like the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, seeing as I dedicated a whole week to celebrating it. Well, the time has come to share some more Soul Screamers love!

Rachel is hosting a simple contest on her blog where the winner will receive a signed copy of My Soul to Keep and a large t-shirt!! Go here to enter.

She has also graciously provided her fans with a wallpaper featuring the covers of all 3 novels and the prequel novella, which can be found online here. And while the release is a little less than 2 weeks away, there is still time to grab the widget which can be found here on the sidebar.

I think that about does it for info on the next awesome book! If you haven't read the first ones, I suggest checking out my reviews (My Soul to Take and My Soul to Save) or picking up a copy! Hope you enjoy them!

Congratulations, we have winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the Soul Screamers' Week giveaway! After adding up all the entries and using Random.org to chose the winner, the result is:

Stephanie P.

I have already e-mailed you and I need to hear back ASAP so that I can contact the fabricator. Again, thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and came to visit during Soul Screamers' Week. I also want to thank Rachel Vincent, because without her books and cooperation nothing would have been possible. It was a great success and I hope to repeat it in the future. Any suggestions or requests? I look forward to planning the next celebratory week.

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

Welcome to the last day of Soul Screamers' Week! Just a reminder that today is the last day to enter the giveaway!

This is the sequel to My Soul to Take so obviously there maybe some spoilerish stuff below. Just an FYI.

Who knew being a bean sidhe could be so dangerous? After narrowly escaping a rogue grim reaper, Kaylee was hoping her world would return to normal or as normal as her life can get. Unfortunately that is not in the cards. Even though her newly-returned dad has her on a pretty short leash, Kaylee manages to go to a concert with hunky boyfriend Nash and his grim reaper brother Tod. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan as teen sensation Eden takes the stage and collapses. Kaylee freezes and knows what's coming: her soul song. Clenching against it she realizes that there's no pull to wail. That's when she knows something about this is all wrong.

Every time someone near Kaylee is about to die, she gets an uncontrollable urge to wail for their soul. Well, it's only uncontrollable if Nash isn't around. As a male bean sidhe he can help her control her wail so that the humans don't try to lock her up for being crazy. Only this time neither of them had to do anything and that's because Eden didn't have a soul. She had Demon's Breath as a substitute. The only way to have that is if you have sold your soul to a demon and they had to give you something to keep your living until your regularly scheduled expiration date. Unfortunately, Libby (the special reaper who deals with Demon's Breath) informs the trio that she will be back in a few days, for Tod's former girl friend Addison Page

In a race against the clock, Tod, Nash, and Kaylee must dodge observant and restrictive parents, the grim reaper hierarchy, and Dekker Media who doesn't want them interfering with their deals or their stars.

My Soul to Save furthers the trials and tribulations of being a teen bean sidhe. Kaylee, Nash, & Tod grow as characters gaining depth that was only beginning to form at the close of the first book. While Kaylee becomes more comfortable in her new found species, even taking lessons from Nash's mom and expanding her powers, Nash doesn't change a while lot. He becomes more authentic to his wholesome, helpful self. Tod on the other hand, allows the reader to delve deeper into his past and his present when he exposes his feelings for a former flame and the secretive regulations surrounding reaper business.

While I was not nearly as big a fan of this book as the first one, I think it serves its purpose by allowing us a closer look at the characters themselves. The storyline (a multi-billion dollar media mogul is controlling teen boppers in evil ways) was a little far reaching for my tastes, but along the same lines as Airhead. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here and what trouble the kids get into in the next round.

If you would like a chance to win this book, Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie is giving one away , The Book Muncher is giving 3 away , and Tales of a Ravenous Reader is giving one away as well! Also you have the chance to win both books over at The Story Siren's site.

Soul Screamers Playlist

Welcome back to Soul Screamers Week here at Tattooed Books! Don't forget about the giveaway! Enjoy this nifty little treat.


While scouring the net for ideas for Teen Tech Week I came across a GREAT website: playlist.com. It is completely free and so much fun. You simply sign up for an account and then you can select songs to add to playlists that you get to create! They have a great selection of songs and it's super-easy to use. Check out the playlist I made for My Soul To Take below. I think it's pretty good.

For a first-timer, I think I did pretty well. I hope you enjoyed my little foray into the music department. Stay tuned for more great stuff coming at you every day this week!

Waiting on Wednesday: My Soul to Keep

Welcome to Day 3 of Soul Screamers' Week! If you haven't entered already, go enter the giveaway! Enjoy!

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Today's book is My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent and is set to be released in June of 2010. There isn't much out about this book yet except:

1. It will continue the incredible story of Kaylee Cavanaugh, teen bean sidhe, as she makes her way through the perils of teenhood & comes to terms with her special talent.
2. The Netherworld isn't done with her yet and will make an appearance in her school!
3. The cover will be purple. (Sweet, that's my favorite color!!)

In light of all this news and the fact that there is no cover out yet, I decided to try my hand at making a cover. Please be kind.

So there you have it. What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

I got a Button!

Please pardon the quick interruption of Soul Screamers' Week for this exciting display!

I just thought that I would share my button with y'all! My wonderful husband decided to make this for me since I was having such a tough time finalizing my own design. The link to grab my button is on the right, above other blogger buttons. Feel free to share and distribute!

Also, let me know what you think in the comments!

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Welcome to Day 2 of Soul Screamers' Week! Don't forget about the giveaway! Enjoy!

Kaylee Cavanaugh just wants to be a normal teen. Like it isn't bad enough that she got dumped with her Aunt Val, Uncle Brendan & spoiled cousin Sophie when her mom died and her dad ran away to Ireland, but she's crazy too? She doesn't believe it, but those close to her have no other choice.

After having a "panic attack" in a mall by screaming her head off, and being unable to control herself, Kaylee wound up locked in the mental ward at the local hospital and taking heavy medications. She's been out for a while now and hasn't had an incidents, so she's starting to think that life is returning to normal. Until she goes to a local club with her best friend Emma. While there, and hanging out with uber-hunky athlete Nash Hudson, she sees a girl shrouded in shadows and gets the familiar urge to scream. Fighting it away, with the help of both Emma and Nash, Kayless manages to recover her composure. That is until the next day when she finds out that the shadowed girl wound up dead in the bathroom of the night club.

Now totally freaking out, Kaylee continues her quest for normalcy. Sadly, that is not to be what she finds. When Emma is unreachable due to being grounded, there is only one person left to turn to. Nash isn't running for the hills and soon tells Kaylee why that's the case. He is just like her; she's not crazy, she's a bean sidhe. As he unfolds the truth of her heritage, they become more than just friends because he has a natural gift to help her control her wail, which is actually music to his ears. And help her he does and more teenage girls continue to die around them. Only something is off about their deaths. Healthy, teenage girls don't just collapse into death from no cause. Something is causing this and it will take everything Nash and Kaylee can muster to put a stop to it before someone closer to home becomes the next victim.

If you are tired of the furry, pointed-teeth paranormal that is currently very popular, than look no further. This new angle into the paranormal field is entrenched in a rich history that gives a whole new meaning to "difficult teenage years." Kaylee Cavanaugh is a pretty solid female lead who I'm sure many younger girls can relate to; she is not the star of the show, but she's comfortably in the middle ground. Her insecurity is one of her most pulling attributes. That's not to say that she is scared out of her mind and unsure of anything, but she exhibits normal teen fears of acceptance and self-worth along with confusion of what she really is. Bean sidhes or banshees are an interesting choice for a teen series as usually these women are portrayed as old hags or gorgeous young women. The thought that they had to have a youth, and to set that youth in the modern age, shows a great insight.

The storyline was well thought out given that there was a "rational" explanation for her "panic attacks" and that her family tried to protect her by hiding the truth. This was especially true of her absentee father, which given what is revealed about why he is absent, made quite a bit of sense. The timeline of events felt a little rushed as I don't think anyone, even a resilient person, could handle as much as Kaylee did in a short amount of time, but that tends to be a genre norm. I also enjoyed the way the characters interacted with one another, there was a lot of emotion conveyed with very few words and I could really feel what was happening to the characters. I don't always get that kind of reaction.

Honestly, this is now one of my personal favorites for this genre. It has just enough of all the right stuff (action, intrigue, mystery, romance) to really keep me on my toes and keep me guessing as to what's going to happen next. Pick it up if you get a chance and don't forget to check out the next installment that will be featured later this week, My Soul to Save.

You have the chance to win both books over at The Story Siren's site.

Interview with Soul Screamers author Rachel Vincent!

Welcome to Soul Screamers' Week! As a celebration of all that Rachel Vincent has accomplished with her teen series, I will be holding a week-long celebration of Soul Screamers. During this week there will be my reviews of the books, Soul Screamers related posts, an interview with Rachel and (what would a celebratory week be without...) a giveaway! Enjoy!

Let's give a warm welcome to Rachel Vincent who is here to kick off the Soul Screamers' Week with her interview.

1. What made you choose paranormal as your main genre?

Actually, I chose urban fantasy. At least, that's what I thought I was choosing. But I'm typically shelved in Paranormal Romance, which means my readers are a cross-section of romance and fantasy readers, which is awesome! As for how I chose urban fantasy, I just write the kinds of books I like to read. ;)

2. How much research did you actually have to log on bean sidhes for the Soul Screamers series?

Um... I read what I could find, but there wasn't exactly a ton out there. Which is why I chose bean sidhes. There was plenty of room for me to make stuff up, without disturbing the existing lore too badly. So my bean sidhes are a good mix of existing lore and my own imagination.

3. Your books are coming out in quick succession, did you write them all at one and then divide the stories up or have you been writing the whole time?

I've been writing the whole time, but not just on the Soul Screamers series. I also write an adult series (Shifters) for MIRA Books. I had the first three Soul Screamers books written before the first one came out.

4. What is your favorite aspect of your series? (Certain characters, the mythology, the romance, etc)

My favorite aspect of the Soul Screamers series is the world building. After writing the Shifters series for so long, in which I'm limited to three different breeds of shape shifters, I felt like my hands were really untied with Kaylee and her world. There's nothing I can't do there, and I've really let my imagination go, and that means that there's an infinite number of plots and characters I could write.

5. Any hints about your third installment My Soul to Keep that’s due out this June?

Yes! MSTKeep is all about the consequences, and in the Soul Screamers world, consequences are real, and they're permanent. These books each stand alone, but the events in MSTKeep are--in large part--aftermath of what happened in MSTSave (though you don't have to have read it first), and Kaylee's relationships in this one are changed forever. Its a very emotional story, and devastating in many ways. A couple of the scenes actually made me uncomfortable to write.

6. Anything else you want to tell your readers and fans?

Kaylee's a strong character, and her strength is mostly on the inside. She's loyal, and brave, and caring to a fault. But she's not afraid to do what needs to be done. I love this series and these characters, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's decided to give them a try!

Thank you so much Rachel for that little peak into your world(s)! That's some exciting news on the MSTKeep front. Check out her website for more information on both her series and for a list of appearances.