Giveaway: Signed copy of Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

Thanks to the wonderful people at Albert Whitman & Company, I have a copy of Being Henry David by Cal Armistead to giveaway! Thanks to the awesomeness that is the ALA Annual Conference, this one is even signed by the author.

Summary: Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything--who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Waldenby Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David--or "Hank"--and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts.

Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past. The only way Hank can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past, to stop running, and to find his way home.

From Albert Whitman

Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! And be sure to also check out Young Adult Books, The Book Muncher, (I love her blog!) & Fire and Ice for more chances to score of signed copy of this awesome book!

Rules: You must be 13 years or older & must reside in the United States or Canada in order to be eligible for this giveaway. Tattooed Books is not responsible for any damaged or lost prize as the publisher is sending out the prize. Giveaway ends Sunday 8/11/13.
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Teen Author Boot Camp Blog Tour & Giveaway!

I am very happy to announce an awesome writing-based workshop opportunity. While it's entitled the Teen Author Boot Camp, it's really geared towards anyone who wants to improve their writing skills. It's an online writing conference hosted by Utah-based group Writers Cubed. This incredible group is hosting this even on Saturday, March 16th from 9 AM- 5 PM. The best part? The keynote is FREE to watch live and is presented by none other than Shannon Hale!

But who really wants to stop at the keynote when there are other presentations by Kiersten White & Aprilynne Pike? It only costs $5 to watch ALL of the content for that day. Now here's where it gets even better. I have been given permission to give away ONE livestream pass for that day. Check out Lois D. Brown's explanatory post below and enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win an all day livestream pass!

There is a famous line from a movie that says, “I was always a band geek. I just never joined the band.” I could relate. When I was in high school I was a president of the dance team, a singer in the choir, a hang-out-with-my-boyfriend-until-mom-and-dad-forced-me-home kind of person. But in my heart, I was a writer. This is why I tell people all the time, “I was always a writer. I just always hated English.”

Because I was a closet writer, I didn’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of, no one to tell me when I stank, no one to teach me how to craft a really great story. My teachers were the millions of books I read (not in a closet—but hidden away when my friends were around). And I WISHED I could have had someone to talk to about my hidden obsession.

If this sounds like you…. Then I’m happy to say there is a solution.

The Teen Author Boot Camp, founded by the Utah-based group Writers Cubed and sponsored by Utah Valley University is one of only a few writing conferences nationwide geared solely for teenagers who have a love for the written word. For the first time ever, Writers Cubed is offering the conference to anyone who wants to attend through Live Stream.

Interested? Here are the deets!

When: Saturday, March 16, 2013
From: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MST)
Where: Worldwide via the internet
Who: Teens, teachers, librarians, book lovers
Cost: $4.99 for the Live Broadcast; $9.99 for the All Pass

The keynote address by Newbery Winning Author Shannon Hale will be free for anyone to watch. It will be on March, 16th, 2013 at 9 a.m. MST. A subscription to the Live Broadcast costs $4.99 and includes

9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.—Writers Cubed: Welcome

9:15 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.—Keynote by Newbery Award winner Shannon Hale (Princess Academy)

10 a.m to 10:45 a.m.—Tyler Whitesides (Janitors) Class: Imagine and Create.

10:55 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.—Janette Rallison (My Fair Godmother) Class: Bad dialogue can kill a story.

12:50 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.—NYT bestseller Kiersten White (Paranormalcy) Class: Plot Like a Villain.

1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.—J. Scott Savage (Farworld) Class: Finding Your Voice.

2:50 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.—Journey to Publication Panel:
Tess Hilmo, J. Scott Savage, Cindy Bennett

3:35 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.—NYT bestseller Aprilynne Pike (Wings) Class: World-building is the invisible
foundation to your book.

4:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.—Writers Cubed: Winner of the First Chapter Contest and closing remarks.

If you just can’t get enough of TABC, there is also an All Pass Subscription to the rest of the conference (including more than fifteen awesome presentations, including mine--haha). That only costs $9.99 and, as if it wasn’t a sweet enough deal already, you can watch the whole conference whenever you want for an entire year.

To register to watch Shannon Hale’s Keynote for free, visit www.teenauthorbootcamp.com and click on Livestream. It only takes a minute. While you’re there, check out the other presenters who will be teaching at the conference under the tab “Drill Sergeants.”

Margie Jordan is a co-founder of Writers Cubed, a group of Utah writing activists who created the Teen Author Boot Camp in 2010. In her spare time, like when she isn’t writing, she is a Literacy specialist for her local school district. Please visit her website at www.writerscubed.com.

There you have it! A great opportunity for those looking to develop their craft & listen to some inspiring authors in the process! Since the conference is Saturday, March 16, this giveaway will end Monday, March 11 to give the winner time to claim their access code to the free subscription to the TABC Live Broadcast. (Value $4.99) If the winner decides he or she would like to upgrade to the All-Pass subscription, then they will receive a $5 off coupon to the cost of an all-pass (normally $10). You must be over 13 years old, but you can live anywhere in the world! That's right, this one is INTERNATIONAL! Bear in mind that the presentation will take place in English in the U.S. Mountain Standard Timezone.

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Armchair BEA Day 2: Best of 2012 & a giveaway!

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

So, what exactly does being a[n Armchair BEA] participant entail? First and foremost, you'll be able to celebrate and participate in an event that happens each year in New York City, Book Expo America, from the comfort of your very own home, hopefully a snugly armchair! Secondly, and we hope equally as important, you'll be able to meet new book bloggers and join together in a celebration of the wonderful community that comes out of book blogging. Last year we had over 600 participants, so you're bound to meet some new great bookish friends! Lastly, it means participating, however you're able to. This can be by posting, tweeting, discussing, or even by simply reading and commenting on participating blogs. Your level of participation is entirely up to you, but we hope you'll find something to get you involved in this fabulous event! 

Each of us has an entirely valid reason for not being able to make to BEA in NYC, including many of the organizers. Because of that the organizers and publicity team are working hard behind the scenes to give you an event that you won't soon forget!

-Posted from 2012 Participant Registration Now Open 

I haven't kept the closest eye on the books that are available at BEA mostly because I am always more interested in the authors. Collecting signed books is a hobby of mine, thus my attendance at author events & signings, but the books that I am most excited about are:

 Alpha & Omega: Vol. 1: Cry Wolf (graphic novel) by Patrica Briggs
 This is the graphic novel version of the book with some exquisite artwork!
 Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer- and son- of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
Years later . . . what really happened to Christopher Creed? When Torey Adams posts on his blog that a body has been found in Steepleton—four years after Christopher Creed disappeared—college reporter Mike Mavic sells his laptop and hops a plane to capture the story that will undoubtedly launch his journalistic career. But what Mike finds is a town suffering under a cloud of bad frequency and people with an underlying streak of meanness. To the teens of Steepleton, Chris is nothing more than history—but to Justin Creed, a teen obsessed with his older brother’s memory and balancing on the edge of sanity, discovering what really happened to Chris Creed is a matter of life and death.

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold
Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

TILT is the story of three teens inter-related through their parents' family relationships and friendships. As their parents pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the kids' worlds tilt, through love--good and bad:

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year, and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer, and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister's impending death. Can he accept Alex's love, knowing his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

(all blurbs from Goodreads)

While I'm rather saddened that I will most likely have to wait until these books come to my local library, one of you lucky folks can win a book! It won't be one of the ones mentioned above, but you will have your choice between one of four novels. To enter, you must be 13 years or older & live in the US. Fill in the Rafflecopter information & you're good to go! Good luck!



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Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash: How KatnissEverdeen would celebrate Halloween & GIVEAWAY!

I'm proud to say that I am fortunate enough to participate in Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash. She'll be hosting giveaways & guest posts throughout the month of October. Be sure to check out the schedule of spooktacular fun!

I chose to explore how our favorite Hunger Games tribute would celebrate Halloween in her world. I'll be describing how I think she would participate in the Halloween festivities before we meet her in The Hunger Games.

Katniss Everdeen, our 16 year old heroine, will think that she has outgrown the kiddie faux-holiday that is Halloween, but will be obligated to take her little sister Prim around the neighborhood to collect their meager gifts. Over the years, more and more houses have stopped leaving their lights on to let the kids know that there are treats available. Even more kids have stopped going out because their families simply can't afford the luxury of a costume. Luckily Katniss & Prim's mother is a miracle worker & pulls together a simple, yet cute owl costume for Prim to wear made from old clothing scraps.

As they get ready to head out, Prim decides that Katniss needs to dress up too. Sure to please the young one, Katniss grabs a few bags of herbs from her mom's storage area to tie around her belt. When she returns announcing she's read to go, Prim exclaims that Katniss still isn't dressed. Katniss is sure to inform her that she is dressed as an apothecary, complete with medicinal herbs.

Gale shows up then to escort them around the neighborhood. There's really not much to see in The Seam since all the families here are coal miners, but there are a few houses where people are generous enough to spare an apple or slice of bread. The real score is in town at the merchant families' houses. While no one really has an easy life in District 12 (one of the farthest districts from The Capitol) the merchants seem to be doing better than everyone else because they have an actual product to sell. The miners just get what they can based on the hours in their shifts.

Prim starts to get quote excited to see all the other kids running around giddy & hyper because it's one of the few times she gets to interact in such a jovial manner. Things are quite regimented in the districts with lots of runs that must be followed. Prim enjoys just getting to be a kid. While everyone thinks she is oblivious to what's really going on around her, she knows that Katniss is doing a lot more than she should have to in order to provide for the family. Prim just wishes she could be more like her big sister.

As they wander the streets, moving from house to house, they come upon the Mellark family bakery. Despite having beat her son when he gave away their bread to a starving family, Mrs. Mellark is handing out warm sweet rolls to all the children stopping by. They smell divine & Katniss can't help but think back to the night that Mrs. Mellark's son Peeta saved Katniss's family by giving her some bread. Even now she looks around for him & finds him hard at work inside the bakery making the next batch of sweet rolls. Each of them takes a roll & thanks Mrs. Mellark right before the announcement is made that the curfew has not been extended & all citizens should return to their homes.

Gale walks the girls back to their mother thinking about how this wasn't the "huge waste of time" that Katniss had predicted. Actually, he rather enjoyed the respite from the daily grind of hunting, foraging & trading at the Hob. It was nice to think about what it will be like when he & Katniss get to walk their own children around the district.

So how about it folks? Do you think I hit the nail on the head with that dream? I sure hope so. It was a lot of fun to imagine myself as Katniss & to think about her emotions in such a serious way. I don't do much fiction writing, but after this I may start to think about taking it up as a hobby. There are a few stories I have started over the years (from English & Creative Writing classes), but nothing that I've thought about it years.

Now on to the real reason you might have stopped by. :D There will be 4 winners in this contest.

Grand Prize:
A Hunger Games wordle t-shirt from ParamountPacific on etsy.com
It comes in sizes Small to XL

Three runners up win:
Hunger Games bookmarks from sotheysay on etsy.com

To enter, go to Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash page. There are several giveaways going on, so be sure to enter as many as you'd like!!

Blog Tour & Interview: The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook!

I am deeply honored to be a stop on the blog tour for The Book Blogger Cookbook! Christy Dorrity from Dearest Dreams got the craziest idea in her head to put together a cookbook with recipes & blurbs related to books!

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook has 25 different book reviewers from every corner of the blogosphere. It bridges the gap between author and reader—putting you in touch with book reviewers who can separate the 5 star books from the mediocre.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook showcases great reads and provides an interactive experience with links to author and book reviewer websites. The cookbook is created for those who like to experience what they read long after they’ve closed the book.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook tells why each recipe complements its companion book. Recipes and books combine to make the reading experience satisfying and entertaining.

Your's truly is one of the lucky 25 reviewers whose opinions are included in this wonderful book! I've even got Christy here for an interview:

1. How did you stumble upon book blogging? Did your blog start out as something else & become about books or has it always been book-centered?

When I found an online community full of people who read and write about what they read, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to combine my loves of reading and good food in one blog and from the very first book review, I began giving books a recipe. When food and reading fuse together, the reader can experience the world of the book in their real life.

2. What’s your favorite part about the book blogging community?

I am continually amazed at the generosity of book bloggers. They read books, and write reviews about them with no compensation other than a review copy of the book. Their willingness to share doesn't end with the book reviews. Book bloggers swap books with each other, hold giveaways and author interviews, attend book signings and cross promote each others' blogs. I've never seen such an amazing group of people who are willing to share and help each other out.

3. If you could have known only one thing that you know now, that you didn’t know when you started blogging, what would it be?

I think I've learned to pace myself. In order to maintain a blog, a writer needs to have consistent content, but it doesn't have to be a daily chore. I aim for at least a post per week and try not to feel guilty if other things in my life need more attention. One other thing I have learned is to record notes on a book as soon as I finish it, even if I don't write the actual review until later. You'd be surprised how fast you forget what you liked/disliked about a book.


4. You’ve recently published The Book Blogger’s Cookbook. What made you want to put that project together?

When I came up on my one year blogoversary I thought it would be fun to put together a simple PDF cookbook that included all of the recipes on my blog. The more I thought about it, the larger the project grew. I wanted to try my hand at self publishing and The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook was the right project to try it out on. Including books and book reviews in the cookbook was a natural progression. I am so happy with the way the cookbook turned out and the many wonderful friendships that I've forged in the book community.

5. Describe your book in three words.

Reads. Eats. Reviews

6. What’s your favorite recipe in the cookbook?

Now that's a hard one. Today I am in the mood for "Poor Dyer's Bread", the companion recipe to The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal. And with all of the fresh fruit available right now, I am inclined to make "Tadpole Soup" from Kersten Hamilton's Tyger, Tyger. Each recipe in the cookbook is one of my favorites.

A BIG thank you to Christy for stopping by to let us in on this fun, blogger-driven book! You can purchase the book on Amazon & don't forget to enter for a chance to win a Kindle!!

Grand Prize Giveaway: Kindle, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" (the kind without the ads)

Plus Five Copies of The 2011 Book Blogger’s Cookbook

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or any of the great blogs that are participating. Then, if you want more entries into the contest, Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the cookbook and leave a separate comment telling me what you did. You can say something like: Win a Kindle at the launch tour of The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook http://tinyurl.com/3vurm3a #bbcb Winners will be drawn using random.org on July 21st.

Winners & Blogiversary Recap

Congratulations to all the recent winners!

Linger winner: Asenath R. (the book is being sent from the publisher, so it may take a bit, but it will arrive!)

Blogiversary winners:
Ashley S. - Chose Clockwork Angel
Angelique D.- Chose Personal Demons
Fiona C.- Chose Before I Fall
Lana S.- Will be receiving a book from my stash

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who participated in the giveaways, comments, and discussions that I have had on my blog. Just to recap what we have accomplished here in the last year:

288 Posts (not too shabby for a first-time blogger)
7 Authors Interviewed (wow, was it really that many?)
5 Contests/Giveaways completed (including the two above; I think I should try to do more!)

Things I have learned:

• I read more at my old job, than I get to read at home now.
• I cannot force myself to read a book I don't like and I shouldn't try.
• Reading challenges aren't really my thing, unless the books I read are already in the category.
• I really enjoy writing my own story synopsis.
• I love the book community & my readers.
• My friends and family are far more supportive than I could have imagined.
• I'm pretty decent at this! :D

So there you have it folks, 365 days in one post. I hope you have all enjoyed the ride as much as I have and I hope that we can continue on this journey together for quite some time to come.

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 have been very good and haven't bought any books in a few weeks because of my tight living quarters & uber-tight budget. But I couldn't resist the dual coupons I had to Borders, so I treated myself to a little retail therapy. Hope you look forward to reading my thoughts and much as I look forward to writing them!

Review:
Fallout (Crank #3) by Ellen Hopkins HUGE thanks to Simon & Schuster!!
Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala Thanks to Around the World Tours

Bought:
Forget You by Jennifer Echols
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Library:
Glass (Crank #2) by Ellen Hopkins (I'm rereading this since I got Fallout and I want to refresh my memory.)

That is the AMAZINGNESS that was my week. What loot did you score this week?

P.S. You might be able to score more loot for next week by entering my contests at the top of the page or the contests on other blogs on my sidebar. Good luck!

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!

Good week this week! I am so lucky to get such wonderful books from all over the place! :)


Review:
The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (from Around the World Tours)
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Thank you so much Simon & Schuster!!)
Virgin Territory by James Lecense (from Around the World Tours)

Library:
Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams (love this cover!!)

So I think I had a fairly good week. Don't forget about the blogiversary giveaway! I now have 225 followers, so there are 2 books up for grabs to 2 lucky followers. Be sure to fill out THIS FORM to be entered to win a book worth up to $20 from the Book Despository. If I continue to gain more followers, there will be more prizes. Ends 7/30.

What loot did you score this week?

OMG- Nancy Drew Giveaway!!!

Check it out if you're a fan. It's an amazing prize pack celebrating 80 years of Nancy Drew.

My Nostalgic Friday: Nancy Drew post

Contest @ Reverie Book Reviews

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?

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.

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!

For review:
O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell

From the library:
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
There’s a fine line between gossip and history, when one is talking about kings.”

Sophie Fitzosborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray with her eccentric and impoverished royal family. When she receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday, Sophie decides to chronicle day-to-day life on the island. But this is 1936, and the news that trickles in from the mainland reveals a world on the brink of war. The politics of Europe seem far away from their remote island—until two German officers land a boat on Montmaray. And then suddenly politics become very personal indeed.

A Brief History of Montmaray is a heart-stopping tale of loyalty, love, and loss, and of fighting to hold on to home when the world is exploding all around you.
From Goodreads

That's all for this week folks! I hope you had great loot as well, let me know what you got! P.S. Next week is Soul Screamers' week, so be sure to come back and check out all the good stuff and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Do you love the Soul Screamers series?

Hokay, so here's the deal. I have fallen in love with Rachel Vincent's writing. Both of her series are amazing!! Her adult series Shifters is about werecats and her teen series Soul Screamers is about a teenage bean sidhe. As a celebration of all that she has accomplished with her teen series, I will be holding a week-long celebration of Soul Screamers from January 25-29th. During that 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!!

I know you are all as excited as I am about the content and even more excited about the prize. I have teamed up with the incredible "UnderGlass" on Etsy.com to bring you a handmade necklace. ONE winner will get to choose a "soul" necklace from the site. She has even offered to create a custom item with the winner's choice of a world and then "soul" on any color they choose if nothing in her store strikes their fancy. View pictures below for a better understanding.
So, the winner can either choose one of the existing "soul necklaces or they can create their own.

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED and the winner will be announced on Friday January 29th. All you have to do to be entered is fill out the form below. You MUST be a follower in order to participate and it is only open to US residents. There are options for extra entries, as always:

+5 Old Follower
+3 New Follower
+1 Sidebar (leave link)
+5 Blog post

If I make it to 100 followers I will throw in a mystery prize (a gift card? a mystery book?)

If you have any questions or if anything is unclear, please let me know and I will work quickly to rectify the situation. Good luck to all and be sure to check out my Soul Screamers week from January 25th-29th!

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!

So, as you can see, I am overloaded with loot this week!

Won:
Ninja Awesomeness from Tales of the Ravenous Reader:
Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie (signed)
The Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (signed)
Ash by Malinda Lo
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (signed)
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Night World: A Fan Guide I won from The Story Siren

Library:
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Good Girls by Laura Ruby

Bought:
Rage by Julie Anne Peters (Just read the description, it sounds absolutely intense and fascinating.)
From Goodreads:
Johanna is steadfast, patient, reliable; the go-to girl, the one everyone can count on. But always being there for others can’t give Johanna everything she needs—it can’t give her Reeve Hartt. Reeve is fierce, beautiful, wounded, elusive; a flame that draws Johanna’s fluttering moth. Johanna is determined to get her, against all advice, and to help her, against all reason. But love isn’t always reasonable, right? In the precarious place where attraction and need collide, a teenager experiences the dark side of a first love, and struggles to find her way into a new light.

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (I have never read these and decided to give them a shot. I'm sure I'll become addicted, so luckily there are a lot of them.)

That's what I got, what loot did this week bring to you?

You can win the 1st, 2nd or 3rd book of the Hunger Games trilogy!

You read that right. VVB32 is having an amazing contest where you can win any of the 3. Head on over and see what to do!

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Raelena! She is the lucky winner of the Fallen ARC. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your feedback is immensely helpful. Stay tuned for more reviews, interviews & giveaways!

Don't forget!

I'm still hosting my giveaway of an ARC of Fallen by Lauren Kate. Check out the rules here. And remember, the giveaway ends 12/1!