Saturday, July 31, 2010

Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

Amazon.com:

Claire is a #hopelessromantic. Lottie is determined to set up her BFF with Mr. Perfect. Will wants his #secretcrush to finally notice him. Bennett is a man with a plan. Claire can’t believe it when her dream guy starts following her on Twitter. She never thought he noticed her, and suddenly he seems to understand her better than almost anyone. But the Twitterverse can be a confusing place, especially when friends act differently online than they do in person. Things get even more complicated when Claire realizes she’s falling for someone else, the last person she ever would have expected…. Told in an innovative format combining tweets, emails, and blogs, Tweet Heart is a contemporary romantic comedy that will set your heart atwitter.

What drew me to this book was the format, Twitter messages (and direct messages), emails, blog posts, and advice columns, honestly I’d read just about anything with this sort of format. But the storyline is what kept me reading. I think the format took this cute and sweet story and made it seem real to me. I mean looking at this kids twitter icons allowed me to see what they "looked like" and imagine them actually typing these sentences and going through these situations.

I think the author really captured the essence of Twitter and how people use it. You want to vent about something but since it’s a public forum you are sort of cagey about what you are saying and then go and Direct Message (DM) your friend to give them the full scoop.

And while you don’t get full on narrative from these characters I still feel like you really got to know them. You see them having honest conversations with their friends, talking to their crush when their crush is oblivious etc. Honestly if the book was 4 times as long that would have been just fine with me, I became attached to these characters and wanted to keep going along reading their tweets!

Tweet Heart was released on June 29th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Friday, July 30, 2010

Lookalikes 112

Drink of Me by Jacquelyn Frank

Entice by Carrie Jones

Umm... I can't say that I like these photos. At all. Sorry. It's very possible that those are the same people in a slightly different pose, what do you think? I think it would be easier to tell if the first one hadn't been turned blue.

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Blog Tour: And One Last Thing.... by Molly Harper

Amazon.com:

"If Singletree’s only florist didn’t deliver her posies half-drunk, I might still be married to that floor-licking, scum-sucking, receptionist-nailing hack-accountant, Mike Terwilliger."

Lacey Terwilliger’s shock and humiliation over her husband’s philandering prompt her to add some bonus material to Mike’s company newsletter: stunning Technicolor descriptions of the special brand of "administrative support" his receptionist gives him. The detailed mass e-mail to Mike’s family, friends, and clients blows up in her face, and before one can say "instant urban legend," Lacey has become the pariah of her small Kentucky town, a media punch line, and the defendant in Mike’s defamation lawsuit.

Her seemingly perfect life up in flames, Lacey retreats to her family’s lakeside cabin, only to encounter an aggravating neighbor named Monroe. A hunky crime novelist with a low tolerance for drama, Monroe is not thrilled about a newly divorced woman moving in next door. But with time, beer, and a screen door to the nose, a cautious friendship develops into something infinitely more satisfying.

Lacey has to make a decision about her long-term living arrangements, though. Should she take a job writing caustic divorce newsletters for paying clients, or move on with her own life, pursuing more literary aspirations? Can she find happiness with a man who tells her what he thinks and not what she wants to hear? And will she ever be able to resist saying one . . . last . . . thing?

With the recent Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction I’ve been reading there has been this great balance between the humor and silliness and the heartfelt and real emotions and the book And One Last Thing... is no exception.

The always horrible issue of cheating and divorce is made a lot easier to handle when main character Lacey sends out an email detailing her horrible husband’s activities. The fallout of that is crazy! To protect herself and get away from it all she stays at a family cabin where she expects to find isolation...

But instead she finds a grumpy but attractive man that wants to be left alone. One thing I really liked about this book was the idea of these two people basically being isolated from everyone else so if they have interactions it’s going to be with each other. I don’t normally find that that happens a lot in books at least for this long of a time period.

I thought Lacey and Monroe’s relationship was sweet, they are first friends helping each other out, specifically Monroe helps Lacey decide where her life should take her next and then they become more. I found this book to be a lot of fun. Lacey was surrounded by a great cast of secondary characters including her brother, the woman that her husband is having an affair with (I love how they almost have it out in a parking lot!) It's definitely making me want to check out the authors Jane Jameson series!

And One Last Thing... was released on July 27th 2010
Genre: Chick Lit
4/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Giveaway: The Short Stack (of ARCS)


Today I have a giveaway, a short stack giveaway of some arcs and a few other goodies! Click the titles to visit the Amazon.com pages and learn more about each!

What's Your St@tus? by Katie Finn (7/1/10)
Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink (8/1/10)
Sapphhique by Catherine Fisher (12/28/10)
Invisible Things by Jenny Davidson (11/23/10)
The Ivy by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur (8/31/10)
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen (Sampler) (10/12/10)
5 Willow (by Julia Hoban) Bookmarks

UPDATE 8/4/10: I'm adding an arc of You by Charles Benoit (8/24/10)

Here's how to enter to be the winner of the short stack!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

The giveaway is open to addresses within the U.S. only.

The giveaway will end August 11th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

Entries left in the comments of this blog post will not be counted, please fill out the giveaway entry form.

**Prize provided by various publishers and sent by me**

"Waiting On" Wednesday 93

The Allegra Biscotti Collection by Olivia Bennett

Amazon.com:

She could be a world-famous fashion designer-but can she pass the 8th grade?

By day, Emma Rose is a quiet, under-the-radar student who doesn't mix with the popular set. But when school's out, she becomes Queen of the Runway-whipping up cutting-edge designs.

When Emma is discovered by a well-known fashionista, the pseudonym Allegra Biscotti is born to protect her from the lime light. She soon discovers balancing a secret identity, boys, school, and friends isn't as easy as she thought.

This fashion-themed series features doodles throughout the book-two-color illustrations are found as chapter openers and in the margins-adding tons of delicious style detail!

Released November 1st 2010

This sounds really fun and cute! And you know me, I'm definitely a fan of books that use doodles!

What can't you wait for to be released?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Hardcover vs Paperback 91

A Change of Altitude by Anita Shreve

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.

A Change in Altitude illuminates the inner landscape of a couple, the irrevocable impact of tragedy, and the elusive nature of forgiveness. With stunning language and striking emotional intensity, Anita Shreve transports us to the exotic panoramas of Africa and into the core of our most intimate relationships.

I love the photo on the hardcover, it's just so elegant! I haven't read the book but it seems to speak to what I assume the book is about. I do think the paperback is consistent with some of her other paperback releases with the big color band, but they are just a little bit blah.

Hardcover or Paperback?

Have you spotted a Hardcover vs. Paperback you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Recent Giveaway Winners

The Keeping the Moon winner is:
K. Eriks

The Hunger Games Paperback winners are:


Casey (The Bookish Type)
Issara P.
Alex (Tales of a Teenage Book Lover)

The winners of Need and Captivate are:
Briana (The Book Pixie)
Elyssa H

I've heard back from everyone but the Need/Captivate winners. Please reply with your full name and mailing address by Friday the 30th to claim your prize, you should have an email from me in your inbox! Thanks!

"Smile for the peasants"

This week we are discussing episode 7 of Pretty Little Liars, The Homecoming Hangover. Make sure to visit Carol and Khy for the rest of the chat!

**WARNING SPOILERS****POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR BOOKS**


TV SHOW VS BOOK SERIES

Khy: http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2010/07/20/pretty-little-liars-who-is-a/ Lucy Hale (Aria) says A won't be the same person as in the books!

Alea: I'm wondering if the show will condense A into one person instead of 2 like in the books? So maybe A will only be the second A from the books?

Khy: Hmm, maybe, but they do have the rest of the season to fill, so? They've got 12 more after the finale, so what else would they discuss?

Alea:
True, maybe we'll get as maybe A's as season lol! Guesses on who A might be on the TV show?


Khy: If it's Jenna...ugh.

Alea:
Yeah that would be kind of stupid I think. If it's Lucas I would cry. But Lucas might actually make sense.... no can't be him!

Khy: Nooo don't curse it!

Carol: I'm not sure it could be Lucas.

Alea: Can we agree it's not Toby though, the last episode definitely made it seem like he was dead, what do you think? Is he dead?

Khy:
I hope not! I like him/Emily better than Emily/Maya-- Maya is so annoying on the show!

Carol: Maybe Toby is in the hospital? Hopefully he isn't dead; I liked him! And yes, Maya is so annoying!

Alea: You hope he's not dead or you hope he's not A?


Khy:
Hope he's not dead. Not like Emily would date him now anyway, but eh.

Alea: Maya is sort of needy in the books and on the show I think. I want to know what his tattoo means still!

Khy: Me too!

Carol: Same here!

Alea: I like how they are making the show stand on it's own from the book, keeps us that have read the books on our toes, not sure if I like having a new A though. The reason better be good!

Khy: It better!

Carol: Hopefully it won't be cheesy or the obvious person.

Khy: What do you think of Sean/Aria? So much better than Sean/Hanna

Alea: I like that Aria put him in this place instead of being like oh ok let's do this. So if/when they do get together it won't be as stupid... i think? I don't know what i mean.

Khy: I think I get what you're saying. xD


Carol: I still find Sean a bit boring, but maybe it's because he's with Hannah? I'd had to see him interact more with Aria before I can tell who he's better off with.

Khy: I'm surprised the Golden Orchid thing has not come up again. In the book that was a big deal!

Alea: Yes you are right, bizarre!

Khy: Only one mention since it happened, right? And that was 2 episodes ago-- do you think they'll bring it up again?

Alea:
I thought this week they said something about being photographed for the paper, it just keeps getting mentioned in passing, it seems like it might be over. O_0

Carol: Yes, Hannah mentioned that she knew Spencer plagiarised and her parents knew and still let her be photographed and that was it. I wanted more drama to come out of that!

Khy: Weeeird.

Photo credit of ABCFamily.com

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Amazon.com:

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…

and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor….

Oooh this book, this book made me burst out laughing on a regular occasion and also had me tearing up at one point. It was everything. You couldn’t ask for a funnier narrator than Callie, days later I’m still thinking about some of the things she said, what a voice!

While this book is classified as Romance it falls right into Chick Lit category for me. People tell me the difference between Chick Lit and Romance is that in Romance, the relationship between the main character and the potential love interest takes center stage and I agree with that, except for that’s not what All I Ever Wanted is like. It’s so well rounded, yes, the relationship is there but there is also a great multiple family and friends storylines, job storyline (yay advertising agency- i loved those passages) and a whole bunch of other things. That well rounded-ness is something that was missing for me in other contemporary romances, but this one hit it right on the head for me, a perfect balance.

I felt like this book was written for me, it's not everyday a book takes place in an ad agency and involves a sad and hilarious scene with a turkey. Yes, I have a turkey obsession, live turkeys that is. And the relationship between Callie and Ian is so great, at first glance they hate each other and slowly they begin to tolerate each other, become friends, lean on each other and you can see where it goes from there.

Overall this is my favorite contemporary romance of the handful I've read and I cannot wait to read more of Higgins'a work! I hear Catch of the Day is a great second stop!

All I Ever Wanted will be released on July 27th 2010
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Chick Lit
5/5 Stars
ARC picked up at BEA

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6) By Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:


In picture-perfect Rosewood, Pennsylvania, ash-blond highlights gleam in the winter sun and frozen lakes sparkle like Swarovski crystals. But pictures often lie—and so do Rosewood's four prettiest girls.

Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. Ali made them do terrible things—things they had to keep secret for years. And even though Ali was killed at the end of seventh grade, their bad-girl ways didn't die with her.

Hanna's on a mission to corrupt Rosewood's youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria's snooping into her boyfriend's past. Spencer's stealing—from her family. And pure little Emily's abstaining from abstinence.

The girls should be careful, though. They thought they were safe when Ali's killer was arrested and A's true identity was finally revealed. But now there's a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.

-A

Killer is great at developing the girls' individual storylines but I felt like the mystery of Ali and A take a back seat for most of the book, which I didn't like. Another weird thing is a plotline involving Emily and her boyfriend's mother, it seemed like it was supposed to go somewhere but didn't.

One thing I liked about this book is Hanna's relationship with a younger guy (wait til you find out who!), it was pretty cute and just made me smile. Another interesting switch that happens in this book is the police and also the media start to doubt and also suspect the girls are telling the whole truth, could they possibly have a hand in this mystery? Since they really can't get the police to help them anymore, they sort of have to take matters into their own hands, and there are dangerous waters ahead.

So while not my favorite of the series, it's essential to move the plot forward and also get some more into each of the girls personalities.

Killer was released on June 30th 2009
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Saturday, July 24, 2010

This Week In Books Or The Week I Got Rid of 84 Books


So this week I got rid of 84 books, some I passed on to others, the rest I sold. But honestly, it doesn't make a dent, it's all about effort though right?

Monday:
nothing

Tuesday: nothing

Wednesday:

One Day by David Nicholls (Won in a twitter contest hosted by the publisher)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (GoodReads Swap)
Hannah by Hannah Westberg (Blog Tour)
Alexis by Alexis Singer (Accompanied Blog Tour Book)
Rae by Chelsea Rae Swiggett (Yay Chelsea! Accompanied Blog Tour Book)

Thursday:

Dotty by Erica S. Perl illustrated by Julia Denos (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
The Exceptionally Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School by Albert Lorenz (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
Library Mouse: A World to Explore by Daniel Kirk (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
Miss Tutu's Star by Leslea Mewman illustrated by Carey Armstrong Ellis (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
All the Seasons of the Year by Deborah Lee Rose illustrated by Kay Chorao (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
Crazy For Love by Victoria Dahl (Amazon Vine)
Koko Be Good by Jen Wang (Amazon Vine)

I don't think I've reviewed any Children's Books besides a few graphic novels, this could be fun!

Friday:

Revealed by Kate Noble (GoodReads Swap - author recommended by Sarah MacLean)

Saturday:

I took a bunch of books to Half Price Books and with my $30 I bought a few books and went out to lunch :)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (Half Price Books - author recommended by several people)
Stop in the Name of Pants! by Louise Rennison (Half Price Books - I didn't know this was even out in paperback!)
The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson (Half Price Books - recommended by several people)
Mr Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful by Narumi Ogawa (Half Price Books - checked this out from the library once, it's cute!)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Interview: Emma Cunningham - Production Coordinator, Digital & Internet at Harlequin

You know me, I'm curious and I'm really curious about Romance so when I had the opportunity to interview someone else from the industry I jumped! Thank you to Emma Cunningham - Production Coordinator in the Digital and Internet Department at Harlequin for stopping by!

1.
Can you describe the Harlequin lines/imprints and how they differ from each other?

Oh wow, there are so many different lines it would take a long time to go through them! MIRA and HQN books are our single title books. That means that they’re generally longer books with a more literary feel to them. They stay on sale longer than the series books. As far as our series go, we have over fourteen different lines. Blaze is red-hot, super-sexy romance, Intrigue brings in mystery and suspense, Nocturne adds a paranormal element, Steeple Hill tells heartwarming, chaste, courtship-style romances with Christian themes, and GoldEagle are action-adventure stories aimed primarily at men. There’s a huge variety—something for everyone!

2. The categories can only be found in stores for one month? Why is that?

We simply publish too many books every month for stores to be able to keep all our titles in stock! However, we’re in the process of putting all our backlist books into ebook format so you can read old favorites digitally.

3. How do you think e-book only lines like your newest line Carina will change the publishing world? The reader's experience?

Well I’m obviously a huge fan of ebooks. I do almost all my reading digitally, so for me, Carina Press titles are just more stories. However, Carina Press is able to offer a wider variety of genres since some niches just don’t get much shelf space at book stores. It’s a really nice way to connect authors and readers who think outside the box.

4. Many readers think that the prices of e-books are too high. Could you tell us about the e-book process? (i.e. how they're created and priced?)

It’s a long process! Once a book is acquired, which is a whole other process in itself, it goes through the same rigorous editing processes that our print books go through. We then create metadata, which is basically a giant spreadsheet that tells the production company and retailers everything they could possibly want to know about each one of our books—everything from title, genre, ISBN, eISBN, prices, description, author bios, exerpts, you name it. The manuscript is then formatted and sent to production to be formatted into an ebook. When it comes back, we have proofreaders check through it for errors. It’s then uploaded with yet another sheet of metadata to retailers. Sometimes there are four or more different types of metadata involved for all our titles every month; even more if we’re sending out audiobooks, too. It really isn’t much cheaper to create an ebook than a print book. Most of the costs are in time and labor—and of course nobody wants to cheat authors on their hard work.

5. With one of Harlequins newest project, Harlequin Teen you are reaching a wider audience than ever before. Can you tell us a little bit about Harlequin Teen? Do you see a lot of cross over fans from your Teen line, to category lines etc?

Some authors write for more than one line, so there’s cross-over in that sense. Teen books feature strong characters and exciting stories, but they’re less sexual in nature than some of the adult titles and feature age-appropriate romances and themes.

6. The internet is a vital part of just about everything these days, can you tell us a little bit about what you do in the Harlequin in the Digital and Internet Department?

If it has to do with ebooks or the Internet, we do it. All the Facebook pages, Goodreads pages, LibraryThing, blogs, Twitter, my department does it all. We have a great Community on the eHarlequin website that’s quite active. We’re currently testing a new version of the eHarlequin website, too, and I have to say the design team did an excellent job. It’s a huge job but fortunately my coworkers are some of the hardest working, most brilliant people I know!

Thanks for stopping by Emma!

Logos credit of eharlequin.com

Lookalikes 111

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci

I can't say I really like either of these but I prefer Boy Proof because it's so much simpler. The Declaration has too much going on and just looking at that picture makes my neck hurt, thinking about that girl permanently stuck in that position :P I've never liked the eyebrows in Boy Proof though.

Thanks to Sandy who noticed this lookalike!

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Guest Post from Amanda Howells, author of The Summer of Skinny Dipping

Today I'm pleased to welcome Amanda Howells the author of The Summer of Skinny Dipping. The ending of the book definitely caught me by surprise and Amanda offered to stop by and talk more about it! Thanks for stopping by Amanda!

SUMMER SWEETNESS, SUMMER SADNESS

Thanks, Alea, for asking me to guest post about the ending of my novel, The Summer of Skinny Dipping. I'll do my best not to give away the particulars so that those who haven't read it won't get a spoiler from me, the person who most wants you to read it! Instead, I'll tell you a bit about why my novel goes in a tragic direction, rather than give away exactly what happens.

The first thing that sparked this novel was the title—not the plot, not a character's voice speaking to me. As some of you may already know, I just woke up one morning with the book title in my head. Once I had the title, certain other elements fell into place. Of course the book was going to be a summer romance—a genre I've always been drawn to. And yes, there would be skinny dipping! I didn't know much about the couple, Mia and Simon, in the early stages of writing but I knew it would be a love story and somehow, I just knew it wasn't going to have a happy ending. In fact the very first concrete scene that came to me was the final scene: I saw a girl standing on the beach after this epic summer, thinking about a boy she loved. Behind her, the summer house she had known since her childhood stood empty—everyone scattered, the summer gone.

So I started this story with a very clear image of the end. I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen to bring my character to that beach, alone. The rest of the writing process was a kind of backwards move, gradually uncovering who these characters were and what choices they made to arrive at the denouement, where Mia reflects on the tragic but also magical summer that is now behind her.

Sad endings are risky. They can certainly alienate readers, especially for a romance with a title and cover like mine—a book that promises a "beach read." I can see how for those seeking something light and fun, the ending of my novel might give them the opposite of what they were looking for in the first place. And there are also readers who enjoyed the novel's deeper themes but still felt upset with the ending: it's unpredictable and upsetting. For some, too much so.

It's not for me to say whether the ending works—my readers seem evenly split between liking it and not. I will say that what might be an unfortunate surprise to the reader felt inevitable to me all along. The ending chose me, not the other way around. Ditto the title. Once I had it I knew it was for keeps, even though in some ways the title has worked against me, suggesting something lighter and sexier than what the book really is, costing me readers who might love the book and perhaps attracting those who won't like it instead. But that's a risk I had to take to be true to the story I wanted to tell.

There's a lot more I could say about what informed my characters and ultimately, where they end up. Various books had an influence, sad stories that made an impression on me when I was young and while writing The Summer of Skinny Dipping. And then there's The Great Gatsby, the ultimate American story of doomed love and broken dreams—a novel that I draw on quite heavily in my own. There's so much that consciously affected the decisions I made in this story, and then there's also that mysterious part of writing, where characters just tell you where they want to go.

Ultimately, I can only hope that whether readers love or hate the ending, it doesn't overwhelm the story. I wanted to write something truly bittersweet, equal parts sadness and happiness, equal parts sorrow and joy. Like love itself, like life itself. Because for better and worse, nothing is perfectly wonderful nor perfectly terrible. And nothing lasts forever—not even summer which, especially when you're young and out of school for a vacation, can seem blissfully endless. I surely remember how time itself feels irrelevant when there are no clocks to wake you in the morning, no school bells ringing—just lovely lazy, balmy days, each slowly stretching out into the next…

I'll leave this post here. This time I'll give you a simple happy ending, lingering on that happy thought, and on that beautiful word so filled with possibility: summer.

Giveaway: Gone by Lisa McMann

Today I have the third and final book in the Wake trilogy! I still have to read the entire series but it sounds rather interesting to me so I'm glad I have them all so I can read them all in a row!

Amazon.com:

The third and final book in the paranormal teen series that includes The New York Times bestseller Wake and Fade.

Things should be great for Janie--she has graduated from high school and is spending her summer with Cabel, the guy she's totally in love with. But deep down she's panicking about how she's going to survive her future when getting sucked into other people's dreams is really starting to take its toll. Things get even more complicated when she meets her father for the very first time--and he's in a coma. As Janie uncovers his secret past, she begins to realize that the choice thought she had has more dire consequences than she ever imagined.

Here's how to enter to be one of two winners of the Gone hardcover!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

The giveaway is open to addresses within the U.S. only.

The giveaway will end August 5th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

Entries left in the comments of this blog post will not be counted, please fill out the giveaway entry form.

**Prize provided by marketing firm and sent by me**

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Giveaway: What's Your St@tus? by Katie Finn

Today I have a unique giveaway because it directly involves twitter! What's Your St@tus? is the second book in the Top 8 series by Katie Finn.

Here's a bit about the book:

Sixteen-year-old Madison still loves logging on to Friendverse to see what her BFFs and her cute new boyfriend Nate are up to. But the latest social networking craze is Status Q, which is all about rapid-fire status updates. When one of Mad’s friends has to pull off a high-pressure heist, the gang relies on Status Q to send code messages to each other…all in the middle of a school dance! Will up-to-the-minute social networking save the day…or lead to good old-fashioned disaster?

So as you can see, it deals with a social networking site called Status Q, not unlike twitter!


A few links:
Read Chapter 2 of What's Your St@tus?
What's Your St@tus? Website
Authors Website

Here's how to enter to win a copy of What's Your St@tus and a $10 Starbucks giftcard!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here. Since this is a twitter-centric giveaway I'm also asking that you tweet from your twitter.com account "Just entered to win What’s Your St@tus @mint910" and then paste the link to that specific status update in the entry form. Something sounds confusing? Leave me a comment and I can try to help you out!

The giveaway is open to addresses within the U.S. only.

The giveaway will end August 4th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

Entries left in the comments of this blog post will not be counted, please fill out the giveaway entry form.

**Prize provided by marketing firm**

"Waiting On" Wednesday 92

Million Little Mistakes by Heather Mcelhatton

Amazon.com:

Congratulations—You just won $22 million in the Lottery! So what happens next?

In Heather McElhatton's second do-over novel, Million Little Mistakes, you win $22 million in the lottery. Given the chance to live like a millionaire, you could realize all your dreams or learn that money only causes more problems. It all depends on the choices you make . . .

Should you keep your day job? Stay in your relationship? Save an endangered species? Have a debauched weekend on Sex Island? Buy an aristocrat's life on eBay or pay off all your family's debt? Should you climb Mount Everest, trek the remote jungles of China, book passage on a luxury cruise, or become an infamous Voodoo priestess? Is your destiny to become a philanthropist, a pharmaceutical tycoon, a happy homemaker, or a burlesque stripper? Be careful. Your fortune could be lost in a Ponzi scheme; your wildest fantasy may bring you total bliss or lead you to a run-in with extortionists who try to kill you.

There are hundreds of possible adventures sown inside Million Little Mistakes. Some lives end fabulously while others in utter disaster, so choose wisely. You can buy a lot with $22 million, but can you buy a happy ending?

Released August 10th 2010

I really liked Heather's other "Do-Over" novel Pretty Little Mistakes, they are like Choose Your Own Adventure books for adults! This book actually was going to be one of my FIRST WoW posts and as you can see I'm up to 92! I guess it took a bit longer than excepted to get this book done but it's TOTALLY worth the wait!!! I'm so excited!

What can't you wait for to be released?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hardcover vs Paperback 90

A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

From America to the Middle East and back again- the sparkling story of one girl's childhood, by an exciting new voice in literary fiction

In this fresh, funny, and fearless debut novel, Randa Jarrar chronicles the coming-of-age of Nidali, one of the most unique and irrepressible narrators in contemporary fiction. Born in 1970s Boston to an Egyptian-Greek mother and a Palestinian father, the rebellious Nidali-whose name is a feminization of the word "struggle"-soon moves to a very different life in Kuwait. There the family leads a mildly eccentric middle-class existence until the Iraqi invasion drives them first to Egypt and then to Texas. This critically acclaimed debut novel is set to capture the hearts of everyone who has ever wondered what their own map of home might look like.

I really like both of these covers they are so original and vibrate! That's really all I have to say about that!

Hardcover or Paperback?

Have you spotted a Hardcover vs. Paperback you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Monday, July 19, 2010

"Do you need me to tweet it to you?"

This week we are discussing episode 6 of Pretty Little Liars, There Is No Place Like Homecoming. Make sure to visit Carol and Khy for the rest of the chat!

**WARNING SPOILERS**


Pretty Little Liars: "There's No Place Like Homecoming" (Episode 6)

SUMMARY:

When Emily decides to bring Toby as her homecoming date, she soon finds herself in a possibly sticky situation with Toby and Maya; and at the same time, Aria is broken over her hidden-relationship with Ezra. Meanwhile, the girls must face a heartbreak, a boyfriend's virginity and some disturbing information about Toby that could make this homecoming a unforgettable night. (Wiki)

BEST/WORST SCENES:

Khyrinthia:
Can I share worst scene? The one where Sean was fake trying to talk the girl into sex was O_O

Alea: HAHA!

Carol: Lol yeah that was so...odd

Alea: I liked A's messages this week, the fortune cookies and the tarot card! They are finally getting a bit more creative!

Carol: Yes and they're better worded, too.

Khyrinthia: The messages were much better! I think it's always creepier when they don't show up on a phone or computer. Makes me wonder how A is getting the messages to them

Alea: Yes like that they just walked by and maybe brushed shoulders with A!

Carol: Totally, it makes A more real and creepy cus you don't know just exactly who it is.
Lucy Hale said in an interview that they want to keep the book fans guessing so they made some changes. I'm not so sure it will be whoever it was in the books.

Alea: What did you think of Toby's tattoo? I like they are going away from just making Jenna and Toby creepy and hinting more at their secret.

Khyrinthia: The scene where his tattoo was first revealed was kinda odd. Like his shirt's riding up just enough? xD

Alea: Yes, totally very staged looking. Do you think the tattoo is really what they think it is, the date of Ali's disappearance?

Carol: Yes, all throughout the dance his shirt is long enough but then at that scene it rides up.

Khyrinthia: No, probably some random thing.

Carol: I think the tattoo is something else. Maybe Jenna is holding something over his head because they're step-siblings?

Alea: Yeah she seems more in charge on the tv show. What did you think of Melissa's hair during the Homecoming scene, I thought it was hilariously big!

Khyrinthia: Her hair looked horrible! That's all I noticed in those scenes. xD

Carol: Bride of Frankenstein!

Alea: It was like an 80s flashback or something! I really liked the ending! I guess we are supposed to think Emily is going to get killed, but we know better! But does A actually know who's going to bite the dust? Very fun, they have had some great ending scenes on the show!

Carol: I wonder who is supposed to die.

Khyrinthia: Aria and Ezra in the booth was awkward. Do you think they're going to make her keep chasing him?

Carol: I hope that in the next episodes they aren't lusting and wallowing over each other.

Alea: That's a good question, in that interview you sent me Khy it makes it seem like he'll be sticking around longer than in the books. But this episode also left it open to the possibility of what happens in the books, her going out with someone else....

Khyrinthia: I like Aria/Sean better. Sean and Hanna are so awkward together

Alea: I really like Aria's personality! It will be interesting to see where they go with her!! And did you notice when Emily slapped Toby it made him bleed? Either she caught him with a ring or something was messed up there.

Carol: Well Sean goes better with Bella or a girl cutout since he's so boring. But Aria should go out with someone different. I think it was either a scratch slap or they messed up.

Alea: Yeah I was like what? Why is he bleeding?!

Khyrinthia: He bled?

Carol: Yeah on his left cheek.

Khyrinthia: I don't remember that. Guess that shows how much I care. Blood gets my attention, I don't think there has really been blood on the show yet has there been?

Photos credit of ABCFamily.com

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Amazon.com:

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

While Jennifer Echols's book, Going Too Far still holds the number one spot in my heart I found Forget You to be also pretty darn engaging. She has such a way with words you better protect your heart because she just makes you fall in love with her male characters, in this case Doug.

It started off a little rocky for me, I didn’t instantly understand Zoey but she began to grow on me once I got to know more about her and her family. One thing that kept throwing a hitch in the wagon was how Zoey could ever even call her friend, Brandon her boyfriend, it was laughable and made her look desperate beyond belief. I mean I guess it makes a bit of sense why she clung to that (as her family fell apart before her eyes) but she clung so hard and so stubbornly to it, for so long, I wanted to smack her upside the head.

But when that phrase ("Brandon is my boyfriend") wasn’t being repeated by her constantly I really started to enjoy Zoey’s journey. Especially her journey with Doug. I didn’t get why he would lash out verbally at her in the beginning but then we get to know about their almost past and his past and it all starts to fit together. Doug was just hot, damn hot. Whenever he was around the book was golden. He was so nurturing and protective of Zoey, I mean he had his own problems and that just helped keep the book realistic.

Another thing I really liked was the mystery of what happened in the gap of Zoey’s memory, before/during and after her car crash. It sort of kept you guessing as to who you could really trust and where the story would end up. Overall a bit of a rocky start but ended with a great finish!

Forget You will be released on July 20th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) by Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can't help but be bad. . . .

Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer's digging up her family's secrets. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men.

Now that Ali's killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they're safe. But those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And they should know by now that I'm always watching. . . .

-A

I found Wicked to be a bit like a new beginning, a slightly calmer entrance into the second half of the series. That's not to say there weren't things going on, but it didn't have me basically tearing out the pages to get to the end like the previous two books (Perfect and Unbelievable). I guess knowing who A was, was enough to calm me down, temporarily.

So now we have a suspect in Ali's murder who is behind bars, but was it really him or is the real killer still out there? I thought he was still out there, but you be the judge. I thought the introduction of Hanna's soon to be stepsister Kate as a regular fixture in her household to be a great renewal of Hanna's plotline. Wicked is also the introduction to a semi-bizarre and almost distracting plot about Spencer's family that spans the rest of the books. I feel like the plot was given more importance then it really deserved, I really enjoyed it, but in the end it just distracted from the bigger picture.

Most interestingly, this book introduces another A, I know ANOTHER A?! It seems like it would be cheesy but this new A is even scarier than the first! And because of that the book ends in a big old cliffhanger!

Wicked was released November 25th 2008
Genre: Young Adult
4/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Saturday, July 17, 2010

This Week in Books Or Trying Something A Little New


Gonna add in a bit of additional information here this week and lay it out slightly differently, tell me what you think? I started this for myself a few months ago in my review notebook and I like it but yeah. I already do a little of this but now here is a little more!

Monday:


Waxed by Robert Rave (Blog Tour)

Tuesday:

Sleepless by Cyn Balog (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
Vampire High: Sophomore Year by Douglas Rees (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Requested Review Copy- Shelf Awareness I *just* read Hush, Hush so I'm all set)
Five Days Apart by Chris Binchy (Accepted Review Copy Via Pitch)

A McKaslin Homecoming by Jillian Hart

Got this from Harlequin Ambassadors. I actually have a few copies to share if anyone is interested please email me, US only sorry!

Wednesday: nothing

Thursday:

Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare (Blog Tour)

Friday:

And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper (Blog Tour- Reading this right now and liking it!)

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin (Just Showed Up Review Copy)
MacKenzie Blue by Tina Wells (Accepted Review Copy Via Pitch)
MacKenzie Blue: The Secret Crush by Tina Wells (Accepted Review Copy Via Pitch)
MacKenzie Blue: Friends Forever? by Tina Wells (Accepted Review Copy Via Pitch)

Saturday:

Plain Kate by Erin Bow (Just Showed Up Review Copy)

Friday, July 16, 2010

Lookalikes 110

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (UK paperback)

Cum Laude by Cecily von Ziegesar

I'm not really sure why If I Stay is so desaturated, I'm not digging that. But overall I like the picture. In Cum Laude it continues onto the back. I think there is too much text on Cum Laude. So tie!

Thanks to Alice who also noticed this lookalike!

Have you spotted a Lookalike you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers Game Video Answer From Ashley Benson!

As a reward for doing so well in the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers Game, which ABC Family invited me to play I was able to ask Ashley Benson, who plays Hanna a question, check out her response below! Also to see all the other questions answered by her and other cast members go to their youtube page here!

Stay by Allie Larkin

Amazon.com:

Something Borrowed meets Must Love Dogs in this big- hearted debut about friendship, love, and a German Shepherd named Joe.

Savannah "Van" Leone has been in love with Peter Clarke ever since she literally fell head over heels in front of him on the first day of college. Now, six years later, instead of standing across from him at the altar, Van's standing behind her best friend Janie as maid of honor, trying to mask her heartache and guilt as Janie marries the only man Van's ever loved. Before, Van's mother died, she told Van never to let Peter go, but as the couple exchanges vows, Van wonders if her fairy tale ending will ever come true.

After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool-Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin Tin Tin, and does what any heartbroken woman in her situation would do: She impulsively buys a German Shepherd over the Internet. The pocket-size puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast who only responds to commands in Slovak, and Van is at the end of her rope... until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what.

Van affectionately names her dog Joe, and together, they work to mend the pieces of Van's shattered heart. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Joe's vet is a rugged sweetheart with floppy blond hair and a winning smile. But when the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, Van is forced to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted, proving that sometimes life needs to get more complicated before it can get better.

Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay is an unforgettable debut that illuminates the boundlessness of love and marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice.

From the cover you might think to yourself that Stay is a dog book. Well sorry, but no. Yes there is a dog, that is a character and he shows up as much as other characters but the book is by no means solely focused on him. I wouldn't call myself a dog person so for me this was great, but strangely enough Joe (the dog) had such a great presence and personality you can't help but love him! He helps pull Van out of her funk and for that he's completely lovable.

Van, I loved Van's story. With one foot in the world of privilege and the other not so much. She has to sit there and let her heart take a beating when her best friend marries the love of her life from college, it was so heartbreaking to read. What I really liked about this book was that this plot line comes up in a lot of books but here it was really explored to the fullest and was extremely realistically, it all hangs out. For awhile there, really until the end I wasn't sure what was going to happen and I love the author for it.

Van is such a realistic person, she makes mistakes, screams her feelings loudly but also keeps them locked up so tightly it kills her. Because of her dog Joe we are introduced to veterinarian Alex who seems like a really caring person. My only issue with the book is I wish his relationship with Van had a bit more time to develop, I feel like he's there in the beginning and end of the book but in the middle he sort of isn't present so it feels like their relationship doesn't have the full book to develop. I would have loved to have seen a bit more of him.

Overall I found this to be a wonderful book, so touching and realistic but also hilarious, it was a great mix of my favorite things!

Stay was released on June 10th
Genre: Chick Lit
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Giveaway: Willow by Julia Hoban signed bookmarks + designed by yours truly

Today I have a very special giveaway. 9 signed bookmarks for Julia Hoban's Willow, and the very special part is... I designed them! As some of you know I'm a graphic designer, so of course I had to talk about that here and spread the love! I'll be sending 9 of you a signed bookmark (and probably a few non-signed ones to share with others).

Take a peek:


And actually, tomorrow the Willow paperback is going on sale for $3.58 at Barnes and Noble's website here, so if you've been meaning to read it, I'd say that's a great price!

Here's how to enter to be one of nine winners of a signed Willow bookmark!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

The giveaway is open to addresses within the U.S. only.

The giveaway will end July 28th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

**Prize provided by me**

"Waiting On" Wednesday 91

Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris

Amazon.com:

America's most delightfully unconventional hostess and the bestselling author of I Like You delivers a new book that will forever change the world of crafting. According to Amy Sedaris, it's often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In her new book, SIMPLE TIMES, she sets the record straight. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life's more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters.

You will discover how to make popular crafts, such as: crab-claw roach clips, tinfoil balls, and crepe-paper moccasins, and learn how to: get inspired (Spend time at a Renaissance Fair; Buy fruit, let it get old, and see what shapes it turns into); remember which kind of glue to use with which material (Tacky with Furry, Gummy with Gritty, Paste with Prickly, and always Gloppy with Sandy); create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat); and cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, and many more recipes.

PLUS whole chapters full of more crafting ideas (Pompom Ringworms! Seashell Toilet Seat Covers!) that will inspire you to create your own hastily constructed obscure d'arts; and much, much more!

Released November 2nd 2010


Ok, Amy Sedaris is hilarious, her last book was hilarious and THIS probably is going to take the freaking cake. The description sounds hilarious and I cannot wait to see how she poses in this book, ha! I saw the cover on a display at BEA and snorted, good times.

What can't you wait for to be released?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Hardcover vs Paperback 89

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

Hardcover


Paperback

Amazon.com:

From New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale comes an utterly satisfying novel that asks the question: Can a seemingly normal, happily married Mormon mother of four be best friends with Hollywood's hottest (happily married) heartthrob?

This book just sounds cute, I can't believe I haven't read it yet! I think the hardcover definitely POPS more so than the paperback. I do like the retro feel of the paperback though, especially the mixer, it's just too subtle though!

Hardcover or Paperback?

Have you spotted a Hardcover vs. Paperback you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

Monday, July 12, 2010

"Put something in your mouth besides your foot."

This week we are discussing episode 5 of Pretty Little Liars, Reality Bites Me. Make sure to visit Carol and Khy for the rest of the chat!

**WARNING SPOILERS**


BEST/WORST LINES

Alea: Yes I liked...

Carol: bad ones?

Alea: "Put something in your mouth besides your foot."

Khyrinthia: "Have a buttercream" was the best.

Alea: Spencer said something about Toby pulling off squirrel heads or something, that was kinda funny too.

Carol: "Do you like the color?" when Jenna "feels" Hanna staring at her.

Khyrinthia: I feel like they are trying to make the Jenna scenes creepy, but they're really just funny.
Like with that quote.

Alea: Totally.

Carol: Yup.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Alea: I thought overall the episode was one of the weakest yet.

Khyrinthia: Boring episode, needs more Mona and A.
And Tennis Boy!
He has nice hair.

Alea: I want something really shocking, that gives me the chills!

Carol: Agree with you Khy. And no more Ken.

Khyrinthia: Shocking, yes!

Alea: We need more action and less talk!

Carol: More messages (that are better worded), more stalking, and more drama.

Alea: Yes!

Khyrinthia: More non romantic relationship drama, I hope.

Carol: Yes.

TUESDAY: There Is No Place Like Homecoming (Episode 6)

Photos credit of ABCFamily.com
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