Hardcover vs Paperback 85

Peace Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

Wealth. Privilege. Way too many pastel-tinted opinions. That is Carly’s life, and . . . It’s. Getting. On. Her. Nerves. Carly is ready to ditch the southern princess act and become real. The thing is, she’s always counted on her little sister, Anna, to love and support her—and tell her how right she is. But when Anna turns “hot” over the course of a single summer, everything goes weird. Suddenly Anna’s swimming in the deep end with the big girls while Carly watches from the kiddie pool, alone. Carly’s always relied on the constancy of her sister, but now everything is different, and she’s not so sure she likes it.

Well, I always thought the hardcover was clever and cute but it's also a little bit immature for the storyline. The paperback might be better at catching the attention of the right audience. We've got the peace and the baby ducks but I'm missing the love here on the paperback.

Hardcover or Paperback?

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

Pretty Little Liars Roundtable: "I'm still here bitches.”

Hey everyone! With not so much on tv this summer I'm all about Pretty Little Liars (and So You Think You Can Dance and True Blood ok maybe there is more tv then I thought...!). Khyrinthia of the Frenetic Reader and Carol of Booklover Carol were talking. We've all read or are in the process of reading the books from the Pretty Little Liars series and are going to watch the show, we thought it might be fun to do a weekly post about the show and it's different aspects and how it also relate to the book! We've split our discussion into 3 parts and this week I am the last section, check out Part 1 (Carol) and Part 2 (Khyrinthia) to see the rest of our chat! And please join in, we'd like to hear what you think too!


**WARNING SPOILERS**


MUSIC:



C: I love "Secret" by The Pierces and was I was glad that their song was featured in the episode, especially since the lyrics really go with the show.
"Got a secret
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then I know you
Won't tell what I said
Cause two can keep a secret
If one of them is dead…"

A: I agree Carol, I think Secret by the Pierces was a great choice at the theme song. Speaking of the theme, I’m not sure if I’m digging the opening credits. I appreciate the idea but I don’t like the fact that it looks like they were dressing a doll almost until the very end. Maybe that was intentional but it was odd to me. I also really liked the song Suggestions by Orelia, what an interesting sound think I’m going to have to check out some more of her stuff.

K: Carol stole my answer! I agree with your thoughts on the credits, Alea. I like it until they get to the coffin part because some of the girls look kind of awkward standing there.

C: Yup, the credits are so weird and awkward. Maybe they'll change that later in the season.

See the full list of songs from the episode here.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

A: I was so wrapped up with seeing how it followed the books since I had finished Book 1 (Pretty Little Liars) the morning it aired that’s pretty much all I was watching for. Obviously compared to the book a lot less can happen in one episode so I’m interested in seeing how the rest of the plots from the book play out in the next few episodes along with plots from Book 2 (Flawless) since we’ve already passed the funeral and have reopened the investigation as murder!

K: I liked it! I don't like it as much as the book so far, because right now it's not as full of tension. I was really distracted by the acting and writing though- some lines were so cheesy and some of the girls overact. It's distracting! But I'm sure it will get better.

C: Yes it's very much like a soap opera, leaning to the overdramatic. But I am glad that it's not much different that the books! And Khy, I agree. There's not much tension yet. And I don't like the girl that plays Alison. She is not like Alison that is in book. She just doesn't capture book-Ali's essence.

NEXT WEEK: The Jenna Thing (Episode 2)



Photos credit of ABCFamily.com

Help! Or Something I Know Almost Nothing About: Vampires

With True Blood Season 3 starting vampires are BACK (yes I know they really didn't go anywhere... but back for me)! A friend mentioned she's really getting into vampire books and specifically vampire series. So far she's loved Twilight and the Sookie Stackhouse series.

I want to offer her some suggestions as to what to try next but I thought I would ask those who knew best first, you! What vampire series and other fantasy type series, which a bit of romance would you suggest, and what would you suggest staying away from? Thanks in advance for your help!

Giveaway: The Stud Club Trilogy by Tessa Dare

This morning I posted my review of the first book in The Stud Club trilogy by Tessa Dare, One Dance with a Duke, later this summer I will be reviewing the other two books in the trilogy. But for now, I'd love to give one of you a chance to read the trilogy yourself and perhaps come back here and tell me what you think of them!

Here is a bit about the books!

One Dance with a Duke

Amazon.com:

In One Dance with a Duke—the first novel in Tessa Dare’s delightful new trilogy—secrets and scandals tempt the irresistible rogues of the Stud Club to gamble everything for love.

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members—yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke—until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?


Twice Tempted by a Rogue

Amazon.com:

The daring members of the Stud Club are reckless gamblers and no strangers to risk—until love raises the stakes in Twice Tempted by a Rogue.

Luck is a double-edged sword for brooding war hero Rhys St. Maur. His death wish went unanswered on the battlefield, while fate allowed the murder of his good friend in the elite gentlemen’s society known as the Stud Club. Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper who dares him to take on the demons of his past—and the sweet temptation of a woman’s love.

Meredith Maddox believes in hard work, not fate, and romance isn’t part of her plan. But when Rhys returns, battle-scarred, world-weary, and more dangerously attractive than ever, the lovely widow is torn between determination and desire. As a deep mystery and dangerous smugglers threaten much more than their passionate reckoning, Meredith discovers that she must trust everything to a wager her heart placed long ago.


Three Nights with a Scoundrel

Amazon.com:

In Tessa Dare’s dazzling new trilogy, the men of the Stud Club live and play by their own rules—until passion changes the game.

The bastard son of a nobleman, Julian Bellamy is now polished to perfection, enthralling the ton with wit and charm while clandestinely plotting to ruin the lords, ravish the ladies, and have the last laugh on a society that once spurned him. But after meeting Leo Chatwick, a decent man and founder of an elite gentlemen’s club, and Lily, Leo’s enchanting sister, Julian reconsiders his wild ways. And when Leo’s tragic murder demands that Julian hunt for justice, he vows to see the woman he secretly loves married to a man of her own class.

Lily, however, has a very different husband in mind. She’s loved Julian forever, adores the man beneath the rakish façade, and wants to savor the delicious attraction they share—as his wife. His insistence on marrying her off only reinforces her intent to prove that he is the only man for her. Obsessed with catching a killer, Julian sinks back to the gutters of his youth, forcing Lily to reach out with a sweet, reckless passion Julian can’t resist. Can her desire for a scoundrel save them both—or will dangerous secrets threaten more than their tender love?

Here's how to enter to win The Stud Club Trilogy!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

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

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

**Prize provided by the publisher**

Blog Tour: One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

Welcome to the first of three blog tour stops for the Tessa Dare Stud Club Trilogy, check back for the final 2 later this summer! Today I have a guest post from the author, review, and a giveaway for the entire trilogy later this afternoon!

Here's a bit about the book:

Amazon.com:

In One Dance with a Duke—the first novel in Tessa Dare’s delightful new trilogy—secrets and scandals tempt the irresistible rogues of the Stud Club to gamble everything for love.

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members—yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke—until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

Let's start with a guest post from the author!

There’s a phrase I’d like to banish. Okay, not banish – because I really don’t believe in banishing phrases. But let’s just say, I wish I didn’t hear it quite so often. It’s this one:

“Guilty pleasure.”

A lot of romance readers use this phrase. I’ve heard endless variations on “Romance novels are my guilty pleasure.” In fact, I’m relatively sure I’ve said it before myself, but only lately has it started to make me cringe.

I get the “pleasure” part of it. Romances are fun, entertaining, enjoyable. For those who love the genre, a great romance is pure reading joy. But why the “guilty”? Is romance supposed to be like potato chips or chocolate--detrimental to our health if we consume too much?

I suspect the “guilty” factor has more to do with time. Unlike eating, or even watching television, reading demands our focused attention. It’s hard (but not impossible!) to multitask while reading a book. Reading time is time we take exclusively for ourselves. Romance readers are mostly women, and women have busy lives. If you’re a doctor, mother, teacher—or all three—with a lot of people demanding your attention, it can be hard to carve that “me-time” out of the day.

Amelia, the heroine of One Dance with a Duke, struggles with this. As the only woman in a family of five brothers, she finds herself always tending to their needs, putting others first. It’s a dilemma with which I can readily sympathize, after making my fifteenth PB&J of the week, meticulously removing all evidence of crust so it can pass preschooler muster.

But that’s exactly why I think we should strive to filter the term “guilty pleasure” from our vocabulary. We work hard! We deserve to enjoy life’s little pleasures where we find them, without an ounce of guilt…be they romance novels, long baths, rock climbing trips, or something else. In fact, I’m off to have a pedicure right after I finish this post.

What’s your favorite not-so-guilty pleasure?

Thanks Tessa! Onto my review!

In One Dance with a Duke, we are introduced to a trilogy based around a club of men who together own a horse, The Stud Club. The Stud Club takes the focus at the beginning and towards the end of the book with the middle being my favorite part, the boy meets girl part! Maybe a bit too much horse and murder talk for me. I will admit though, I love a good mystery!

Heroine Amelia is rather likable, she’s not too worried about the fact that she is unmarried and puts her family first. When making all of her decisions she always thinks about how it will affect her family. She comes to know Spencer through one of her brother’s gambling debts. And I love the scene when they meet, it really shows off both of their personalities and how they sometimes (a lot of the time) clash.

I found Spencer to be a bit rough and aggressive towards Amelia at some points to the point of unattractiveness, most of the time in the way he spoke to her in the bedroom, but when the narration was from his perspective I found him to be a lot more likable then when we were viewing him from Amelia's eyes.

While this book didn't burn as bright for me as some of the others in the genre I have read, I think this is an intriguing set up for a trilogy with the mystery spanning what appears to be all three books. Can’t wait to find out more about the quiet and mysterious Rhys in the next book, Twice Tempted by a Rogue.

One Dance with a Duke was released on May 25th 2010
Genre: Historical Romance
3/5 Stars
Review copy provided by the publisher

And here is the hilarious trailer you must watch!

Kiss it by Erin Downing

Amazon.com:

A girl's gotta do who a girl's gotta do.

Chastity Bryan has never been shy about going after what she wants. And when sexy, mysterious, so-not-from-this-town Sebastian walks into Chaz's life, she knows in an instant that what she wants next is him. Chaz has no intention of playing for keeps—but she most definitely has intentions. Who needs true love when you've got true lust?

Sebastian has no idea what he's in for—but maybe neither does Chaz?

When I heard Kiss It described as raunchy and frank when it comes to female sexuality (also with a disclaimer that it’s not suggested for 14 and under by the author) I knew I had to check this out! After reading it I wouldn’t call the book raunchy exactly but I would definitely say it does deal with the sensitive and important issues of teen sexuality in a VERY open way, so be ready for that when reading this book.

Main character Chastity (what a name!) lives in a very small town that she realizes is not where she wants to live out her life, but while she’s waiting it out in high school there she wants to get some experience, in the sexuality department. The pickings are slim in her mind but she tests out the waters, never really finding the right person to go through this education with, until Sebastian comes into town. In Sebastian she sees something different and knows she wants to get to know him better.

What I liked about this book was besides a secondary story with her best friend (that I saw coming from a mile away) I wasn’t really sure where the story was going to go and I liked that. I also really liked the small town jokes, I recall snorting a few times I think! Nothing really crazy happens but sometimes that's ok. It was very realistic in the way everything is sort of open ended but personally I would have liked a few more plotlines tied up by the end of the book. I felt like we were going somewhere but we didn't quite get there.

It's definitely a coming of age story but deals with the idea of sex a lot more than other similar books I've read. I liked Chastity's voice and sarcastic tone but it was still missing something in the end, I haven't yet been able to put my finger on.

Kiss It will be released on June 15th
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by the author

Winner of Party

The winner of Party is Shanise, I have emailed you so please respond with your full name and mailing address by Wednesday June 16th to claim your book!

This Week In Books Or The Week I Paid 1 Cent for 2 Books

Monday:

Wicked by Sara Shepard
Killer by Sara Shepard

Since I'm reading the PLL series I decided to use my $15 Borders bucks to get a few more in the series, with those $15 and a 33% off coupon the total came to 1 cent! BEST DEAL EVER!

Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare

This is for an upcoming blog tour.

Tuesday:

Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell
The Necromancer by Michael Scott
The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin

Surprise review books, definitely excited for C.K. Kelly Martin's book!

Wednesday: nothing

Thursday:

God is in the Pancakes by Robin Epstein
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Give Up: 150 Demotivational Posters by Paul Koehorst and Ivor Jones

Review copies, Give Up looks hilarious, those motivational posters have always been hilariously stupid to me so this is a great twist!

Friday:

Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow
The Keeper's Tattoo by Gill Arbuthnott
What's Your St@tus? by Katie Finn
Crash Test Love by Ted Michael

Review copies

Saturday: nothing

BEA 2010: Day 1 - Wednesday

First of all I'd like to say sorry for the lack of pictures, not sure why I didn't take that many! The first day of BEA was the day that Gail and I wanted to pick up tickets for some of the signings (Adriana Trigiani and Lemony Snicket-didn't end up meeting him, the line was outrageously long) so we were up bright and early!

After getting our tickets we did some chatting and decided to head over and get in line early for the Children's Breakfast (my first BEA breakfast event!)While waiting someone came over and offered us this little round promos for I Am Number Four, they had tons and they all were numbered. We were told to go over to Harper Collins to find out if we were winners of a signed copy of the book, and turns out we were! I do think it helped that I had number 4! Anyways back to the Children's Breakfast. Luckily since we got in line early we got seats towards the front of our section, which was the seating only section and we also got the speakers books which was nice! We also got to spend some time chatting with Julie from Booking Mama and Kathy from Bermuda Onion. Unfortunately the program started awfully late so we only stayed for Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and Cory Doctorow because we had a lot packed into our day on the BEA floor. I think in the future I could take a pass on the breakfasts unless there was someone I really really really wanted to see speak.

Luckily for me, the day started off with my most anticipated event. The signing for the first 3 books in the True Vows series from HCI, the first Reality-Based Romance series. Unfortunately not all 3 of the authors were able to make it but I did get to meet 2 of them! I actually stood in line with Judith Arnold (one of the authors of the series) at another signing, I was kind of freaking out!

Other highlights of the day included:

Meeting Susan Mallery (three times actually over the course of BEA).

Seeing Adriana Trigiani again, what a sweet sweet lady! It's impossible to be in anything BUT a good mood when you are around her!

Meeting up with Barbara and Sarah of Blueslip Media. They are just as kind in person as they were via email, they are also extremely encouraging!

Saying hello to Marilyn Johnson the author of This Book Is Overdue, she was walking past me while I was standing in line and I recognized her and we had a quick chat!

Seeing Elizabeth Scott again, she's just a sweet and funny person!

Finally figuring out what the "Various Authors" signing was at the Harlequin booth and it was what I had hoped it would be, authors of the category romances! Yay!

And the surprise highlight of the day was seeing an advance reading sample of this:


You might be asking yourself, well what is it? Well, I'm glad you asked! I actually designed that cover! So imagine my surprise when I walked by and saw that! I pretty much freaked out! I also got the opportunity to meet someone from the Press who I had done some work for in the past! So as you can imagine I ran around the rest of the day showing the ARC to anyone and everyone I knew!

Here's what I picked up that day (click to enlarge):

Signed

Unsigned

Complete list

After shipping off our books for the day Gail and I headed back to the hotel for a quick change and a rest and then headed to the Algoquin for a Harper Collins Book Bloggers reception! Had some fun bonding with some fellow bloggers and when we left we found out there was a parting gift, see below! How kind!


Overall thoughts for the day. I was expecting to feel horribly like I did last year at the end of the day but I actually didn't feel so bad. I guess my shoes were better this year and my posture was as well so yay me! Also I did like how everything (except the shipping) was on one floor this year but the Autographing Area certainly could have used a lot more space. It was kind of a madhouse over there! I think I went to a lot more signings this year, and feel like I was interested in more than last year. Overall, a great time!

Upcoming/other posts:
BEA Day 1
BEA Day 2
Book Blogger Convention
Alea's BEA Picks On A Theme or OMGGGG!

Lookalikes 105

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Green by Laura Peyton Roberts

Definitely Suite Scarlett, the color and texture of the background is a lot richer and original. Also the key from Suite Scarlett is very clever. I do have to say though that I prefer the original Hardcover for the book.

Thanks to Amee and Leonore who also noticed this lookalike!

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

From the Desk of Hanna: Father’s Day (Pretty Little Liars Secret Keeper's Game)

Friends, Acquaintances, Losers, and Blabbermouths-

In honor of Father’s Day approaching I wanted to take a minute to address a totally untrue and false rumor that some of have been spreading about me and my family. There is no way you are going to get into my good graces by spreading false and vicious rumors about me, I have ears everywhere you know.

Last year my Mom and Dad ended their marriage, yes that is true but what is NOT true is that my Dad abandoned me and my mom, not true. What IS TRUE is that my parents simply grew up and in the process grew apart and my mother is much happier now thank you very much.

So there is nothing to these idiotic rumors and if you have any sense about you and care at all about your social standings you will just shut up already, seriously, nothing to see here.

And Dad, Happy Father’s Day!

Love,
Hanna

"Waiting On" Wednesday 86

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

Amazon.com

Ok so there is no summary for this book that I can find yet, but that doesn't matter! This was on the wall of the Hachette booth at BEA (they gave out shirts with a Rachel quote on them) and the second I saw it I started asking questions. I found out, as you can probably tell from the title it's a Prequel to the show. And on Amazon in the title it also says (Glee Original Novels) like there will be more!

And yes I know what you are thinking, books based off tv shows are usually kind of weird and I don't think I've read any since Clueless, but this, this I will buy the day it comes out! It's freaking GLEE people! And also another added benefit for me, it's paperback, double awesome!

Released September 1st 2010

What can't you wait for to be released?

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

Pop Culture Junkie's Review Policy/General Information

Review Policy/General Information

Genres of Interest (and not of Interest): Currently my favorite genres are: romance, young adult, crafts (crochet, amigurumi, knitting, felt and paper crafts etc) graphic novels, and chick lit. I also enjoy pop psychology, mini comics, zines, art, design, humorous memoirs, middle grade, and humor.

Please do not pitch me any of the following genres I do not read them, I probably will not respond: Paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, sports, medicine and war. I do not accept self published books.

I also 100% prefer to read books from a series in order, if you are able to provide the books that come before the one you are pitching as well that would be wonderful.

When emailing me I would love to read the summary, the release date and see the cover in the email. A link to more information is also welcome. Quotes from other reviews don’t do much for me.

Since I consider myself a Pop Culture Junkie I’m also interesting in movies, tv, and music etc.

Formats Accepted:
I currently do not accept e-books or pdfs. I’m open to audio books though I have not listened to many. If your book has important imagery missing in ARC form (craft books, graphic novels) please tell me, I may not be able to review it in that state.

Reviews:
My goal is to post three reviews a week but I have not been hitting that for a long time now. Besides posts reviews on my blog I post almost all of my reviews on Amazon.com, GoodReads, and LibraryThing. I try to send a link of my review once it has posted.

I rarely accept books these days. By accepting or receiving a book I do not guarantee that I will read it or that it will appear on my blog. If I find I cannot get into a book for whatever reason I will put it aside and possibly try again at another point in time. If I cannot finish it I will not review it. I promise to be fair and honest in my reviews. There have only been a few books in my life I have HATED. But most books are also not perfect.

Review Format:
Most of my summaries come from Amazon.com followed by my honest opinion, release date, genre, rating, and disclosure of where the book came from.

Ratings System:
I rate on a 5 star system, including half stars. It's definitely a gut reaction rating. The only books that get 5 stars are books I would consider favorites.

Timeline:
If you are expecting that a review post by a certain time please mention that when you first get in touch with me as it will definitely influence my decision and I will probably decide not to accept it. If nothing is said up front I will plan the book into my schedule as I have time. Currently I cannot guarantee I will read/review a book within a certain time frame whatsoever. Reminders tend to make me want to read a book less. If a timeline is not mentioned up front I won’t be able to guarantee anything time wise. I try to review as many books as I can near their release dates but recently that has become harder and harder.

I read books in order of what I am interested in at the time and also how a book has made it into my hands. I give preference to books in this order: Blog tours, Requested by me, accepted via a pitch, and least preference goes to books that randomly show up. I prefer to be emailed about a book beforehand (instead of it just showing up in the mail) so I can decide if it’s something I want to read and in turn there is a better chance of me reading and reviewing it. I am also a member of Amazon Vine.

Blog Tours:
I love to participate in blog tours but need at least 2 month (preferably more) between the time the book arrives and my blog tour date is.

Interviews and Guest Posts:
I occasionally conduct interviews but prefer not to do so before reading at least one of the authors books so I have a knowledge base to work with. I also occasionally welcome guest blogs. I prefer to post interviews and guest posts in collaboration with either a review, blog tour, or giveaway. Interviews and Guest Posts are not a regular feature on my blog.

Giveaways:
I think of giveaways as a way to say thank you to my readers. I will turn down giveaway offers if I do not think they would be something my readers would be interested in. When approaching me about a possible giveaway I would love to know the time frame you are thinking and if the contest is US/CA/International up front.

If I somehow receive a duplicate of a book I will either give it away on my blog or pass it on to another reader.

Lookalikes and Hardcover vs. Paperback Features:
I invite readers (and non-readers) to submit suggestions for Lookalikes or Hardcover vs. Paperback via email. These features would occur much less often without the help of you! Thanks for your help so far! I also credit those who submit in my posts.

Stats:
My sitemeter and open and accessible to anyone (see sidebar). For further stats please feel free to email me with the specific stats you are looking for.

Contact Information:
Please contact me at aleareads @ gmail.com (remove spaces). I do not always have time to respond to all emails but do certainly try to do so. I have stopped responding to pitches that are on my do not read list.

I’m on twitter as @mint910 please feel free to contact me for some friendly conversation but I prefer to hear about books you are interested in pitching via email.

You can visit my LibraryThing and GoodReads accounts as well.

I am US based.


**This review policy is a work in progress. If something you want to know is not laid out here, please email me!**

Pretty Little Liars Challenge

I've held onto the first book in the Pretty Little Liars challenge for a few years now, this winter I picked up books 2-4 and just recently got invited to participate in the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers game to help promote the ABC Family show, which is premiering tonight, can't wait! Anyhow I finally FINALLY picked up the first book yesterday and read it in 24 hours. Challenge host Trisha pointed out her challenge, and I'm totally excited to participate! I actually picked up books 5 and 6 yesterday at Borders for 1 cent. I kid you not, I had $15 Borders bucks and a 33% off coupon, couldn't have planned that any better!

Anyhow, I'm officially joining the challenge and can't wait to read the rest of the books, started Flawless this morning!

Hardcover vs Paperback 84

Donut Days by Lara Zielin

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend’s not speaking to her, a boy she’s known all her life is suddenly smokin’ hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.

But this weekend Emma’s only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn’t quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.

In a fresh, funny voice, newcomer Lara Zielin offers up a mesmerizing, fast-paced narrative full of wit and insight.

I always thought the hardcover was cute and clever but this paperback, it takes it to a whole new level! Fun background, fun font, donuts you could eat instead of get rained on by! You can still tell they are the same book but they definitely made the paperback cover a lot more delicious! Yum!

Hardcover or Paperback?

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

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl by Rachel Renee Russell

Amazon.com:

Rachel Renee Russell's sequel to DORK DIARIES is packed with adorable art and tons of laughs.

I was SO excited to hear that the Dork Diaries series would be continuing with this second book, Dork Diaries: Tales From A Not-So-Popular Party Girl. I adored the the first book, the author has such a way with humor that I think all her jokes are funny and I just adore Nikki! And the situations Nikki finds herself in, oh man, I’m not the target audience but they were hilarious! There is something about the way that Nikki writes her journal that is so innocent and genuine that she’s instantly lovable.

In this book nemesis MacKenzie really starts to show her claws so it’s really interesting to see how Nikki will handle these situations in her polite and innocence manner. Nikki’s friends Chloe and Zoey are also a great backup duo to Nikki and her crazy ideas! While I would have loved to have seen Nikki’s little sister Brianna a bit more in this book, she was still as funny as I remember her from the first book.

I can see the Dork Diaries series going on for a long time and with each book Nikki is maturing a bit more and learning new things about herself. I love how this book ended and it’s set up for what I’m sure will be a great third book to the series! Can’t wait to read it!

Dork Diaires: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl will be released on June 8th
Genre: Middle Grade
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher

BEA 2010: Arrival of the Boxes

Ok, ok these actually came Thursday but I thought I would share a sneak peek before posting the rest of my BEA recaps, which will be occurring sometime soon. Disclaimer: I somehow ended up with 2 boxes this instead of one. How? I have no idea! I did ship at the end of each day though, to try and avoid the theft that happened last year. And one came with a big old rip in the side, luckily everything seemed ok for the most part!

Big old rip, oh no!

Wednesday's Box

Thursday's Box

This Week In Books Or Books Books Books and More Books!

I'm basically rolling in books after BEA so while this looks like a not overwhelming week in books for me, it still was!

Monday: nothing

Tuesday:

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

Surprise for review.

Wednesday:

I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee

For Review from Amazon Vine.

Thursday: nothing

Friday:

Kiss It by Erin Downing
Based Upon Availability by Alix Strauss
After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

For Review, After the Kiss from Amazon Vine.

Ravished by a Highlander by Paula Quinn
Still the One by Robin Wells
Montana Destiny by R.C. Ryan
To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliot
Desire Me by Robyn DeHart
Knight of Passion by Margaret Mallory

I had asked to participate in a Mother's Day Giveaway and while I didn't get selected to host the giveaway Hachette sent me my own set of the books, how sweet!

Saturday: nothing

Lookalikes 104

Stars in the Night by Cara C. Putman

The Island by Victoria Hislop

Oh boy these are a lot alike, photo, text in a color block, landscape. I really love the blue in Stars in the Night and the landscape photo used. But overall I think they both look nice.

Thanks to Deborah for pointing out this lookalike!

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

Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers Game + PLEASE HELP OR MY SECRET WILL BE REVEALED!

As some of you know I was invited by ABCFamily to participate in the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keeper Game. I had planned to post something this week about it but now with my latest task it becomes urgent. I am at a serious risk of having one of my secrets revealed unless I can get 13 of you to help me!

But first back to the beginning... the week before BEA I was in D.C. with my relatives, checking my email about twice a day on dial-up. One night I got this email that seemed to be too good to be true from ABC Family inviting me to take part in the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keeper Game (to promote to upcoming Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family premiering June 8th). It didn't say much besides that they would be sending me a package the next week with a smart phone (mine to keep for free after the game) and I would be playing the game as one of the characters. (I'm playing as Hanna.)

Well as you can imagine I jumped at the chance. It sounded so awesome and so involved I had to take part! I actually made my sister keep an eye out for the package's arrival and she gave me a slight sneak peek as to what was inside but anyhow... when I got home last Saturday I opened it up and WOW.

I won't be showing many pictures here, I think I'll save those for when I do my recap after the game is done. But you can see the box the game kit came in above. And inside was an iphone for me to play the game on (mine to keep for free after the game) and a secret object which I will not reveal here and a whole lotta dirt! And sort of an feeling of mystery and dread (yeah that really was in the box ;)).

So far there have been 4 tasks and today the 5th which brings me to the point where I really need your help! At least 13 of you to be exact!

Today A (the keeper of all of our secrets) told me that if I don't get 13 of you to share stories of how you have flirted to get out of trouble like ASAP one of my secrets will be revealed, and I just can't have that!

To help me out please post your story on this ABC Family Message board HERE in the thread I've created. And for this to work out I need to be mentioned by name. I guess go with Alea?

Thank you for helping me! Please let me know if you have any questions, comment, email me!

I think once the game is over I'll give a full recap of my reactions and the tasks I was asked to complete, so far it's been a ton of fun if not slightly creepy and confusing! I better watch my back for A, she knows too much!

And Then Everything Unraveled + And Then I Found Out the Truth by Jennifer Sturman Giveaway!

I LOVED Jennifer Sturman's, And Then Everything Unraveled (paperback out now) and am so excited to read And Then I Found Out the Truth (July 1st). So I jumped at the chance to be able to share these great books with one of you!

Here's a bit about the books!

And Then Everything Unraveled

Amazon.com:

Delia Truesdale has no idea her life's about to change forever. She's too busy enjoying the California summer. Her internet tycoon mother, T.K. Truesdale, is out of town, and that means Delia can spend all her time at the beach, surfing. That is, until everything unravels.

Her mother suddenly goes missing, and everyone thinks she's dead - excpet Delia, who knows T.K.'s way too organized to simply disappear. But Delia's still sent to New York to live with her two aunts - a downtown bohemian and an uptown ice queen.

And in case that's not bad enough, she also has to deal with a snooty new school and trying not to fall for the wrong guy. Oh, and finding her mother.

As she delves deeper into the tangle of conspiracies and lies surrounding T.K.'s disappearance, Delia begins to suspect that the wrong guy may be the right guy...and that some secrets - especially the dangerous ones - were never meant to be unraveled.

** maybe don't read this summary if you haven't read the first book*

And Then I Found Out the Truth

Amazon.com:

Delia Truesdale is still searching for the truth about her mother, who is in hiding somewhere in South America. But for now, Delia has to make do with her mystery-solving in New York City, alongside her Aunt Charley (a downtown hipster), her Aunt Patience(an uptown ice queen), a detective with a questionable taste in neckties, an eccentric psychic, her brainiac friend, and Quinn, the wealthy, gorgeous boy who--gasp!-- seems to return Delia's affections. Too bad Quinn's shady CEO dad may be involved in the scheme Delia is trying to crack. And a trip to South America may be in order after all...

Here's how to enter to win a paperback of And Then Everything Unraveled, a hardcover of And Then I Found Out the Truth and a magic 8 ball keychain!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

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

The giveaway will end July 1st at 6:59 pm Central Time.

**Prize provided by public relations firm**

Pre-BEA: (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday)

SUNDAY:

As some of you know, I was in the D.C. area the week before BEA so I hopped on a bus 7am Sunday morning and was into New York City by 11am. Roomie Irish/Gail and I timed it so we would arrive around the same time.

We dropped our bags of at the hotel (and roomie Gail brought me Things I Know About Love by Kate LeVann because she knew I wanted to read it, how sweet!) and then went in search of lunch. We ended up at Max Brenner which I had gotten very excited about! Here are the awesome chocolate pancakes both Gail and I had.


We then headed over to the Strand where we ran into Lenore and Trish!


I tried to keep my buying down to a minimum unlike last year when I went sort of crazy. Here's what I got:


The Daughters by Joanna Philbin
Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
How to be Single by Liz Tuccillo
Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini
Fa La La La Felt by Amanda Carestio
Daniel Clowes Strand Bag

After that we met up with Joanne Renaund for dinner! We went to a ramen house which I can say I've never been to and OMG was it tasty!

After that we went back to the hotel to check in. Then we decided we better make our first Pinkberry run, I think it was the first of three during the trip. Behold:


MONDAY:


Monday we started the day by eating breakfast at the hotel, yum french toast! Then we wandered around for awhile (see above picture), including Kate's Paperie which was extremely cute. Then we headed over to Harper Collins where we got to chat with a large group of publicists who were all extremely nice. They showed us around for a bit, honestly I don't think I've ever felt so welcome anywhere, such nice people! I picked up a copy of You by Charles Benoit there, which I had heard about via twitter.


After that Gail and I met up with Julia Hoban, the author of Willow who I always have the best time with! And since the Willow paperback had recently come out we took the chance to get Julia to sign some copies for us! I also found the second book in Candace Camp's Willowmere series, A Gentleman Always Remembers, which wasn't due in stores until the next day. (The week before I tried to buy it, store had it but said I couldn't have it so instead I used my Borders bucks on A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior by Suzanne Enoch).

Then we headed over to the Jefferson Market Library where the Teen Author Carnival was held. The carnival was organized a little bit differently this year. There were three themed panels on three different floors repeated three different times. Then at the end was a big signing.

I got my copy of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place signed by Maryrose Wood, got to meet Sarah Ockler who signed a copy of Fixing Delilah Hannaford for me and also got to say hi to Michelle Zink who signed Guardian of the Gate and mini-posters of her new book covers for me! Also chatted with Melissa Walker, Stephanie Kuehnert and others. This was basically the first time I got to meet a majority of the bloggers (too many to name) that attended BEA this year. Was a lot of fun!




After that we went out for dinner with a HUGE group of bloggers of dinner! The food was good and the conversations were great!

TUESDAY:

Tuesday morning we stopped at the Javits Center to pick up our badges. And this was the popular spectacle upon entering. It really was very cool!


After some breakfast (or for me sweet potato fries) with some fellow bloggers we headed to Penguin for a tour! Yay! We started off visiting the design department, which of course is exactly what I wanted to see. I asked a lot of questions during our tour and we even got to see the review copies closet. I've always wanted to see one of those! They were so kind to offer us some books to take home. I picked up The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paol Giordano and Promises to Keep by Jane Green.

Next up was a light lunch with Gail, James, Susan, and authors Chelsea Campbell and Anastasia Hopcus and her boyfriend. We had gotten so hot it was so nice to sit inside for a bit! Next it was off to the Lion Brand Yard Studio! If I lived in NYC I would totally take classes there!

Next was tea at Sweetiepies. We knew it was going to be expensive but them with all the taxes and fees it kind of got really expensive! But I still thought it was fun, the food was cute and tasty and we got to spend some time with more bloggers!



The final event of the day was the Class of 2k10 signing at Books of Wonder. I purchased Change of Heart by Shari Maurer and The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter. Gail was kind enough to let me steal some stickers to use as bookplates so I could get the books I had at home "signed" by some of the authors there that night! After the signing wrapped up I was the camera holder for a video interview Gail conducted with Janet Fox the author of Faithful (see the video here). So after listening in on that I ran up to the register and bought a copy book and also had her sign it!



I believe this is another day that ended in a trip to Pinkberry. I tried Chocolate which was a new flavor of theirs I had not had! And of course we got home just in time for Glee!!!!

Upcoming posts:
BEA Day 1
BEA Day 2
Book Blogger Convention
Alea's BEA Picks On A Theme or OMGGGG!

"Waiting On" Wednesday 85

Palm-Size Softies by Hitomi Takahashi, Mikiko Matsui, and Akemi Tsubo

Amazon.com:

The book is packed with unique, adorable projects for unique-style, stuffed cuties with a fun range—from the popular “blithe-like” doll to a “sock doll.” Full-color images show the front, back, and sides of each project and complete photographic, step-by-step instructions for creating each critter, along with templates for each one. Fun materials and fabrics offer distinct style and personality. Palm-Size Softies is full of fast, low-cost, fun craft projects. Give them as gifts or personalize them for yourself!

Released September 1st 2010

Keyword here is palm-sized! Everything is cuter when it's smaller! I do wonder if this is all machine sewing though. I'm really starting to think I need to learn to use a sewing machine again, forgot everything I learned in junior high Home Ec. Not sure where to start though!

What can't you wait for to be released?

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

Winners of Caleb + Kate and The Iron King giveaways

The winner of Caleb + Kate is Sab H!

And the winner of The Iron King is Nancy Ann!

I have emailed you both, please respond with your full name and mailing addresses by this Saturday June 5th to claim your books!

Thanks!

Hardcover vs Paperback 83

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

I suddenly see where I'm standing, and that's at the edge of change - really, really big change.

Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye feels like she has it all - a waitress job she loves, an adorable refrigerator-delivery-guy boyfriend, and a home life that's slightly crazed but rich in love. Until a mysterious man at the restaurant leaves her a 2.5 million-dollar tip, and her life as she knew it is transformed.

At first its amazing: a hot new car, enormous flat-screen TV, and presents for everyone she cares about. She laughs off the warnings that money changes people, that they come to rely on what they have instead of who they are. Because it won't happen...not to her. Or will it? What do you do when you can buy anything your heart desires -- but what your heart desires can't be bought?

This is the story of a girl who gets rich, gets lost, and ultimately finds her way back - if not to where she started, then to where she can start again.

Not really fond of these covers, I mean what's with the feet? But they do give off a good sense of Indigo's carefree attitude towards life. I guess I like the paperback just a little bit more but I don't like how the focus is on the girl's foot and how you really can't make out her face.

Hardcover or Paperback?

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

This Year In Movies: May

Since I was out of town for two weeks I didn't get to watch much but oh well! I watched 2 movies and 3 tv shows on dvd.

The Room- Boy was this nuts. A friend told me about it and how it was utterly insane so I had to watch it. Would not recommend for younger viewers, there is a lot of skin in this movie.

The Tudors Season 3- Darkest season yet. After Anne Boleyn gets beheaded it is not nearly as interesting.

Party Down Season 1- Pretty funny in an awkward sort of way. So excited to see a lot of the Veronica Mars actors in this show!

Eureka Season 1- This is my newest addiction. I'm already onto Season 2. While I have no idea what they are talking about science-wise I love the characters and the mysteries!

1000 Journals- Extremely interesting. Takes a look at the 1000 Journals project which you can read about here.