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Hi, everyone. I am back with another random giveaway. It's part of my quest to give away all of the great prizes I've been hoarding for you guys. I think I just have one more t-shirt giveaway and then it's on to books. Today I am giving away a new Mortal Instruments t-shirt. I got this at Comic-Con last year and it's a promo tie-in for the film. It's a women's size XL. It's kind of in that baby doll style so it's sized pretty small. But it's an XL and I think it should fit a good range of sizes. This giveaway is for US residents only and ends on July 31, 2014. Good luck!
Giveaway Rules:
- Open to US residents only.
- We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
- One set of entries per household please.
- If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address.
- Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget a day or two after the contest ends.
- Winner will have 48 hours to respond to to the email, otherwise we will pick a new winner.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email us. You can review our full contest policy here.
- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN THE COMMENTS. Sorry for the caps but we always get people leaving their email in the comments. Rafflecopter will collect all that without having personal info in the comments for all the world (and spambots) to find. Thanks!
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Hi, everyone! I am still going through our giveaway boxes and I am finding lots of fun things to giveaway on the blog. Today we have cute lavender t-shirt that was a promo gift for Tonya Hurley's
Precious Blood. This shirt is new and unworn is a women's medium. Just a note that this is a baby-t type shirt and it's cut pretty small. I would say it's closer to a women's small. If this sounds like a prize you are interested in, just fill out the Rafflecopter below. Your first entry is free. This is for US residents only and will end midnight on June 25, 2014. Good luck!
Giveaway Rules:
- Open to US residents only.
- We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
- One set of entries per household please.
- If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address.
- Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget a day or two after the contest ends.
- Winner will have 48 hours to respond to to the email, otherwise we will pick a new winner.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email us. You can review our full contest policy here.
- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN THE COMMENTS. Sorry for the caps but we always get people leaving their email in the comments. Rafflecopter will collect all that without having personal info in the comments for all the world (and spambots) to find. Thanks!
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Hello, friends! I am back this week with another random giveaway. Since The Fault in Our Stars movie is coming out soon, I though it would be fun to give away a copy of the soundtrack album. Looks to be a good one and includes tracks by Ed Sheeran, Birdy, Lykke Li and more. Usual contest rules apply. This is for US residents only and will end the day after the film's release. Good luck!
Giveaway Rules:
- Open to US residents only.
- We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
- One set of entries per household please.
- If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address.
- Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget a day or two after the contest ends.
- Winner will have 48 hours to respond to to the email, otherwise we will pick a new winner.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email us. You can review our full contest policy here.
- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN THE COMMENTS. Sorry for the caps but we always get people leaving their email in the comments. Rafflecopter will collect all that without having personal info in the comments for all the world (and spambots) to find. Thanks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hello! I found a few fun trailers online this week and thought I'd share some of them with you. Hope you enjoy!
Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - I actually haven't read this series yet but fans of BC will probably enjoy this trailer for the spin off series. The voice over isn't too bad and that font is still gorgeous.
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare - This is another series that I need to catch up on. I am probably at least 3 books behind now. Who is the creepy pale dude? Is that supposed to be Jace? Clearly I need a refresher on this series.
Tease by Sophie Jordan - This reminds me that I have book 1 of this series on my Kindle that I still need to read. This one is alright. I prefer stock images to actors in book trailers usually though I can't even tell if they are using the same couple in this....
Now & Forever by Susan Colasanti - Sorry, but this one is pretty cheesy to me.
Not a trailer but Epic Reads has a new mini web series out following the characters of
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page. This is set up like a reality show. I wish Dorothy's costume was a little nicer instead of just using a box Halloween costume. There are more episodes on the Epic Reads Youtube channel if you like this episode.
And there you have a fresh slew of bookish trailers. :)
Hi, everyone. I hope you're all enjoying the warm weather. I realized it's been a while since we had a random giveaway so I dug through my giveaway stores and found this really cool Divergent tote bag. I think I got it at Comic Con last year. It's new and never been used and you could win it. Giveaway is US only and will end at the end of the day on 5/31. You don't have to be a follower to enter but, if you like what you see we hope you'll come back.
Giveaway Rules:
- Open to US residents only.
- We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
- One set of entries per household please.
- If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address.
- Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget a day or two after the contest ends.
- Winner will have 48 hours to respond to to the email, otherwise we will pick a new winner.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email us. You can review our full contest policy here.
- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN THE COMMENTS. Sorry for the caps but we always get people leaving their email in the comments. Rafflecopter will collect all that without having personal info in the comments for all the world (and spambots) to find. Thanks!
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By: fishgirl182,
on 4/24/2014
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Publication date: 15 May 2012 by Disney Press
Category: Children's Picture Book
Keywords: Children's, picture book, princess, adventure
Format: Harcover
Source: Borrowed from library
Synopsis:Featuring an original story about Princess Merida as well as illustrations by one of the artists working on the Pixar film, Brave, this jacketed picture book will appeal to little girls who want to know more about their favorite character.
Thuy's Review:Merida is a princess. That means that she must act like a princess. She's not supposed to laugh too loud, roughhouse, or get messy. But, once in awhile, Merida gets a whole day to do whatever she wants. On these days, Merida takes off on her horse for an adventure in the Scottish wilds!
This is a very short, cute read. There isn't much of a story. It pretty much just follows Merida around during her day of adventure. I think it would be entertaining for very young children, especially if they've seen Brave and liked it. I love the illustrations in this. It looks like watercolors and I just love the movement and looseness that the medium affords. Merida's hair is awesome, and is just and wild and cool as it is in the movie.
While this was a cute book, it isn't one that I personally feel like I need to own. However, if your kids loved the movie, they might like this as well. It does have a subtle message at the end, about being yourself and being unique. I feel like that message is more of an afterthought than the main theme of the story though. The book is more about being curious and not being afraid to explore the world around you, which is also a good message. I'd recommend checking it out from the library first to see if this is something you want to own.
Visit the author online at samandmaxblog.blogspot.com.Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 
Hello! It's Tuesday again which means I am posting some new trailers. You may have seen some of these already. Last week the If I Say trailer was big news. I haven't read the book yet but I saw the trailer and think it looks promising. I am also a fan of Chloe Moretz so I am staying optimistic about this one.
Next up is the latest trailer for Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie. I am still not really sure about this one except to say that Angelina Jolie looks pretty scary with those crazy cheekbones. I love a good fairy tale retelling though and am sure I will go see this.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is finally coming out. I really liked the first one and have high hopes for the sequel. The dragons are so cute!
And last we have a scene from
The Fault in Our Stars. This is one of my favorite scenes in the book and I really like this clip. It is still a bit weird though that these two play brother and sister and Divergent but are romantic interests in this. I'm sure I'll get over it when I watch the movie though.
That's all I have for you today. Are you guys excited about any of these movies? :)
Hello, everyone. It's almost that time of year again - the time for Audiobook Sync to release it's summer schedule. What is Sync? It's a great program that happens every year where two audiobooks books are made available for FREE, yes free, each week through summer. The pairings are usually current YA novel with one older, classic title. They always have fantastic books and I load up my iPod every summer with them. These are totally free and they don't expire. The schedule is below. I am really excited about some of these including
Cruel Beauty, All Our Yesterdays and
Anne of Green Gables. I would highly recommend
Code Name Verity and
Peter and the Starcatchers, which are both great in audio. For more info, please visit
http://www.audiobooksync.com.
SUMMER 2014 SYNC TITLE LINEUP
May 15 – May 21
WARP: THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN by Eoin Colfer, Narrated by Maxwell Caulfield (Listening Library)
THE TIME MACHINE by H.G. Wells, Narrated by Derek Jacobi (Listening Library)
May 22 – May 28
CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge, Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden (Harper Audio)
OEDIPUS THE KING by Sophocles, Performed by Michael Sheen and a full cast (Naxos AudioBooks)
May 29 – June 4
CONFESSIONS OF A MURDER SUSPECT by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, Narrated by Emma Galvin (Hachette Audio)
THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE by Agatha Christie, Narrated by Richard E. Grant (Harper Audio)
June 5 – June 11
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill, Narrated by Meredith Mitchell (Tantor Audio)
JULIUS CAESAR by William Shakespeare, Performed by Richard Dreyfuss, JoBeth Williams, Stacy Keach, Kelsey Grammer, and a full cast (L.A. Theatre Works)
June 12 – June 18
CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein, Narrated by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell (Bolinda Audio)
THE HIDING PLACE by Corrie Ten Boom, John Sherrill, Elizabeth Sherrill, Narrated by Bernadette Dunne (christianaudio)
June 19 – June 25
I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter, Narrated by Renée Raudman (Brilliance Audio)
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery, Narrated by Colleen Winton (Post Hypnotic Press)
June 26 – July 2
FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick, Narrated by Noah Galvin (Hachette Audio)
OCTOBER MOURNING: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman, Narrated by Emily Beresford, Luke Daniels, Tom Parks, Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Christina Traister (Brilliance Audio)
July 3 – July 9
TORN FROM TROY by Patrick Bowman, Narrated by Gerard Doyle (Post Hypnotic Press)
PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Narrated by Jim Dale (Brilliance Audio)
July 10 – July 16
CLAUDETTE COLVIN: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose, Narrated by Channie Waites (Brilliance Audio)
WHILE THE WORLD WATCHED by Carolyn Maull McKinstry with Denise George, Narrated by Felicia Bullock (Oasis Audio)
July 17 – July 23
THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE by Nancy Springer, Narrated by Katherine Kellgren (Recorded Books)
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES II by Arthur Conan Doyle, Narrated by David Timson (Naxos AudioBooks)
July 24 – July 30
HEADSTRONG by Patrick Link, Performed by Deidrie Henry, Ernie Hudson, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Scott Wolf (L.A. Theatre Works)
THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson, Narrated by Scott Brick (Tantor Audio)
July 31 – August 6
DIVIDED WE FALL by Trent Reedy, Narrated by Andrew Eiden (Scholastic Audio)
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE by Stephen Crane, Narrated by Frank Muller (Recorded Books)
August 7 – August 13
LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS by Ben Lesser, Narrated by Jonathan Silverman and Ben Lesser (Remembrance Publishing)
THE SHAWL by Cynthia Ozick, Narrated by Yelena Shmulenson (HighBridge Audio)
By: fishgirl182,
on 3/24/2014
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Category: Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book
Keywords: Children's, picture book, non-fiction, art, biography
Format: Hardcover; ebook
Source: Library
Synopsis:As a child in the late 1800s, Horace Pippin loved to draw: He loved the feel of the charcoal as it slid across the floor. He loved looking at something in the room and making it come alive again in front of him.He drew pictures for his sisters, his classmates, his co-workers. Even during W.W.I, Horace filled his notebooks with drawings from the trenches . . . until he was shot. Upon his return home, Horace couldn't lift his right arm, and couldn't make any art. Slowly, with lots of practice, he regained use of his arm, until once again, he was able to paint--and paint, and paint! Soon, people—including the famous painter N. C. Wyeth—started noticing Horace's art, and before long, his paintings were displayed in galleries and museums across the country.
Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet team up once again to share this inspiring story of a self-taught painter from humble beginnings who despite many obstacles, was ultimately able to do what he loved, and be recognized for who he was: an artist.
Thuy's Review:A really wonderful and beautifully written picture book about the life of American artist Horace pippin. I had I idea the story was based on a real person when I started reading it and found myself totally engrossed by the story of Pippin's life. I was completely charmed by the story and finding out that it's about a real person just gives it more resonance.
The artwork is fantastic and is a mix of painting, drawing and collage. I especially loved the early drawings by Horace. The art also includes quotes by Pippin, which he used in his artwork. The words are simple but strong and bring another facet of Pippin to life.
I was unfamiliar with Pippin's work before and A Splash or Red presented his story in a really accessible way. I think both children and adults will be able to enjoy this book and I definitely think it will inspire interest in Pippin's work. I also liked that there was an index in the back with places where one could go see Pippin's work along with sources for more information on Pippin. I am not usually a big fan of non-fiction picture books but A Splash of Red was a delight to read and one that I highly recommend.
I'm back with another trailer! It's been a big week for YA book to film adaptations. The trailer for
The Maze Runner was released and
Divergent hits the big screen today. And the official trailer for Lois Lowry's
The Giver was also released. I have not read
The Giver yet so I can't really comment on how accurate it is based on the books. From what I've seen on the internet, there are some mixed feelings about this one. I just borrowed the book from the library though and hope to read it soon.
Have you read the book? Does this look like a faithful adaptation? I am interested to hear what people think of this one. Happy Friday, all!
Just a quick head's up to save the date for this fun author event coming up on April 5, 2014.
Salina Yoon, author of the popular Penguin picture book series, will be reading and signing her new book
Penguin in Love at Unwind Yarn in Burbank, CA.
That weekend also happens to be the same weekend as the LA Yarn Crawl, so you can expect lots of fun things going on at the store. Cake pops and drinks will be provided. If you haven't read these books yet, they are super cute and feature an adorable penguin and knitting. This even it sponsored by
Bridge to Books, founded by RNSL's very own Alethea and good friend Aly. Alethea will be out of the country so I (Thuy) will be organizing and corralling people the day of the event. If you have kids or like picture books, this is a great event to go to. We have an Eventbrite page to
reserve your (free) tickets and a
Facebook for more event info.
Below are a couple of pics from last year's Salina Yoon event to entice you.
By: fishgirl182,
on 3/11/2014
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Category: Children's Picture Book
Keywords: Picture book, crafting, art
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Synopsis:The Parade of Books has arrived, and it’s Chloe’s chance to showcase her crafty costume talents. Leo wants Chloe to be the Frankenstein to his Dracula, and Chloe can’t wait to dress like a monster. But when Emma wants to wear Fairy Club costumes instead, Chloe is torn like a scrap of fabric. She doesn’t want to disappoint her friends—but how can she possibly please them both? Luckily, a little glitter and a lot of imagination just might give Chloe the answer!
Thuy's Review:The annual book parade is around the corner and Chloe and her friends must prepare costumes based on their favorite book characters. But trouble arises when Chloe promises to be a monster with her friend Leo and then promises to be a fairy with her friend Emma. Chloe doesn't want to disappoint either friend, so what is she going to do?
First of all, what a great premise. We never had anything like a book costume parade when I was Chloe's age but I think I would have loved it. This is a really cute book and I loved that Chloe was so crafty and creative when it came to her costumes. I like that the book encourages kids to use their imaginations and make things. The story itself wasn't super original or exciting but it was cute and I think kids will like it. It was a bit predictable but I think that kids will like it.
As a crafty person myself, I think
Crafty Chloe: Dress-Up Mess-Up is an adorable book to read to kids and get them in the crafting spirit. It would be fun to read this with a child and do some crafts to go with it. Definitely worth a read if you have children in your life.
Visit the author online at www.kellydipucchio.com, Twitter and follow her on Twitter FacebookPlease note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 
By: fishgirl182,
on 4/9/2013
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Category: Middle Grade Mystery
Keywords: Middle grade, mystery, friendship, bullying, Mafia
Format: Hardcover, paperback, eBook
Source: Borrowed
Synopsis from Goodreads:Chris Rylander delivers a funny Ferris Bueler-style middle grade novel with
The Fourth Stall.
Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. It's what he does—he and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boys' bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming.
Or at least it was, until one particular Monday. It starts with a third grader in need of protection. And before this ordeal is over, it's going to involve a legendary high school crime boss named Staples, an intramural gambling ring, a graffiti ninja, the nine most dangerous bullies in school, and the first Chicago Cubs World Series game in almost seventy years. And that's just the beginning. Mac and Vince soon realize that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is that there's no one left to solve yours.
Review:
The Fourth Stall is a hilarious play on The Godfather set in an elementary school. The Godfather
in question is Mac, short for MacGuyver because he’s the guy that can get you anything. And the
fourth stall is and empty bathroom stall where he conducts his business. The empire is run by a
small sixth grader and his best friend who loan out their services helping solve the problems of
their fellow classmates for a small fee. Their business is threatened when the mysterious
kingpin, Staples, starts a gambling ring at their school. Using tough high school kids and bully
tactics, Staples plans on taking Mac and his friends down. Loyalties are tested when Mac finds
out that there’s a mole in his organization. Can Mac hold the business together and flush out the
rat at the same time or is this the end of his career? And will the Cubs make it to the World
series this year?
Each person in Mac’s crew had a distinct personality and I loved reading the bios of the various
school bullies. I am partial to Kitten, the small and polite sociopath, who is ruthless and more
than a little scary. I definitely don’t want to get on his bad side. And it was cool to see Mac band
the bullies together in order to deal with Staples. I had some mixed feelings the violence in this
book. On one hand, it was pretty graphic (especially for the middle grade reader that I think this
book is aimed at) but on the other hand, I think there had to be real consequences to their
actions in order to make the story work. And though Mac ends up using strong arm tactics to aid
his own cause, he doesn't feel good about it. While the book doesn't glorify violence in the
schoolyard, it doesn't shy away from it either.
What drew me in though was the friendship between Mac and his best friend Vince. Their easy
rapport and camaraderie seemed genuine. They were a bit like an old married couple and I was
really worried when their friendship was threatened. Ultimately this is a story about friendship and
family. And though I am not a sports fan, I found their dedication and obsession with The Cubs to be funny and endearing. It almost made to me want to watch a baseball game. ;)
Visit the author online at www.chrisrylander.com and follow her on Twitter @chris_rylanderPlease note that this post contains affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here.
Thanks to
Thuy for kicking off a short series of posts with
gift recommendations for all of your favorite book lovers.
Must-have books published this year:
Extra Yarn - written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Adorable story, awesome illustrations, and it's about knitting. LOVE.
Shadow & Bone - Leigh Bardugo
One of my fave reads this year. Also has a fantastic cover.
Cinder - Marissa Meyer
Another fave this year. Love the twist on this classic fairy tale and
Cinder is a character I think a lot of people can relate to.
Must-have classic:
A twist on a classic. Like a lot of folks, I am a fan of the Grimms' original fairy tales and I am dying to see Pullman's take on them.
Bookish things:
Downtown Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 - I know you can stream the series online but let's face it, this is something that I want to have in my collection.
Nan Lawson prints - I love Lawson's quirky yet cute style and she makes prints of subjects that many bookish/sci fi nerd would love.
Food for... your belly, not your mind:
 |
Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Used with permission from RecipeGirl.com |
Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies - The holidays are the perfect time for baking. I love a good warm cookie with ice cream, and this recipe from
RecipeGirl for a skillet cookie looks delicious. Reminds me of the pizookie from BJ's, which is pretty much the only reason I go there. But, with a bit of work, you can make your own delicious skillet cookie at home. And have it all to yourself. :) Or, you know,
give someone the means to do that.
Alethea's note: This is perfect for the booklover who doesn't want to get cookie grease all over their book or eReader, because you eat it with a fork or spoon (and a huge dollop of ice cream)
 |
| say "twee!" |
Come back tomorrow for more great gifts for booklovers!
By: fishgirl182,
on 12/6/2012
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Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, apocalypse, pregnancy, siblings, horsemen
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Bought
*This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*
Being connected to D
aemon Black sucks…Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.
But then everything changes…
I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?
No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
Thuy's Review:
I was going through a reading slump a little while ago. Everything was unexciting and just meh. What’s a girl to do when faced with reading ennui? Call Daemon Black, of course. Like a lot of people, I fell hard for Daemon, the cocky, infuriating alien next door from Jennifer Armentrout’s Lux series. While I don’t necessarily condone Daemon’s behavior in real life, he does have his own special brand of charm that comes out even when you want to kick him.
Onyx begins right where Obsidian left off. After a harrowing night fighting off the evil Arum, Katie and Daemon are connected more than ever. This means that Daemon needs to keep a close eye (and body) on Katie while she tries not to kill him. There’s also a cute new boy in town that starts spending a lot of time with Katy, much to Daemon’s displeasure. Throw in some evil aliens, a possible conspiracy by the Department of Defense, and you have a book that I didn’t want to put down.
I loved jumping back into this world. Katy and Daemon still have the same sizzling chemistry. I really enjoyed their banter and how they seem to drive each other crazy. I have to say though that I found Katy to be very annoying in this book. Daemon has finally admitted his feelings for Katie and wants to be with her. But Katie keeps pushing him away, insisting that his attraction to her is only due to their alien connection. While I understand her reticence at first (Daemon was a total douchebag to her in the last book), I don’t know why she can’t believe that he really likes her now, after all they’ve been through. They were clearly attracted to each other in Obsidian before the alien connection was established, and I am not sure she is so doubtful of the attraction now.
Katy also makes some really bad decisions in Onyx. I am not sure where the smart, sarcastic Katy went but she seemed to be absent for a good portion of this book. In her place was someone who was very wishy-washy and insecure. She later admits that she made terrible choices, so I’ll give her that. I am hoping that the old Katy I love comes back for the next book.
Daemon is, well, Daemon. He’s still arrogant and ready with a quick comeback for everything. He knows exactly how to push all of Katy’s buttons. Attitude aside, we get to see a different side of Daemon in Onyx. In his quest to win Katy, Daemon shows his sweeter, more sensitive side. He’s still cocky and a jerk at times, but I felt like he was much more sincere than he was in the past. And when Daemon Black wants to turn on the charm, he really turns it on. Katy must be made of some tough stuff because most women would melt under his romantic assault.
Though I had a few issues with Onyx, I am still big fan of this highly addictive series. With plenty of intrigue, action, and crackling chemistry, the Lux series is a must read!
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 7/25/2012
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by Clemency Pearce
Illustrated by Rebecca Elliott
ISBN 10/13: 0545314267 | 9780545314268
Category: Children's Picture Book
Keywords: Children, picture book, bedtime, Halloween, spooky
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Thuy's review:
Frangoline is a girl who is good during the day but loves to sneak out of her bedroom at night to explore the world and the creatures in it. As Frangoline runs wild, the wise moon looks on, reminding her that children should be in bed at night, not out having adventures. But Frangoline does not heed the moon's advice, instead doing as she pleases.
Unfortunately, her nighttime fun wakes the dead, who come crawling out to see what all the noise is about. Suddenly being outside in the dark isn't so fun and Frangoline longs to be in her safe bed. Will she escape the dark creatures of the night? You'll have to read it to find out.
Frangoline and the Midnight Dream is a sweet little picture book that would be perfect to read during Halloween. With charming illustrations and a fun, rhyming story, children and adults alike will have a good time following Frangoline on her midnight adventure.
Pearce's word play and use of rhyme gives the story a great flow and it almost seems to bounce along the page with Frangoline. Though I enjoyed the story, the illustrations were my favorite part. They are super cute and a little "dark" but in a non-scary way.
This might be a good book for the child that likes to avoid bedtime. It also stands alone as a fun read. If you like your picture books a little spooky, definitely pick up Frangoline and the Midnight Dream.
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 6/11/2012
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ISBN 10/13: 0062001817 | 9780062001818
Young Adult Fantasy
Keywords: Siblings, family, mythology
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: Library
Jacket copy:
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Thuy's Review:I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I picked up
Sweet Venom. It had a great cover and I couldn’t resist picking it up. I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology though my memory for the myths and the many gods is rusty at best. But the idea of monster fighting triplets descended from Medusa sounded too fun to pass up.
And fun it was! With a good mix of Greek mythology, action, romance, and humor, Sweet Venom is an entertaining and fast read. The book is told from the three POVs of Grace, Gretchen, and Greer. I am often wary of books told in multiple POVs. In this
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 5/15/2012
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Publication date: 28 June 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN 10/13: 0316129259 | 9780316129251
Category: Children’s Picture Book
Keywords: Picture book, children’s, bicycling, travel
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed from the library
I picked up
Along A Long Road at the library because of its eye-catching cover.
Along A Long Road is unlike any picture book I’ve read recently. The illustrations are very graphic and stylized, with clean, fluid lines and only 5 colors (black, blue, red, white, and yellow). It doesn’t have much of a narrative. A bicyclist rides his bike up, down and all around - through town, by the sea, into a tunnel, by a carnival--following a yellow road throughout the book.
I really liked Viva’s illustrations and the fact that the road was shiny while the rest of the book was matte. It really gives the book a unique look and feel. I personally found the story to be a little boring and might have preferred it without words. That way I could have just lost myself in the imagery. However I can see how a simple story like this would appeal to very young children.
I think it would be really fun to have them follow the road and point out all of the people and things that are along the road. The standout here is definitely the art. I also just read on Viva’s website the following: “This celebration of cycling was created as a single, continuous 35-five-foot-long piece of art.” This actually makes me more impressed with the artwork than I already was and I would love to see this in its original 35 foot format.
I picked this book up for the illustrations and I can say that I wasn’t disappointed. While the story itself wasn’t a personal favorite, it’s a really easy read and I can see this appealing to very young children.
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 5/15/2012
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Publication date: 1 January 2012 by Millbrook Press
ISBN: 0761346139 | 9780761346135
Category: Children’s Non-Fiction Picture Book
Keywords: Children’s, non-fiction, picture book, patterns
Format: Hardcover
Source: Netgalley
Spotty, Stripey, Swirly is one of the newest additions to author Jane Brocket’s
Clever Concepts line of non-fiction picture books. Like her other books, this one is not traditionally illustrated but is filled with photos that Brocket has taken herself. As you can tell from the title
Spotty, Stripey, Swirly is about finding and recognizing patterns all around us.
Stripes, dots, zig zags, and circles abound, punctuated by Brocket’s signature style of bright, colorful photographs. Using eye catching photos, Brocket teaches children what a pattern is and how to recognize them. She urges them to find patterns in everyday objects. From simple to complex, patterns are everywhere if you just know where to look. This would be a nice addition to a very young child’s library.
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| say "twee"! |
Last week I was lucky enough to make it the the Dark Days Event at Vroman's Bookstore. I got there about 15 minutes early and there was already a small crowd. I bought my books and waited for the fun to start. Lauren Oliver (Delirium, Pandemonium), Claudia Gray (Evernight series, Fateful) and Dan Wells (Partials) all came to talk about their new releases and answer questions from the crowd. I thought this was a really great event. The authors were well spoken, smart, and very funny. I may have bought too many books. :)
I am terrible at taking notes but here are some topics that were touched upon and what the authors had to say about them. (and this is all from memory so please don't quote me on this)
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| l to r: lauren oliver, claudia gray, dan wells |
Cliffangers (This question was directed to all the authors with a special nod to Lauren)
Lauren Oliver (LO): Lauren said that she doesn't plan for her books to be cliffhangers but that sometimes it's just the way the story needs to be told. She also said that a writer's job was to pose a question to the reader that only the writer could answer. Maybe that question would be answered in the next chapter and another question raised, and so on, so that the reader wants to keep reading
Claudia Gray (CG): Claudia talked about an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation she watched when she was younger before cliffhangers were popular in television. She talked about how she and all her friends gathered to watch it and were shocked by the cliffhanger ending. She said that it was hard waiting for the next season's episode but that the experience is one that she would not trade for anything.
Dan Wells (DW): Why is every episode of a television show now a cliffhanger? Because it works! Cliffhangers get readers to come back for more:
How do you write a good romance?
LO: Writing a good romance i
I hope you all enjoyed our foray into the world of beauty and nail polish this week with our posts on the China Glaze Hunger Games collection. If you haven't yet, you can check out the posts
here and
here. We love the collection and want to share the love by giving our readers a chance to win some of our favorite colors from the collection.
There will be 2 winners. The prizes will be:
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| prize #1 |
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| prize #2 |
- Prize 1: China Glaze Hunger Games polish in Electrify, Dress Me Up, Agro
- Prize 2: China Glaze Hunger Games polish in Smoke And Ashes, Harvest Moon
Rules:
1. This giveaway is open for U.S. residents only. Sorry but international shipping is pricey and nail polish is usually a no-no for overseas shipping.
2. You must be at least 13 years of age or have the permission of a parent or guardian to enter since you will be sharing personal info with us.
3. Please DO NOT leave your email or personal info in your comment; it will be deleted.
Thanks and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
41 Comments on The Hunger Games China Glaze Giveaway, last added: 3/19/2012
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 2/15/2012
Blog: Read Now Sleep Later
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ISBN 10/13: 0545270111 | 9780545270113
Category: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
Keyword: Middle grade, fiction, realistic, mystery, pie, family
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Thuy's Summary:
PIE starts with the unexpected death of The Pie Queen of Ipswitch, Polly Portman. A pie phenom, Polly has graced the town of Ipswitch with her delicious pies for years. She opens up her own pie shop, Pie, in order to share her creations with the world. Polly doesn't accept money for her pies. Instead, customers "pay" for their pies by leaving fresh and delicious ingredients at Polly doorstep. The town mourns her untimely passing but no one misses her more than her niece Alice.
Polly was her best friend and Alice misses the hours she would spend in Polly's company at the shop. When Polly's will is read and word gets out that her famous pie crust recipe was left to her cat, the whole town is in an uproar. Soon, everyone is up to their ears in pies as people in town try to be the next award winning pie baker. Then Aunt Polly's cat disappears and the pie shop is ransacked and Alice knows that there's more to the story than just teenagers getting their kicks. She and her friend Charlie start their own investigation to figure out what's going on and find the recipe to happiness along the way.
Thuy's Review:
Who can resist a slice of homemade pie? Not me, that's for sure. I picked up Pie on a whim from the library last week. The cute cover caught my eye and I just couldn't resist the title. A charming book with a lot of hear, Pie is a delicious reminder that happiness is more than just money or fame and that love, friendship and being true to yourself are the key to true happiness.
I had such a fun time reading this book! It's funny and smart without too much dr
We're back with another event recap. It seems like we've been going to a lot of events lately and we love it! Authors, please come to Los Angeles. We love you and will come see you. :)
Last Saturday Children's Book World hosted Sara Wilson Etienne's book release party for Harbinger. Alethea will be able to tell you that I've been waiting for this book to come out. I don't know what it was, but something about it just called to me and I've been waiting for baited breath for its release.
We arrived just in time and the store was packed. Lots of people showed up for the event. There was a good group of YA authors in attendance including Gretchen McNeil and Jessica Brody. I saw a few other familiar faces though I couldn't place them. Alethea also ran into Kazu Kibuishi at the store who was there with his family hanging out and signing Amulet for the store. This was my first time at Children's Book World and I have to say that it was awesome. I really wish it was closer to my house because I would be going there a whole lot. When we got there the first thing I did was get in line to buy my own copy of Harbinger! Yay! Then we all filed into the smaller side room to hear Sara talk a bit about her book.
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| the crowd |
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| the setup |
Note from Alethea--you can't see from the photos, but it was *packed* in that room--I couldn't even get inside. I
By: alethea aka frootjoos,
on 2/9/2012
Blog: Read Now Sleep Later
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ISBN 10/13: 1937044238 | 978-1937044237
Category: Young Adult Science Fiction
Keyword: Science fiction, romance, aliens
Format: Hardcover, eBook
From Goodreads:
Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth.
Hello again! The RNSL team was lucky enough to be able to attend the Megan Miranda signing at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena last week. Megan was there to sign her newly released book, Fracture. Look at that gorgeous cover!
Megan was a bit late due to L.A. traffic, which people from out of town tend to underestimate. There a good crowd there. The event did start a bit early at 6 pm and most of us actually had to leave work early to make it on time. Megan arrived, a bit breathless but she was very excited and animated. She started off with a brief talk about the evolution of the book and her background in writing.
She said that she always loved writing but, over time and as life happened, it fell to the wayside and became something that she used to do instead of something she did. One evening, after a particularly frustrating day, her husband came home and (to alleviate the tension) asked her how that book she was writing came along. Megan started writing again that night. Fast forward a few months and Miranda finishes the first draft of Fracture. Then comes the process of finding an agent. Megan said that she had to rewrite the book twice and that only the first four sentences of the original draft made it into the final cut!
Megan was gracious enough to answer questions from the audience and signed her books afterwards. Also in attendance were authors Lissa Price and Laurisa White Reyes. Price's book Starters and Reyes's book Rock of Ivanore will both be coming out later this year. Alethea randomly had an ARC of Starters with her and was able to get it signed. All in all we had a fabulous time. Megan was super fun and sweet and we love Vroman's.
Check out some pics from the event below.
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| Megan |
3 Comments on Megan Miranda at Vromans - Event Recap, last added: 2/5/2012
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My boy students in 5th grade LOVE this book. I'm sad I won't get to meet Chris when he's in town as I have grad classes. Also, since I'm in the Chicago suburbs I think my students connect to the Cubs fans' cynicism that rides throughout the book. Love love love this book and need to read the follow ups. :)
i can totally see boys that age loving this book. i actually read aloud to a 4th grader once a week and this would be a great book to read to him. and i have no interest in baseball but their obsession with the cubs cracks me up. that's awesome that your students can relate to their obsession.
i need to read the followups, too. i have them both here just waiting to be read. i am sure they will be just as fun as this one.