tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37932225452066891472024-03-13T12:01:18.694-04:00The Thoughts of a Book Junky!Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-41238527324774951522015-07-10T16:25:00.000-04:002015-07-10T16:26:10.125-04:00Is there anyone out there???<br />
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Hello fellow Bloggers it's been a while. I am considering taking a second stab at blogging. Life has gotten in the way but my love for reading is still very present. Before I put a ton of effort in fixing up my blog and putting more posts, reviews and such back on my blog I wonder if there are still followers out there who were there in the past. I would love to know you are still there. </div>
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I will be updating my blog and fixing a few issues that have gone unfixed. Then I will start to work on new reviews and get back on track with something I am truly passionate about. </div>
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So, I hope to see my old friends and to make new ones. </div>
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Happy Blogging!!</div>
Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-75217326197599170982012-12-30T17:44:00.000-05:002013-06-09T17:02:38.764-04:00Review: The Name of the Star by, Maureen Johnson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hardcover, 372 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Putnam Juvenile</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">September 29,2011</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Fear can't hurt you," she said. "When it washes over you, give it no power. It's a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you.” </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 19px;">Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: clear;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The Name of the Star is a spine tingling story that combines the history of London's most terrifying serial murderer with a twist of a modern day ghost story. I loved it!</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;">Written in first person was a plus for me in this book. I really enjoyed Rory. She was spunky and a bit outspoken. She didn't quite fit in but not in the outsider sense. I loved her upbeat personality that lighted the mood in this otherwise grim tale. I thought that the characters in this book were interesting and likable. I enjoyed getting to know each one of them, from her roommate to her crush and even the one who hunted the town she now resides in. The characters all added to the story in a unique way that I very much enjoyed.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iItnNL996xk/UbTtWxX39rI/AAAAAAAABpQ/QQZN3adnzL0/s1600/5+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iItnNL996xk/UbTtWxX39rI/AAAAAAAABpQ/QQZN3adnzL0/s200/5+Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;">Even with our heartwarming main character, The Name of the Star is a bone chilling horror novel. The combination of old London and modern day high school is not to be forgotten. Lets face it, Jack the Ripper is fascinating. Everyone loves a good mystery and none can compete with the gruesome tale of The Ripper. Throw in some ghosts and you have yourself one heck of a story. The story line is interesting and will keep you guessing. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;">The Name of the Star is a tale you will not want to miss. With a mix of history, ghosts and a modern day plot, this book will have you turning pages until the end. I give The Name of the Star 5 Hoots, I loved the retelling of Jack the Ripper but with an entirely new spin and so will you!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;">Where to find Maureen Johnson</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://twitter.com/maureenjohnson">Twitter</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10317.Maureen_Johnson">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/index1.html">Website</a></span></div>
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Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-14761165467295220482012-09-28T15:32:00.002-04:002013-06-09T17:29:08.253-04:00Coming Soon: Whispers at Moonrise<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shadow Falls
Camp is back in session with the most explosive installment yet. A shocking new threat will rock Shadow Falls—changing
it forever and altering Kylie’s journey in ways she never imagined.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only
can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she
exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity,
she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she
is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf. With
his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to
Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday,
her closest confidante. Trouble is,
Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway. Now
Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too
late—all while trying to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3793222545206689147" name="_GoBack"></a>stop her relationship with Lucas
from slipping away forever. In a world
of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure. Change is inevitable and all things must come
to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ten Things You’ll Learn from Whispers at Moonrise</div>
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kicking your boyfriend’s father’s butt might not be good for the relationship.</div>
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sometimes following your heart means breaking some rules.</div>
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Getting trapped in a grave with three dead girls is not a walk in the park. </div>
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4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Your parents breaking up sucks. Your mom having a boyfriend, and kissing him in front of you, sucks BIG TIME.</div>
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5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When your boyfriend says one thing, but does another, what do you believe? His actions or his words?</div>
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6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You can’t always protect the ones you love. Sometimes the only way to protect them is to tell them the truth—even if it hurts.</div>
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7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you are in love, you usually want to talk a lot more about your boyfriend than your girlfriends care to hear.</div>
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8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You shouldn’t mess with magic if you don’t know what you’re doing. Especially when someone could end up sterile.</div>
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9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sometimes it is the little choices we make, and not the big ones, that define who we are.</div>
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10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Be careful what you wish for or you might end up turning a bright shade of red in the boys’ bathroom.</div>
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Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-42557084540181058692012-06-03T20:07:00.001-04:002013-06-09T17:32:09.185-04:00Q&A with Cassandra Clare<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I have three cats. I have a big collection of “maps to
places that never were:” a map of Middle Earth, a map of Sherlock Holmes’ flat
in Baker Street, a map of Narnia, a reproduction of the Time Bandits map. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">2) What was the inspiration for writing The Mortal
Instruments? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I wanted to write something that would combine elements of
traditional high fantasy — an epic battle between good and evil, terrible
monsters, brave heroes, enchanted swords — and recast it through a modern,
urban lens. So you have the Shadowhunters, who are these very classic warriors
following their millennia-old traditions, but in these urban, modern spaces:
skyscrapers, warehouses, abandoned hotels, rock concerts. In fairy tales, it
was the dark and mysterious forest outside the town that held the magic and
danger. I wanted to create a world where the city has become the forest — where
these urban spaces hold their own enchantments, danger, mysteries and strange
beauty. It’s just that only the Shadowhunters can see them as they really are.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to
writing The Mortal Instruments?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Certainly living in New York City informed my writing
process, but fortunately I've never been attacked by demons!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">4) Was Chary's
character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Clary Fray is named after two friends of mine, but she's a
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">5) What was your inspiration in the cover art for the MI
Series? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I didn't have anything to do with the design!<o:p></o:p></div>
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10 Fun Facts:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">1) Favorite color? </span></div>
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Blue<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">2) Favorite Food?</span></div>
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Sushi<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">3) Favorite song right now? </span></div>
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Poison & Wine by the Civil
Wars<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">4) Favorite Movie? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Blade Runner<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">5) Favorite Book? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Pride & Prejudice<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">6) Favorite author? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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JRR Tolkien<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">7) Favorite place to write? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I like to write in coffee shops with friends<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">8) Somewhere you have always wanted to go?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Japan<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">9) Dream cast for City of Bones movie? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Have a look here:
<a href="http://www.cassandraclare.com/my-writing/excerpts-extras/imaginary-casting/">http://www.cassandraclare.com/my-writing/excerpts-extras/imaginary-casting/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">10) If you were to write another series, what would it be
about?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The next one will be another Shadowhunter series, set in Los
Angeles five years after the events of the Mortal Instruments take place. It's
titled the Dark Artifices.</div>
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Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-53408384201867854182012-05-28T16:58:00.000-04:002013-06-09T17:35:19.706-04:00Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Veronica Roth<br />
Hardcover, 487 pages<br />
Katherine Tegen Books<br />
May 3, 2011<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”</b></span></i></span>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Beautifully written and extremely original, Divergent takes readers to a world all its own. You can feel the world around you slipping and transforming into the world created by Roth!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Divergent was by far one of my favorite books this year. It was such an original story that sucked me in until I flipped to the very last page. The details were stunning, Roth's writing style grabbed hold of you and refused to let go. There is nothing better then reading a book that transforms your world into the world you are reading. The words literally flowed off the page. Divergent was such an easy read.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The characters in Divergent were fantastic. Tris our main character was by far my favorite. Her transformation throughout the story was amazing to follow. We see her change and grow so much. I can not wait to she her strength in the next book. Four was also such an interesting character to read. He was so complex and it was fascinating to get to see all his layers and get to know his character. There was also a slue of supporting characters that you grew to love in their own way. Christina, Will, Al and even Peter had such complex stories. I loved each moment with them. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TG0bRjuMCXk/UbT1B_dSxUI/AAAAAAAABsg/aa3MiD87tDA/s1600/5++Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TG0bRjuMCXk/UbT1B_dSxUI/AAAAAAAABsg/aa3MiD87tDA/s1600/5++Hoots.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It is not hard to imagine our world turning out like the world of Divergent which makes this book so interesting to read. Regardless of how people try to change themselves, Human nature will always come first. Divergent explores the ins and outs of that nature and you tend to find a persons inner desires show regardless of the price. I loved the realism of the story and how it was very relevant. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Divergent is a great story that will hold on to you until the end and leave you wanting more. I give it 5+ Hoots for being a wonderfully original read that will have me reliving it's moments for many days to come. If you haven't read Divergent yet, I suggest you do so as soon as possible. </span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tu5Erw-posg?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-809661899951811622012-05-22T11:32:00.000-04:002013-06-09T17:37:37.939-04:00Character Interview: Dawn form ReVamped + Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug9ToSP5p-E/UbT1LnWi9zI/AAAAAAAABso/SiL6cH5D4qk/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug9ToSP5p-E/UbT1LnWi9zI/AAAAAAAABso/SiL6cH5D4qk/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" /></a></div>
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Steph: Hi Dawn, Thank you for joining me to day at The Thoughts of a Book Junky! How are you today?<br />
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Dawn: Hi Steph. Thank you for having me on your blog. To be perfectly honest, I’m having a bit of a rough morning. Brooke and Seth got into another fight today, so I’m just hoping that they don’t stake each other or burn down the cottage before I get back.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWb_QAX6vg/UbT1Yv8rm7I/AAAAAAAABsw/VvhRrIgH4jc/s1600/13495219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWb_QAX6vg/UbT1Yv8rm7I/AAAAAAAABsw/VvhRrIgH4jc/s320/13495219.jpg" width="213" /></a>Steph: OK lets get started! How did you like growing up at the Scarlet house? Whats the best part about living there?<br />
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Dawn: The Scarlet House had always been my home, so it will forever hold a special place in my heart. Even though my father was the president, the guards and all of the staff members knew that I was not to be spoiled. And I liked it that way—I preferred to be treated like everyone else. If anything, at my father’s insistence, the tutors and the trainers were even tougher on me than any other students when it came to my training and education. The best part about living at the vampire president’s headquarters was having access to all the cool weapons that I got to play with!<br />
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Steph: So you finally received your first assignment, How excited are you?<br />
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Dawn: When my father finally gave me the assignment in Angel Creek, I couldn’t wait to get started! I had been waiting for that moment ever since I turned sixteen and was finally allowed to go out on my own missions. Even before then, I had always daydreamed about leaving the Scarlet House grounds and taking part in some serious butt-kicking. I think the guards were growing tired of being my training dummies, so I’m sure that they were happy as well.<br />
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Steph: What did you think of Angel Creek when you first arrived?<br />
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Dawn: I thought the town itself was very small, but beautiful. I was a little worried that the mission would be too easy, but obviously I was very wrong in that regard.<br />
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Steph: Were you nervous at all about being in charge of ReVamping the new guardians of Angel Creek? Ever have any doubts?<br />
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Dawn: I was much more excited than I was nervous. But upon meeting Brooke, Sophie, Hunter and Seth, yes…I do have to admit that I had some doubts. Actually, many doubts!<br />
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Steph: What did you think of the 4 Vamps you had to train? Any of them ever get on your nerves?<br />
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Dawn: Nothing could have prepared me for the foursome! They really caught me by surprise. I expected to spend one or two days at most preparing the new guardians, but obviously that wasn’t the case. There were quite a few times that I had to restrain myself from breaking my own rule of “no hurting team members”.
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Steph: So Tell me a bit about Sebastian? ( Wink, Wink) oh and Ethan.. What about him?<br />
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Dawn: *Blush* I was promised that there wouldn’t be any questions about boys…
Well, as you know, Sebastian and I kind of got off to a rough start. The moment I met him, I had to prevent myself from kicking his arrogant little butt! But after getting to know him and finding out about his family and his past…things have kind of changed…
Ethan had also managed to cause quite a stir in my life. I was supposed to be in Angel Creek to work, so it was a bit unexpected to suddenly have two guys in my life.<br />
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Steph: Two guys in your life. How do you feel about that?<br />
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Dawn: I’m still trying to get used to the idea of ANY boys in my life. As you know, my life in the Scarlet House and my training didn’t leave much time for thinking about guys. Now, having to face my feelings about two of them is more than difficult. Why can’t love be as simple as combat training?<br />
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Steph: How has your life changed sense taking the assignment in Angel Creek? Are you glad you took the job?<br />
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Dawn: On one hand, I’m very glad that I took the job because it brought me closer to this crazy group of misfits. Aside from Elisa, they are my first real friends. Once you get to know them, they really aren’t so bad. Well, except when they slack off on training to play video games, chase boys, read books, or play the guitar. At the same time, I keep thinking back to all the events that happened over the summer and I can’t help but wonder if perhaps things would be different today if I hadn’t taken that job...<br />
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Steph: Any big plans for the future?<br />
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Dawn: Hopefully, there will be a lot of missions that involve butt-kicking, but don’t affect me personally. I’m still trying to deal with everything that happened this summer—especially all of the things regarding my family. The misfits, Sebastian, and Ethan are slowly helping me get through it all.<br />
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Steph: Well Dawn it was great chatting with you. Thanks so much for stopping by!<br />
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Dawn: Thank you for having me! If you ever want to stop by Angel Creek and check out one of our training sessions, I would be happy to show you some moves.
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Win an E-Book of ReVamped</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">To enter simply leave a comment with your email and tell us what your favorite part of the interview was!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Ends- 6-15-12</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Contest Over!</span> </span></div>
Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-65472610919125644062012-04-29T18:49:00.000-04:002013-06-09T17:38:59.406-04:00Author Interview Julie Cessar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself?<br />
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My background is in fine art and I’ve worked as a graphic designer and freelance painter. I’m a mother of three and for the past ten years I have worked part-time as a legal assistant. In between family stuff, work, painting, photography, scrapbooking, and writing, I recently started running and just completed my first half-marathon in October 2011. I love fancy coffee drinks, ice cream, wine, chocolate, really good pizza and dancing at the local pub. I’m pretty much an all-around goofball, am always wearing my rose-colored glasses, and I really do believe in fairy tales.<br />
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2) Could you tell us a bit about Ruby Blue?<br />
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Ruby Blue is a YA fantasy/romance book about your average ice-cream eating, garden-loving teenager, who is constantly being annoyed by her little brother, is best friends with possibly the only Goth kid in town and she has a big secret… she can see fairies.
After possibly the hottest guy she’s ever known finally asks her out, she can barely manage a two-word sentence when bizarre incidents begin to strike their lakeside town. As an ancient myth unfolds, Ruby and her friends must tackle some extraordinary circumstances with her very ordinary abilities in this modern day fairy tale.<br />
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3) What was the inspiration for writing Ruby Blue?<br />
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The idea has been with me for so long, that I actually don’t remember exactly how it came to me. I started to really love gardening (like my mom) about 10 years ago and I have always been drawn to the magic of fairies. After my son was born in 2004, I would work in the garden to get some “me time,” and that’s when I began to get the ideas for this story. I always thought it would be a children’s book, but as time went on, I realized that the story I wanted to tell was a bit more mature… and out came Ruby Blue.<br />
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4) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Ruby Blue?<br />
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YES! Of course, embellishment was involved…Haha… But I definitely used a lot of my own experiences and thoughts that I had as a teenager when I wrote this book. In fact, the scene at the miniature golf place is partly based on a personal experience…<br />
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5) Was Ruby's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? What is she like?<br />
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Ruby is definitely based in part on me and my quirks. I love gardening, being bare foot and ice cream. I also love my Chuck Taylors, although, I don’t have quite the collection that Ruby does. Several major differences: I don’t have the aversion to dresses she has; I LOVE coffee (she hates it); and I’m the youngest in a huge family of siblings, whereas she is the oldest and has only one brother. But, our personalities are very similar…she’s much cuter than me though.<br />
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6) What was your inspiration in the cover art for Ruby Blue?<br />
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It’s funny you ask this… I actually went through about 30 different versions for the cover. Because my background is in design, I’m very particular. I started out with an entirely different concept… a tree-lined path in the woods, etc… Then, after photographing some driftwood on a beach up north, I decided to use one of those pictures and I scrapped the entire first round of covers. I super-imposed the tree bark over the image and did some effects on the photo to give a mystical appearance. I definitely wanted the earthy elements of flowers and trees to be a key concept of the cover, because that is a key element in the book.<br />
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7 ) Do you plan to have Ruby Blue as a stand alone novel or part of a series?<br />
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I always intended Ruby Blue to be the first in a series of either four or five books…depending on how long it takes for me to get the story out. I actually have the second book of the series (“Deja Blue”) written and in the final editing stages. I am currently writing book three (“Sky Blue”) but I’ll have to wait and see if I can wrap up the story arc in book four or continue it on with a possible book five.<br />
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8) Who is your favorite character in the book? And why?<br />
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Oh gosh! This is a tough one! I actually love all five of the main characters… During this process, they each have earned a special place with me. They all have unique personality traits that I’ve based on people I know and love in my own life… To pick just one is just too hard!<br />
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9) If Ruby Blue was made into a movie, Who would be your dream cast?<br />
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Yikes! Talk about the ultimate dream! I actually haven’t given it too much thought, because I’m way too scared to think that far in advance… Hmmm… I was recently made aware of an actor named Matt Dallas, and he is almost exactly what I picture Brennan to look like (in photos where he has shorter/crazier hair). A reader told me that they could picture Bridgit Mendler as Ruby, and I agree that she is a great fit. I think Sterling Knight is the perfect Leo… but I’m at a loss for Jeremy and Nick. I can seem them crystal-clear in my head though!<br />
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10) Do you write to music? If so, what is your favorite?<br />
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YES! I love listening to music when I write. In fact, I often repeat the same two or three songs over and over, if I’m writing a particular chapter/scene. It depends on the scene I’m writing as to what music I listen to. With “Ruby Blue,” I listened to a lot of Joshua Radin. Train, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” played quite a bit too.<br />
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11) What do you plan on doing in the future?<br />
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Well, the immediate future holds me finishing the Ruby Blue series. I’ve had the ideas in my head for so long and I just need to get them out. I have an idea for another series involving angels swirling around in my head, but I won’t start writing it until I get Ruby all out on paper. I also plan to keep painting and taking photographs, so hopefully I’ll be promoting that too.<br />
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12) What are you reading right now?<br />
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I have a huge stack of books on my nightstand in the line-up. I’m currently reading a paranormal romance by Rose Pressey, and next in line is the latest Sookie Stackhouse book by Charlaine Harris, the new Betsy book by MaryJanice Davidson, and the latest House Of Night book by P.C Cast and Kristen Cast. The Hunger Games Series is in that stack too (I know…shame on me for not reading them yet!) And, a friend just gave me all of the Vampire Academy books to read…I just finished “Asylum Lake,” by R.A .Evans…that was a great horror/suspense read.<br />
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13) Who are a few of your favorite authors?
Oh mannn…There are too many to name! Brent Crawford, Stephanie Meyer, MaryJanice Davidson, PC Cast, JK Rowling, Charlaine Harris, Rose Pressey…Honestly, I love so many. I rarely read a book that I don’t like. If I don’t like a book, I stop reading it and don’t bother to finish.<br />
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14) Anything you would like to add?<br />
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First, I’d like to thank you for reviewing my book, and for the interview opportunity. I hope everyone takes a chance on “Ruby Blue” and can find the magic in it. It truly was a labor of love that was cultivated over a really long time… I look forward to reader feedback and am flattered to be featured on this site! If you love my story, I’d be honored if you shared it with fellow readers.
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<noscript>&amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-34104415187542107892012-04-28T00:00:00.000-04:002013-06-09T17:42:20.011-04:00Author Spotlight: Rhiannon Paille<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Interview with Rhiannon Paille Author of Flame of Surrender! </span></div>
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1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I'm a hopeless romantic. I also write books and I've been a
professional psychic reader for seven years. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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2) Could you tell us a bit about Flame of Surrender?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">It's a story about love, the mistakes we make because of love
and the dire consequences. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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3) What was the inspiration for writing Flame of Surrender?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I've been trying to write an epic romance since I was 12.
Ideas for FoS have been with me for about 14 years now and 6 years ago I
decided to try to write it. It was really bad, but three drafts later and a lot
of determination I think I got it right. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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4) Were there any personal experiences that went in to
writing Flame of Surrender?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them what
was true about this story and what wasn't. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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5) Were Krishani and
Kaliel's characters based on anyone or were they purely made up? What are they
like? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Kaliel and Krishani were based on the violet flame from
eastern mythology and the ferryman from Greek mythology. Admittedly, there
isn't a lot that can be discerned from what's been written about them, but they
had their own story to tell. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Kaliel is innocent, shy, naive, brave, and passionate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Krishani is withdrawn, private, passionate, strong,
tortured, and rebellious. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I chose Kaliel for the cover because she's the focus of FoS.
The photo used shows her relationship with the land, the fact that she talks to
trees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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7) How many books do you plan to have in the Ferryman and
the Flame series?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">There are 6 and a half planned. Basically two trilogies and
a novella. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="color: #a64d79;">For me it's balanced between Kaliel and Krishani but I can't
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<o:p> </o:p>9) If Flame of
Surrender was made into a movie, Who
would be your dream cast?</div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Ahh I've thought of this... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Dylan Minnette would make a great Krishani</span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Chloe Morentz or Elle Fanning would make a great Kaliel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Evanna Lynch would be a fabulous Shimma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">James McAvoy would make an awesome Pux. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I used to write music, but it was never any good in my
opinion. I have very eclectic tastes these days from Victoria Duffield and
Nicki Minaj to Adele, Florence and the Machine, to Three Days Grace and Rise
Against. I like a little bit of everything. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I'm going to take over the world. No, I'm joking, I really
have no idea. I suppose I'll continue reading minds and writing books until
someone says I can't. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Nothing, well I have a lot on the list but I'm just reading
FoS for the umpteenth time. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Cassandra Clare<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Erin Morgenstern<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Lauren Oliver<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Ruth Warburton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Julie Kagawa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Stephanie Perkins</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>14) Anything you would like to add?</div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">I'm also releasing a mini series called Last City on Earth,
featuring a girl named Fable who found the Fountain of Youth and ended up
immortal. Unfortunately she was the only one. She lives in Temperance, a city
underneath the permafrost on Antarctica. Every year on Temperance Day the
people try to kill her. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">The first two parts of the series are up on kindle for 0.99
cents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Thanks for having me on your blog Stephanie! I hope your
readers take a chance on an Indie Author. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Namaste,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Rhi</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<noscript>&amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-90188310849312978752012-04-09T23:47:00.000-04:002013-06-09T17:45:25.658-04:00Review: ReVamped by Ada Adams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWb_QAX6vg/UbT1Yv8rm7I/AAAAAAAABs0/T1lQGjmQIqY/s1600/13495219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWb_QAX6vg/UbT1Yv8rm7I/AAAAAAAABs0/T1lQGjmQIqY/s320/13495219.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Ada Adams</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Paperback, 300 pages</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">February 20, 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>I was falling for the one guy in the world I had never </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>expected to fall for... And I was falling hard.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">A simple mission turned deadly. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">ReVamped is a new and fresh take on the world of Vampires... I loved it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Adams created a wonderful world of Vampires that have come out of the coffin. They are now famous and treated like celebrities. ReVamped reminded me a bit of the Sookie Stackhouse books, but for Young Adults! It was a very light read. I was able to finish it in one sitting. The idea that Dawn ( The main character) must go to the small town of Angel Creek to "ReVamp" The new Vampire protectors of the town is a very fun and original idea. I really enjoyed the way Dawn had to take a bunch of Vampires that were lacking in skill and turn them into protectors. She really had a tough time getting them to work together and it was quite humorous.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9EAc-CffqvE/UbT3Q9hRIYI/AAAAAAAABtQ/czVYGRXm228/s1600/4+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9EAc-CffqvE/UbT3Q9hRIYI/AAAAAAAABtQ/czVYGRXm228/s1600/4+Hoots.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The Characters in ReVamped were all very different. I really enjoyed reading from Dawn's POV. She was a strong Vampire who could kick some major butt, but was also very sheltered and naive in the way of the world... and boys. I also really likes Sebastian and Ethan, Dawn's two love interests. They both seen to be genuine characters and I look forward to reading more about them both. The 4 new Vampire recruits were a bit less likable. I do wish they had a bit more character building in the book but I did enjoy the way they grew in the story. Except for Brooke, I didn't like her. She seemed too fake and her character was a bit overdone in the stereotypical scene. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Overall I give ReVamped 4 Hoots! I really enjoyed Dawn's story. I wish there was a bit more details added in and at times the book seemed a bit ruched especially during the climax of the story. All in all ReVamped was a great debut book and I look forward to the next book in the Angel Creek series! </span></span>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-10260907341020592162012-04-04T10:00:00.001-04:002015-07-10T16:14:14.657-04:00Interview with CC Hunter + Giveaway of Taken at Dusk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pjletT7BJfQ/VaAng7J1e5I/AAAAAAAAB90/dePUDs3po78/s1600/Taken%2Bat%2BDusk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pjletT7BJfQ/VaAng7J1e5I/AAAAAAAAB90/dePUDs3po78/s320/Taken%2Bat%2BDusk.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3793222545206689147" name="_GoBack"></a> him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, <i>someone lives and someone dies. </i>As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever could have imagined.</span><o:p> </o:p></blockquote>
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<i style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Thirteen Things You’ll Learn From Taken at Dusk</u></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The only thing worse than trying to help a woman with amnesia remember her name and life is trying to help a dead woman with amnesia remember hers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Be careful what you wish for—you might just get it . . . and the reality will probably not be anything like the fantasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The person you think is your enemy could just turn into a friend who'll do anything to save you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The scariest thing in the world isn't ghosts or rogue vampires bent on murder—it's falling in love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Explaining why you have a skunk curled up in your arms to your mom and your old best friend is as easy as eating a brownie while brushing your teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We all make mistakes, which is why it's so important to practice forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The only thing worse than a pissed-off shapeshifter is a pissed-off shapeshifter in love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sometimes the earth really does have to open up and swallow you whole before you can accept the truth that's right in front of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Vampires have no sense of humor . . . especially when they get turned into a kangaroo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Free will gives us choices, but even making the right choices can't change destiny . . . and learning to accept that can be the most painful lesson of all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">12.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sometimes when you try to save someone, they end up saving you instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">13.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Never get between a dragon and a warlock on the war path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><u><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Q & A with CC Hunter </b></i></span></u></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">W1) What is your favorite quote from <i>Taken at Dusk</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">That’s so hard.</span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Here are two that I like:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A.“There are no guarantees. Not with love or with life.</span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But we can’t go through life never taking a risk.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">B.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">“Mistakes. People make them. And most of the time, they have to pay for them.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2) </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who has been your favorite character in the Shadow Falls series? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">That one is impossible. It’s like asking a mother which of her children is her favorite? I’m probably closer to Kylie because the book is mostly about her journey. However, some of my favorite scenes are those with Perry. He’s such a fun character. He makes me laugh, and he makes want to make sure he gets his own happy ending with Miranda. I just hope Miranda will be up for it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">3) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you could choose, what type of paranormal creature would you be?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It would cool to fly like a vampire, but I wouldn’t like the diet.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So I think I would like to be a witch or fae.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then again, what Kylie turns out to be is probably the best of all possible supernaturals.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And no, I can’t tell you what it is.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">LOL.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">4) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Whispers at Moonrise</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is the forth book in the Shadow Falls series, do you plan to take</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">the series further? If so, whats next?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes, there will be a total of five books in the series. My editor and I haven’t talked too much about the title yet, but I think it will have “Sunrise” in it.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve also suggested that for the cover, we do an image of Kylie by the Texas Gulf Coast with the sunrise reflecting off the ocean. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We’ll see if they go with my idea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the last book, Kylie’s journey and quest is complete.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">She understands who she is, what she is, and finally knows who she is meant to love.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There will a big surprise at the end, too.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One even Kylie wasn’t expecting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">5) When Shadow Falls is finished, do you plan to continue writing? Any ideas on what you want to write about after?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oh, yes, I will definitely continue writing.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">That’s almost like asking me if I plan to continue breathing. Writing is really a part of who I am.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve already pitched a new series to my editor ,and she really liked the idea. It will have a paranormal theme, but different in that it won’t be about your typical supernatural characters.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">While I’m looking forward to starting it, I’m also a little sad about saying goodbye to all my Shadow Falls characters. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where to find CC Hunter:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.cchunterbooks.com/">Website</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4154802">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Win a copy of Taken at Dusk</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rules:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Open internationally </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ends 4-15</span></div>
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<noscript>&amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-21599846971340756052012-04-02T20:08:00.001-04:002012-04-11T08:34:31.187-04:00Review: Sea Change by Aimee Friedman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EkxbzpMTaaU/T4V6R6nOAII/AAAAAAAAA4U/ljDGT14et84/s1600/5598960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EkxbzpMTaaU/T4V6R6nOAII/AAAAAAAAA4U/ljDGT14et84/s320/5598960.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Aimee Friedman<br />
Hardcover, 292 pages<br />
Scholastic inc<br />
June 1, 2009<br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">“I watched the land for as long as I could, until it disappeared behind its shawl of mist, and until I had it fixed in my mind - unchanged, mysterious and beautiful” </span></i></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined?</div><div style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;">*************</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Sea Change was a light fun read. Full of summer romance and a bit of mystery!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Miranda, an intelligent sixteen year old from New York must go to Selkie Island, a southern island that her mother had summered on as a child. After the death of her grandmother she and her mother must go to get their summer home ready to sell. when Miranda arrives she is met with a mix of southern bells, lush island surroundings and a book that holds a legend to Selkie island that may not be a legend at all. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Sea Change was a quick read at only 292 pages. It had a quick paced love story and an underlying mythological plot. Miranda's character was likable. She was a very logical thinker and had no time for silly things such as romance and myths. I also liked Leo, He was a sweet guy and seemed very genuine. The others in the book were less likable, Miranda's mother seemed like two different characters. She was different in almost every scene of the book. The other summer residents of Silkie Island were portrayed as shallow and having low character which oddly enough did not take away from the story. They were at times even funny.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Aimee Friedman has a true gift of writing. Her words are beautiful and her descriptions of Silkie Island make me feel like I was there myself. She has a way of transporting the world around you and I truly felt like I was there with Miranda on the beach in the summer air. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1G01PsljHRI/T3o8M4Vfq6I/AAAAAAAAA34/WSsTw7KyLZg/s1600/%233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1G01PsljHRI/T3o8M4Vfq6I/AAAAAAAAA34/WSsTw7KyLZg/s200/%233.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Overall Sea change was likable. It was a quick light read that I did enjoy. Although the book gave little evidence to any myth at all and the ending did not confirm anything, I felt the book was a cute summer love story. I do wish there was a second book that would elaborate on the myths of Silkie Island and of its residents. I give Sea Change 3 Hoots! If you're looking for a quick read to take on the beach, this one is for you! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span></div></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-19040782699708213792012-03-30T10:00:00.011-04:002012-03-30T10:00:01.082-04:00Author Spotlight: J. Meyers + Giveaway!<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cVcmZOiXEEg/T3TwtOawSrI/AAAAAAAAA2o/BZgqCca90H4/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cVcmZOiXEEg/T3TwtOawSrI/AAAAAAAAA2o/BZgqCca90H4/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please Welcome </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">J. Meyers</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Author of</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>Intangible</b></span></div><br />
<div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_133032718952380" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVl3cl_jy7U/T3TxzNr-XLI/AAAAAAAAA2w/YxzRQGh-wig/s1600/3224031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVl3cl_jy7U/T3TxzNr-XLI/AAAAAAAAA2w/YxzRQGh-wig/s320/3224031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: small;">I stay up too late because it's the only time I get to work or be alone (I have four young kids), can't drink coffee because it makes me grumpy (and I just can't subject my family to that), get excited about great dialogue in movies/tv/books, write down funny things people say in hopes of using it someday (or being inspired by it), and I talk to myself (out loud). (Also, I really like using parentheses.)</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">2) Could you tell us a bit about Intangible?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">It's the story of seventeen year old twins Sera and Luke who have special abilities. She can heal with a touch of her hand, and he can see the future with 100% accuracy. He has a vision of her death and they have to figure out how to change the future--something he's never been able to do.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_133032718952388" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_133032718952392" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">2) What was the inspiration for writing Intangible?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Two things--Reiki (an alternative hands-on healing therapy) and superheroes. My original idea was to have a girl who could heal, but after flipping through a superhero encyclopedia one night--looking at all the fabulous powers they have--I thought "What if there was a world where teens were cropping up with these superhuman abilities? That would be *so* cool!"</span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yWqU98le9k/T3TyuRGMSZI/AAAAAAAAA24/h6YFVzeyyU4/s1600/intangible1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yWqU98le9k/T3TyuRGMSZI/AAAAAAAAA24/h6YFVzeyyU4/s200/intangible1_1.jpg" width="127" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_133032718952396" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523100" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3) </span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Was </span><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523260" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Sera and Luke's</span><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523262"> character based on anyone or were they purely made up characters? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523262"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523110" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523262"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They were purely made up. Of course, there's always a little bit of me in every character, and I'm sure I pick up mannerisms, thoughts, sayings from people I know and from life in general. But no one character in the book was based on any one particular person.</span></span><br />
<span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523262"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523110" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523112" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523116" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">4) What was your inspiration in the cover art for </span>Intangible<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FLGFdvmv6GM/T3Tyw1BTYwI/AAAAAAAAA3A/KyiJGHpZrF0/s1600/intangible2_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FLGFdvmv6GM/T3Tyw1BTYwI/AAAAAAAAA3A/KyiJGHpZrF0/s200/intangible2_1.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I really wanted an image of a girl who could be Sera because it's mostly her story, and I wanted to give it an other-wordly feel too. I actually came up with three different covers, posted them on my site, and asked people to vote. The one on the book was the winner by far (which surprised me because it wasn't my first choice).</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523120" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523124" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523126" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">5) Do you plan to have </span>Intangible <span style="color: black; font-size: small;">as a stand alone novel or part of a series?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523126" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: purple;">While the book does stand alone (it's a complete story), it is the beginning of a series.</span> <span style="color: purple;">And I have no idea how long the series will be yet--at least another two or three books. I'm also considering writing companion novels/series that focus on other characters. There's so much I can do with this world and concept, and that's really exciting to me.</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523126" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523128" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523130" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">6) Who is your favorite character in the book? And why?</span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i13lHop8Qk/T3Tyyy10XII/AAAAAAAAA3I/scsuiHEwu1g/s1600/intangible3_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i13lHop8Qk/T3Tyyy10XII/AAAAAAAAA3I/scsuiHEwu1g/s200/intangible3_1.jpg" width="124" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523130" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Oh, gosh. That's like asking me who my favorite child is! I don't have a favorite, but I will say that I *love* Jonas. I love the strength of his convictions, his complicated moral compass, his seemingly unbreakable loyalty. Plus he's totally swoon-worthy. (Oh, yes, I love him.)</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523130" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523132" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523134" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">7</span><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span">) Do you write to music? If so, what is your favorite?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></div></div></div><div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1333062331483523"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wish I could, but I just can't. I have this terrible problem where I start listening to the music and lyrics, singing along, rather than listening to the voices in my head. Um, I mean, the unfolding story in my head. I need silence when I'm writing, I think because I need to focus so closely on what I'm seeing, hearing, and experiencing in my mind and I have to slow it down, examine it from different angles, and get it all down on the page. I can't have anything distracting me away from that. (And I am very easily distractable.)</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="yiv546786882Apple-style-span"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I do listen to music when I'm thinking about the story or characters, when I'm plotting it all out or trying to solve a story problem. I find a lot of inspiration for characters, story/plot ideas, and moods in music. For <em>Intangible</em>, I listened to the Indigo Girls' song "Jonas & Ezekial" a lot (and that's where Jonas got his name). I also listened to "Hallelujah" sung by K.D. Lang, and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2. Over and over and over and over again. I don't have an mp3 player, so it's *possible* my family may have gotten a little tired of listening to my very limited song selections for a while. ;-)</span></span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523140" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523144" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">8) What do you plan on doing in the future?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523144" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Writing! I plan to keep putting out good books for as long as I love it. And I hope that's a long time. :-)</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523144" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523146" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523150" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">9) What are you reading right now?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I'm reading <em>ReVamped</em> by Ada Adams and <em>The Name of the Star</em> by Maureen Johnson. I also have my nose in several research books for the next book in the series.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523154" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523158" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1333062331483522" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">10) Who are a few of your favorite authors?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Laini Taylor, Kristin Cashore, J.K. Rowling, Frannie Billingsley, Sarah Prineas, Aidan Chambers, Megan Whalen Turner</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1333062331483521" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523162" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523166" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">11) Anything you would like to add?</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="yiv546786882yui_3_2_0_18_1330327189523170" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv546786882MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Thank you so much, Steph! It's been a real pleasure being here. :-)</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yWqU98le9k/T3TyuRGMSZI/AAAAAAAAA24/h6YFVzeyyU4/s1600/intangible1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yWqU98le9k/T3TyuRGMSZI/AAAAAAAAA24/h6YFVzeyyU4/s320/intangible1_1.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div></div><blockquote><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.</span></blockquote><br />
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Read my review <a href="http://thethoughtsofabookjunky.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-intangible-by-j-meyers.html">HERE</a>!<br />
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Where to find J.<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/jmeyersbooks">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12677691-intangible">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/@jmeyersbooks">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jmeyersbooks.com/">Website</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Win a signed bookmark and an Intangible tattoo!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysMdsSk-n5A/T3T4AQ3deFI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/HH4B5cvumag/s1600/20120329_194951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysMdsSk-n5A/T3T4AQ3deFI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/HH4B5cvumag/s320/20120329_194951.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rules: </div><div style="text-align: center;">There will be 2 winners</div><div style="text-align: center;">Open internationally </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ends: 4-10-2012</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rpow-c88c572" style="color: #999999; display: block; font: 10px sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 100%;" target="_blank">a <i>Rafflecopter</i> giveaway</a><br />
<noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-5105727064804646692012-03-29T16:38:00.001-04:002012-03-29T16:41:55.992-04:00Review: Intangible by J. Meyers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pobU0Ti3m0/T3S_ROyZ_qI/AAAAAAAAA0g/_zzhgeBL4ow/s1600/13454548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pobU0Ti3m0/T3S_ROyZ_qI/AAAAAAAAA0g/_zzhgeBL4ow/s320/13454548.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">J. Meyers</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Paperback, 318 pages</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">January 31, 2012</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><b>"Shall she be the first to die, Seer?</b></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i><b>Yes, I think so. Her healing makes her the more dangerous."</b></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.</span></div><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.</span> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">*************</span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Intangible is a unique story filled with a mix of mythical creatures, their secret world called the Relm and twins Sera and Luke who have no idea any of it exists. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Meyers created a very unique world where all sorts of fairy tale creatures lurk in the shadows. Intangible had a good plot with good twists and turns and plenty of likable characters. I really enjoyed the mix of mythology in this book. Meyers was able to add different aspects of a fairy tale world without it becoming too overwhelming.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I enjoyed the characters in Intangible. Sera and Luke's relationship was strong and I felt they were genuine. They looked out for each other and were a team. Each one would do anything to protect the other and at times jumped into trouble to do so. I also enjoyed Fey ( Luke and Sera's best friend) She was a likable character although I wish she had a bit more of a story in the book. She kind of took a back seat and I would have liked to know a bit more about her. I also really liked Jonas. He was a very mysterious character, but was also very real. He knew when things were right and he stood up for what he believed in. </span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w25pK-PqNRs/T3TIF3FoPdI/AAAAAAAAA0o/S_L3tYA16JI/s1600/4+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w25pK-PqNRs/T3TIF3FoPdI/AAAAAAAAA0o/S_L3tYA16JI/s200/4+Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I however did not like Marc ( Sera's love interest.) He was always a bit sketchie and had way to many ulterior motives. He was just untrustworthy to me and I really didn't like him. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">All in all Intangible was a good light read. It was not to fast paced and did read a bit slow at times, but still kept me intrigued. The dialogue felt a bit forced at times, like the use of words like "crass" by a group of teenagers. But beyond those minor things I really enjoyed Intangible and feel it was a fun read. I give Intangible 4 Hoots. I am looking forward to finding out what happens next. </span></span>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-70019940400716888902012-03-29T15:32:00.000-04:002012-03-29T15:32:49.003-04:00Review: Partials by Dan Wells<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CErajoBitVI/T3Svax1qOUI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/A67hdpU-0PM/s1600/12476820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CErajoBitVI/T3Svax1qOUI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/A67hdpU-0PM/s320/12476820.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Dan Wells</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Hardcover, 472 pages</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">February 28, 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Balzer + Bray</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #bf9000;">“Happiness is the most natural thing in the world when you have it, and the slowest, strangest, most impossible thing when you don't. It's like learning a foreign language: You can think about the words all you want, but you'll never be able to speak it until you suck up your courage and say them out loud.”</span></i><span style="color: #181818;"> </span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of </span><em style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Battlestar Galactica</em><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Partials</em><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.</span> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">******************</span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Partials was a unique Dystopian tale. Packed with the threat of engineered Humans who still lurk in the outskirts of humanity, The Voice who is trying to start a civil war and one girl brave enough to try and save the world.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Dan Wells brings a very unique twist to the Dystopian world. Partials is a mix of a post apocalyptic world mixed with science fiction. I really enjoyed following Kira through her medical training. There was a bit of a medical aspect to this book but I didn't feel the medical terminologies were to foreign or were to hard to understand. Wells did a fantastic job at giving us a detailed concept without overwhelming the story. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The setting in Partials was one of my favorite. I loved the fact that the world around Kira ( the main character) was still rotting and she was basically living in a world that was slowly withering away. With one central town that was once Long Island, the survivors have made due the best they could. Having the Senate in charge to maintain order and the Hospital where teenagers work because there is no other options. It all seems like a well rounded society. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The characters in Partials were fantastic. I really loved the group. Kira, was by far my favorite. She is smart and fiercely loyal to her cause. She works in the Hospital as a medic in training and it is her job to take notes on the maternity floor. She is constantly surrounded by dying babies and all she wants to do is save one. She will do anything to figure out a cure to RM. Even if that means risking her life and the lives of all around her.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uv1GuCpjViI/T3S4VQp9lII/AAAAAAAAA0Y/Qn8FDlUAdS0/s1600/5+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uv1GuCpjViI/T3S4VQp9lII/AAAAAAAAA0Y/Qn8FDlUAdS0/s200/5+Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Marcus, Kira's boyfriend was also a great character. He was adorable and so in love with Kira. I thought his character was a very real one. He said things and did things that were genuine and it was one of the main reasons I liked him so much. All he really wanted was to be with Kira and keep her safe. Not an easy thing to do. I also really enjoyed Jayden and Xochi, both were strong characters who followed Kira because they were loyal to her. Even the background characters played a part in the story and contributed to it in there own ways.</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">All in all Partials was a great story with a very imaginative plot and great characters. The only thing that could have made it better was a bit more details on the characters in the beginning. I felt that I really didn't know what the characters looked like. Besides the basic skin color of Kira that was all I had to go in. Other then that the story was one of my favorites this year and I am looking forward to the next installment. I give Partials 5 Hoots. A very addicting book that I could not put down. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XZejPM3Vm7A" width="360"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-47608659545216276682012-03-17T10:00:00.000-04:002012-03-17T10:00:03.225-04:00Review: Scary School by Derek the Ghost + Giveaway!<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIazIuux344/T2Pv67BukhI/AAAAAAAAAzs/pWxgKCS863s/s1600/10062358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIazIuux344/T2Pv67BukhI/AAAAAAAAAzs/pWxgKCS863s/s320/10062358.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div style="background-color: clear; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #181818;">Derek the Ghost</div><div style="color: #181818;">Hardcover, 237 Pages</div><div style="color: #181818;">HarperCollins</div><div style="color: #181818;">June 21, 2011</div><div style="color: #181818;"><br />
</div><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Ms. Fang is the nicest, sweetest teacher at Scary School. She only ate twelve kids last year.” </span> </span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">You think your school's scary?</span></div></div><div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Get a load of these teachers:</div><div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Ms. Fang," an 850-year-old vampire<br />
"Dr. Dragonbreath," who just might eat you before recess<br />
"Mr. Snakeskin"--science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie<br />
"Mrs. T"--break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry "Tyrannosaurus rex"</div><div style="background-color: clear; clear: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Plus</div><div style="background-color: clear; clear: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose<br />
The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch</div><div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">And</div><div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost</div><div style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends--including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf--and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">*****************</div>Scary School was a hilarious story filled with a mix of fantastic characters that I have grown to love.<br />
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Charles "New Kid" Nukid is in for a big surprise when he starts at Scary School. This school is no ordinary place. Its filled with Vampires, ghosts, a T-Rex and a mix of many other scary creatures. Scary School has a mix of short stories with an underlying main story. Oh, and did I mention its narrated by an eleven year old ghost named Derek! I really loved this book. Although it is a mid-grade book, It had me laughing out loud throughout the entire thing. The characters are so interesting and I very much enjoyed getting to know each of them.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZ_kPsla5zU/T2PxK5ajW2I/AAAAAAAAAz0/6rNldXVTKb4/s1600/4++Hoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZ_kPsla5zU/T2PxK5ajW2I/AAAAAAAAAz0/6rNldXVTKb4/s200/4++Hoot.jpg" width="200" /></a>Scary School also has a ton of great illustrations done by Scott M. Fisher. They are done very well and it was great to get a visual of each character. It totally added to the book!<br />
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Overall I give Scary School 4+ Hoots! A very original story with a great mix of characters and a great fun read. I loved the humor in this book and all the great pictures. If your looking for a fun book to read or something for your kids, This is the book for you! Look out for the sequel to Scary School, Monsters on the Marsh. Due to release June 26th, 2012!<br />
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Check out the Scary School website<a href="http://www.scaryschool.com/"> HERE</a>!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">Win a copy of Scary School</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">by, Derek The Ghost!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Open Internationally</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ends 4-6</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<noscript>&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-36598150938577042012012-03-10T09:00:00.000-05:002012-03-10T09:00:03.988-05:00Interview with Julianna Baggott + win a signed copy of Pure!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qfi3Vv7Vqgg/T1ld7EWrZ9I/AAAAAAAAAzU/2T2yOo9XFT4/s1600/Juliana+Baggott+Figment+Av.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qfi3Vv7Vqgg/T1ld7EWrZ9I/AAAAAAAAAzU/2T2yOo9XFT4/s1600/Juliana+Baggott+Figment+Av.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I'm a short fast-talker who likes chocolate. PURE is my 18th book, including books under my pen names, N.E. Bode and Bridget Asher. I mouth off sometimes<br />
in essays and op-eds; my work has been published in The New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, NPR... I teach at Florida State. I have four kids, two dogs and a cat.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">2) Could you tell us a bit about Pure.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QD-lw9rMVTQ/T1legGbafFI/AAAAAAAAAzc/z6cGVMVTa60/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QD-lw9rMVTQ/T1legGbafFI/AAAAAAAAAzc/z6cGVMVTa60/s200/Capture.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It started with the image of a 16 year old girl with a doll-head fist who's hiding in an ash-choked cabinet. There's also an older boy who escapes a Dome. Their lives entwine. It's set post-detonations and so there's a lot of world-building. </span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">3) What was the inspiration for writing Pure?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This question always stumps me because it's never just one idea. The images above, the desire to write on a large canvas, a psychological realism, a connection to my oldest who loved the early pages and urged me to write the rest. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">4) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Pure?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Yes. In that the fusings themselves -- some of them -- harken back to having small children, who I always held and let fall asleep on my chest, and I wrote with them all bundled to me. When you read about the Mothers in the book, you'll understand why it's related. Fusings. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">5) Was Pressia's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? What is she like?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She holds traits of my own, my daughters, those around me -- but the result is that she's her own person. Completely</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVBB9-tVU3o/T1leyS_zSsI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Rfa7cwc_pCk/s1600/9680114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVBB9-tVU3o/T1leyS_zSsI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Rfa7cwc_pCk/s320/9680114.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">6) What was your inspiration in the cover art for Pure?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12pt;">The cover art was done by brilliant designers in-house. I loved it immediately. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: 12pt;">7) Who is your favorite character in the book? And why?</span></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1331255416378248" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1331255416378247" style="font-size: 12pt;">I can't choose between them. But I really unexpectedly love writing one character who begins as a bad guy but emerges as a main character who's actually<br />
very complex. El Capitan -- and his brother who's fused to his back, Helmud. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Read my review of Pure <a href="http://thethoughtsofabookjunky.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-pure-by-julianna-baggott.html">HERE</a>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12pt;">Where to find Julianna:</span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=650103952">Facebook</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.juliannabaggott.com/">Website</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16304.Julianna_Baggott">Goodreads</a></span></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Win a SIGNED copy of </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Pure!</span><br />
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Ends 3/23<br />
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<noscript><a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.</noscript>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-8945356120728007312012-03-08T20:09:00.000-05:002012-03-08T20:09:42.153-05:00Review: Pure by Julianna Baggott<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yUKGuk7Weik/T1lOVac0UDI/AAAAAAAAAzE/CP0DcsJKr2U/s1600/9680114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yUKGuk7Weik/T1lOVac0UDI/AAAAAAAAAzE/CP0DcsJKr2U/s320/9680114.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Julianna Baggott</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Hardcover, 448 Pages</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Grand Central Publishing</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">February 8, 2012 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“Beauty, you can find it here if you look hard enough.” </i></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . . </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . . </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.</span> <br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Pure is a spectacularly detailed story, with unforgettable characters in an amazingly original post- apocalyptic world. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Pure is one of those book I was super excited for. I an riding the Dystopian train right now and Pure fits right it. I loved how original this story was. The detail of each setting was breathtaking and I became so absorbed with the world Baggott had created. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The Detonation has created a world of subhumans who have become fused with whatever they were close to at the time of the detonation. Each character is so original and has such a story based on there fused bodies. I loved learning why they were fused to these certain objects that are now a part of them forever. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Many have called this book quite grotesque but I thought the fusing was a completely original idea and I quite enjoyed learning why this was happening and how it effected each character. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Pure is told from four point of views. Pressia lives outside the Dome with her grandfather. She has had to take on most of the responsibility of survival due to her grandfathers declining health. She is a strong personality with amazing survival skills. I loved reading her perspective on this new world. </span></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-rfEUPN6xQ/T1lXQzbrYTI/AAAAAAAAAzM/89-Dqm65Qgk/s1600/5+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-rfEUPN6xQ/T1lXQzbrYTI/AAAAAAAAAzM/89-Dqm65Qgk/s200/5+Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Partridge lives inside the Dome. Saved from the Detonation, Partridge lives a relatively normal life. Goes to school, has a safe and secure life. Until he discovers that his mother may be alive and he has been lied to for most of his life. I really enjoyed Partridge. He is quite naive in the way of the world outside the Dome. But does not come of smug. I like that he knows he is not the strongest nor the best at surviving. He is ok to let others lead. I like that about him. The other two POV;s are told from El Capitan, an officer outside the Dome and Lyda, a classmate of Partridge, who lives inside the Dome. Both are very interesting characters and I enjoyed reading from there POV's and getting to know their characters. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Overall, Pure is one of the most originally written stories I have read. It is full of terrifying creatures, unforeseen plot twists and unforgettable characters. By the end of the book I was left wanting more. I give Pure 5 Hoots. If you are looking for a completely original Dystopian story, Pure is for you. I can not wait to find out what happens next. </span></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZknTMhd9RL0" width="460"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-83642331511440748162012-03-02T14:27:00.000-05:002012-03-04T00:51:20.483-05:00New Meme: Poetry Friday's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi Guys!!! So I am a huge Poetry fan and I was thinking of doing something to share my favorites with you. So Poetry Friday's is here! Basically we just post a poem of our choice on our blog to share it with our readers. Spread a little poetry into the world! So that't it. Grab the pic, or make your own.. and stick a fav poem on your blog! </div>
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Here is my poem of the week:</div>
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<b style="background-color: clear; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Stolen Child</b><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> by </span>William Butler Yeats</div>
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<dl style="background-color: clear; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Where dips the rocky highland</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">There lies a leafy island</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Where flapping herons wake</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">The drowsy water rats;</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">There we've hid our faery vats,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Full of berrys</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">And of reddest stolen cherries.</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>Come away, O human child!</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>To the waters and the wild</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>With a faery, hand in hand.</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.</i></dd></dl>
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<dl style="background-color: clear; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Where the wave of moonlight glosses</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">The dim gray sands with light,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Far off by furthest Rosses</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">We foot it all the night,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Weaving olden dances</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Mingling hands and mingling glances</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Till the moon has taken flight;</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">To and fro we leap</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">And chase the frothy bubbles,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">While the world is full of troubles</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">And anxious in its sleep.</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>Come away, O human child!</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>To the waters and the wild</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>With a faery, hand in hand,</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.</i></dd></dl>
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<dl style="background-color: clear; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Where the wandering water gushes</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">From the hills above Glen-Car,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">In pools among the rushes</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">That scarce could bathe a star,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">We seek for slumbering trout</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">And whispering in their ears</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Give them unquiet dreams;</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Leaning softly out</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">From ferns that drop their tears</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Over the young streams.</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>Come away, O human child!</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>To the waters and the wild</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>With a faery, hand in hand,</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.</i></dd></dl>
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<dl style="background-color: clear; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Away with us he's going,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">The solemn-eyed -</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">He'll hear no more the lowing</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Of the calves on the warm hillside</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Or the kettle on the hob</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Sing peace into his breast,</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Or see the brown mice bob</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;">Round and round the oatmeal chest</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>For he comes the human child</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>To the waters and the wild</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>With a faery, hand in hand</i></dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px; text-align: center;"><i>From a world more full of weeping than he can understand</i></dd></dl>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-55546263090872822562012-02-14T10:00:00.001-05:002012-02-14T10:00:04.890-05:00Author Spotlight: Mary Lindsey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JK915S2aWBg/Tzll2nL69SI/AAAAAAAAAx0/P_0gHPiwReM/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JK915S2aWBg/Tzll2nL69SI/AAAAAAAAAx0/P_0gHPiwReM/s1600/Author+spotlight.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">Please Welcome</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Mary Lindsey</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">Author of</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Shattered Souls</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GSVYmssBwY/Tzlnr-U0ejI/AAAAAAAAAx8/adK61UsoB_Q/s1600/Marymedium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_GSVYmssBwY/Tzlnr-U0ejI/AAAAAAAAAx8/adK61UsoB_Q/s320/Marymedium.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Could you tell us a bit about yourself?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="Default"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b>I live in a house that used to be an art gallery on the Texas Gulf Coast with my husband, three kids, and a plethora of creatures, some of which could be considered pets.</div><div class="Default"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 2)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Could you tell us a bit about Shattered Souls?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shattered Souls is a young adult ghost story about a girl who can hear dead people. The full description of the book can be found <a href="http://www.marylindsey.com/shattered_souls/index.php">HERE!</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 3)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">What was the inspiration for writing Shattered Souls?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="FreeForm" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I knew I wanted to write a ghost story. I also knew I wanted it to include an historical disaster that would produce a lot of unresolved dead guys. I toyed with the San Francisco Fire, the Civil War, World War II, but then, a high school student of mine told me she was reading a book for English that she hated. Trying to help her out, I offered to read it with her, like a buddy. She agreed, and I read Isaac’s Storm. It was amazing. I’d learned about the Great Storm of 1900 in high school, but the book made it real for me. I had my disaster. My enthusiasm for the Isaac’s Storm made it more tolerable for my student, but I’m still not sure she ever fell in love with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Shattered Souls?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">All authors write from personal experience to some extent, I believe, but no; I’ve never seen a ghost. I did set the book in my hometown, so in that regard, it is based on personal experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">5)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Was Lenzi's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? What is she like?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">She’s named after one of my students, but she’s a purely made up character. I’ve been told by my friends that she reminds them of me in her speech patterns and sense of humor. I’ll take that as a compliment?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8AT-8mCXo_w/Tzln6tBNkeI/AAAAAAAAAyE/cJH5uYHK09s/s1600/514X5vN2N7L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8AT-8mCXo_w/Tzln6tBNkeI/AAAAAAAAAyE/cJH5uYHK09s/s400/514X5vN2N7L.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">6)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">What was your inspiration in the cover art for Shattered Souls?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because I was published by a large, traditional house, I had no control whatsoever over the cover. That’s probably a good thing, because Penguin did a far better job than I could have dreamed of doing myself. The cover is not only haunting and beautiful, it represents the book to a tee. The main character’s name in her past lives is Rose, so the fact she is shattering into rose petals on the cover is fantastic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 17.35pt; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo6; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: list 17.35pt; text-indent: -17.35pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">7)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Who is your favorite character in the book? And why? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alden is my favorite character. In fact, the original draft was in third person, with half of the story told from his point of view. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">8) Do you write to music? If so, what is your favorite?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes and no. I write my rough draft to music, but do all my edits in complete silence. A complete playlist with quotes from the novel can be found <a href="http://www.marylindsey.com/shattered_souls/playlist.php">HERE</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bIJmYUPhOZ8/TzlpFhCndXI/AAAAAAAAAyM/ZK9sUZoPGoA/s1600/Edgar_Allan_Poe_by_AllenCooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bIJmYUPhOZ8/TzlpFhCndXI/AAAAAAAAAyM/ZK9sUZoPGoA/s200/Edgar_Allan_Poe_by_AllenCooper.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">9) What do you plan on doing in the future?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary: </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I plan to keep writing books! Right now I’m working on a modern Gothic based on Edgar Allan Poe’s last poem, “Annabel Lee.” It’s scheduled for release Summer 2013 by Penguin USA. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">10) What are you reading right now? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: #351c75;">Mary:</span></b> A biography of Edgar Allan Poe called Everything Poe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank you, Stephanie, for having me on your blog today. I enjoyed the interview.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where you can find Mary:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.marylindsey.com/index.php">Website</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Lindsey/264258900265589?sk=wall">Facebook</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/marylindsey">Twitter</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2931654.Mary_Lindsey">Goodreads</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://mary-lindsey.blogspot.com/">Blog </a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Where to find Shattered Souls:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Souls-Mary-Lindsey/dp/0399256229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312213813&sr=8-1">Amazon</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shattered-souls-mary-lindsey/1101075440?ean=9780399256226&itm=1&usri=shattered+souls">Barnes & Noble</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399256226,00.html?Shattered_Souls_Mary_Lindsey">Penguin</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9366996-shattered-souls">Goodreads</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzB73e0b-p8/TzlsE7hzL5I/AAAAAAAAAyU/IWXZXwauTuU/s1600/514X5vN2N7L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzB73e0b-p8/TzlsE7hzL5I/AAAAAAAAAyU/IWXZXwauTuU/s320/514X5vN2N7L.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries. </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fYOsmBkEBpo" width="420"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-34843773056704579062012-02-11T10:00:00.000-05:002012-02-11T10:00:07.245-05:00Review: Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SemyZkY7N0I/TzMv1p0YNmI/AAAAAAAAAxk/8Kijdebfco8/s1600/7260188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SemyZkY7N0I/TzMv1p0YNmI/AAAAAAAAAxk/8Kijdebfco8/s320/7260188.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>Suzanne Collins<br />
Hardcover, 390 pages<br />
Scholastic Press<br />
August 24, 2010<br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">“You love me. Real or not real?" </span><br style="background-color: clear; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">I tell him, "Real.”</span></span></i> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.</span> <br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Mockingjay the final installment in The Hunger Games Trilogy was nothing short of breathtaking. There was a huge mark to live up to in the final book and I believe Collins did beautifully. I must say I cried for about 75% of this book and for an hour afterwords. I am still unable to get this book off my mind and must say it is one of my favorite series of all time. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Although I was unhappy with a few choices Collins made plot wise I very much enjoyed reading every page of this book. I had my heart ripped out a number of times and I could see why some readers did not enjoy this book as much as the others. Even though I was unhappy with parts of this book, I feel it made it all the more real. Life isn't always fare, and sometimes we don't get the fairy-tale ending. I really enjoyed that Collins gave us a book that was not all about pleasing the readers. It was real and it was raw. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GG9y4JlOpwM/TzM1Xc-EWPI/AAAAAAAAAxs/iPlcUWeLmnI/s1600/5++Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GG9y4JlOpwM/TzM1Xc-EWPI/AAAAAAAAAxs/iPlcUWeLmnI/s200/5++Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The characters in this book will live with me forever. I loved each and every one for there uniqueness. I wish we could have a spin off for each of them, I just couldn't get enough. With each turn of a page I was afraid for them and felt helpless in their struggles. I loved that through each book the characters grew and were still able to surprise me. I repeatedly got my heart torn out and was trying not to mess up the pages of my book with tears. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Mockingjay was such an unbelievably heart-wrenching read and I loved every minute of it. This series has changed the way I look at literature. Suzanne Collins is not afraid to go where no one has gone before and has come out with a trilogy that I will truly cherish. I give Mockingjay 5+ Hoots for being an amazing book and a fantastic finale to a truly horrifying and beautiful world. </span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="213" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UZOlJHDHg1g" width="360"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-12967343767490813272012-02-10T10:00:00.001-05:002012-03-29T15:42:03.089-04:00Catching Fire By, Suzanne Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxjY5erJu_Y/TzMNEQaCNXI/AAAAAAAAAxU/XXuURL17plk/s1600/6148028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxjY5erJu_Y/TzMNEQaCNXI/AAAAAAAAAxU/XXuURL17plk/s320/6148028.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>Suzanne Collins<br />
Hardcover, 391 pages<br />
Scholastic inc.<br />
September 1, 2009<br />
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<i><span style="color: #660000;"><span class="readable" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left;">“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever.”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span></span> </i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in </span><em style="background-color: clear; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Hunger Games,</em><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster children for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol...</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Catching Fire, The second installment in The Hunger Games left me breathless. I thought to myself</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> "There is no way this book can be better then The Hunger Games!" Well I was wrong. I, in a way felt lucky I waited so long to read this series because I didn't have to suffer through the wait between books... That must have been torture. I barely made it across the room to my book shelf for this book. I could not imagine waiting almost a year. Wow.. that probable sucked. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Once again Suzanne Collins has created a world that has sucked me in. I have found myself reliving every frightening image on a daily basis. I tore through the pages of this book in record time. Not caring if my laundry got done or if I ate dinner. I can say with absolutely certainty that I am completely obsessed with these books! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The characters are ever bit as strong and now that Kitness and Peeta are home we are able to get to know all the people they left behind in District 12. Prim is one of my favorite characters. She reminds me so much of my little sister and her relationship with Kitness is one near and dear to my heart. She is so lovable and I adore every moment with her. Then there is Gale. Boy do I love Gale. Which is hard because I also happen to love Peeta. Collins did what many authors fail to do; give you a love triangle that is totally believable. In so many instances you tend to lean to one side or the other. But with Gale and </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Peeta my heart is completely ripped in half. I never knew which to root for because I loved them both. Both have great qualities and I can see Kitness's struggles. </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I also loved the introduction of a few new characters Finnick being my favorite. I really loved his so called charm. He really grew on me and I loved his humor. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Catching Fire Put me through things that I never saw coming and at times made me want to through my book across the room because I could not believe what was happening. This book made me cry on a number of occasions. If I could add up all my Hoots for this rating I would. But 5+ Hoots will have to do. I can not stress to you the magnitude of this book and how much I loved it. I literally feel like a screaming school girl every time some one brings it up. if you have not read this series yet, I literally want to smack some scene in to you and scream "Wake Up, What are you waiting for!?!" Go get it now!! It will change your life!</span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="290" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QCcZHKOAuEo" width="315"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-31966410549858323682012-02-09T10:00:00.002-05:002012-02-09T10:00:12.856-05:00The Hunger Games By, Suzanne Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AgCwTnPN6rI/TzL0CEKeW-I/AAAAAAAAAw8/ZkCfp6TtFrA/s1600/2767052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AgCwTnPN6rI/TzL0CEKeW-I/AAAAAAAAAw8/ZkCfp6TtFrA/s1600/2767052.jpg" /></a></div>Suzanne Collins<br />
Paperback, 374 pages<br />
Scholastic inc.<br />
October 1, 2008<br />
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<i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">“Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, here is the place where I love you.” </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.</span> <br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I struggled whether or not to review this book. Not because it was unworthy of a review but for the fact that many have already read it. But I was unable to resist. When a book like this one comes along, I feel there are not enough times you can hear about it. To sum up The Hunger Games in one word: Unforgettable. I fell in love with this book and still to this day it is in my thoughts. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I bought The Hunger Games on a whim. I had heard it was a good read and had every intention of reading it. There it sat on my book shelf for the better part of a year until I finally decided to give it a try once I saw the movie trailer. I guess you could say I still am kicking myself for waiting so long. Every so often you come across a book that truly changes your outlook on the world. This one did it for me and I am not sure if I will ever get over the haunting images that are scorched in my brain from this book.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The Characters in The Hunger Games are among my absolute favorite. From their truly original names that I loved, to the unbelievable pull I felt to each and every character, I can truly say every character in this book has a place in my heart. Kitness is by far my favorite heroine. She is the strongest character I have ever seen and I loved living through this book through her eyes. Peeta is one of those characters that grew on me. In the beginning he didn't have that much pull with me and at times I was weary of him. Not knowing if he was one to trust. But as time when went on I feel for him as so many others have. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPAq2K72uIc/TzL7a91_pbI/AAAAAAAAAxE/SUt8chLyB5U/s1600/5++Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPAq2K72uIc/TzL7a91_pbI/AAAAAAAAAxE/SUt8chLyB5U/s200/5++Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The entire plot of The Hunger Games was so original that I never know what was coming and was surprised constantly as the story progressed. Let me warn you, The Hunger Games is not a book for the faint of heart. It was not a fell good type of book with a worm and fuzzy romance at the core. This book did have a grotesque plot and in all honesty it was one of the things I loved about it. Collins was not afraid to go into detail of the gory parts in this book. She gave you a true horror story. Everything about this book was so unique and it had a raw undertone that I absolutely loved.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The Hunger Games was by far my favorite book of the year. I give it 5+ Hoots and if I had a higher grading scale I would give it more. If you have not read this series I urge you to go pick it up...now! Don't be afraid if its not exactly in your comfort zone of reading style. This book will change your life and I will warn you, It's going to consume your life for a bit. </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qoUT7q2iTbQ" width="360"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-13835493394042519202012-02-08T18:41:00.003-05:002012-02-08T19:45:21.726-05:00Thanks for hanging in there Giveaway!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bnOfO9FT-r0/TzMIN6sfpgI/AAAAAAAAAxM/kyCxlWUAl-0/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bnOfO9FT-r0/TzMIN6sfpgI/AAAAAAAAAxM/kyCxlWUAl-0/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As most of you know I have been neglecting my blog these past few months.. This is due to a move to PA, my computer crashing :( and a few family matters that are now resolved!! YAY. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well.. I'm back. And let me just say Thank You to all my followers who have been very patient while I delt with life and stayed with me!!! YAY for you!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So as a big Thank You I wanted to do a giveaway.. A Thank You Giveaway!!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">2 Followers will win there choice of a book and a crap load of swag</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">and 5 Followers will win a swag pack!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What do you have to do??</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Be a Follower.. That's it.. </div><div style="text-align: center;">If you wanna tweet it that's great but this is just a little thank you and I don't want you to</div><div style="text-align: center;"> have to jump through hoops for it!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So just leave a comment and let me know what book you want</div><div style="text-align: center;"> ( a new one, or an old one, or one that isn't out yet... I don't care)</div><div style="text-align: center;">And leave your email so I can get in touch of the winner!!<br />
Ends 2/20<br />
Open International </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">That's it. So Good Luck and Thank You for being such an awesome follower.. You Rock!! </div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-36118617603948084072012-02-08T17:04:00.000-05:002012-02-08T17:04:19.271-05:00Review: Silence By, Becca Fitzpatrick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqnj_AYM5bg/TzLohJUsaRI/AAAAAAAAAws/yT8-POPe918/s1600/10637766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqnj_AYM5bg/TzLohJUsaRI/AAAAAAAAAws/yT8-POPe918/s320/10637766.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Becca Fitzpatrick</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Hardcover, 438 Pages</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Simon & Schuster</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">October 4, 2011</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000;">“I love you.” His voice was straightforward, affectionate. “You make me remember who I used to be. You make me want to be that man again. Right now, holding you, I feel like we have a shot at beating all odds and making it together. I’m yours, if you’ll have me.” </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for--and their love--forever.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Silence the third installment in the Hush, Hush series started off with a bang. Nora is dropped of in a cemetery with no memory of how she got there, or the last 5 months for that matter. She learns that she had been missing and has no idea where she was or who she was with. As Nora tries to reclaim her life she feels that she is being lied to. Things just aren't adding up and its up to her to figure them out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">As Nora goes in search of her memories she learns that everyone has been lying to her. Vee is keeping important information from her and it is wedging a gap in there friendship. Her mom is lying to her and on top of that she is dating her worst enemy, Marcie Miller's dad. And Hank Miller is not on Nora's good list. He seriously creeps her out. His overprotective dad act isn't fooling her. As Nora regains her memories, she comes to realize that things are missing and life around her is not as it seems.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EC63BTn4fpI/TzLxBLmw5YI/AAAAAAAAAw0/dDii3CtPTJw/s1600/5+Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EC63BTn4fpI/TzLxBLmw5YI/AAAAAAAAAw0/dDii3CtPTJw/s200/5+Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I really enjoyed Silence. I really liked Nora's search for her memories. At times I wanted to scream at her and wanted her to get those memories back, But the journey there was very exciting. Nora runs into all types of trouble on her quest to find out the truth. A group of super-human thugs who can do things she cant explain and a mysterious guy named Jeb who saves her life and makes her feel things her shouldn't be feeling about a complete stranger. Scott is also back and he has brought a lot of trouble with him. He is one of the few things Nora can remember and he helps her on her way to the truth.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">All in all Silence was a fast pace read and I very much enjoyed reading it. I give Silence 5 Hoots. Getting through the unknown with Nora was very fun and figuring out that was going to happen when she finally figured out the truth was even better. I urge you to pick up this series and dive in. The Hush, Hush series is by far one of my favorites and I can not wait for the forth book Finale coming out October 13, 2012. </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zvtPZWSOFyw" width="360"></iframe></div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793222545206689147.post-44283096449341304472012-02-08T16:12:00.000-05:002012-02-08T16:12:56.524-05:00Review: Crescendo by, Becca Fitzpatrick<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6huHc_SzEg/TzLiWMgyijI/AAAAAAAAAwk/NQk1uEOlbU8/s1600/7791997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6huHc_SzEg/TzLiWMgyijI/AAAAAAAAAwk/NQk1uEOlbU8/s320/7791997.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="bookFormatType" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Becca Fitzpatrich</span></span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">427</span> pages</span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: small;">Simon & Schuster</span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;">October 19th 2010</span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">“Being with you never felt wrong. It's the one thing I did right. You're the one thing I did right.” </span></i></span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="row" style="background-color: clear; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperately searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts. (Goodreads.com)</span></div><br />
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Crescendo, the second book in the Hush, Hush series blew my socks off. It was by far my favorite in the series so far. Filled with action, love, relationship drama and killer surprises that I never saw coming. Fitzpatrick is an amazing author who is able to captivate readers and suck them into the story. I was not only in her story but was living it for myself. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As with Hush, Hush, the characters in Crescendo and among my favorite. Nora is still a strong heroine who knows how to take care of her self. She goes off and does things I myself probably would not attempt. She knows what she needs to do to save herself and the ones she loves. Vee, Nora's best friend is still one of my favorite characters. She has such a bold personality and a certain spunk that I absolutely love. Then we have Patch. He is every bit as swoon worthy as he has ever been and still will make you crazy with some of the decisions he makes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GF7Qibzhtag/TzLh8zE0K5I/AAAAAAAAAwc/iaEdNd9LuS8/s1600/5++Hoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GF7Qibzhtag/TzLh8zE0K5I/AAAAAAAAAwc/iaEdNd9LuS8/s200/5++Hoots.jpg" width="200" /></a>There is also a few new characters in Crescendo that make the cut. Scott being one. He is an old friend from Nora's past and he makes it clear that being just friends wont cut it. While Nora struggles with her relationship with Patch drifting apart, Scott drifting closer and images of her dead father popping up all over the place, Nora has quite a bit on her plate. Not to mention Rixon, Vee's new boyfriend and Patches best friend, the trio are spending quite a bit of time together.. without Nora.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nora is faced with new secrets from her past, figuring out things about Patch that even she didn't see coming and is stuck in the middle of an ancient war between the Fallen Angels and the Nephilim. With everything going on I could not put this book down. I give Crescendo 5+ Hoots. For being action packed and a hands down fantastic read. If you haven't read the Hush, Hush series I advise you start ASAP! You will not be disappointed!!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Read my review for Hush, Hush <a href="http://thethoughtsofabookjunky.blogspot.com/2010/05/becca-fitzpatrick-hardcover-400-pages.html">HERE</a>!</div>Stephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13391416602573427077noreply@blogger.com