Book Reviews by Jess

Trailer and Giveaway: Dreamland (Riley Bloom, # 3) by Alyson Noël

2011-09-18T20:26:00.001-04:00

224 pages, Square Fish, (2011-09-13)

Macmillan has released the trailer for Dreamland by Alyson Noël’s third installment to her Riley Bloom series. I personally am not an Alyson Noël fan but I couldn’t say no to passing on the info as well as hosting the giveaway for my readers.

Enjoy the trailer and good luck with the giveaway!

About "Dreamland":

"Riley's finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer's dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. Thinking it's her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who's been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears."

Alyson Noël continues the bestselling story of Riley Bloom as she learns how dreams are made and tries to make contact with her sister, Ever.

Trailer

I Heart Heartsy!

2011-09-09T20:27:00.001-04:00

I know I just shared Heartsy the other day but I can’t not share the shop that’s up for grabs tomorrow.

Solocosmo is a brilliant artist. Her designs are stunning and I can’t wait to receive the prints I ordered today. I plan to frame then and hang them in my kids rooms. Most of them are for my son’s room.

Heartsy features 4 new Etsy shops each day. You have the opportunity to purchase store credit to use within 3 months of your purchase date.

Membership is free, however, there is a VIP option for $10 a month you get $10 MORE store credit than a non VIP member. Plus you get to access the next day deals one day before all regular members. As well as access to VIP only shops.

So, it works like this for the Solocosmo shop tomorrow:

For $16 you receive $40 of store credit. VIPs receive $50.

It’s a great deal and the VIP membership pays for itself right there in that first transaction! I just signed up for the VIP today because I HAD to get these prints! There was only 1 available so I wanted to be sure I got them. I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow and risk not getting them.

Here are the ones I purchased. All in the mini size except the boy with the frog is 8.5 x 11 and the mermaid is 5 x 7.

Tell me these aren’t beautiful!? I can’t wait to see what else she makes.

In My Mailbox: Week 35

2011-09-04T17:28:00.001-04:00

Here’s what I got this week!

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting!

NetGalley

Prized (The Birthmarked Trilogy) by Caragh M. O'Brien

368 pages, Roaring Brook Press, (2011-11-08)

$10.79 (Amazon.com)

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

400 pages, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, (2011-09-05)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Only a sample chapter though….

Won

Nightshade: Book 1 by Andrea Cremer

480 pages, Speak, (2011-06-14)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Thank you Natalie @ Mindful Musings!

Wolfsbane (Nightshade, Book 2) by Andrea Cremer

400 pages, Philomel, (2011-07-26)

$10.42 (Amazon.com)

Thank you Natalie @ Mindful Musings!

What did you get this week?

Trailer and Giveaway: Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto

2011-09-04T17:09:00.001-04:00

Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto

432 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2011-08-30)

$10.58 (Amazon.com)

Macmillan has released the trailer for Alexandra Adornetto’s second book in the Halo series, Hades!

Trailer

I have a copy of Halo but haven’t read it yet. I will be pushing it towards the top of my TBR pile.

About Hades (Goodreads)

"Heaven Help Her.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier?s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can?t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth?s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well."

The story that Alexandra Adornetto built in her bestselling debut, Halo, comes alive in action-packed and unexpected ways, as angels battle demons, and the power of love is put to the test.

Tour

Alexandra will be on tour this fall. Head over to Facebook for more information.

Giveaway

Macmillan would like to give a copy of Hades to one of my readers! To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter entry form below!

Please read the Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the entry form before completing any entries!

NOTE: Since this widget relies on Cookies, you may have issues doing the daily Tweet. If so please just put TWEET in the mandatory entry field. Questions? Email me!

A Must Read Preview: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

2011-08-29T21:31:00.001-04:00

So, I started this book last night and finished it this afternoon. I’ve written my full review for it already. (Aren’t you proud!?)

The problem I’m having is that IT WAS SO FREAKING GOOD! I have to share it with you now. A little bit any way. The other problem is that it doesn’t come out until Valentine’s Day 2012!

So, read this little bit of my review that’ll post in full on Feb. 13, 2012. You will love this book if you love YA Romance at all. Think Simone Elkeles.

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

272 pages, Knopf Books for Young Readers, (2012-02-14)

$11.46 (Amazon.com)

Overall

So much swoon I nearly died by heart bursting! An epic tale of finding love, acceptance, painting, and broken noses.

Summary (Goodreads)

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

Most Memorable Scene

Goodness me! There are way too many. The scene where Malcolm finds Ed and Lucy in the park is one of the best! Lucy sure knows how to handle herself.

"Why don't you give it to Leo? Wait, I know, it's because you're scared of him, you cockroach-eating-coward motherfucker."

I look at her. "Motherfucker?"

"Motherfucker," she says.

"The next one to call me a motherfucker takes the message," Malcolm says.

"Motherfucker", Lucy and I say together.

Romance

Gah! This book is so packed with so much swoon it's not even funny! I thought for sure my heart was going to burst a few times with the amount of "Awwww" that came pouring out of some of these scenes! I was a giddy teenaged girl all afternoon! Yes, I read this in only one afternoon! It's amazing and you have to know what happens and it's so easy to read the words just flow into you and fill you with pure joy.

Preorder this book. I promise you won’t regret it!

In My Mailbox: Week 33

2011-08-21T09:49:00.001-04:00

A few wonderful surprises this week!

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting, as always.

Review

Bloodlines (Bloodlines (Mead)) by Richelle Mead

432 pages, Razorbill, (2011-08-23)

$9.48 (Amazon.com)

This beautiful finished copy arrived with a plastic rose and some Bloodlines tattoos!

The Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler & Jay Asher

368 pages, Razorbill, (2011-11-21)

$11.16 (Amazon.com)

I’m a big Jay Asher fan, although I haven’t read any of Carolyn’s work but I’m super excited to read this one!

NetGalley

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

336 pages, EgmontUSA, (2012-02-14)

$12.14 (Amazon.com)

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

pages, EgmontUSA, (2011-12-27)

$11.85 (Amazon.com)

Life Eternal (A Dead Beautiful Novel) by Yvonne Woon

416 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2012-01-24)

$11.43 (Amazon.com)

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

320 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2012-01-24)

$10.48 (Amazon.com)

You Are My Only by Beth Kephart

256 pages, EgmontUSA, (2011-10-25)

$10.39 (Amazon.com)

Crave (Harlequin Teen) by Melissa Darnell

304 pages, Harlequin, (2011-10-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Editions

Haunting the Night by Mara Purnhagen

pages, Harlequin Teen, (2011-08-01)

(Amazon.com)

In My Mailbox: Week 31 and 32

2011-08-14T08:43:00.001-04:00

Here’s what I got in my mailbox the last two weeks!

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting!

Review

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

352 pages, Razorbill, (2011-11-15)

$10.58 (Amazon.com)

Thank you Razorbill!

NetGalley

The Juliet Spell (Harlequin Teen) by Douglas Rees

272 pages, Harlequin, (2011-09-27)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

352 pages, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, (2012-03-13)

$12.14 (Amazon.com)

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

272 pages, Knopf Books for Young Readers, (2012-02-14)

$11.46 (Amazon.com)

Won

Blood Bound (Unbound Novel) by Rachel Vincent

400 pages, Mira, (2011-08-23)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

I won this from the author! Signed! It was supposed to be an ARC but she mistook the finished copies as ARCs!

Thank you Rachel! I’m loving this new series.

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

320 pages, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, (2011-08-03)

$12.23 (Amazon.com)

Thank you Tynga @ Tynga’s Reviews!

The Magician King: A Novel by Lev Grossman

416 pages, Viking Adult, (2011-08-09)

$14.82 (Amazon.com)

Thank you Janicu @ Janicu’s Book Blog!

FREE Kindle Editions

Survivors by Sophie Littlefield

pages, Luna, (2011-07-01)

(Amazon.com)

What did you get this week!?

Do Spoilers Really Spoil?

2011-08-14T08:41:00.001-04:00

A great topic that peaked my interest today from the Reader's edition of Shelf Awareness today.

"Spoilers Don't Spoil Anything". Do you agree with this? Go read the article if you'd like more information. If you haven't read Harry Potter or seen the last two movies AVOID THAT SITE!

To an extent I guess I can agree. But am I happy that I've stumbled upon a spoiler? NO! I actually do not want to know what happens in anything really. Trailers and summaries make me nervous; especially when it comes to a book I want and or plan to read. This also goes for movies.

For example, I'm currently reading BLOOD BOUND by Rachel Vincent. I went to Goodreads to update my reading progress and just decided to go ahead and read the summary. I was on page 172. 172. I thought for sure I was safe from finding out anything too terribly spoilery but NO! The summary told me what was going to happen in the next 20 pages or so. There are 463 pages in this book so that's approximately half way through the book and the back summary of the book is disclosing information that happens beyond the half way mark! That to me is way too much information into the story to be putting it right out there.

The summary spoiled that plot point for me. Of course it wasn't a huge plot point but it was a pretty big one that I hadn't figured out yet and I was quite upset because this book has some serious tension! And I was just given some relief and then MORE tension because of the summary. Now, if I had read the summary before I started the book I would have been like, when the hell is that going to happen? I'm nearly half way done with this book. Needless to say I stopped reading the summary once I stumbled upon that bit of spoilery information. Yes, I didn't even finish reading a stinking summary to avoid spoilers!

I tweeted about that summary to Rachel and she responded back saying sorry, she didn't write the blurb. I say to her, it's okay, but really, whom ever did write it should be hung. There's no reason why that much information would have to be disclosed to get a reader to pick up the book. There are ways to say something to grab a reader's attention without giving out specific information. GAH! To say I'm a bit upset is putting it lightly. I may never read another summary again. I usually don't but like I said I thought I was safe! YOU ARE NEVER SAFE! Unless you've already read the book or seen the movie of course.

Two other times I have come across spoilers that affected me personally.

One was when I received my hardcopy of BREAKING DAWN, I started it in Kindle Version, and flipped to the back of the book because I'd heard there was a cool cheat sheet to the vampires and their respective abilities. I got to one name and was like, who the hell is Reneesme(highlight to see spoilery name)? DUN DUN DUN.... SPOILER ALERT! OMFG!

And lastly, I received several emails or Goodreads messages from readers who had seen that I had received an early copy of the last book in Rachel Vincent's Shifter series, ALPHA. They begged me to know if Marc and Faythe ended up together or if Jace win over Faythe. I did reply but I did not give them what they wanted to know. I just can't support spoilers!

I guess when it comes to the last book in a series you're almost dying of anticipation that you may be okay with finding out that must know piece of information. Me? Not so much. I want to harness that lust for the next word and the next piece of information while I'm reading. Finding out a spoiler takes that reaction away from me. I want to feel the suspense. I want to feel the anxiety that the character is feeling. I don't want to know whether or not they end up together before I find out with the characters! A great example of this very thing is SHADOWFEVER by Karen Marie Moning. DREAMFEVER left off on a MASSIVE cliffhanger. I mean gigantic! I did not peruse the internets to find leaked spoilers. Instead I used my love for the books (characters) to fuel my need to read it for myself.

What about you? Do you avoid spoilers at all costs like me? Not even reading summaries?

I write my reviews with the point to not disclose even the smallest piece of spoilery information. I do post the summaries though, so it's your choice of whether you read them or not!

Author Guest Post and Giveaway: Anna Sheehan

2011-08-14T08:40:00.001-04:00

Today I have the pleasure of having debut author, Anna Sheehan, of A Long, Long Sleep guest post. Her debut releases today! See below for information on how to win a copy!

Anna Sheehan

Says Jessica, The Cozy Reader blogger, "You're not readily accessible on the internet ie blog, twitter, website. Why is that? From the technology in your book I thought for sure I'd find you on the web!"

Oh no, I think. I’m going to have to try and explain this.

It's probably best to show a little bit of what my life is actually like.

I’m going to send a letter. I go over to my desk, where there are a dozen goose and turkey feathers. I slice the end off of a right wing feather, carve it to a flattened point, and slice a slit up the middle. I then dip it into walnut ink from Italy, and address my envelope in copperplate script. (If I’m feeling lazy, I will use a metal nib in an oblique pen holder.)

We’re running out of milk. I do not hop into my car and drive to the store. Instead I go down the hill and collect my cow, whose name is Rosie. I take her up to the handmade stanchion, plunk myself on a crate, wash her teats, and milk her into a stainless steel bucket. I don’t use that new-fangled milking machine we have, because I’m faster and more efficient.

When someone asks me what my relationship is to technology, my first impulse is to say, "Are you kidding?" I only have a cell-phone because my family insisted, and it mostly stays forgotten in the bottom of my car. I write using WordPerfect, a computer program that has not been supported for nearly a decade (and boy does it drive my agent nuts!) I am an intelligent and educated person, but when it comes to technology, I tend to take the slow path.

We live already in a culture which makes the most outlandish science-fiction seem passé. We’ve already gone far beyond the technology needed for the constant surveillance and strict media control of Orwell’s 1984. But instead of Big Brother Watching Us, we cry our doings voluntarily into an empty sea of tweets and status updates. Instead of "altering" the facts to suit the propaganda, we focus on partisan minutiae and forget that the facts even exist. Even Star Trek, the futuristic focal point for two generations, seems almost quaint. Apart from aliens, warp travel and teleporters, I can think of very little technology in any given Star Trek episode that we don’t already have, in some form or another – communicators, unmanned drones, medical miracles.

Where does this leave the average science fiction writer? What else is there to invent that hasn’t already been invented, usually in the real world?

When it comes to science fiction, we have come to the point where the technology has to become secondary to the story one is trying to tell. In a world where we have glow-in-the-dark cats and I-Pads, the weird technology of the "future" can no longer be the focal point. 1984 is still relevant because the mental oppression and social stagnation of perpetual war is a story that still resonates. Star Trek, though dated, uses stories of aliens to tell stories of human interaction – and those are always timeless.

In writing A Long, Long Sleep, I used technology in two ways. The first was pure window-dressing, and I’m more than willing to admit that. Hover-cars, standard garbage incinerators and automatic retinal scans are nothing new. Despite the fact that most of these technologies are already out and about in the world, people still see them as "futuristic". Having them as prevalent as I do is the only thing that makes the world of A Long, Long Sleep any different from our own.

However I did focus on one unconventional technology: stasis. Easy, reliable suspended animation is not a technology we currently possess. My intention was to explore all of the ramifications of a technology – the use and abuse of a technology – in order to tell a story of human interaction in the best and strongest way possible.

When it comes to our day-to-day interaction with technology, I often wonder if we’re moving too fast. In focusing on our instant text messaging and interactive sports games, many people have forgotten how to actually write, and no longer bother to go outside and play. It has been statistically proven that people read e-books slower than they read traditional bound and printed books. They buy more books, but actually read fewer of them, often failing to finish. Does this mean that we shouldn’t have e-books? No. There’s no reason to reject a benign technology – I’m no Luddite. But I do feel we need to keep in touch with traditional, well-established methods before those methods are lost forever. The printed page has been the repository of all knowledge since the invention of papyrus. Internet and e-books notwithstanding, I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.

In 1984, Orwell writes of a concerted effort to curb thought by diminishing language; a double-plus ungood practice. Well, plz. Can no1 C the FX ths haz on R thought process? Intelligent teenagers who read often are still handing in school reports with words like, "munny" (instead of money) and no punctuation. I fear if we turn entirely from paper to the screen to hold our knowledge, we will lose a great deal of it. At the same time, I doubt this article will ever be seen on a printed page. Does that mean I shouldn’t write it?

How silly is that idea?

Technology can give us both the good and the bad. When it comes to science-fiction, it is the writers’ job to explore the implications of both. When it comes to life, in my opinion, the same should apply.

Anna Sheehan DOES in fact have a website – annasheehan.com – and you can find her on Amazon and Facebook, where she loves to interact with fans. Just don’t expect hourly updates on minutiae.

Thank you Anna!

I hope the use of today's technology helps you sell more books because your book is worthy of any attention to get it into the hands of readers.

Review: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

2011-08-14T08:39:00.001-04:00

A Long, Long Sleepby Anna Sheehan
352 pages, Candlewick, (2011-08-09)
$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

eBook from Candlewick via NetGalley.

My Grade

Plot: 5

Setting: 5

Writing: 5

Originality: 5

Characters: 5

Romance: 5

Overall: 30/30!

Title/Cover Bonus: 2

Overall

An emotionally charged sci-fi of a young girl traumatized by her unfit parents who left her in stasis for 62 years; awoken to a new, unknown world full of technology and unending traumatic stress.

Summary (Goodreads)

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.

Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose -- hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire -- is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.

Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes -- or be left without any future at all.

First Line

I'd try to hold on to my stass dreams as long as I could.

Most Memorable Scene

Towards the end when Rose just throws a fit and chucks all sorts of stuff at the walls and floor.

Plot

Sort of a Sleeping Beauty retelling, Rose is frequently put into stasis by her parents, some times for just a few days, some times much, much longer. The story tells what happens when Rose is forgotten in a storage area while in stasis. She's found by a young man, Bren, she's weak and confused. She has to absorb the changes her world has made as well as come to terms with the fact that everyone she once knew has died. With the help of Bren she learns what happened and why, as well as avoid the robot man that is stalking her with the intent to kill.

Setting

Set in a futuristic world of ours, filled with many advanced technological devices such as auto pilot hover cars, key carded doors, retinal scans and more. There wasn't too much info on the surroundings beyond what Rose came into contact with. However, the island she visits is pretty interesting. The setting wasn't a key part of the story, beyond the technology.

Writing

Any time a book can bring me to tears means the author did something right. They made me connect with the characters on an emotional level. Anna does this so well. Written so well that the book flowed as if I were watching it on the big screen. A movie adaption of this book could easily be done and would appeal to anyone able to view PG-13.

Originality

I haven't read many sci-fi YA books so I found this to be quite original. The closest comparison would be Across the Universe by Beth Revis. If you liked that book you'll probably love this one too. It's not a world building as ATU but it is packed full of emotion. The fact that Rose's world suffered from a medical epidemic gives it a small sense of a dystopia on the rebound but that's not necessarily the genre of this book, which I'd say would be the sci-fi.

Characters

Rose is the main character and she is reeking of despair, rage, loneliness, and confusion. She befriends Bren and is drawn to him for some strange reason. She frequently has flashbacks from her childhood, which includes her best friend and later boy friend Xavier.

Rose ends up going to school with Bren and befriends his group of friends. Most notably is Otto. Otto's character is a strong secondary character that the reader instantly falls in love with. Probably due to the out casting of his species, his unique form of communication, and his compassion.

Her parents are a sorry excuse for parents. I couldn't understand them at all! Why be so selfish? Having a child and then basically preventing them from growing up or being a burden on your hectic travel schedule is not a good reason to shove her into stasis whenever you want. I was so enraged at her parents. I also was enraged with her towards the end of her flash backs because she KNEW, she knew they were abusing her and she let it happen. In a sense I understand. Stasis was all she knew and she found it comforting, kinda like taking a nap is comforting to me. You wake up refreshed and ready to go. Only naps last at most a few hours, not months or years.

Romance

Rose struggles with the loss of her childhood boyfriend Xavier. She grieves by drawing him. She has a connection with Bren but it's a little weird and off for them both.

Title/Cover Bonus

The title is okay. It's very generic and very obvious of the story. The cover while simplistic and lovely is quite boring and doesn't represent the sci-fi aspect of the story.

Ending

Whoa. The ending is genius and I never saw it coming. It's incredibly brilliant and heartbreaking. No one dies, quite the opposite actually. But that's all I'll say. Kudos to Anna for an ending like none other and is utterly unforgettable.

Series

I don't think Anna is doing this as a series. I'd love to find out what she has in the works but I haven't seen any news. She is one talented writer and I will follow her work as long has she's doing it.

Guest Post

Anna has prepared a wonderful guest post for us! Please stop by and read what she has to say about technology. Also, enter to win a copy of A Long, Long Sleep with a signed bookplate!

Book Related Cool Stuff

2011-08-14T08:38:00.001-04:00

A few things I’ve seen recently that I wanted to share!

If only my budget wasn’t so tight I’d be buying a few of these awesome things!

Apparel

Bookworm socks. Awesome. Available from ThinkGeek for $10.99 a pair.

A Woot T-shirt for the Harry Potter fans. $15.

Reading Accessories

There are 3 other designs but this is my favorite! A pad of 25 bookmarks for $6 is available from Knock Knock. I love most of their products!

A Fred product, another one of my favorite quirky companies, this the Fingerprint bookmark band. It’s $7 on MoMA Store but is readily available at other sites for just slightly more. I love that you can point it to the exact line that you leave off on.

Have you seen any cool and unusual bookish things? Link me to them in the comments!

In My Mailbox: Week 29 and 30

2011-08-14T08:37:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Kristi of The Story Siren for hosting this!

Here’s what I got this week and last week.

Review

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

352 pages, HarperCollins, (2011-11-15)

$11.21 (Amazon.com)

I devoured this. It was AMAZING. I will probably read it again and soon.

NetGalley

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

400 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-09-27)

$11.21 (Amazon.com)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

432 pages, Greenwillow Books, (2011-09-20)

$10.65 (Amazon.com)

Eve by Anna Carey

336 pages, HarperCollins, (2011-10-04)

$11.21 (Amazon.com)

Variant by Robison Wells

384 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-10-04)

$11.21 (Amazon.com)

Won

Cut by Patricia McCormick

176 pages, Push, (2011-05-01)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Lauren @ Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Jane Austen

320 pages, Quirk Books, (2009-04-04)

$7.19 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Kara @ Reading Cause I’m Addicted!

Bought

I went to Borders and got a measly 10% off these books. I shouldn’t have gone but it was nice to say goodbye.

Burn the Night: The Final Dark Days Novel by Jocelynn Drake

432 pages, Harper Voyager, (2011-06-28)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Secrets and Shadows: A 13 to Life Novel by Shannon Delany

320 pages, St. Martin's Griffin, (2011-02-15)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Original Sin (A Personal Demons Novel) by Lisa Desrochers

400 pages, Tor Teen, (2011-07-05)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Skippyjon Jones, Class Action by Judy Schachner

32 pages, Dutton Juvenile, (2011-07-12)

$9.89 (Amazon.com)

FREE Kindle Editions

First Frost by Jennifer Estep

pages, Kensington Books, (2011-07-01)

(Amazon.com)

Fallen from Grace: A Bonus Dark Mirror Short Story by M.J. Putney

pages, St. Martin's Griffin, (2011-03-15)

(Amazon.com)

BlogFest 2011 winner!

2011-08-14T08:36:00.001-04:00

Yes, I know. BlogFest was over a long time ago. Sorry for the delay. I’ve been busy.

Thanks so much to all my new followers and my old followers! There were a total of 1,015 entries.

I wasn’t expecting to get too many new followers because I didn’t make it a requirement to enter my giveaway. I’m not a fan of that as a requirement. I understand wanting new followers but I want followers to follow because they want to. I want my followers to come back. I do not follow any blog because I have to, only because I want to.

Without further ado, the winner is….

MISS LAUREN

Congrats Miss Lauren! I’ve emailed you and expect a reply by 1:30 Monday or a new winner will be chosen! I can’t wait to see what she wants. I’ll update here once she lets me know.

Laruen picked:

Before I Go to Sleep: A Novel by S. J. Watson

368 pages, Harper, (2011-06-14)

$14.27 (Amazon.com)

I sure did love using Rafflecopter to help me organize my giveaway. It was super easy to create the form and to pick a winner was a click of a button. Couldn’t have asked for anything easier. I hope you enjoyed the experience and if you have a blog of your own I’d recommend signing up for Rafflecopter!

Bookperk is at it AGAIN!

2011-08-14T08:34:00.001-04:00

Have you checked out Bookperk yet? Why not? Seriously, you need to sign up and see these super cool combo deals!

It’s completely free to sign up and see what offers are available. They usually have something of interest to everyone.

Free Stuff & Prizes

They're also giving away some cool prizes! Join my team (Team Code: 5KP4VO) and you may be eligible!

Current offers as of today

(first and last image are FREE entries to win something cool!)

Trailer: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-08-13T11:28:00.001-04:00

Maggie revealed the trailer for her upcoming October release, The Scorpio Races!

I love how talented Maggie is! Her trailers are amazing and beautiful. Spread the trailer around and enter to win an ARC of The Scorpio Races! Go to Maggie’s blog for more information.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

416 pages, Scholastic Press, (2011-10-18)

$11.00 (Amazon.com)

You can also order signed, DOODLED in copy from Fountain Bookstore.

In My Mailbox: Week 28

2011-07-17T19:49:00.001-04:00

InHere’s what I got this week!

Thanks to Kristi of The Story Siren for hosting this weekly meme!

Review

Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel by Harlan Coben

288 pages, Putnam Juvenile, (2011-09-06)

$12.91 (Amazon.com)

The The Name of the Star (Shades of London (Hardcover - Trilogy)) by Maureen Johnson

384 pages, Putnam Juvenile, (2011-09-29)

$10.97 (Amazon.com)

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

336 pages, Razorbill, (2011-12-08)

$12.23 (Amazon.com)

NetGalley

The Iron Knight (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa

304 pages, Harlequin, (2011-10-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Bought

Baby Codes: 101 Winning Combinations to Help Your Baby Sleep by Kevin Mills

Kindle Edition, Mills Creative Minds, (2011-03-04)

(Amazon.com)

FREE Kindle Edition

1000 Atkins Recipes - Have a Healthy Diet (Kindle Edition) by Pink Panda Publishing

Kindle Edition, Pink Panda Publishing, (2009-03-23)

(Amazon.com)

Purchased for my husband.

Hunted By The Others by Jess Haines

Kindle Edition, 352 pages, Zebra Books, (2010-04-15)

(Amazon.com)

FREE Kindle Edition

Survivors by Sophie Littlefield

ePub , Luna, (2011-07-01)

(Amazon.com)

FREE eHarlequin eBook Store edition.

All You Need is Love <3 !

2011-07-10T22:11:00.001-04:00

I had a great day today. I had a very productive day of cleaning house and doing laundry as well as spending some quality time with my family.

I also accomplished a blog post! My In My Mailbox post is rather long but it’s 15 weeks of mail.

But the reason for this post is to share with you one of the reasons why I blog. Not only to share my love of books with others but to show others that they too can express their feelings on not just books but anything that makes you think and thus write to express your thoughts on something you love.

Today I received a Tweet from Adam (@YA_Weekly).

His Tweet:

Shout-Outs to (Better) Blogs such as @acozyreader, @YABookShelf, @theStorySiren, and @Booksmugglers at my new blog: http://t.co/ZiWlEqO

To be included in a Tweet with those other bloggers really had my interest peaked. Then I followed his link and my heart burst with gratitude for his kind words.

(Better) Blogs

thecozyreader.com Jess doesn't know it, but she was one of my earlier influences. Her blog itself looks inviting and has a homely, living room feeling to it and I often want to relax into one of her recommended reads after visiting her site.
Follow Jess on Twitter @acozyreader

Dear Adam,

Thank you Adam. I’m so grateful to hear that what I’ve been doing for nearly 4 years has inspired you to join the ranks of review bloggers. I would love to hear more on what exactly I did to influence you but I’ll take what I’ve been given so far. I hope I continue to provide inspiration to you and all my readers.

Love is all you need to succeed.

I’d love it if all my followers followed Adam’s blog. It sounds like he has a lot in store for us!

Follow Adam!

In My Mailbox: Week 27 and retrospective

2011-07-10T20:02:00.000-04:00

Wow, I haven’t done an In My Mailbox in forever! I just haven’t had the time to sit down and do it (I started this 3 weeks ago). I’ve been back to work now for 3 weeks but still haven’t managed to get my blog included in my schedule. I hope to remedy that soon. I have a few reviews written but need to format them and I have quite a few I still need to write.

Check out my previous post for an update on my personal goings-on.

Thanks to Kristi at The Story Siren for hosting this weekly topic!

I’m just posting the covers that link to Amazon.com, except for the winnings. :)

Review

Won

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler

336 pages, Knopf Books for Young Readers, (2011-06-14)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Jeanmarie!

The Dark City #1 (Relic Master) by Catherine Fisher

384 pages, Dial, (2011-05-17)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Cindy @ Tynga’s Reviews!

Of All the Stupid Things by Alexandra Diaz

272 pages, EgmontUSA, (2011-05-10)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Donna @ Bites!

The Lucky Kind by Alyssa Sheinmel

208 pages, Knopf Books for Young Readers, (2011-05-10)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Kim @ The Book Butterfly!

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, Book 1) by Darynda Jones

336 pages, St. Martin's Griffin, (2011-07-05)

$9.45 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Cindy @ Tynga’s Reviews

Dracula in Love: The Private Diary of Mina Harker by Karen Essex

384 pages, Anchor, (2011-07-05)

$10.17 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Sari @ The View from Sari’s World!

City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments, Book 4) by Cassandra Clare

432 pages, Margaret K. McElderry, (2011-04-05)

$11.91 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Karin @ Karin’s Book Nook!

Shift (Shade, Book 2) by Jeri Smith-Ready

384 pages, Simon Pulse, (2011-05-03)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

I also won a cute bracelet but I have no idea from where I won!? I didn’t receive an email or see a post of me winning. So, thanks, whomever!

Forever by

pages, Maggie Stiefvater, (2011)

(Amazon.com)

Thank you Pam @ Bookalicious!

The Divided Realms: Captured by Maggie Wood

288 pages, Lobster Press, (2011-05-01)

$10.36 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Tara @ Reading Cause I’m Addicted!

Pale Demon (The Hollows, Book 9) by Kim Harrison

448 pages, Harper Voyager, (2011-03-01)

$16.45 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Debbie @ Wrighty’s Reads!

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler

336 pages, Knopf Books for Young Readers, (2011-06-14)

$11.89 (Amazon.com)

Thanks Jeanmarie @ Writer in Progress!

Bought

I’ve gotten quite a few from NetGalley but I’ll be doing a separate post in a few days about NetGalley! :)

Trailer and Giveaway: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

2011-06-22T09:10:00.001-04:00

Another amazing giveaway from the lovely Zeitghost Media people!

Check out this trailer and enter this giveaway!

Summary
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn?t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

Giveaway
To win a copy of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making please do the following:

Enter at The Cozy Reader!
Details

Ends 06/28 at midnight Eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older. Submitting a comment is acceptance of this.

Open to US & Canada mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher.

Selected winner must respond to my email within 1 day or a new winner will be selected.

Good luck!

Back to work and daycare!

2011-06-18T15:03:00.002-04:00

Well it's officially that time: back to work.

I've been home since April 13th, delivered Riley on April 25th and will be returning to work on June 20th. Riley will be 8 weeks old!

I'm so grateful to the time I've had to stay at home getting ready for his birth and now the 8 weeks of watching him grow. I'm sad to have to leave him with strangers, even if it is at a very nice daycare.

The tasks we'll all have to overcome this week seem monstrous at the moment.

Me: Leaving my baby boy and little girl! Pumping! Working! Driving! Waking up (and staying up) early! (with NO coffee)
Riley: No mama for a whole day! Bottles?!!? (he still isn't taking one!) New people and a new place.
Madison: Making new friends and meeting new teachers.

The reward of picking them both up on Monday is going to be phenomenal. Only to have to turn around and do it again on Tuesday.

Riley is really going to have a terrible time if he doesn't buckle down and accept a bottle. I've been trying most of this past week getting him to take the ones I bought (Breastflow -- good for switching back and forth between breast and bottle) but I'm thinking I should have started a lot sooner or maybe I need to buy a different brand. He acts like the nipple is too firm. I'm going to look at different brands today to see if he'll accept something different.

I just hope he accepts one on Monday!

Madison is super excited about going to Noah's Ark. I have no doubt that this transition will go smoothly for her. She has a field trip the very first day! She gets to go to the pool every Wednesday and even a trip to the Antietam Dairy this Thursday!

Riley has his 2 month check up this coming week as well. I'm excited to see how much he's weighting now. He's such a big boy!

He'd been having fits every night for the past few weeks. Right around 7-8 pm he'd get super fussy and eventually vomits all over me. I've stopped drinking coffee this week and so far it seems to have helped. He hasn't vomited for the past 3 days. I was getting headaches w/o the coffee but that seems to have stopped just today. I miss drinking it so I may grab some decaf while at the store today.

Wish us luck for this week! We'll need it!
Until next week....

Review: Cows Can’t Jump by Dave Reisman Illustrations by Jason A. Maas

2011-06-12T13:23:00.001-04:00

Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman

44 pages, Jumping Cow Press, (2008-10-19)

$7.99 (Amazon.com) Paperback

Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman

44 pages, Jumping Cow Press, (2008-10-19)

$10.19 (Amazon.com) Board Book

Procurement

Jumping Cow Press sent me two copies: one signed paperback and one signed board book.

Review by Madison, My Daughter (verbatim)

It’s funny because baby kangaroo has it’s eyes open on the first page and then the baby kangaroo falls asleep in the pouch and the mother doesn’t even notice.

My Review

A great book of compare and contrast on the abilities of many animals with a subtle touch of rhyming words.

The illustrations are cute and I enjoy seeing the canvas stitching details. I also enjoyed the flow from animal to animal as the scenery continued along the way.

I’m a fan of the board book as paperbacks usually see much more wear and tear around our house.

Madison was able to read this mostly by herself. A few words she stumbled on such as: slither, stampede, wallow, and trample. For a 1st grader I think that’s pretty good but after reading it a few times now she can handle them much better now.

Contest Entry: Heartless by Gail Carriger

2011-06-11T23:50:00.001-04:00

Gail Carriger is hosting an interesting contest for a chance to win an ARC of Heartless! Go to her blogs: Blogger or LiveJournal to enter for yourself!

Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

400 pages, Orbit, (2011-07-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Here's my entry! I just had to use my little man and his super cute froggy hat. Look at that smile! :)

Bookperk!

2011-06-07T17:18:00.001-04:00

Have you checked out Bookperk yet? Why not?

It’s completely free to sign up and see what offers are available. They usually have something of interest to everyone.

Current offers as of today

Remember offers are limited and do expire so hurry and sign up so you see what’s coming up next!

Trailer and Giveaway: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

2011-06-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

Now this is a book I’m excited about! Here’s the cover, summary, trailer and a GIVEAWAY!

Isn’t this cover gorgeous?!

Ruby Red (Ruby Red - Trilogy) by Kerstin Gier

336 pages, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), (2011-05-10)

$10.19 (Amazon.com)

Summary (Goodreads)

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Trailer

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Giveaway

And one of my readers can enter to win a copy of this book!

Details

Ends 06/12 at midnight Eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older. Filling out the form is acceptance of this requirement.

Open to US & Canada mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 1 day or a new winner will be selected.

Visit The Cozy Reader to enter!

Trailer and Giveaway: Everlasting by Alyson Noel

2011-06-06T21:03:00.000-04:00

A new trailer for you to check out!

Everlasting by Alyson Noel

Everlasting (Immortals) by Alyson Noël

336 pages, St. Martin's Griffin, (2011-06-07)

$9.89 (Amazon.com)

More Info

Everlasting is the sixth and final installment of the Immortal Series and will be released tomorrow, June 7th!

Alyson Noel's Immortals Website:

http://www.alysonnoel.com/immortals/

Macmillan Publishing's Alyson Noel site:

http://us.macmillan.com/author/alysonnoel

Giveaway

And the lovely publisher is providing a copy of Everlasting to one of my readers! Just fill out the entry form to be eligible.

Details

Ends 06/10 at midnight Eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older. Filling out the form is acceptance of this requirement.

Open to US & Canada mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 1 day or a new winner will be selected.

Visit The Cozy Reader to enter!

Good luck!

Cover Art: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, # 4) by Julie Kagawa

2011-06-01T13:09:00.001-04:00

I first saw this on my OMG I WANTZ IT list on Goodreads but sure enough I headed over to Julie Kagawa’s blog and she’s revealed the cover to The Iron Knight! And swoon over Ash!

It’s beautiful and I can’t wait until October 25th to read this!

Also, Summer’s Crossing releases today! You can get it for free over at the Harlequin eBook Store! Or you can pay $2.39 for wireless delivery to your Kindle (I got it for free and uploaded it myself).

Series

The Iron King (Harlequin Teen)

368 pages, Harlequin, (2010-02-01)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Winter's Passage

Harlequin Teen, (2010-05-20)

(Amazon.com)

The Iron Daughter (Harlequin Teen)

304 pages, Harlequin, (2010-08-01)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen)

368 pages, Harlequin, (2011-01-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Summer's Crossing

Harlequin Teen, (2011-05-18)

(Amazon.com)

The Iron Knight (Harlequin Teen)

304 pages, Harlequin, (2011-10-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Armchair BEA: Day 2 “Best of 2011”

2011-05-24T10:06:00.001-04:00

Today is Day 2 of Armchair BEA and I’m kinda excited abut this one! The topic of today is “Best of 2011” as well as giveaways galore! Be sure to check out the Armchair BEA blog today for all the cool giveaways!

My giveaway is listed below. Please follow the directions to enter below!

Best of 2011

Picking a “best” book is not an easy task for me. As I stated in yesterday’s intro post I don’t usually accept or read books that I don’t expect to like. However, today’s pick isn’t hard for me for several reasons.

1. Dystopian elements

2. Strong female protagonist

3. Awesome technology

4. World building

5. Romance

6. Unexpected twists and turns

7. Emotion – when a book makes me cry, OMG Love.

8. Debut Author – seriously?! I want more books!

What book could possibly have all of these? A book I recently read but have not sat down to review. A book that will be released in August and is truly worth pre-ordering RIGHT NOW!

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

352 pages, Candlewick, (2011-08-09)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

However, I love this book so much I’m going to pre-order it for one lucky winner and this giveaway is International if you live in one of the countries listed on this list that The Book Depository ships to.

Summary (Goodreads)

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for 62 years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all.

Giveaway

Interested?

To enter this giveaway there are TWO PARTS (both must be done to qualify!):

Part 1 – Leave a comment letting me know your “Best of 2011” and why or link me to your review or your Armchair BEA “Best of 2011” you posted today.

Part 2 – Fill out the form!

Details

Ends 05/28 at midnight eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older. Filling out the form is acceptance of this requirement.

Open to US & only International countries listed on The Book Depository shipping list.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 3 days or a new winner will be selected.

Head over to The Cozy Reader to enter!

I can’t wait to see all of your “Best of 2011”!

P.S. – Today is the last day to enter my other giveaway of Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky. Enter here.

Armchair BEA 2011!

2011-05-23T11:54:00.001-04:00

Today I’m crying a little inside. Why you ask? Because I’m staying home this year instead of attending BEA in New York City. I’ve attended BEA the past two years as a book reviewer and I’m really sad to not attend this year.

But the reason I’m not attending kinda makes up for it. I’m at home with my beautiful baby boy, Riley, who turns 4 weeks old today! He’s a bundle of cuteness and keeps me super busy with changing diapers, nursing, and just some good old cuddling.

But to all those lucky other bloggers that get to attend this year: have fun and grabs lots of books! I can’t wait to see all the ARCs that are there this year. I’m a bit jealous of that but I’m hoping to get in contact with the publicists so I can receive some of the good ones too.

Here at The Cozy Reader I’m a huge fan of the Young Adult genre; mostly paranormal of some aspect but I enjoy a good contemporary and coming of age novel too. And don’t forget the dystopias; LOVE them! I also still read adult books too, usually of the same content.

I’ve been blogging my reviews for 3 1/2 years now and I really enjoy it. I haven’t been reviewing as much lately because of the pregnancy and ultimate birth of our son. Reading fluctuates for the best of us any way.

My reviews tend to differ from a lot of other reviewers that’s for sure. I don’t like to get off topic or tell too much about a book so I follow a detailed structure and point system that isn’t really that detailed but helps showcase which areas of a book I enjoyed the most. I tend to not pick up books I won’t enjoy, therefore, most of my reviews are positive and if they’re not they tend to be really negative.

So, while all the other bloggers are attending BEA I’ll be at home with my little one, doing some household chores (GAH! They never end!), maybe a little reading, and trying my best to keep up with all the happenings via blog posts, Twitter, and such and I’ll be thinking about attending next year!

What to attend Armchair BEA? Head over to their blog!

Blog Tour: M.P. Kozlowsky, Juniper Berry Giveaway

2011-05-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Today I have the privilege to welcome M.P. Kozlowsky on a stop from his blog tour for his middle grade book, Juniper Berry. He’s graciously composed a guest post and it’s very fitting to my situation since I’m at home right now with a 3 week old newborn.

I was sent a copy of Juniper Berry to read and review but unfortunately I’ve only been able to make it through the first few pages. Why? Basically because of the newborn. I hope to read it soon though!

Here’s what M.P. has to say about having a child and how it changes you forever.

A Creature of Habit Come Undone

Juniper Berry was written during a different time. B.C. 2009 B.C. (Before Child). I had a strict routine which I followed religiously, both a blessing and a severe thorn in my side – this included lunch at 11:12, walking the dog at 2:52, washing dishes at 4:54, among other odd intermissions. In the middle of all this, however, was a good full day of writing. But, that was assuming that I wasn’t interrupted by the super or a phone call or an errand. If something disrupted my routine I couldn’t write; I couldn’t get in the right head, so to speak, the trance was broken. To sit down in front of the computer I had to be in such a specific frame of mind, so focused, and, most importantly, I couldn’t have that damaged in any way. I had certain meals I ate on certain days and at certain times and if we didn’t have peanut butter this threw everything off. I would browse the internet in a predetermined order, I had to place phone calls at specific breaks in my day, and if I didn’t I couldn’t think straight. But this was my ritual and I perfected it and I accomplished incredible amounts of writing because of it. Then I had a baby.

This changes everything. Suddenly my routine was gone, snatched away overnight. I had to conform to the erratic whims of my daughter. I could only write when she was napping, but this time was brief and ever changing, and the responsibilities piled up all around me. I was so tired. My mind wasn’t allowed to focus. I had to accept constant distractions, I had to write through them, adjust my thinking, my writing method. I understood this and accepted it. As a parent, I knew I now had to become selfless. It wasn’t about me and my idiosyncrasies anymore. It was about her, my daughter, my Margeaux. To be the best father and husband, I had to change who I was as a writer. And I learned that I didn’t control my routine, my routine controlled me. Sure, my output has slowed, but I have grown. My baby is new; I am new.

M.P. Kozlowsky (very short!) Biography

M.P. Kozlowsky was a high school English teacher before becoming a writer. Juniper Berry is his first book. He lives in New York with his wife and daughter. www.mpkozlowsky.com

-

Thanks so much M.P.! I couldn’t agree with you more, that’s for sure. I’m the last stop for M.P. but you can go back and see his other stops!

Juniper Berry Blog Tour: Part II
Tuesday, May 10th - Interview and Giveaway at Another Gray Day
Wednesday, May 11th - Interview at Bri Meets Books
Thursday, May 12th - Interview at Book Yurt
Friday, May 13th - Review and Giveaway at The Book Maven's Haven
Saturday, May 14th - Review at MundieKids
Sunday, May 15th - Guest Post at Kid Lit Frenzy
Monday, May 16th - Review and Giveaway at Kid Lit Frenzy
Tuesday, May 17th - Interview and Giveaway at MundieKids
Tuesday, May 17th - Guest Post and Giveaway at The Cozy Reader

Juniper Berry Writing Contest: To celebrate the release of M.P. Kozlowsky’s debut novel Juniper Berry, Walden Pond Press is inviting all writers aged 9-14 to write their own tales of terror and temptation in at least 500 words. One grand prize winner will receive an iPad, a library of Walden Pond Press eBook, paperback and hardcover novels, and his or her story published online at Walden.com. Author M.P. Kozlowsky will select the winner. To learn more: www.walden.com/win/juniperberry.

Juniper Berry by M. P. Kozlowsky

240 pages, Walden Pond Press, (2011-04-26)

$10.02 (Amazon.com)

Juniper Berry Trailer

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Juniper Berry!

Details

Ends 05/24 at midnight eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older.

Open to US & CANADA mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 3 days or a new winner will be selected.

Extra entry for sharing this giveaway. Direct link is required.

Go to The Cozy Reader to enter and update your following!

Review: The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3) by Julie Kagawa

2011-05-12T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa

368 pages, Harlequin, (2011-01-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

My Grade

Plot: 4

Setting: 4

Writing: 5

Originality: 4

Characters: 5

Romance: 5

Overall: 27/30 = 90% A

Cover/Title Bonus: 4

Overall

An awesome addition to an already amazing series. Cannot wait for The Iron Knight!

Summary

This is the third book of this series. If you want the summary please go to Goodreads!

First Line

Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

Most Memorable Scene

The tent scene. That is all. :)

Review

I'm not going to write a formal review for this one. Either you love this series or you don't and I fall heavily in the LOVE category. I love all the characters. I absolutely LOVE the writing. It reads more like an adult fantasy romance than a YA. Julie's skill in writing is not overlooked by this reader that's for sure.

I am so ready for The Iron Knight it's not funny! I will be sad to see this series end but I honestly can't wait to see what Julie writes next.

Series

The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa

368 pages, Harlequin, (2010-02-01)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

pages, Harlequin Teen, (2010-05-20)

(Amazon.com)

The Iron Daughter (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa

304 pages, Harlequin, (2010-08-01)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa

368 pages, Harlequin, (2011-01-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

pages, Harlequin Teen, (2011-06-01)

(Amazon.com)

The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey) by Julie Kagawa

304 pages, Harlequin, (2011-10-25)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

I’m back and Riley’s here!

2011-05-03T11:35:00.001-04:00

Goodness it’s been forever since I’ve updated you guys! I have a few reviews written, they need formatted, so I’ll be sure to do that soon. I have at least one blog tour coming up and a giveaway so stay tuned!

Riley’s Birth Story

12:17 a.m., April 25, 2011

7 lbs. 9.3 oz.

21 1/4 inches long

Obviously by the title of this post you’re here to see some pictures of my newborn son, Riley Shane. He made his appearance just minutes after Easter Day. My water broke around 11:30 am on Easter, April 24, but we had a whole day’s worth of awesome to attend to and I wasn’t having contractions, nor was I Strep B positive so we went about our day.

Some people, mainly women that have had children before (mother-in-law Kim) thought I was crazy for not going to the hospital ASAP but I knew I wasn’t progressing and from my first birth knew it would be at least 6 hours before anything major happened and that it was safe to just hang out with family and friends before heading to the hospital.

So, on to my sister’s Easter Egg Hunt we went. Madison had some fun, we had a few bites of food, well hubby and Madi did, I was holding out for dinner with hubby’s dad’s family. :) We left there and I was comfortable, dripping a bit but comfortable. We dropped Madison off with hubby’s mom because we knew we’d proceed to the hospital from the dinner.

The dinner was great. I told myself to not eat too much because I knew I’d probably get sick at some point of the labor, and I did, but it wasn’t terrible.

We arrived at the hospital at about 5:00 pm. I was given Pitocin because I wasn’t contracting and they start to get worried if you’re not in labor within 6 hours of your water breaking. At about 9:00 pm I was in some pretty bad pain and they started to get me ready for my epidural. I requested some IV drugs to hold me over until the epidural was given. Stadol is my new friend.

I have no idea what time the epidural was actually given. I remember being so hot right before it was given and sweating profusely, so much so that the EKG pads wouldn’t stick to my chest and spray adhesive was used on those as well as the sticky tape that holds the epidural in place. The epidural was amazing. It worked so well that I couldn’t feel my entire right leg. I couldn’t move it to save my life. I had to ask several times during pushing for them to adjust it, the nurse was holding that leg and would put it down during contractions in the stirrup things but I could feel it wasn’t in there right. Any who, I only pushed through 4 contractions and Riley was born at 12:17 am on April 25, 2011. He weighted 7 lbs. 9.3 oz. and was 21 1/4 inches long. He cried so much when they were doing all they do to newborns I felt so bad for him!

It was such a great experience compared to my first labor and delivery. It’s amazing how much kind nurses, awesome doctors, and amazing drugs will do to make a situation so much better that you’d actually think about doing it all again. Only not really. ;)

Without further ado here are some of my favorite pictures. Please feel free to see the rest of Riley’s pictures in his Facebook album. And I just took this video a few minutes ago. He’s been doing a lot of grunting and throat clearing, or something, yesterday and today so I tried to capture the moment but instead I got him getting the hick ups, which he hates. Enjoy!

Riley Shane–1 Week Old

Book Trailer: Enclave by Ann Aguiree

2011-04-12T13:29:00.001-04:00

Looky!

I’ve been so looking forward to this book! Check out the trailer.

More info and the first two chapters can be read at Ann’s website!

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

272 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2011-04-12)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Preorder: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

2011-03-27T18:59:00.001-04:00

Thought I’d pass this along! Remember you can get a Kindle application for just about any device or PC!

13 Little Blue Envelopes Free with Bonus Material by Maureen Johnson

Avon, (2011-04-12)

(Amazon.com)

Demonglass Winners!

2011-03-27T09:34:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the late announcement on the winners of the Demonglass winners!

The winners are:

Congrats to you both! I have your mailing addresses and will be sending it to the publisher. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who entered and spread the word!

In My Mailbox: Weeks 10, 11 & 12

2011-03-27T09:11:00.001-04:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here’s what I’ve gotten over the past couple weeks. Been having a heck of a time with this pregnancy so the blog when on the back burner. Baby update will be coming shortly!

Review

Juniper Berry by M. P. Kozlowsky

240 pages, Walden Pond Press, (2011-05-01)

$10.35 (Amazon.com)

Invincible: The Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

432 pages, St. Martin's Griffin, (2011-03-22)

$10.58 (Amazon.com)

Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman

44 pages, Jumping Cow Press, (2008-10-19)

$11.99 (Amazon.com)

Chime. by Franny Billingsley by Franny Billingsley

368 pages, Bloomsbury UK, (2011-04)

$17.89 (Amazon.com)

Stay by Deb Caletti

320 pages, Simon Pulse, (2011-04-05)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

400 pages, EgmontUSA, (2011-05-24)

$11.02 (Amazon.com)

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

256 pages, Simon Pulse, (2011-05-24)

$10.79 (Amazon.com)

Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan

320 pages, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), (2010-10-26)

$11.66 (Amazon.com)

Trial by Fire: A Raised by Wolves Novel by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

368 pages, EgmontUSA, (2011-06-14)

$11.00 (Amazon.com)

Ask Elizabeth: Real Answers to Everything You Secretly Wanted to Ask About Love, Friends, YourBody... and Life in General by Elizabeth Berkley

240 pages, Putnam Juvenile, (2011-03-22)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlowe

304 pages, Brava, (2011-05-01)

$10.63 (Amazon.com)

Won

Another awesome looking middle grade book won over at Shannon Messenger’s blog.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

352 pages, Square Fish, (2010-02-02)

$6.99 (Amazon.com)

Bought

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

208 pages, Candlewick, (2011-03-08)

$6.99 (Amazon.com)

NetGalley

The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea (Bloody Jack Adventures) by Louis A. Meyer

384 pages, Harcourt Children's Books, (2011-10-03)

$10.88 (Amazon.com)

Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith

272 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-05-03)

$11.31 (Amazon.com)

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Estevan

324 pages, Tanglewood Press, (2010-06-16)

$8.30 (Amazon.com)

In My Mailbox: Week 9

2011-03-06T17:31:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Krisit of The Story Siren.

Here’s what I got this week!

Review

Illusions (Aprilynne Pike) by Aprilynne Pike

384 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-05-01)

$10.59 (Amazon.com)

This is book 3 of the series. I haven’t read book 1 or 2. Will I be lost if I jump in from here?

Brother/Sister by Sean Olin

304 pages, Razorbill, (2011-06-09)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

256 pages, Viking Juvenile, (2011-05-03)

$10.58 (Amazon.com)

Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando

304 pages, Dutton Juvenile, (2011-05-12)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

Won

I won this over at Bookworm Readers. Thanks Claire!

Real Live Boyfriends (Ruby Oliver Quartet) by E. Lockhart

240 pages, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, (2010-12-28)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

I won a different book over at Fiction Groupie but I had it sent to my good friend L.J. Boldyrev. The featured author, Ashley March, was too kind to send me an ARC of her book! Thanks Ashley!

Seducing the Duchess by Ashley March

320 pages, Signet, (2010-10-05)

$6.99 (Amazon.com)

Nothing new in the baby department. Maybe next week. ;)

What did you get this week?

Review: American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

2011-03-05T11:49:00.001-05:00

American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

336 pages, Mira, (2011-02-22)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

An eARC was provided by Mira/Harlequin via NetGalley.

My Grade

Plot: 3

Setting: 3

Writing: 2

Originality: 4

Characters: 3

Romance: 3

Overall: 18/30 = 60% D - It was OK

(2 stars per Goodreads)

Cover/Title Bonus: 0

Overall

A mystery driven (lacking) romance between a bitchy human and a selfish vampire stuck in the middle of no where surrounded by crazy country hicks.

Summary (Goodreads)

HE'S THE GOOD KIND OF VAMPIRE. SORT OF.

Buried in the Heartland is a town that no one enters or leaves. Graf McDonald somehow becomes its first visitor in more than five years…and he was only looking for a good party. Unfortunately, Penance, Ohio, is not that place. And after having been isolated for so long, they do not like strangers at all.

Jessa's the only one to even remotely trust him, and she's desperate for the kind of protection that only a vampire like Graf can provide. Supplies are low, the locals are ornery for a sacrifice and there's a monster more powerful than Graf lurking in the woods. New men are hard to come by in this lonesome town, and this handsome stranger might be Jessa's only hope for salvation.

Even if she has to die first…

First Line

If there was one power a vampire could really use, Graf McDonald figured it would have to be internal GPS.

Most Memorable Scene

When Graf meets Jessa at the gas station.

Plot

While not the most impressionable plot ever, it is the only thing that kept me reading this book. I wanted to know what happened in the end.

Setting

Set in a small, country town with nothing exciting going on except the big issue at hand. Nothing spectacular about how it was described but it wasn't lacking in what was there to describe.

Writing

I had a huge issue with this. I'm not even sure how to describe the point of view. It's like third person point of view but it switched through the characters and seemed to go first person but without the "I"s and "me"s. It was weird and had me stumbling a few times.

Originality

The overall idea of the story is what kept me reading. While not the most original book I've ever read it certainly had it's teeth stuck in me to stick to the end, no matter how brutal it might have been to read through, to find out what happens. While it wasn't a spectacular ending, I felt at peace having finished the story.

Characters

GAH! Another thing I had major issues with. I didn't like any of the characters! Graf was the weirdest, modern vampire I've read. His personality was not portrayed very well. I felt like I barely knew him and the things I knew about him I really didn't care about, such as his clothes, car, cigarettes, and music. The few bits about his maker are interesting but nothing else stands out about him. He was also quite the asshat.

Jessa on the other hand had issues and issues means you get a character with lots of baggage that they're not willing to let go. She's also a major bitch and while it was expected it really got on my nerves.

The other minor characters were real, down to earth, crazy hicks.

Romance

Eh, it was inevitable and little too convenient. I wasn't intrigued by the romance in the least.

Cover/Title Bonus

Another GAH! I seriously don't understand the title or the cover! Both are horrible and do NOTHING for this story.

I’d say pass on this one.

Books for Thought: Did a song ever remind you of a book?

2011-03-02T11:23:00.001-05:00

La Femme Readers post today is Books for Thought!

I talked about this very topic a few months ago after hearing a Justin Bieber song of all things! Did you catch that post? No? Here's a link to it.

So, my answer to this question is that very blog post. Songs do remind of me of books I've read. And usually they remind me of books that bore into me in one way or another. I LOVE that feeling. I remember hearing that Justin Bieber song and just playing it over and over again because it was just too perfect and I loved feeling that feeling.

What about you? Any songs that remind you of books you've read?
To participate in this discussion please go to The Cozy Reader!

Blog Tour: Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2) by Rachel Hawkins and Giveaway

2011-03-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today I have the lovely pleasure of having YA author Rachel Hawkins to answer just a few interview questions! I kept it short and sweet and asked what I wanted to know. I’m not a fan of most general interview questions so I hope you find these interesting, at least. :)

Rachel Hawkins Interview

About the book:Was it easier to write book two of the series than book one? How so or not so?
Oh, no, haha! Book 2 was MUCH harder! I think it's because in HEX
HALL, I was just writing with no expectations, no readers, just for my
own amusement. With DEMONGLASS, I knew I'd have LOTS of readers, and I
really, really didn't want to let them down. Also, in the 2nd book of
a trilogy, you have to wrap up some plot threads, leave some for book
3, introduce NEW plot threads....yeah, sequels are a lot of work!

How do you feel about your book covers? (I think they're great!)

I ADORE them! I'm so thrilled with how Hyperion really nailed the
whole, "These books are funny! But also scary! And yet funny!" aspect
of the series. Also, I want all of Cover Sophie's outfits.

When will book three be available? And is it the last book of the series?

Book 3 will be out in Spring 2012, and it is the last of Sophie's
adventures! However, I'm working on a spin-off set in the HEX HALL
universe, so I'm not totally done playing in that world yet. :)

Miscellaneous Facts:

Which do you prefer: warm, sunny day or cool, rainy day? And why?

Cool, rainy days! Sadly, I live in the South, and while rain is not so
hard to come by, cool often is! I think I dig rainy, cool weather so
much because I am so very indoorsy. Cold+rain= the perfect excuse to
stay inside and read and write!

If you could live anywhere where would that be? Why?

London. See above, RE: Cool and rainy. :) Seriously though, it's just
such an awesome town. Ancient and modern all at once. (The boys with
cute accents don't hurt, either.)

Thanks so much Rachel! I'm excited to hear about the spin off series!
Demonglass is released today! But if you haven’t purchased your copy yet be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win one of TWO copies!

Demonglass (A Hex Hall Novel) by Rachel Hawkins
368 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-03-01)
$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Haven’t read Hex Hall yet? Check out my review to see if it’s something you’d enjoy!
I haven’t started my review copy of Demonglass yet, and I apologize for not having a review to go along with this blog tour but I’ve been in the worst funk lately. I’m blaming the pregnancy hormones. :( I plan to start it very soon and have a review up just as soon as I do finish it.

Series

Hex Hall (Book 1) by Rachel Hawkins
336 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2010-03-02)
(Amazon.com)

Demonglass (A Hex Hall Novel) by Rachel Hawkins
368 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-03-01)
$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Giveaway

Enter to win one of TWO copies of Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins!

Details

Ends 03/08 at midnight eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older.

Open to US & CANADA mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 3 days or a new winner will be selected.

Extra entry for sharing this giveaway. Direct link is required.

Please go to The Cozy Reader to enter this giveaway.

In My Mailbox: Week 8

2011-02-27T07:04:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here’s what I got this week!

Review

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

352 pages, EgmontUSA, (2010-07-13)

$12.23 (Amazon.com)

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

432 pages, EgmontUSA, (2010-06-08)

$12.23 (Amazon.com)

NetGalley Review

Thank you HarperCollins for approving my requests!

Die for Me by Amy Plum

352 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-05-01)

$10.59 (Amazon.com)

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

400 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-06-01)

$11.21 (Amazon.com)

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

288 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-04-26)

$10.96 (Amazon.com)

Bumped by Megan Mccafferty

336 pages, Balzer + Bray, (2011-05-01)

$10.59 (Amazon.com)

A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

320 pages, Harper Collins, (2011-05-01)

$11.11 (Amazon.com)

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

400 pages, HarperTeen, (2011-06-01)

$11.60 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Edition

How To Marry a Millionaire Vampire with Bonus Material by Kerrelyn Sparks

HarperCollins, (2011-02-14)

(Amazon.com)

Still free!

Won

I won these over at Fantastic Book Review. Thanks Tina!

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

352 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2010-08-10)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Dark Goddess (A Devil's Kiss Novel) by Sarwat Chadda

384 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-01-25)

$10.95 (Amazon.com)

Nothing new for the baby, except that Daddy hung the window blinds while he was home with the sick daughter.

What did you get this week?

Giveaway Winner: Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

2011-02-26T08:43:00.001-05:00

And the winner of the signed, paperback copy of Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev is….

Congrats Erin! I have your shipping info and will send it to the publisher!

Thanks to everyone for entering the giveaway.

Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata, Act I
by Lisa Mantchev

384 pages, Square Fish, (2010-04-13)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

In My Mailbox: Week 7

2011-02-21T10:00:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here’s what I got this week! And some baby stuff too!

Review

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

416 pages, Viking Juvenile, (2011-05-10)

$11.75 (Amazon.com)

And I already have an author signed copy of this one, so look for a giveaway soon!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

208 pages, Dutton Juvenile, (2011-04-05)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Editions

Retro Demonology by Jana Oliver

St. Martin's Griffin, (2010-12-13)

(Amazon.com)

A Demon Trapper’s bonus story.

Baby Stuff

I told you last week that I ordered some things from Old Navy, well they came! I ordered 3 sizes of the middle outfit because I LOVE it!

We also picked up his furniture and spent all day Saturday putting it together. I LOVE it. I can’t wait to buy some accessories to finish off his room. We have a few final touches to do: install closet doors, paint touch ups, paint the mural, install new ceiling fan/light combo, install new blinds, buy a soft rug for the middle of the floor and paint the door white. (Click image for larger picture.)

Kitty Cookie Monster approves. We’ve caught her sleeping in the crib several times already. The other cats have been checking this out too.

I’m 30 weeks pregnant today. I’m hoping to delivery the week of April 11th, but not the 14th cause that’s my birthday and I want him to have his own special day; so about 6-7 weeks to go! I’m so ready for him too!

What did you get this week?

Cover Art Reveal: So Silver Bright (Théâtre Illuminata, #3) by Lisa Mantchev (Giveaway)

2011-02-18T09:07:00.000-05:00

The moment you've been waiting for! Here's the cover for Lisa Mantchev's upcoming third and final installment of her Théâtre Illuminata series, So Silver Bright!

Friday 2/18 Full Cover by everyone

Series

Since this is a series, I don't feel completely comfortable with posting the summary of So Silver Bright because it does contain spoilers for the first two books. So, if you'd like to see the summary of So Silver Bright please go to Goodreads to see it.

Read my review of Eyes Like Stars. I should have my review of Perchance to Dream up sometime this week as I'm just about half way through it (and loving it!).

Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata, Act I by Lisa Mantchev

384 pages, Square Fish, (2010-04-13)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Perchance to Dream: Theatre Illuminata #2 by Lisa Mantchev

352 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2010-05-25)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

So Silver Bright (Theatre Illuminata) by Lisa Mantchev

368 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2011-09-13)

$11.55 (Amazon.com)

Giveaway

Have you started this series yet?

If you haven't, you're in luck! The amazing people at Feiwel and Friends is letting me giveaway a SIGNED paperback copy of Eyes Like Stars! To enter please fill out the below form or follow THIS LINK to open the form in a new tab/window.

Giveaway Details

Ends 02/22 at noon eastern time

Entrant must be 13 years of age or older.

Open to US & CANADA mailing addresses only. Shipping directly from the publisher or Lisa.

If shipping info is not supplied in the form, selected winner must respond to my email within 3 days or a new winner will be selected

NOTE: This is the same giveaway form as my fragment post. PLEASE do not duplicate your entry!
Please go to The Cozy Reader to enter this giveaway!

In My Mailbox: Week 6

2011-02-13T11:23:00.001-05:00

I got a few books this week! And a few baby things too!

As always In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Review

Bloody Valentine (A Blue Bloods Book) (Blue Bloods Novel) by Melissa De La Cruz

160 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2010-12-28)

$8.99 (Amazon.com)

Angel in My Pocket by Ilene Cooper

288 pages, Feiwel & Friends, (2011-03-15)

$11.23 (Amazon.com)

Gift

A signed copy of this showed up on my door step with 5 little pins too! Thanks so much to Razorbill and Beth Revis!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

416 pages, Razorbill, (2011-01-11)

$9.89 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Editions

Raising the Dead by Mara Purnhagen

pages, Harlequin Teen, (2011-01-17)

(Amazon.com)

I pre-ordered this one:

How To Marry a Millionaire Vampire with Bonus Material by Kerrelyn Sparks

384 pages, Harper Collins, Inc., (2011-02-22)

(Amazon.com)

Baby Stuff

I took a trip to Target and got a few frog themed items. I’m afraid that the things I see available for purchase now will disappear before people buy us anything for him. So, yeah, I’ve spent quite a bit on some clothes. Just last night I ordered a lot from Old Navy because, I <3 Old Navy, and they have some adorable frog outfits! Here’s what I got at Target:

See? Too cute! I’ll be sure to post the Old Navy purchases in next weeks IMM!

You can see our current baby registries. We have one on Amazon as well as Target. Both are pretty much the same but Amazon has some other items because they have the Universal Wish List option, where you can put items from any website on your list. I like that feature. Plus Amazon is usually cheaper than Target.

We also picked up his changing table from JCPenney yesterday but haven’t put it together yet. We were supposed to take home his dresser too, but it arrived damaged so we asked them to ship it back and try again. They were really great to work with and gave us 10% off the replacement dresser. I wasn’t there to see the damage, I was busy taking a 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test, which sucked and ruined my day. I planned to paint his room but I had NO energy to speak of after I got home from the test. So, we’ll be trying to paint his room today. :)

What did you get this week?

I’m Reading a Book! Happy Super Bowl Day!

2011-02-06T13:04:00.001-05:00

I just saw this too funny video over at Tynga’s Reviews and had to share!

That guy scares me so I wouldn’t interrupt him if I were you.

We’re attending a Super Bowl party tonight! I can’t wait to eat all the yummy foods. Yes, I’m allowed to say that! I’m pregnant! I’m sure the game will be cool too.

Cover Art: Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires, #5) by Chloe Neill

2011-02-05T20:07:00.001-05:00

Chloe Neill revealed the cover for the fifth book of her Chicagoland Vampires series, Drink Deep.

Drink Deep will release November 2011. The fourth book, Hard Bitten releases May 5th.

This series has won my “Ballsy” award on several occasions.

Series

Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 1)

352 pages, NAL Trade, (2009-04-07) $10.08 (Amazon.com)

My Review

Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 2)

368 pages, NAL Trade, (2009-10-06) $10.20 (Amazon.com)

No official review.

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 3)

368 pages, NAL Trade, (2010-07-06) $10.20 (Amazon.com)

My Review

Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 4)

368 pages, NAL, (2011-05-03) $9.81 (Amazon.com)

In My Mailbox: Week 3 - 5

2011-02-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

I’ve been a major slacker when it comes to my In My Mailbox posts! But when my IMM stack of books teeters and threatens to harm small children I must pay attention! Here’s what I’ve gotten the past few weeks.

Review

Demonglass (A Hex Hall Novel) by Rachel Hawkins

368 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-03-01)

$10.34 (Amazon.com)

The Internet is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius by David Thorne

368 pages, Tarcher, (2011-04-28)

$8.25 (Amazon.com)

Queen of the Dead (A Ghost and the Goth Novel) (The Ghost and the Goth) by Stacey Kade

272 pages, Hyperion Book CH, (2011-06-07)

$11.54 (Amazon.com)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

496 pages, Katherine Tegen Books, (2011-05-01)

$11.53 (Amazon.com)

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel by Deborah Harkness

592 pages, Viking Adult, (2011-02-08)

$14.77 (Amazon.com)

Zombies Don't Cry: A Living Dead Love Story by Rusty Fischer

300 pages, Medallion Press, (2011-05-01)

$9.95 (Amazon.com)

Electronic format

Won

Janicu’s Book Blog selected me to win:

Hot Finish (Fast Track) by Erin McCarthy

304 pages, Berkley, (2010-08-03)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Patricia’s Vampire Notes gave away 3 books of Jill Myles’ Succubi series:

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi (Succubus Diaries) by Jill Myles

332 pages, Pocket Star, (2009-12-29)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Succubi Like It Hot (The Succubus Diaries) by Jill Myles

335 pages, Pocket Star, (2010-01-19)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

My Fair Succubi (The Succubus Diaries) by Jill Myles

368 pages, Pocket Star, (2010-12-28)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

And Julie from Booking Mama gave away:

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

394 pages, St. Martin's Press, (2010-02-02)

$10.80 (Amazon.com)

I also won a book from Tynga’s Reviews and Dark Faerie Tales’ recent give away:

Night's Cold Kiss: A Dark Brethren Novel by Tracey O'hara

352 pages, Eos, (2009-09-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Editions

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

320 pages, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, (2009-09-01)

(Amazon.com)

The New World by Patrick Ness

pages, Candlewick, (2010-09-27)

(Amazon.com)

Necromancer: A Novella by Lish McBride

pages, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), (2011-01-24)

(Amazon.com)

Bought

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

512 pages, Delacorte Press, (2011-01-11)

(Amazon.com)

Kindle Edition

Blog Tour: A True Princess by Diane Zahler

2011-02-05T10:39:00.001-05:00

Today I am privileged to host author Diane Zahler here on her blog tour! I'm reading her book, A True Princess, right now and loving it! I was skeptical of reading it though because it is labeled middle grade but so far it's superb! I wanted to have it finished before the blog tour but I started it late and haven't had too much reading time. I'll have my review up soon though!

Without further ado: Diane's guest post!

Retelling a Fairy Tale: Coloring Outside the Lines

Diane Zahler

One of the challenging things about retelling a fairy tale is that the original versions are usually so short. They’re almost pure plot, with very little description. There’s often a princess or a prince, but sometimes they aren’t even named, or they’re named after what they look like or what they do. Snow White is named after her skin, for example. Sleeping Beauty sleeps. Beauty in Beauty and the Beast is beautiful. Even Rapunzel is named after the herb her mother wants when she’s pregnant. There’s usually somebody evil – a witch or a bad fairy, a nasty wolf or an evil elf, but again, these characters aren’t well developed. The setting, too, is only described in broad outline. A writer has a great deal of freedom when it comes to coloring in these tales.

A novel-length version of a fairy tale needs a lot of details that aren’t in the original. Children’s first contact with fairy tales often comes when their parents read to them when they’re very young. Hearing the stories, kids fill in the outlines themselves with their imaginations and their limited experience. As they get older and look at picture book versions, they use the illustrations as a jumping-off place for coloring in the tales imaginatively. By the time they’re reading novels, they can both imagine the author’s vision of the story and create their own mental images as they read. And when a retelling of a familiar story goes outside the lines, it gives readers even more to work with – the idea that the old story can be made new again. That’s what I’ve tried to do with A True Princess. Though it’s based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Princess and the Pea,” I included characters not in the original – a heroine who doesn’t know who she is, her two friends Kai and Karina, fierce falcons, menacing wolves, and an evil elf-king and his beautiful daughter inspired by Goethe’s poem “The Erl-King.” I set the story in an imaginary far northern landscape and described a mysterious forest through which the characters have to journey on a perilous quest. The plot includes pieces of “The Princess and the Pea,” but it goes far beyond that simple story. I’ve colored outside the lines for sure – but that’s the fun of retelling fairy tales. And I hope it’s part of the fun of reading them, too!

About Diane

Diane Zahler, author of A True Princess, has loved tales of fairies and magic since before she was old enough to read. She has worked in the children’s room at a public library, in children’s book publishing, and as an elementary and high school textbook writer. The Thirteenth Princess, her first novel for young readers, was published in 2010. She lives with her husband and dog in an old farmhouse in the Harlem Valley that is held together with duct tape and magic spells. Diane’s website is: www.dianezahler.com.

A True Princess by Diane Zahler

192 pages, HarperCollins, (2011-02-01)

$10.79 (Amazon.com)

Summary

Twelve-year-old Lilia is not a very good servant. In fact, she's terrible! She daydreams, she breaks dishes, and her cooking is awful. Still, she hardly deserves to be sold off to the mean-spirited miller and his family. Refusing to accept that dreadful fate, she decides to flee. With her best friend, Kai, and his sister, Karina, beside her, Lilia heads north to find the family she's never known. But danger awaits. . . .

As their quest leads the threesome through the mysterious and sinister Bitra Forest, they suddenly realize they are lost in the elves' domain. To Lilia's horror, Kai falls under an enchantment cast by the Elf King's beautiful daughter. The only way for Lilia to break the spell and save Kai is to find a jewel of ancient power that lies somewhere in the North Kingdoms. Yet the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it is hidden has been overrun with princess hopefuls trying to pass a magical test that will determine the prince's new bride. Lilia has only a few days to search every inch of the castle and find the jewel—or Kai will be lost to her forever. -- Goodreads

Diane's Blog Tour Schedule

Date	Blog Name	What's Happening
February 1	The Compulsive Reader	Review, book giveaway
February 2	The Brain Lair	Author interview, review
February 3	Jean Little Library	Review
February 3	Galleysmith	Author post, review
February 4	Write for a Reader	Review
February 5	The Cozy Reader	Author post, review
February 6	Libri Dilectio	Review
February 7	Tales from the Rushmore Kid	Interview with my editor
February 8	Green Bean Teen Queen	Review
February 8	Mother Daughter Book Club	Review
February 9	There's a Book	Author interview, review
February 10	Mrs. V's Reviews	Author interview, review
February 11	The Cazzy Files	Author interview, review
February 11	Sonder Books	Author interview, review
February 12	BookScoops	Author interview, book giveaway, review

Help Out a Little Girl!

2011-02-01T20:55:00.001-05:00

The Story Siren, a very well known blogger, has posted about her cousin, Kaylea, who was just diagnosed with leukemia.

Please go to Krisit’s blog post about her cousin and see if there’s anything you can do to help this little girl. Just sending her a card I’m sure would make her day!

I wrote her a little letter and I ordered her Why, Charlie Brown, Why?: A Story About What Happens When a Friend Is Very Ill. I hope it helps them cope through this tough time.

Why, Charlie Brown, Why? by Charles M Schulz

64 pages, RAVETTE PUBLISHING, (2005-10-06)

(Amazon.com)

Cover Art: Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate, # 4) by Gail Carriger

2011-02-01T19:45:00.001-05:00

Orbit has released the cover of Gail Carriger’s next installment of The Parasol Protectorate series, Heartless.

I am NOT a fan of this cover! I’m hating the model and her hair, and the way she’s looking directly out at us. And the back photo is subpar compared to the amazing art work that was used on the previous books (although the giant castle is pretty cool)! The purple I can deal with but BLAH! Highly disappointed in this cover.

But this cover will not stop me from drinking this book in as soon as I can get my bloody hands on it! I LOVE this series with a passion. They are so much fun, witty, and full of loveable characters.

My Reviews

Soulless | Changeless (no formal review) | Blameless

Series

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

384 pages, Orbit, (2009-10-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

400 pages, Orbit, (2010-04-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

384 pages, Orbit, (2010-09-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

400 pages, Orbit, (2011-07-01)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Book: Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

2011-02-01T19:04:00.001-05:00

I’m a huge fan of free Kindle books and I just saw this one and thought I’d share! If you don’t own a Kindle, no worries! There’s a free app you can download to read books on your PC as well as one for just about every mobile device.

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

320 pages, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, (2009-09-01)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

I read a review copy of this one and it was a great read. Check out my review. The second book in the series was just released today! I have a review copy but haven’t gotten to it yet.

Cover Art: Bloodborn (Other, #2) by Karen Kincy

2011-01-28T09:26:00.002-05:00

Karen Kincy revealed her cover for book #2 of her Other series, Bloodborn,on the 2010: A Book Odyssey blog!

Due to a post I saw on Bookalicious I will no longer be posting "new" cover art directly on my blog but will be linking directly to the author's post so that credit is given where it is due. Read the post by Pam if you haven't! I've since changed my mind about this as I agree with the few authors that have commented. It's about getting the word out about their book, not hits on their author website. While I respect what Pam's post was about, in the end it's about getting others to pass the word along. Word of mouth, er, bloggers posting is a strong selling tool.

I think it's a pretty cover. ~~I'm not sure if I like that the girl looks so much different than the girl on the cover of Other. Maybe it centers around a new girl? I dunno but I'll find out.~~ :) Per Karen's comment she confirmed that it's not the main character from the first book. So now I'm excited to read it and find out what's going on! Thanks to Karen for stopping by and commenting.

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-01-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Image Source: The Cozy Reader, ARC edition

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

448 pages, HarperCollins, (2011-02-01)

$17.99 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

I received this ARC while attending BEA 2010.

My Grade

Plot: 5

Setting: 5

Writing: 5

Originality: 5

Characters: 5

Romance: 5

Overall: 30/30! Perfect!

Cover/Title Bonus: 4

Overall

A brutal society where love is disguised as a disease and is ultimately tragically and beautifully worth fighting for.

Summary (Goodreads)

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that one love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

First Line

It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure.

Most Memorable Scene

During one of the raids an ass of an enforcer encounters a barking dog. Lena handles the situation as best as she could but it still hit a nerve with me as an animal lover.

Also, Lena and Alex visit the insane asylum, or prison, and that entire situation had me on the edge of my seat.

Plot

Love as a disease? I’ve always been a fan of dystopian societies and this book proved to me why that is. They all have something you’re not allowed or supposed to have but ultimately you find a way to want it and grasp it and if you’re lucky keep it.

Delirium portrays Lena as a young girl about to meet her life partner (I can’t remember if there’s a specific term used or not) and about to get her treatment against the delirium, love sickness.

Every aspect of the plot was meshed together perfectly. I love that there was more to it then just the love story.

Setting

Lena’s world is a pretty brutal place. A required treatment to inhibit the ability to fall in love or feel anything remotely like love or hate is one of the ultimate free will abilities humans have.

There’s a citizen curfew and required badges or identification cards. Periodically there are raids to search homes.

Writing

This was the first book by Lauren Oliver I’ve read. I did try to read Before I Fall but I just couldn’t make my way through it. This book is written awesomely. I love that it was written from Lena’s point of view. I love the detail that was given to her feelings and her surroundings.

Originality

Again, love as a disease? Pure originality.

Characters

Lena doesn’t plan to fall in love or even rethink her governments plans for controlling their citizens. I like it when characters surprise themselves; learn more about themselves.

Hana is Lena’s best friend. She isn’t too exposed as a character but we grasp her as the pretty, popular one.

My awful secret is that I like to run with Hana partly because it’s the single, sole, solitary shred of a thing that I can do better than she can, but I would never admit that out loud in a million years. – page 47 – ARC edition

Lena and Hana run quite a bit together. This is one of the most important events of the entire story. Hana is also quite the rowdy one.

Lena and Hana both meet Alex while exploring the back of one of the government buildings while on a late afternoon jog. He’s a guard. But oh so much more. Alex’s character is awesome.

Romance

Lena and Alex are amazing together. They cover so much territory in such a short amount of time. Ninety-five days of one amazing love. One could almost be happy about that. Except, you can’t because you want to hold on to that forever. But what are your options when treatment day comes?

Cover/Title Bonus

The ARC cover is a bit too meek for my tastes but it fits fine. The title is absolutely perfect.

The final cover does not appeal to me at all. I’d much prefer the ARC edition.

Ending

One of the most touching endings I’ve ever read. I was so torn to see it end. I read this May 30 – 31, 2010. This doesn’t even come out until February 1, 2011 and who knows when the next book will be out. I have so long to wait to see how this will continue.

Series

The next two book titles are already on Goodreads.

Pandemonium – publishing sometime in 2012

Requiem – publishing sometime in 2013

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves dystopias or rebellious teens. :)

$20 Amazon.com Gift Card for only $10!

2011-01-19T15:07:00.000-05:00

LivingSocial has a GREAT deal today! For only $10 you get a $20 Amazon.com gift card!

The limit is one per person. Read the rest of the fine print on their site! :)

I bought one and wish I could buy more.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

2011-01-16T21:25:00.001-05:00

I know I’m late but late is better than never! Right?

I’m signing up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge that Kristi of The Story Siren is hosting.

To get more info on this challenge or to enter head over to The Story Siren!

I’ll be updating this post with books I’ve read and a link to their reviews.

January

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (review)

In My Mailbox: Week 2

2011-01-16T20:49:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here’s what I got this week.

BookSwim

I received my first 3 book package from my free 3 month subscription to BookSwim. I must admit so far that I’m not impressed with this service. There’s no way to see which books are available to ship so there’s no way to put the books in queue in an order that makes sense. I do like that the next package they send I have a guarantee book that I get to select.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

304 pages, Dutton Juvenile, (2010-04-06)

$17.99 (Amazon.com)

Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs

304 pages, Ace, (2011-01-25)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) by Charlaine Harris

192 pages, Ace, (2009-10-06)

$23.95 (Amazon.com)

Won

I won this signed book from Kim at The Book Butterfly. Thanks Kim and Sarah!

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

320 pages, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, (2010-12-01)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

Free Kindle Editions

Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight) by Bryan Davis

400 pages, Zondervan, (2010-03-30)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

NetGalley

I’m a little upset because NetGalley took away the Kindle format for their eARCs. I’m hoping they have it up and running again soon.

Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly

pages, Candlewick, (2011-05-24)

$17.99 (Amazon.com)

Baby Gear

If you didn’t catch my previous update about my pregnancy (I’m over the half way mark!) here are the two pairs of Bison Booties from Bison Girl’s Etsy shop. And she gave me a promo code to share with my followers! COZYREADER11 will give you 10% off until February 1st!

These booties are adorable and sooo soft it’s not funny! The inside is as soft as a cloud. I’ve asked Bison Girl about making a pair for my 6 year daughter because she loves these and of course she feels a little left out now that the baby is getting two pairs!

What did you get this week?

Cover Art: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

2011-01-14T13:24:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness! I LOVE this cover! It's just gorgeous!

Tara posted it on her blog today, along with an adorable picture of her infant son!

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss. -- Goodreads

Release date is June 7, 2011.

Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1) by Lisa Desrochers

2011-01-14T07:32:00.001-05:00

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

368 Pages - Tor Teen (Sep 14, 2010)

$9.49 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

I purchased the Kindle edition after reading a character interview on Andrea Cremer's blog.

My Grade

Plot: 5

Setting: 4

Writing: 4

Originality: 5

Characters: 5

Romance: 5

Overall: 28/30 = 93% A

Cover/Title Bonus: 3

Overall

Badass demon boy, soft-hearted angel boy and a Catholic girl who's been kicked out of Catholic school team up in a hilirious, action packed YA urban fantasy unlike any other.

Summary (Goodreads)

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance—-even her closest friends—-and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy—-all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

Trailer

First Line

If there's a Hell on Earth, it's high school.

Plot

I flew through this book! I had to know just what the heck was going on!?! The only thing I can say that I didn't enjoy about the overall theme of the book was that it was very much an adult read, even though it's published by Tor Teen. The only thing that makes this YA/teen is that it's set in a high school and the main character is a high school senior.

Setting

The main setting is the high school that Frannie attends and secondary settings are her home, and the area around her home. While there wasn't anything too awesome going on setting wise, the detail to description was fabulous. I read this book and it unreeled in my head just like a movie. It was a great experience not having any gaps.

Writing

Another book with alternating point of views. This time it's between Frannie and Luc, which was pretty cool being able to see what the demon dude had to say or think. Having both characters narrating helped keep the reader informed about demon happenings but it wasn't completely needed. The only reason I say that is becuase there's another character, Gabe, that doesn't get in on the action of having a POV and I think he really should have had one since Luc was able to have one. It would only have been fair.

Originality

Angels and demons are pretty regular characters in paranormal romance, adult. I haven't read too many demons in YA paranormal but I enjoyed it immensely. His bad attitude was refreshing because you could tell he had a heart inside that thick skinned body. There were several elements that Lisa used throughout that I enjoyed having in the story.

Although Frannie's last name is Cavanaugh, which is the last name that Rachel Vincent uses for her main character, Kaylee, in her Soul Screamers series.

Characters

Frannie and Luc are the primary main characters. There's also Gabe who shows up but he's never given the entire scene. Frannie was kind of a bitch in this. I was a little put off by her attitude at first but I later developed a liking for her and her attitude, especially when she showed it to Luc.

Luc was a badass demon but hilirous and loveable. Gabe is just about the opposite of Luc but such a softy it's not even funny. I'd love to see him with some badass attitude in the follow up.

Romance

There's all kinds of romance going on in this book! Frannie is quite a mess when it comes to guys. Poor thing. And then having a demon and an angel around to make things worse did not help in the least.

The romance in this gets a little hot and heavy but not too much to make it anything to be concerned about. It was very natural for it to get that way.

Cover/Title Bonus

The cover shouts adult urban fantasy to me. I guess because it looks so dark and brooding menish. The models look more adult than teenaged, which is fine because these are high school seniors but you can barely make out the lockers behind Luc so it's hard to tell with a quick glimpse. The models are pretty perfect references to the characters though.

Series

Original Sin (July 5, 2011)

Connect with Lisa Desrocher

Adorable Booties! And a baby update!

2011-01-12T21:27:00.001-05:00

I haven't done much of a personal update about my pregnancy for a while but I just ordered some of the most adorable booties I've ever seen and I must share them!

I found this Etsy shop via a Pregnancy blog I follow, which is Pregnancy & Newborn: Baby Buzz.

Bison Girl Shop hand makes these adorable baby booties and I just had to have a pair. So I ordered these:

And then I saw that she also makes custom pairs too! So, I had her go shopping for some cute frog fabric, we picked our favorite and she went right to work! Here are the custom froggy ones:

Discount!

Erica (Bison Girl Shop) has offered 10% off her shop for my readers! Just enter COZYREADER11 before February 1st! Thanks so much Erica! She was such a breeze to work with and I can't wait to order more of these! (psst... they're only $20!)

Our nursery theme is frogs and we already have a few froggy outfits so these will be perfect additions.

You're probably wondering about our theme and thinking...hmm, frogs and blue and green are awfully boyish things. That's because we're having a boy!

We've already picked out his name: Rylie Shane (Shane is my hubby's middle name).

We're so excited about his arrival. We've started to transform our 6 year old daughter's, Madison, playroom into her new room. We've started painting and should have it done this weekend. Then we'll start on Rylie's room. We've ordered the bedding:

Click picture to see close ups.

We also ordered the matching crib mobile as well as the mural pattern as seen in this picture.

We also love the furniture in this picture so much that we tracked it down and hope to either order it ourselves or hope that maybe the grandparents can help fund the purchase. We have our old furniture but we'd love to get this dark wood as well as the advancement in safety this crib has to offer.

We had our 20 week anatomy ultrasound just before Christmas. Obviously finding out he's a he, we got a few great pictures. Here are just a few:

To see the rest, feel free to check them out on my Facebook album. It's public so no worries about having to sign in or create an account.

All is well with little Rylie, however, my amniotic fluid measured in one point above normal so they want to double check it at 28 weeks, which will be February 7th. We're hoping to get another peek at Rylie. I'll be calling to find out if that's possible, otherwise I'll want to schedule a private 3D/4D ultrasound with StorkVision, which we did with Madison and would hate to not have one for our son.

As of right now I'm 24 weeks and 2 days. I've been feeling good, definitely feeling pregnant. I've been sleeping pretty good since I treated myself to a maternity pillow. I haven't gained too much, about 10 lbs., so I don't feel like a whale quite yet. I gained 70 lbs. with Madison. I'm really hoping to get no where near that!

He is so active it's crazy! I've been able to feel him move since about 14 weeks and it's like he hasn't stopped since! He's so active I thought maybe there was something wrong but the doctors insist that it's not a bad thing when they move regularly, even if it's forceful, but to worry when they aren't moving enough. I'm glad that's one thing I don't have to worry about right now. :)

I'll be sure to update you with any more cute purchases as well as updates from our next ultrasound.

Technorati Tags: baby booties,booties,Etsy,Bison Girl Shop

The "Launch" of the Good Ship Godspeed with Beth Revis

2011-01-11T11:11:00.001-05:00

Banner created by Jeremy of http://www.novelthoughtsblog.com/

Today is the official release of Beth Revis' book, Across the Universe! Not only is her book releasing today but a newly updated website has been released too! Go check out the awesome ship, Godspeed.
Did you catch my review of Across the Universe yesterday? Go read it now!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
416 pages, Razorbill, (2011-01-11)
$17.99 (Amazon.com)

io9 will have a 111 page excerpt but only for 12 hours! Starting NOW at 11:11 am Eastern and ending tonight at 11:11 pm Eastern.
Here's a brief interview with Beth and how she came up with the idea of Across the Universe,

Interview with Beth Revis

Trailer

Connect with Across the Universe!

Connect with Beth Revis!

Connect with Penguin Teen!

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2011-01-10T07:20:00.000-05:00

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
416 pages, Razorbill, (2011-01-11)

$17.99 (Amazon.com)

Procurement

I received an ARC from the publisher. I've since given it away in a giveaway.

My Grade

Plot: 5

Setting: 5

Writing: 5

Originality: 5

Characters: 4

Romance: 4

Overall: 28/30 = 93% A

Cover/Title Bonus: 4

Overall

A sci-fi filled dystopia about murder, love, maturity, and power. Amazing technological concepts and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end.

Summary (Goodreads)

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Trailer

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Excerpt

Read the first chapter.

First Line

Daddy said, "Let Mom go first."

Most Memorable Scene

I think the opening of the book is one of the best I've read. It engages you right into their world immediately, you're stuck, and unable to get out, kinda like Amy.

Plot

This book entails a lot of elements. There's mystery, the idea of their society, romance, corruption, and technology unheard of. I felt that the plot and overall theme flowed great and resolved itself to be an excellent stand alone novel but there is room to make a sequel should Beth Revis decide so. I personally would love to read a sequel.

Setting

You quickly learn that the setting is on a space ship that's sailing through space towards a new planet for them to inhabit. The ship is very large and full of amazing technology. The ARC edition had a map of sorts so you could visualize the ship better and while that was a neat-o thing, I felt the drawing could have been much better but it was a handy reference as it can get a bit confusing understanding exactly where they are in the ship. While I personally wouldn't want to embark on a voyage in space on that particular ship, it was great fun experiencing it through Elder and Amy.

Writing

I thought the writing style was superb. I love it when the story is told from different point-of-views. In this case it was from Amy and Elder. I was glad that it wasn't just from Amy's POV because there was so much about the society and the ship that we would have never found out if we didn't have Elder telling us.

Originality

I haven't read many, or if any, other space bound books. I would classify this book as sci-fi, YA, and dystopian. The dystopian factor is what initially drew me into this book and I wasn't disappointed about having the sci-fi part of the story because that's what made it more original than other dystopias.

Characters

The story is centered around Amy, who's supposed to remain frozen until the ship, God Speed, arrives at the new plant. Her early awakening finds her thrown into this space ships society. She befriends Elder, the future leader of the ship, who treats her with care and tries his best to make her comfortable and accepted.

Amy's character was one that I immediately connected with. Her emotion was tangible and I truly felt for her every step of the way. I felt her character evolve from a scared young woman into a strong-willed woman that stood her ground and ultimately she's a hero.

Elder was weird for me at first. Especially because I didn't know he was a boy at first. o.O It wasn't directly stated and there weren't many, if any, hints to his gender in the first few pages of his narration. I guess I was thinking Elder was a unisex name. I dunno. Anyhow, his character was very immature at first but gradually he matured and fell into his future role of leader quite perfectly. There were a few scenes that I was shocked that he didn't stand up for him self or others but I quickly forgave him because he genuinely was a good guy.

Elder's best friend, who's name is eluding me, was a super cool dude. I enjoyed his character very much.

Then there's Eldest, the current leader of the ship. I was not a fan of that man. You'd have to read to understand. There's also a doctor on the ship, again, I can't remember his name! Gah! Secondary characters I can usually remember their names and I don't have the book any more so I can't easily look them up. So sorry!

Romance

You can tell from the summary that Amy and Elder do have a connection. Their relationship is handled with care because of the situation they are in. Amy prematurely awoken without her parents, Elder learning his role as a future leader, Eldest losing control of his mind to make the ship continue on it's path and of course the Doctor and all that he does. While there's nothing hot and heavy, the romance is sweet and subtle. I'm hoping to see this progress in a sequel.

Cover/Title Bonus

The cover to this is just gorgeous. Love it! And the title? While it's a catchy song title, a song I happen to love, as well as a movie title, a movie I also loved, I think it fit fine. I think it would have been awesome to have called it God Speed because that's the ship's name but then some people might not have picked it up.

Ending

The ending was well wrapped up. It almost ended so well to be a stand alone novel. But it ends with me wondering what the heck is going to happen to that ship full of people?! I'm pretty sure there will be a sequel but I'm satisfied with how this one ended as it is.

Connect with Beth Revis

In My Mailbox: Week 51 - 1

2011-01-09T09:03:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday! Here’s what I’ve gotten since just before Christmas.

Review

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe

304 pages, Razorbill, (2010-12-07)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

NetGalley

American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

336 pages, Mira, (2011-02-22)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Won

I won the GhostGirl series by Tonya Hurley and a pillow case from T.V. and Book Addict. Thanks Lisette!

I won a giveaway a few months ago from Karin’s Book Nook but never received it. Luckily Karin graciously reordered it for me as well as the sequel! Thanks Karin!

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1) by Cassandra Clare

496 pages, Margaret K. McElderry, (2010-08-31)

$19.99 (Amazon.com)

I won this awesome Kindle book from Pixel of Ink. Thanks Sharon!

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

832 pages, Del Rey, (2002-04-30)

$20.00 (Amazon.com)

I also won a super cool giveaway for a 3 month subscription to BookSwim from Dark Faerie Tales. Thanks Angela! I’ll let you all know what I think of this service soon!

Christmas Gift

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

304 pages, Square Fish, (2007-05-15)

$7.99 (Amazon.com)

Bought

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

368 pages, Tor Teen, (2010-09-14)

$9.99 (Amazon.com)

I bought the Kindle Edition and it was awesome!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

352 pages, HarperTeen, (2010-09-01)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

I bought the Kindle Edition. I really enjoyed this one!

Free Kindle Editions

Don't Die, Dragonfly (The Seer Series) by Linda Joy Singleton

288 pages, Llewellyn Publications(Flux), (2004-09-08)

$9.95 (Amazon.com)

A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison

292 pages, Love Spell Paranormal Romance, (2009-02-24)

$6.99 (Amazon.com)

What did you get recently?

Giveaway Alert: Win a Nook Color and more!

2011-01-08T09:16:00.001-05:00

Pam over at Bookalicio.us is celebrating her 2nd blogoversary and she’s got a lot of awesome prize packs to giveaway. And a grand prize of a Nook Color!

To enter, just head over to her blog and do at least one of the entries available before February 10th!

If I were to win this Nook I’d probably use it to see if I like it better than my Kindle, but I don’t think that’s possible so I’d probably give it to a family that doesn’t have an ereader yet.

Favorite Reads: 2010

2011-01-07T22:23:00.001-05:00

I’ve seen a lot of other bloggers doing a favorites of 2010 so I wanted to join in, even though I’m a week behind!

Here are just a few of my favorite books that I “read” in 2010, they didn’t necessarily come out in 2010. I’ll link to my review, if there is one.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund (Amazon.com) (Review)

Feed by M.T. Anderson (Amazon.com) (Review)

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Amazon.com) (no review)

Nightshade: Book 1 by Andrea Cremer (Amazon.com) (no review)

Matched by Ally Condie (Amazon.com) (Review)

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (Amazon.com) (Review)

Alpha (Shifters Book 6) by Rachel Vincent (Amazon.com) (Review)

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston (Amazon.com) (Review)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (Amazon.com) (Review)

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Amazon.com) (Review)

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa (Amazon.com) (Review)

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (Amazon.com) (Review)

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa (Amazon.com) (Review coming soon)

Changeless by Gail Carriger (Amazon.com)(no review)

Blameless by Gail Carriger (Amazon.com) (Review)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Amazon.com) (review later this month)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (Amazon.com) (review next week)

Those are a few of my favorites. Do you share my love?

Trailer: Desires of the Dead (The Body Finder, #2) by Kimberly Derting

2011-01-07T08:54:00.000-05:00

Another trailer for an upcoming release!

Kimberly Derting revealed the trailer for Desires of the Dead.

I LOVED the first book and can’t wait to read this follow up.

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.
When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret...but her relationship and possibly her life as well.

Series

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

336 pages, HarperCollins, (2010-03-01)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

Desires of the Dead (Body Finder) by Kimberly Derting

368 pages, HarperCollins, (2011-03-01)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

Trailer: Clarity by Kim Harrington

2011-01-07T08:52:00.000-05:00

Kim Harrington revealed her book trailer for her upcoming release Clarity! Check it out!

Clarity by Kim Harrington

256 pages, Point, (2011-03-01)

$16.99 (Amazon.com)

Book Reviews by Jess

Trailer and Giveaway: Dreamland (Riley Bloom, # 3) by Alyson Noël

About "Dreamland":

Trailer

More Links!

Giveaway

I Heart Heartsy!

In My Mailbox: Week 35

Won

Trailer and Giveaway: Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto

Trailer

About Hades (Goodreads)

Tour

Giveaway

A Must Read Preview: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Overall

Summary (Goodreads)

Most Memorable Scene

Romance

In My Mailbox: Week 33

Review

Free Kindle Editions

In My Mailbox: Week 31 and 32

Review

Won

FREE Kindle Editions

Do Spoilers Really Spoil?

Author Guest Post and Giveaway: Anna Sheehan

Anna Sheehan

More from Anna

Giveaway

Review: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Procurement

My Grade

Overall: 30/30!

Overall

Summary (Goodreads)

First Line

Most Memorable Scene

Plot

Setting

Writing

Originality

Characters

Romance

Title/Cover Bonus

Ending

Series

Guest Post

Book Related Cool Stuff

Apparel

Reading Accessories

In My Mailbox: Week 29 and 30

Review

Won

Bought

FREE Kindle Editions

BlogFest 2011 winner!

MISS LAUREN

Bookperk is at it AGAIN!

Free Stuff & Prizes

Current offers as of today

Trailer: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

In My Mailbox: Week 28

Review

Bought

All You Need is Love <3 !

His Tweet:

Dear Adam,

Follow Adam!

In My Mailbox: Week 27 and retrospective

Review

Won

Bought

Trailer and Giveaway: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Back to work and daycare!

Review: Cows Can’t Jump by Dave Reisman Illustrations by Jason A. Maas

Procurement

Review by Madison, My Daughter (verbatim)

My Review