My First Giveaway

I know I said I was going to do my first giveaway after I had a new name and a new layout but with our upcoming move, I don't see a new layout in the near future. Plus, seeing all these other amazing giveaways has me itching to do one myself, so here's the deal..

Upon entering the contest, you will pick three books you would like to add to your collection. If you are the winner I will pick one of those three books to be your prize.

To make it a little more interesting, if I reach 50 followers, I will add a second winner. The second winner will receive a book of my choosing.

This contest is only open to US residents and will end at 12:00pm on February 12, 2010. ETA: You will have 48 hours from the time I contact you to respond.

The Undercover Book Lover Giveaway

Reggie over at The Undercover Book Lover is hosting a fabulous giveaway. One lucky winner will receive Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, and All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab as well as ten bookmarks + swag. Why wouldn't you want to enter?

I'm really excited to read Before I Fall and Some Girls Are so this would be a fabulous giveaway to win. I haven't heard of All Unquiet Things but nothing is better than discovering a new author.

Good luck to all who enter!

Looking for Alaska by John Green

A few weeks ago I made a trip to Books-A-Million with the intent to spend some saved birthday/Christmas money and I knew one of the books I was going to buy was Looking for Alaska by John Green.

The last few months that I've gone to the bookstore, I kept coming across this book and each time I left thinking that I would get it "next time." Next time always turned into my forgetting about it and then re-discovering it. Part of what drew me to the book was the title because it had the word Alaska in it and if you know me even a little, you know I love Alaska (the place). So I finally decided enough was enough and I bought it.

I didn't know much about it before I started reading, and I soon found out that the book is broken down into two sections, Before and After. "Before and After what?" you're probably wondering so this is where I challenge you to go read this book and find out. Another thing I soon found out is that it takes place in an area I'm familiar with so it was weird and amusing to me reading about Birmingham, Pelham, Mountain Brook, and Montevallo, Alabama.

Looking for Alaska follows Miles "Pudge" Halter on his search for the Great Perhaps. Miles is a friendless Florida teen who decides to go to Culver Creek, a prep school outside of Birmingham, Alabama. While there he becomes friends with his roommate Chip "The Colonel" Martin and beautiful, fascinating Alaska Young.

Teenage shenanigans ensue and culminates in a big event. I was curious as to what the event was going to be but I knew it had to be big in order for there to be a before and after and to say it was a surprise is an understatement.

This was also the first male narrated book that I've read in a while and it was a nice breath of fresh air getting out of the head of a female, even though Alaska is a prominent character.

Waiting on Wednesday - Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick for this week's Waiting on Wednesday is Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. Not only does she seem like a great person who I would like to support, but the book itself seems like something I would really enjoy. I absolutely LOVE the cover of Hex Hall. I knew what the cover looked like, but a few days ago I was reading Rachel's blog and she posted a picture of Hex Hall on her bookshelf at home and I thought to myself, "that looks like a short book." That's when I realized that she did not have a mirror underneath her book (and yes, I'm aware that the reflection on the book is a different look for the girl). Afterwards, I felt slightly stupid but since I usually own my stupidness, there it is for everyone.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins releases on March 2, 2010

From Goodreads:

When Sophie Mercer turned thirteen, she discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-Gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hecate Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward prodigium, a.k.a. witches, fae, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard. Three powerful enemies who look like supermodels; a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock; a creepy, tag-along ghost; and a new roommate, who happens to be the most-hated person and only vampire on campus. Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her friend Jenna is the number one suspect. Meanwhile, Sophie has a more personal shock to grapple with. Not only is her father the head of the prodigium council, he's the most powerful warlock in the world, and Sophie is his heir. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all prodigium, especially her.

Teaser Tuesday - Looking for Alaska

Thanks to MizB at Should Be Reading for hosting Teaser Tuesday's. If you'd like to participate all you have to do is grab the book you're reading, open to a random page, share 2 teaser sentences (non-spoilers please!), and list the name of the book, page number, and author.
"Sorry. Don't worry, dude," he said. "God will punish the wicked. And before He does, we will."

Page 71 of Looking for Alaska by John Green

Steph Su Reads Giveaway

Steph over at Steph Su Reads is celebrating her 1 year blogoversary and to commemorate it she is hosting a fabulous giveaway. Now I've never won a blog giveaway before but to be honest, this one is the one I'm really hoping ends my losing streak, especially because I would LOVE to get my hands on Linger sooner rather than later.

You can go here to enter and while you're there, you can help add to the number of winners by following her blog.

Thanks Steph for hosting such a great giveaway and Happy Blogoversary!

2010 Debut Author Challenge

After seeing various blogs talking about the 2010 Debut Author Challenge I decided to check it out. Once I looked into it I figured I might as well join in on the fun because there are already a few books that I'm looking forward to reading that qualify for this challenge.

So here goes. The 2010 Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren and I copy/pasted this from her blog.



The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year. I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! I’m hoping to read at least 30! You don’t have to list your choices right away, but if you do feel free to change them throughout the year. I will also be focusing on mostly Young Adult novels. *Please keep all choices to those authors whose debut work comes out in 2010.

Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate. If you don’t have a blog you can always share your views by posting a review on Amazon.com/BarnesandNoble.com/GoodReads/Shelfari, or any other bookish site.

The challenge will run from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010. You can join at anytime!

You can go here to sign up for the challenge.

As of right now the following books are on my Debut Author Challenge list. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to let me know!

Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins
The Dark Divine - Bree Despain
The Lonely Hearts Club - Elizabeth Eulberg
The Secret Year - Jennifer Hubbard
Before I fall - Lauren Oliver
The Naughty List - Suzanne Young
Leaving Gee's Bend - Irene Latham
Dirty Little Secrets - Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin - Josh Berk
The Line by Teri Hall
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Links will also be available to my reviews and this post on the left sidebar.

Book Tours

One thing I absolutely love about new books being released are the subsequent tours that go along with them.

So far I'm really looking forward to Rachel Hawkins because not only does her book, Hex Hall, sound like something I would love to read but because she seems like an awesome person. She responds to tweets (you should follow her @LadyHawkins) and big bonus, she's from my personal favorite town (and residence) in Alabama.

Another book tour I'm interested in is Jen Lancaster's. I haven't read any of her books yet although I have had Bitter is the New Black sitting on my bookshelf for a few months. Even though I've heard her books are really good, this just gives me even more incentive to pick it up and read a couple of her other books.

I really hope Megan McCafferty does another tour soon, I would most likely squee like a 10 year old girl finding out Edward Cullen is real. Megan McCafferty could never release another book and I'd still love her for her awesomeness and for giving a few nesties and myself the nickname LDP (lasso-dicking posse) and I hope to one day get her to sign the 12 Days of Jessica and Marcus printout.

At the moment, the other two authors I'm hoping do something are Maggie Stiefvater and Suzanne Collins because I absolutely LOVE Stiefvater's The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and Collins' Hunger Games trilogy.

Are there any author's you're looking forward to seeing during a tour? Someone you wish would tour?

Waiting on Wednesday - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I decided to do this because a few days ago I was making a list of books that I want to read this year and I noticed that half of them aren't even out yet. My first Waiting on Wednesday is book 2 of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater releases on July 20, 2010

From Goodreads:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

The Fiery Cross - Diana Gabaldon

I just finished reading The Fiery Cross and let me tell you, it felt like a task. I started reading this book during my book funk so I don't think that helped any. Finally though, after a few months I have finished.

First of all, I love everything about this series. I love that these books are so long because I love spending all that time with the characters. My love wasn't enough to get me through this book as quickly as I did the others though.

The Fiery Cross started with Jamie, Claire, Brianna, and Roger visiting River Run for Jocasta's wedding to Jamie's friend Duncan. The first half takes place right before, during, and after the wedding and this is the part that seemed to drag for me. There were some interesting happenings going on, and everything was a good setup for future events, but for the most part I was ready for the next portion of this book and I really hoped it picked up. Boy, did it.

Not long after everyone returns to Fraser's Ridge Jamie and Roger must leave to stand with the Milita against the Regulators at Alamance. Once the skirmish is over, Roger is purposefully identified as a Regulator and what happens literally left me open-mouthed.

After leaving Alamance, Jamie, Claire, and family return to Fraser's Ridge where Jamie eventually teaches Roger how to fight and a plan is made to catch and kill Stephen Bonnet. Once put into motion, the plan for Bonnet does not go according to plan and he ends up in the same area as Claire, Brianna, and Marsali, instead of with Jamie and Roger.

The last few chapters of the book we are reunited with Jamie's nephew Ian and he brings along an interesting item along with him for Claire and we find out more about others who have passed through the stones.

Once I got past the wedding and all that ensues with that, the book seemed to get a lot more interesting and there were a lot of varied emotions. I couldn't believe all that Roger and Jamie had gone through and I was beyond excited that Ian was back in the picture. After all this, I'm once again excited about continuing the series and I think my book funk is officially over.

I will leave you with the last few lines of the book.

"When the day shall come, that we do part," he said softly, and turned to look at me, "if my last words are not "I love you"--ye'll ken it was because I didna have time." - Jamie Fraser

Teaser Tuesday - Blood Brothers

Thanks to MizB at Should Be Reading for hosting Teaser Tuesday's. If you'd like to participate all you have to do is grab the book you're reading, open to a random page, share 2 teaser sentences (non-spoilers please!), and list the name of the book, page number, and author.
"Still, he couldn't deny he felt less exposed when he was inside the house, after he'd put on lights to push away the gloom. He went through to the back door, opened it, and gave a whistle."

-Page 94 of Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts.

Updates

I know I haven't updated my blog in almost a week but I'm trying to come up with a new layout and book related name so I can make this strictly a book blog.

I'll most likely change where my blog is found on blogspot when I figure out a new name and move my couple of reviews over there, but for now I can still be found here.

Once my change has taken place, look out for a kick-off book giveaway.

Jay Asher & Angie Frazier

Who doesn't love winning free stuff, especially books. That is why I am bringing you two contests that I've entered and really hope I win.

Now I know my odds of winning go down with the more people who enter, but if I don't share these then I can't complain if karma bites me in the butt and I don't win.

Jay Asher is doing a giveaway on his blog that ends tonight at 11:59PM. His giveaway includes an autographed copy of his book 13 Reasons Why plus Tangled by Carolyn Mackler and The Evermore by Amy Huntley.

Angie Frazier is also doing a giveaway on her blog for an ARC of her book Everlasting that hits shelves June 1st. Entries are accepted until Midnight tomorrow, January 8th.

Happy contest entering!