Oh! For the LOVE of BOOKS!

Can I get a thank you? Hottie in media

2012-03-05T04:48:00.001-05:00

I have no shame in admitting that I am a Marvel and DC junkee. I had a brother and we had to split cartoons on Saturday. I am pretty sure I believed Gambit from the X-men was real and I was dating him. Don't judge me.

Anyway - I just watched Thor - and I want to thank casting and the writers who brought me him.

Thank you.

This hottie's name is Chris Hemsworth.

Some background on the character and plot line of the actual comic - Thor's father Odin decided his son needed to be taught humility and consequently placed Thor (without memories of godhood) into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled human medical student, Donald Blake. After becoming a doctor and on vacation in Norway, Blake witnessed the arrival of an alien scouting party. Blake fled into a cave after they heard him and began to pursue him. After discovering Thor's disguised hammer Mjolnir, and striking it against a rock, he transformed into the thunder god.

Defeating the aliens, Thor shared a double life with his alter ego: treating the ill in a private practice with nurse - and eventual love - Jane Foster and defending humanity from evil. Thor's presence on Earth almost immediately attracted the attention of his adoptive brother and arch-foe Loki; who returned repeatedly to Earth in a bid to destroy Thor. Loki was also responsible for the emergence of three of Thor's principal foes: the Absorbing Man; the Wrecker, and the Destroyer. On one occasion, Loki's tactics were accidentally beneficial - although successful in using an illusion of the Hulk to draw Thor into battle, it resulted in the formation of the superhero team the Avengers, of which Thor was a founding and longstanding member. - Wikipedia

In the movie - why did I like him? Besides this?

There needs to be more than a shirtless stud? OK. So besides the hottie that was casted, my love of comic book heroes, I also liked how he bantered with Jane. I found myself laughing (boyfriend getting annoyed) when they interacted. For example.

[after Thor has regained his powers and is wearing his warrior costume with the red cape]
Jane Foster: So is this how you normally look?
Thor: More or less.
Jane Foster: It's a good look!

What's your favorite Marvel or DC superhero? And why?

Giveaway and 3 mini-reviews

2012-03-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

I had a super busy week this week between teaching and self-publishing. For those of you follow me regularly - I am going to be saying that a lot, "Self-publishing" because I am still so stinkin' happy about it! (Go to the next post to enter in a contest to win an ebook copy of it) My point in all this busy-ness - I read three book and am doing a mini - review for each.

Wildfire by Norah Hess

After the Yankees kill her sweetheart and imprison her brother, beautiful Serena boldly faces the future as the wagon trains roll west. Her bitterness leads her to resent the handsome Yankee wagon master. But soon, her heart betrays her will as they unleash their wildest passions.

I had read this one before - found it as I was rummaging for a book - and decided to read it again. Some quick things I liked about: Serena is headstrong and proud, I like anything to do with the Oregon Trail (firmly believes it stems from the really old version of the game - you know the green and black screen. Anyone remember that?) and because of the trail - the situations Serena finds herself in - like raids, getting lost, terrible storm, having to cook when she had no idea - and as always - romance - I love Josh Quade.

I kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

Violet Redmond's family and fortune might be formidable and her beauty and wit matchless—but her infamous flare for mischief keeps all but the most lionhearted suitors at bay. Only Violet knows what will assuage her restlessness: a man who doesn't bore her to tears, and a clue to the fate of her missing brother. She never dreamed she'd find both with a man whose own pedigree is far from impeccable.

"Savage" is what the women of the ton whisper about the newly styled Earl of Ardmay—albeit with shivers of pleasure. Born an English bastard, raised on the high seas, he's on a mission to capture a notorious pirate for vengeance. But while Violet's belief in her brother's innocence maddens him, her courage awes him . . . and her sensuality finally undoes him. Now the man who once lost everything and the girl who has everything to lose are bound by a passion that could either end in betrayal . . . or become everything they ever dreamed.

In every romance novel, the main couple always ends up together. I like the continuity of it. However, in this novel, there was a point when the Earl and Violet were in a sense breaking up at the end, for what reasons, I will not tell you - but I felt so bad for the couple - like my heart hurt - that's how could the tone and mood were at that point. Plus there's an awesome kiss scene on the deck of a boat. And hello - hot cover.

The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long
A rescued rogue . . .

Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.

A captivating captor. . .

Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeleine dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.

I liked this one because of the romance aspect. I did not like the plot line of this book. It did not keep my attention and I had to stop myself from leafing through it to get to the Colin and Madeline scenes. This one is the first in the series and I kissed an Earl is the fourth (?) and I liked the fourth so I am going to continue to read more of it.

Amazing news - I self- pubbed! and giveaway!

2012-03-01T21:26:00.005-05:00

I did it. Yeah - OK like two months later - but hey - I did it!. My book is on Barnes and Noble - here!

When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.

But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good looking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

Yeah - so - if you click on it - my cover and name appear - I am so excited - I cannot stop talking with dashes!

So I want to do a giveaway for the book! I am going to pick four people to get my book. One catch - you need to post a review on your blog and on Barnes and Noble (I am putting it up on Amazon soon - so that would work too!) But if you really like it posting your review anywhere and everywhere would be OK with me too! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Super simple right? Giveaway ends in a week!

The Goddess Test by Amiee Carter

2012-02-26T20:52:00.000-05:00

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

I was leery of this one. Why? Not sure. But I am super happy I read it. I currently am obsessed with Greek mythology - side note - my class is putting on prom - and my students picked the Greek Isles as their motif. So I have to research it for a reason other than my own. Awesome!

On to the book. There were SEVERAL twists in this book. I did know about Mom - I guessed it but the other twists like who was trying to sabotage Henry, kill Kate, and the deception involved were awesome and I was shocked. I got to the last 100 pages and I HAD to finish it.

I liked all of the characters in this book. I liked that Ava was self-centered that Ella was a b@tch. I loved that Henry was broken hearted. I loved the symbolism of Eden Manor. I loved that the tests didn't turn out to be these astronomical and unbelievably hard tests - I liked the simplicity of them - and thought Kate did an excellent job.

Overall - I am happy that the sequel comes out at the end of March - and the novella in a few days. If you like Greek (or Roman) mythology - this would be a great book for you!

I'm a feature for Feature Friday!

2012-02-23T20:55:00.005-05:00

I have been a fan of Feature Friday for awhile. In fact, I think that is where I met most of you! I got the awesome email from Parajunkee on Wednesday night that I was going to be a feature. It's like an elevation in status in the book blogging world when this happens to you. I'm pumped! So I want to say thank you to Parajunkee and Alison for all their hard work!!!

On to the question! Oh wait - it's an activity!?
Activity!!!
Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...
Well, because of the weather I can't get an inside picture but I can give you this, the front view! This is my family's cabin. My grandfather and great grandmother bought property in the foothills Appalachians Mountains. It's a place very near and dear to me!

I love to read here because it is so peaceful. No TV. No Internet. No loud vehicles. People can't find me, which means that I can get lost in my book and that busy world doesn't matter. It's a great place to get away with a book. But my tippy favorite time to read when I am here is when there is a thunderstorm. When the bursts of thunder sound, the cabin shakes a bit and I burrow into "my spot" (an old chair of my grandfather's) and read. It's the best!!! I def. think the atmosphere is the biggest draw for me!

Also I want to thank Rachel for the awesome button she made me!!!! Feel free to grab it and/or like my facebook page. I know that it's going to be tough with the new upcoming change with GFC, but you can sign up for my email updates or RSS feed! Let me know which one you prefer me to sign up too!
Some background on my blog - I focus heavily on Young Adult Lit - paranormal genre is my favorite but def. not limited to. I also post about my experiences in becoming a published author and the trials and tribulations that come with the journey!
Below is the Linky list for the Feature Follow! Please sign up and continue to comment on every one's favorite place to read!!! Don't forget - you follow, they follow!!!!

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

2012-02-22T20:43:00.000-05:00

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger

Yeah - so I couldn't wait to get the next one. While the characters were consistant - the story line was very different. There was no serial killer involved and Violet wasn't the key component in the police force. Instead Jay and Vi have settled into couple bliss. Vi doesn't wonder why Jay is with her. She knows why - which is refreshing compared to the "I just don't get why he loves me" cliche. It's actually funny because they banter back and forth that Jay is the girl because he keeps putting up the red flags about sex and Vi keeps trying to get around the flags.

The major conflict of the story involves Vi's weird ability to find the dead and someone who wants to be her - not in the single white female way - but Vi's got a good life - and some people are envious of that. Eventually Vi gets wind of this danger and becomes uber aware of whats going on around her - she does become withdrawn from everyone, sadly, including Jay, because she is having a hard time in life.

Second conflict - The FBI sends Sara Priest to talk to Vi - yeah not about the serial killer but how she knows things. I want to say more - but it will give it away - so I'll stop.

I did like the first one better - but was happy with this one. I am curious to see what the third story line will be like.

Hey check out my new button!!! :) Grab it or follow me on facebook!!! I have a weak 29 likes!!!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

2012-02-20T13:05:00.000-05:00

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself

I read The Pledge in December and thought it was a great book. This one has been sitting on my shelf for awhile and I finally got around to it. Derting is becoming one of my favorite authors.

Violet is a likable character in every way. I liked how she "discovers" her best friend Jay all of a sudden and has all of these new feelings for him and has no idea what to do about them. I thought it was very genuine. I liked how she was close with her family (though I wish her parents were more involved in the plot line) including her Uncle Steven who is a major part of the book because he is the Police Chief. I liked Violet because of her relationship with Jay (besides the fuzzy feelings). They are best friends.

There were several page turners in this book, where I scrambled to the next chapter because I was worried Violet was in trouble or the killer was near. Speaking of the killer, I liked how Derting wrote a few brief pages with the killer's perspective. I am leary of changing POV but it was brief, it was a complete different voice, but I got to see what a sicko the killer was.

I ordered the second one the day I finished.

A new writing experiment

2012-02-16T07:11:00.000-05:00

I'm at a writing standstill. I have broken my bond of the reading and blogging standstills. Though I am two for three, I want to be three for three. I have a friend Joe, who recently started his first draft of his first novel. We typically meet on Saturdays and write from anywhere between two to four hours. It's a fantastic release and beginning of my weekends. But life got busy for both of us and we haven't met for the last three weeks. We knew this would happen.

We did not count on the fact that both of our drafts would come to a screeching halt. It's not even writer's block. It's everything else and honestly when I'm tired, my writing is garbage. So what would be the point?

The point? The point is I miss my characters. Joe and My fix? For the last two nights we set the time (seven to eight) and write for an hour. I text him to say "Go!" and he texts me at the end to see how it went. The first night I did a lot of re-reading to get re-acquainted with my characters again. I got a page done of writing too. Second night - some revising and another half page.

What I like about this is, it's not taxing on my schedule and it makes me do it. I am someone who needs a buddy. Hello - My name is Michelle. Would you like to be my buddy in something?

So if you are at a wall, too busy, or want to try a different writing process, I suggest this one.

What you need:

an hour of time
a buddy
your writing space and zone

Easy enough!

Do you have a writing process that's quick and easy? Let me know!

11 Question Meme!!

2012-02-14T07:39:00.000-05:00

My girl Komal has tagged me in the 11 Question Meme. Komal was tagged with a set of questions she had to answer and now she has given me a set that I have to answer. I then, tag 11 more people (one of them must be from the Writers' Platform Building Campaign) and ask them a brand new set of questions.

My questions.
1. Who is your favourite fictional couple? AHHH OK. I can answer this. Four and Tris. Def. Four and Tris.
2. Chocolate, vanilla or strawberry? Vanilla
3. If you could be in any book or film, what would it be? The Vampire Academy series or Divergent but only if I get to be the leading lady. :)
4. What are you allergic to? Deadlines
5. Complete this sentence: I am the best at working under pressure!
6. What is your pet peeve? People who don't pick up on the fact that I am not interested in what they are saying and then they continue talking.
7. What is one type of food that you could eat forever and not get sick of? French fries. I love french fries.
8. Rollerblading or rollerskating? Rollerblading.
9. Imagine you got a brand new dog. Would it be a boy or a girl and what would you name him/her? Girl and her name would be Valhalla... Halla for short. St. Bernard.
10. What's your ultimate overseas destination? Greece!!!
11. Was it Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Wrench? No - it was me with the candle stick in the library. - the dude tried to take my book!

Diana at The Lovely Getaway
Melissa at My World...in words and pages
Molli at Once Upon a Prologue
Logan E. Turner
Steph at The Non Sequitur Ramblings
Lulu at The Bookworm
Lindy at Lindy Legends and Other Such Nonsense
Rhiannon Paille at YA Fantasy Author
Michelle at Book Briefs
Ruby at Ruby Reads
Alexis at Reflections of a Bookaholic

And your questions:

1. What was your favorite book you read in high school?
2. What makes a great hero in a book?
3. True or False - All is fair in love and war?
4. What was the best gift you ever got?
5. What's your favorite word to say out loud?
6. What is one blogging goal you have for this year?
7. What is your guilty pleasure?
8. How would you describe the perfect setting for writing or reading?
9. What are the top three songs on your playlist?
10. What are you scared of?
11. What came first - the chicken or the egg?

Have fun with it!!!

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

2012-02-12T08:21:00.000-05:00

I am going to get back on the reading horse. Life is just so busy!

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Article 5 is a great dystopian novel and I am pumped that there is a sequel. Why? A few reasons. The first being the rule. In this novel if you come from a divorced family (before the war because after the war divorces are illegal) or if you do not have a nuclear family- you are sent to a reform school as a child and the adults are put on trial. There is only one church that everyone must follow. Most of literature is out-lawed. Men and women must follow the traditional gender roles. I want to know more about the "war" that took place so I have a better understanding as to why these five articles are in place.

The novel took me a little bit to get into but I don't know if it is because I have been so busy or it was actually a slow start. But I really enjoyed the book. I really liked how Ember fought to get back to her mother. I liked how her relationship with Chase was love hate. The author gives you glimpses of their past which answered a lot of my questions and made their relationship more well-rounded.

Chase - sigh - I fell in love with him because he really does love Ember. Wait till you get a look at what he is willing to do for her. Plus the physical description of him, not shabby. But Chase has some personal demons, stemming from being involved in the war and now working for the new government. It's changed him and he knows his only focus is Ember.

Great read.

TGIF!

2012-02-03T07:14:00.000-05:00

Who's ready for the weekend?! I know I am! I'm introducing a new(ish) feature for Fridays to re-cap the week's posts & to propose a question for my followers. Feel free to get involved by linking up at the bottom. If not, I'd love to read your responses in the comments. Thanks!

This Friday's Question:

Book Appeal: When you're browsing goodreads, the library, or another blogger's reviews, what grabs your attention to make you want to read it?

If Komal, Melissa, or Diana have read it and loved it. I may not always agree that the book is the best, but I am never disappointed. I trust their judgements.
The cover is a big thing - I have noticed lately that I like the cover to have a "haunting" feature to it. Something that is unsettling. Happy covers and pretty covers don't grab me.
If it is written by one of my favorite authors - see the bottom right sidebar.
And if the book "blew up" all my other blogging buddies - like I go down my reader and all I see is that title - then I want to know why.

Insanity workout

2012-02-02T18:01:00.000-05:00

At my school we are doing this weight loss, get yourself in shape competetion. I am not someone who needs to lose weight as I am someone who might keel over and die if I were being chased by zombies for an extended period of time. Zombies don't tire. We have been using the calorie counting website loseit.com. It's a great place for all of us to leave encouraging messages, log our weight, food and calories, and get swallowed up again by another social media... Loseit.com = facebook for calorie counters.

Now, I always swore up and down that I would never be a calorie counter. Hello, my name is Michelle Flick and I am a calorie counter. I eat probably the same weight in food but way better for me and throughout the day instead of just lunch and dinner.

My friend Lauren and I have been working really hard, especially her, about exercise. Well, my friend Heather gave me the Insanity workout CDs. 60 days and you have a banging, fit, toned bod. Sign me up. I leave for Cozumel in 60 days.

So we started with the fit test. It is so you can log how you are body is improving strength wise. You are suppose to push yourself for each minute long exercise (workout also include warm up, cool down, and stretching). Below you will see a transcript of me reaction during each minute.

What?
No way.
Son of -
Beep
OMFG
It hurts!
Why does it hurt?
He's hott.
OWWWWWWWW
How long is a minute.
Good sweet Jesus.
It hurts!

Oh my God. It hurt so bad. But I WILL succeed.

Real reason I'm doing this? If you do the challenge you get a free t-shirt that says: "Insanity" on the front and "I earned it" on the back

What is your opinion about working out?

Have you ever done Insanity or PX90?

Prophecy of the Sister by Michelle Zink

2012-02-01T08:20:00.001-05:00

There is a new cover out of this book with actual people on it. I have it, but I find this one to be more haunting - and even though the book is not religious, this cover gives me that feel of it.

If you are new to my blog you know that I have been promoting my soon to be self-published novel, (Um, hello hoops), and I was very hesitant about reading this novel because like mine, it has a set of twin girls in it. I was worried that my ideas and plot would run its course along side this one. It is very different from mine. There is a good and evil twin in it. I liked the overall concept of the book. I liked several of the sub-characters, I actually like the bad twin the most.

Our narrator, Lia, fell flat for me. And I think it has to do with the females of that era. They aren't brazen or independent like current day heroes, like Rose. I want my lead to be like Rose. Yet, Zink stuck to the era, which is not an easy thing to do.

The book is more of a set up for the next. You unravel a lot of clues. I think it gives you a solid foundation of what you will need to know for the next novel, at least I imagine it does.

Spoiler in about four enters.

UM, I'm sorry, if my sister killed my handicap brother, no way would I greet the nut job and not tare into her for god awful she was for killing our baby brother. Lia was just so melancholy about it, almost nonchalant, like she expected it. Super frustrated by it.

PS. Click on the like button to your right :)

TGIF and Follow

2012-01-27T07:03:00.000-05:00

Who's ready for the weekend?! I know I am! I'm introducing a new(ish) feature for Fridays to re-cap the week's posts & to propose a question for my followers. Feel free to get involved by linking up at the bottom. If not, I'd love to read your responses in the comments. Thanks!

This Friday's Question:

Buy or Borrow: Where do your books that you read come from? The bookstore? The library? Do you prefer to own a book, or have it on loan?

I am definitely a buyer and a hoarder of my books. I keep books that I don't even like. I keep books that I have no intention of reading (at least in the future) In my head it is the principal of the matter. Books are precious (makes me sound like Gollum) someone worked very hard on that book and it deserves to be on my shelf.

And my hording has gotten worse since ebooks. I'll get it on ebook and then decide I MUST have it in paper format. So I go out and buy it.

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

Science fiction - the old school kind, like The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury - I get it. I have done my homework on it. But I don't GET it.

Political books with strong underlying messages - I get that too. People have points and believe very strongly in their political views. I have my own set, but I always feel like this type of book gets so bogged down that it is more of a thesis than a fictional story.

What about you? Are you a hoarder? What genre do you avoid? Leave me a post and don't forget to follow :)

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-25T07:58:00.000-05:00

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

As most of you know, I am a paranormal junkee. I like things to be off in the worlds that I read about. A little chaos, maybe throw in a fairy, take out the US, give everyone a really weird gene, I'm a happy girl. But there was something about this cover that I was like: Hey, I like that. And then I found out the girl is 6 feet and a football quarterback. It took me right back to my high school career where I wanted to play football. I never did, but I am telling you as a freshman, I could whoop a few of the guys.

My favorite aspect of this book may seem trivial to others, but I think it is what made me really enjoy the book and think it was realistic. I like how Jordan and her group of teammates talked and bantered with one another. They swore, made some crude comments, and acted like a high school team. For those of you who hate that kind of stuff, it is not, by any means, overwhelming. I also liked how several of Jordan's best friends were super protective of her. I had a few guy friends that were that way and again, it made it more realistic in my head.

Jordan is a teenage girl in all aspects. She is confident in one aspect of her life, not in another, figuring out the whole guy thing, and chases her dreams. She is extremely likable, even if she doesn't have fangs.

The ending - I will say this type of fiction to me is easy to guess. I know how it will end. Um, no. Wait. I didn't. Nice TWIST! Point Kenneally.

It was a good read!

Overwhelmed. Eck

2012-01-22T22:10:00.000-05:00

If you are a regular follower of my blog you may have noticed a decrease in posting from me. Why? Has my love of reading stopped? Does the blog world no longer interest me? Did aliens kidnap me and finally return me to Earth? All those questions get the answer no.

So what has happened? Life. Oh My Lanta. I cannot keep up between teaching, writing, reading, blogging, social life, dogs, cleaning and oh that whole thing about keeping my sanity. Did anyone ever notice that when you are super busy your laundry multiplies? My job takes the lead spot. I need that to survive and pay my bills and Saturdays are the only days that I will absolutely write, but even then, my life can interfere with that.

How do you do it? How do you juggle it all? Leave some tips and tricks for me and if anyone wants to be my personal assistant for free, email me. :)

PS. If you want to win a copy of The Vampire Academy see the blog post below.

Im a feature and having a giveaway.

2012-01-18T20:49:00.002-05:00

Hey there my book buddies.

I am doing a giveaway over at Ruby Reads. Go here and enter the giveaway!! Pass along the word if you love me.

Some info.
Ruby is having Book Bully week. Basically what is, is a bunch of book bloggers are ranting and raving about their favorite books, trying to force you into reading their favorite series. So far, there are some awesome series being talked about and being given away. Go. Yeah. Now. Hurry up.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

2012-01-18T05:59:00.001-05:00

The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

I'm not really sure where I should start with this. *sits for five minutes*

I'm going to start with a disclaimer. Recently - the paranormal genre hasn't been grabbing me as much as it did in 2011. So while, this story didn't grab me like the first two installments, it was still a very good book.
There is a spoiler at the end of this blog - I need to vent it out - so if you haven't read the book and plan to, do NOT read the last paragraph.

The love triangle remains in tact except we really get to see that Ren does love Calla. We already know that Shay does. But a reader could infer that Ren only wanted Calla because she was the alpha. In the book it becomes a legit love triangle. Though because Calla can't seem to choose and is drawn to both, she leads both guys on. I had a problem with this, because someone pointed it out to me. She's the alpha - dominant, self-assured, and she can't pick. I dunno - it seemed wishy washy looking back at the series. Had she been a legit alpha like she claims to be, she would have been with Ren, right? OK that could be Team Ren coming out in me.

There are a lot of characters in this book to manage. But all characters got an "end" so to speak. I knew where everyone stood. No body just disappeared from the story. I didn't find myself going: Oh, what happened to so and so? Speaking of the end, I was a bit surprised at how it did come together. It was different, but happy.

My favorite aspect of the book was Adne and Ren. I thought it was a sweet moment, finding family, being wolves and I think the loss of Monroe (and Emile) really endeared me to their relationship.

OK SPOILER TIME. DO NOT READ BELOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO READ THIS BOOK.

Seriously? Ren had to die? And not even in a: I am going to save my Lily type of way. That jerk face Emile got to do it? GRR. It was at this point that I really got angry with the book and Calla. Im not sure why with Calla but I was.

And hi - Cosette - did she really have to kill herself -

I forever will be on Team Ren.

Polishing your novel

2012-01-16T04:09:00.000-05:00

I started The Owens Legacy: Revelations two and half years ago (I think). It started the process by writing different scenes and sending it to a friend for her comments, then she kind of fell off the writing bandwagon and I got super protective of my writing. No one read it until I had "finished" it.

Ellen read it - she made it more well-rounded and pointed out GIANT wholes I had in the story.

Cody - followed the same suit with a bit more grammar involved.

I think I am doing good at this point - not to much longer.
*Bahahahahahahaha* right.

Nadine gets her hands on. And read it twice - both times making huge changes throughout and catching more mistakes in my writing - Um - wasn't I supposed to be good at writing?

Nadine sent it on to Marie - and with all of her edits, well you would really think I had no skills. None.

Then it went back to Nadine.

Then it went to:
Melissa
Komal
and Joe

OH MY GOD! Am I done yet?

I know I have a good story. I know that I know how to write a story. I know I know grammar.
But the process is brutal. I constantly have to remind myself that my dream is to be published in hard cover. But some days that doesn't ease my frustration.

How do you cope with the constant critique? How do you keep your head up? Who do you trust to edit for you?

Stargirl and Watsons

2012-01-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

I am going to do two mini-reviews.

Sixteen-year-old high school student Leo Borlock knows how to fit in at Mica High School. He plays the game like everyone else but is more enthralled than most when a new girl comes to school. Stargirl Caraway is her name, or at least the name she is using for now. And after 15 years of homeschooling, she is decidedly different from even the oddest high school students at Mica High. First there's her unusual name, one in a long line of odd names that she has chosen to go by, ignoring her given name of Susan. Then there's the way she looks, shunning makeup and wearing long granny dresses. But all of that is small potatoes when compared to her behavior, which is as weird and bizarre as any of the students at Mica High have ever seen.
This is a great story. I read it years ago and each time I read, I still love it.

There are some awesome themes and concepts in this book. The first being how different Stargirl is from everybody else, and when she does conform to fit high school, it shows how unhappy she is. Ultimately - it lets people know to be who you are not who "others" want you to be. Something else I loved in this book was Leo's part. He's a teenager who really cares for Stargirl and really just wants everyone to get along. But he does learn that it can't always be that way. And he does understand how precious she is.

A wonderful middle-grade novel narrated by Kenny, 9, about his middle-class black family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. When Kenny's 13-year-old brother, Byron, gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up.

This is a laugh out loud book. The POV is from an 8 year old and he is so funny. I am not kidding, I LOL, all the time. My students do. Other adults do. Need a happy read? Pick it up.

Second - the story takes place during the Civil Rights movement and in Flint, Michigan, it doesn't effect the Watson's as much. But they travel to see Grandma Sands and find out how dangerous the time period is. So as funny as it is, it is just as moving. Another high recommended book.

Um, what's happening to GFC?

2012-01-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

OK - So I have seen a lot of this no more GFC following. I think there is a lot of information out there, people are panicking that they are going to lose their followers (Um, I worked hard for mine) and no one (no one being me) knows what is going on. Can someone tell me how this is going to effect people who use blogger, people who do not use blogger, and how are you supposed to follow people now?

ANY INFORMATION is helpful.

So I am not starting out the New Year very well am I? I have been super busy with school. It's been a lot of grading, but things are coming across my desk so that's a good thing. Also, I have been submerging myself in my current WIP. My friend Joe and I have been blocking out hours on certain days to write. It is really forcing me to stay on track and my creativity is just a movin', I tell ya! And because of this I haven't been doing too much reading. I have read The Watson's Go To Birmingham and I am currently readying Stargirl. Both Middle Fiction. Both being used in my classroom. I will be posting those in the next days.

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

2012-01-05T20:51:00.000-05:00

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Normally when I read books I immediately post about them. Like I am talking within three minutes of reading a book I am online and blogging about it. I stewed on this.

OK - the book in the beginning is SUPER focus on developing the new (old) Victorian era. It was a bit much for me and I waited for the action to happen. I am happy that I did but I will get to that in a minute. The world that Habel sets up is very detailed - if you feel like you are getting bogged down with it, do not fear, it gets better. I promise.

OK - so on to the good stuff. I really liked Nora. I did, but I liked Bram better. Nora was very bold for a time period where women were supposed to be meek and mild. I admire that but it went against the world that Habel had created. She's pretty bold though and the relationship she has with Bram, especially the trust she has in him, after she develops it, is sweet.

Bram - I love a zombie. I do. Call me crazy. I liked him because he was old school chivalry, though he did want to eat Nora. You could tell from the very beginning that this teen wanted nothing more than to be normal, and then he meets Nora, and then he wants nothing more than her. He's very sweet, charming, and in an old school way. Can zombie's be hot?

One problem I had - all the POV. There were five that happened within the book - and the tricky thing with POV is that you have to make each voice VERY different. It's hard. A lot of the POV, blended together for me. The characters did not, but the POV did.

I thought this was a refreshing read. I think if you are willing to get through the beginning - you'll really enjoy it and then at the end - you feel sad and heartbroken for the couple. I mean how can a zombie and a human be together? Remember - sucker for romance here.

Top five fave - part 3

2012-01-02T09:12:00.000-05:00

These are my favorite covers of 2011 - I will admit that I have not read all of them but I will this year.

I loved this one because of how her skin stands out against the black background. Plus she totally looks like she is up to something.

Apparently I love contrast because I love the gold against the black. I also love how it's dark but then there are flowers - again - contrast.

I'm a princess at heart - I blame my father for the complex - and does she not look like a total princess?

Do I really need to explain why this one is awesome?

This is partially because I have been starring lovingly at this cover for over a year. I mean - look at the detail in the background - and the hottie?

And the honorable mention - I know, it's shameless- but I am really happy with how my cover turned out and the work Kenzie and Maggie did for me.

What were your fave covers of 2011?

Top 5 Part 2

2012-01-01T07:57:00.001-05:00

My top five couples of 2011

No particular order

Will and Tessa - from The Clockwork Prince - It is because I have a crush on Will (lets be real I have a crush on all of the guys in this section.) But also I like that fact that kissing and passion is very improper at this time period. It makes it MORE scandalous.

Tris and Four - from Divergent - I like them as individual characters a lot and when they are together, they don't lose themselves to the other. They stay strong and I think Four is very charming but not in the same Will Herondale way, but more Dimitri way.

Ren and Kelsey - Tiger's Curse series - It bugs me that Kelsey doesn't have enough confidence in herself to believe that Ren loves her but I think the seduction involved in this series is amazing - Ren knows how to woo.

Calla and Ren - Nightshade series - OMG A. Cremer please make this love triangle be different from all the others and the original, side guy wins. I love how they are both alphas and the dominance thing add a great element.

Matthew and Diana - A Discovery of Witches - This love was prob more age app. for me. I liked this adult couple because a. the supernatural point, b. the maturity and c. even though they were mature they acted like teenagers. What a great reminder.

Who were your favorite couples?

My Top Five Part 1

2011-12-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's to all my blogging friends! I am so happy that I got to know all of you! If you haven't noticed, I have been a bit MIA - I got my first sinus infection - man did it suck - and because of that I didn't have much of a head for reading.

For my wrap up I am going to do this in parts of my top five faves for 2011. This post will include my top five fave books and my top five fave male leads in TV in no particular order.

I was super interested in this series but because I had read Clockwork Angel first and was worried that the Mortal instrument series would ruin it for me. Not the case and super sad I didn't dive in immediately. Hello Jace.

OH MY GOD! If you have not read this... go do it. The world Roth created was awesome. I loved all of her characters. I CANNOT wait for Insurgent to come out. This may be my favorite read of the year.

This was the first ebook of the year for me and after reading it, I immediately bought the other two. I thought it was a great change of pace instead of vampires and werewolves (though I love them). Who knew Trolls could be hott?

Another great paranormal - wait - is this paranormal? Another great change of pace and a great introduction to me about the Indian culture. Houck create a great world of myth for us to see and also some sizzling scenes.

This book was slow to start for me. In fact, my friend Karen had suggested it to me and I tried but put it down. I read it about mid-May and was instantly sad that I hadn't read it before. What a fantastic dystopia. The unwinding process scene - OMG. And did you know Shusterman is going to be doing a sequel? I know - heaven-sent.

On to my top fave guys on TV.

Sheldon Cooper -how I love your quirky-ness and your catch phrase - Bazinga

I have been a CSI nut for awhile and nothing takes the place of Nick for me :) SO HOTT

This was a new find for me this year though - he is not. Anyone remember him from the TV series Angel?

Sexy. (That's all I have to say.)

OK - so there is two of them. I know. But I can't separate the two hottest vamp actors. I can't. Don't hate.

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

2011-12-26T18:03:00.000-05:00

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

I read this book before Christmas and I stewed on it. I liked the book. I liked it more at the end. I thought Theia was a two-dimensional character - I never really got to know her. I felt like I was just reading about someone where I wasn't "making her my friend."

I actually liked Haden much more and liked it more when the story was told from his perspective. Hayes does not flip POV often in the book, but she does at key points and it was nicely done. Sometimes I want to know what the other character is thinking. Haden - I like him because he openly admits he is selfish for wanting to be with Theia, but does try and resist. His world is beautifully described. Ok a bit creepy which is good. I am hoping to find out more about it in the next book.

Like I said, the beginning was a bit slow but then the twist happens - which I didn't see coming. I wanted to know more about the "deal" and "mother." My fav scene is at the end when Haden shows up to rescue Theia. I loved his attitude!

2011-12-22T05:13:00.000-05:00

I am going to start having a schedule on this blog.

And Thursdays are going to be video days. I am slowly becoming a Youtube addict. I have no shame. My dog, Fergie, the collie, not a big fan. She keeps "talking" to me as I lay on the floor next to her dying laughing. I don't think she gets it.

Anyway - Thursdays are OK, but Wednesdays kind of suck so, I am going to spend my Wednesdays searching for happy, funny, or awesomely insane things on Youtube.

My first video is a music video because when EVER I hear this song it makes me do my happy dance. Yes, this involves me looking like a complete moron, but the song makes me really happy so listen to it - not so much the video - but the song. I dare you not to smile.

*stops doing the happy dance and plays the song again - continues happy dancing*

If I don't talk or hear from you - Have a Merry Christmas!!

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

2011-12-20T06:31:00.000-05:00

n the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

A big draw for this book is the cover. As some of you know, I am a huge cover slut. I love a good cover. I get all consumed by it. And this, is one of them. It's beautiful and haunting. Take a moment.

The second big draw for me was the concept about language. As an English teacher, language is a big deal to me and I was curious how it would play a role. I was very pleased when language was the connector for all of society and the division as well. It was underlying throughout the whole book. Charlie can understand all languages, even ones she is unfamiliar with. You see society mixing speaking their own and the universal, but Charlie gets herself in a position where she doesn't lower head to someone else speaking a "higher" language and she almost was executed for it.

This book is not one that when I finished, I gushed about. Instead I finished it, was satisfied by the book's ending, even if it ended right there forever (WHICH THANK GOD IT DOESN'T), but woke up the next morning thinking about scenes and characters. I continued for a day or two to think about it. The book stays with you.

Charlie carries around the secret that she is different from everyone else and that her sister Angeline is as well and that these differences could result in them being arrested and executed. But what Charlie doesn't realize is how special she is. She gets that her parents are good people (which I have noticed is a running trend that our teen heroes have crappy parents), Brook and Aron are great friends, and her sister though she does not speak, is special. Someone who sees how special she is, is Max. Max was different from everyone in the story. And when it was revealed how special he was - I did the "No Way!"

The ending - I saw coming - but the very, very end - and what Charlie reveals is a little unnerving if you were her.

It was a great read. Kimberly Derting did a fantastic job.

The Big Bang Theory

2011-12-18T18:30:00.001-05:00

I want to interrupt this normally schedule book related post to talk about something I find downright hysterical. I give you

The Big Bang Theory -

I want you to know that I sing that every time it comes on TV. No matter my mood. No matter who I am speaking to. I sing, full force, and always shout BANG really loud.

Another favorite part of the series for me: Sheldon knocking.

BAHAHAHAHA

What's your favorite Big Bang character? Mine is Sheldon. I am pretty sure he would aggravate me to death but I am pretty sure I would still be in love. He kills me.

If Big Bang is not your cup of tea, what is? and why?

Cover Reveal - The Owens Legacy: Revelations!!!

2011-12-16T00:19:00.009-05:00

Yep - here it is!

When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.

But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good lucking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

I want to thank my brilliant student Kenzie Mencer for designing, shooting, and editing this cover. She was wonderful through the whole thing and super supportive. Folks, you should see some of her other work. It's awesome.

The other person I want to thank is the beautiful blonde in the picture, Maggie Hammond! Maggs is one of my former students and the inspiration for my twins. Nope, just one of her, not two. Though Maggs and Kenzie are cousins and easily mistaken for sisters.

Last I want to thank Komal at In Which I Write Nonsensically for sitting on facebook with me to come up with the summary for the book. We tossed ideas and sentences back and forth and produced the words you see above.

I cannot thank these ladies enough for making my first cover reveal such a great moment!!

I am going to be sending out copies of my book soon to people through pdf. If you are interested, please let me know and I will send you a copy.

Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare BAM!

2011-12-14T16:20:00.000-05:00

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

I have been avoiding everyone's posts about this novel. I didn't want any spoilers. I refused to talk to my friend Joe because he had finished it and I didn't want anything spoiled.
One word.

HEARTBREAKING!

Spoilerish
Two reasons - One because I have to wait until next December for the third installment. Anyone have the time travel thing down and want to send me the future? Come on! No one?!

Two because of how much heartbreak was in the novel. I must admit, I was pumped and then the book slowed down for me, and then BAM! I was in it again. Poor Jessie. Poor Jem. Poor Charlotte and Henry. Poor Sophie. Poor Magnus. Poor Will.

Will.

My sweet, sweet Will. A lot of people are Team Jem. I get it. He's a hottie. He's a sweetheart. He's kind. He proves to be passionate in this book. He def. has the huge addiction problem which pull the sympathy card. He's the underdog. BUT. Let's take a look at Will and what he has had to deal with in his life only to find out .... and then when he tries to fix everything and goes after what he wants, BAM! the end happens which leaves me furious! I totally think he should win. I also think because of the summary of the book that is on goodreads, he will.

Speaking of the end... Um, hello cliffhanger.

BAM!

OK. I am focusing and will now stop writing the word "BAM". This story takes up right where we left off. We are introduced to some new characters, one being Gideon Lightwood, who is a very noble character, one you hope won't be on the "died at the end" list. He's kind to Sophie. He's loyal to the Law. He knows right from wrong.

Mortmain is a key player in the whole book and we never see him once. He does pit one of the Institute's own against them though, which in the end, was heartbreaking. The scene with the initials at the end? Heartbreaking. We do see that Mortmain is advancing more but his full on plan is not yet revealed. He does however still want Tessa.

Tessa is a character that I like but not as much as the others. She is a driving force in the novel, but I think I have attached myself to the other's personalities, like Will's uncanny ability to make people uncomfortable, Jem's ability to anyone at ease, Charlotte's drive, Jessie's need for marriage, Henry's one track mind. Tess, however, is in the cliche spot of the lover's triangle and what a triangle it is. It's the normal one that you read about, no real deviation from it, and you want to know what? I LOVE IT.

I could go on and on about this, but I fear I will say too much and spoil it all together. My last and parting comment will be about none other than my favorite of favorites, Magnus Bane. Sigh. In this novel I got to see why he fell for Alec, because he has an attachment to Will, and Will is a lot like Alec. Also, we get to see the relationship Magnus had with Camille that made him dislike her so. This novel showed a softer, more reserved side of Magnus. He's the complete package. So Team Will, but really, I am the captain of Team Magnus.

Looking for people to review my book - blunt enough? haha

2011-12-10T07:56:00.000-05:00

Hey reading and writing buddies!

I am sending this short and sweet post to those who would be interested in reading my new, self-e-pubbed novel - The Owens Legacy: Revelations. I am hoping to put it on Amazon and BandN this holiday vacation. I am asking you that you read it, post on your blog about it and put posts on goodreads, Amazon and BandN to help spread the word. Please email me at mf060784 at gmail if you are interested. Thanks for your support.

TGIF

2011-12-09T07:14:00.000-05:00

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

My Answer:

Best - THe Outsiders and The Crucible. I can watch both of these movies constantly. I actually can recite the books and movie lines. I love The Outsiders because it's not all "movie-fake" It's a bunch of teens and I just showed the movie to my 8th grade. THEY LOVED IT. As for The Crucible - I love the drama of the play and the movie - when I hear Daniel Day Lewis say some of his lines, I get chills.

Worst - He's Just Not That Into You. I read this book with a friend right after I got dumped. The book totally made me laugh. Yes I did find that I was "that girl" in some cases. The movie - holy depressing. It wasn't enjoyable at all.

Know Me Better Hop

2011-12-08T18:27:00.000-05:00

Know Me Better 12/8

"Know Me Better"

Each week I am a Reader, Not a Writer will pick 5 questions off of her author interview list to answers. Pop on over there and sign up!

This Week's Questions:

Pet Peeves?
Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.
Pizza or Pasta?
Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is....
Favorite sport?

Pet Peeves?

Someone else making me late. I like to be early. Coughing *boyfriend* Coughing
Things written in blue ink.
People who do not appreciate the movie Dirty Dancing.

Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.

Wake up to a mastiff's nose nudging me in the face to tell me she has to go out
Let the dogs out
Get ready for work - I'm typically happy to go to work
Go and teach those young minds that test me sanity and teach me new things every day
Come home and play with the pups
Contemplate cleaning
Find anything to do but clean
Read/write/eat
Shower
Pester my boyfriend and dogs.
Sleep

Pizza or Pasta?
PASTA - OMG I LOVE PASTA

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is....
The Crucible

Favorite sport?
I love to play Soccer - I like to hit people :)

Now it's your turn! Share an answer to one or more of these questions as a comment or post your answers on your blog and link up here!

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

2011-12-08T07:03:00.001-05:00

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.

It was the traditional battle of good and evil, over the most precious thing a person has to offer, her soul. That is how I would sum up this book in a sentence. Have you ever done that? Pick up the book you just finished and do it. Go on. I'll wait for you.

*Twenty minutes pass*

OK.

Something that is so no essential to the story - but made me giggle. The fact that all five Cavanaugh girls are named Mary. They go by their middle names but that is something a catholic family would do. I know this because I am Catholic. I think that is also something that I really liked about the book. I was raised Catholic and it is where I get a lot of my morals from, just like Frannie does. I also remember having a lot of questions for my Sunday school teachers. I wonder with other religions, do people question as much as I did? I imagine so, but then again, I was kind of a pain in the beep when I was young.

Luc and Gabe - hello boys. Hello.

Frannie is not this wholesome goody good, but she is super important to the world, much as Moses and Hitler were. - That's a tie in, in case anyone is confused and I loved how it was done. Back to Frannie - she is essentially a good person but she has a wild side, can't handle drinking, has raging 17 year old hormones, and wants to make the world a better place. She was great - she knew the world was at stake because of her but she wasn't just going to side with either good or evil just because. She was going to make her own decision.

The devil appears once, but I really wanted to see more of him. The devil appeared in t

The Mephisto Covenant and in Fallen, and only in Fallen does he stay awhile but even then, he's not as much of the "devil" as I imagine him to be. I really want the devil to be in a book and have him be such a #*$&. (fill it in :) ). I have an itch for it just like I am itching for some horror story.

I recommend this one.

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong

2011-12-06T07:45:00.000-05:00

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

In The Gathering, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

I read Kelly Armstrong's Darkest Powers series and was sucked in a lot. I loved it. I am always hesitatant when I pick up another book from that author that isn't included in that series. What if it isn't as good? You can only have so many favorites?

The Gathering was solid in all aspects. I read it this past Sunday. It's wasn't that I couldn't put it down. I had a lot of free time and just could spend that much time on reading. Not that this was a bad thing. The story was solid. The characters were different from the Darkest Powers. (You know - sometimes its a new book series with same characters but with different names). This story is not like that. It's different.

A very cool element is that while they are separate stories they both tie into Project Genesis which is a key "concept" for DP and after finishing the first novel in this series, Project Genesis is still a major "concept." I am curious if any of DP's characters will meet up with some of those from Vancouver Island's.

Maya's a strong character.
Rafe's a strong character.
I like Daniel the best. I found him refreshing to be a "big brother" figure without being romantically interested in Maya. At this point, no love triangle. It's kind of a relief.

Serena was Maya's best friend and in the first chapter - she drowns. (If you consider that a spoiler - I'm sorry. I figured it was safe because it is in the first three pages.) However, from the description from Maya and clues set up in the book, Serena's death is not an accident. And as Serena's best friend, Maya is determined to find out what happened to her friend.

Overall - I enjoyed it.

Editing Services?

2011-12-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

I have noticed on multiple of my writing friend's blogs something that they offer. What is it they offer, you ask? They offer critiquing and editing services to writers.

Recently, I have been delving into my sequel to The Owen Legacy: Revelations. I have been really pushing my writing. My first rough draft might not even be "dodgy" as Komal says. But for that to happen, I really need to be focusing on my writing and all the rules. I also edited the first twenty pages of two very awesome ladies, Steph and Carrie. I also edit teenage work daily because I am an English teacher.

Is anyone asking what my point is yet?

I think that I would like to start editing. I am not saying I am this super awesome editor. My friend Marie - she's an awesome editor. But I do know that I know the rules of English and I am very good at building stories with others. Again, my experience as an English teacher has really lent to me becoming good at getting people develop full stories.

What I am asking my writing friends is - What makes some creditable in your eyes for editing? What makes you seek out someone's help? What type of services do you look for? Would testaments from other writers be helpful?

I am really looking for any feedback anyone can give, even if it is: "Michelle, this is a bad idea."

Some cool news in the writing and blogging world.
Komal at In Which I Write Nonsensically, Diana at The Lovely Getaway, and Rachel at Rachel Bateman and I are putting together a group blog. It's in the early planning stages but we are going to be focusing on writing, interviews, and new releases, and the publishing world. We are going to be mostly focusing on the YA genre. Stay tuned for more information.

The second thing, and the one I am super nervous about is, I am going to be ePubbing my novel The Owens Legacy: Revelations this December, probably the last week when I go on break. I hope to reveal to you all the cover within the next week. So stay tuned for that as well!

Winner of hop

2011-12-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

Saba and I just want to say thank you to everyone who hosted and who hopped!

My winner is

NAT!

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

2011-11-29T18:45:00.000-05:00

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

I have been itching for a horror story for YA. I am not sure why. OK. That's a lie. I am an avid lover of YA paranormal (romance), but lately I have been looking for a villain that tares my characters apart. Anna Dressed in Blood is the closest thing that I have found that comes close to this. I literally want to be freaked out and scared. This novel was close.

Cas... I like him because he talks like my students. He swears. He's snarky. He conscious of how to pull the strings in high school. He's a real person, in the sense you could walk into my 11th grade class and be like you, you are just like Cas.

Cas has to fight ghosts and there are several scenes where I was like: Did I read that right? It was super gory including a person being ripped apart, literally. The ghosts are monsters. I LOVED IT.

Half way through it did turn into a paranormal romance ...kind of, not full on Bella and Edward, but the element was there.

I think the most haunting (ha. get it? it's a story about ghosts.) about this story is what and who Anna is as a ghost and how she died. Like I was pissed for her. What a crappy, horrible, way to die. I wanted to beat her murderer up, just like Cas wanted to.

I think this book has inspired me to work on my dream walking novel. I really want to make it a thriller. Alright, a little romance.

BTW - my giveaway for Michelle Madow's Remembrance is still going on. Tomorrow, the 30th, is the last day you can enter.

Remembrance by Michelle Madow and a chance to win a copy!

2011-11-24T07:34:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy

Hey everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you are well and full!
Today I am doing a review of the book Remembrance by Michelle Madow. This review goes along with the interview I did with her yesterday. If you check out the interview you will have a chance to for an e-copy of this book. The link is here.

I don't typically read current day love stories. OK. I never do. But I saw the cover. Can we all take a moment to look at this cover? *Stares lovingly* ENCHANTING! I had to get a copy. I emailed Michelle, got the copy, and started reading.

I liked Lizzie immediately. I think it was because I related to her and her dwindling feelings for Jeremy. Most people have been there. You create this life where the other is a major part, but then you change or he changes, but you still care for them, just not in the same way, and you don't know how to say goodbye. I did feel bad for Jeremy multiple times in this book. I think he loved Lizzie and thought she would always be there and then he was blind sided - bc he didn't see the signs.

Chelsea is a great friend and though I really am happy for Drew and Lizzie - I think she got the raw end of the deal on this one. She was a good friend of Lizzie's. She was crazy about Drew. Nobody is honest with her.

All sad things aside. I love the boy that is cold one minute and then hot the next in books. It doesn't matter the genre. That is Drew. He sends Lizzie on a roller coaster alone without having "memories" of their old life together.

To give a little of the premise - Lizzie and Drew both remember being in the early 1800's. They remember faces, names, places, outfits, actions - and these things slowly come out over the course of the book, leading up to a big reveal that explains a lot about Drew's behavior.

I think the sweetest thing about this book is the pull that Lizzie shows, you as a character, towards Drew. She doesn't want to bc of Chelsea but it is undeniable. She must be near him and I think that is something that teenagers go through and as an adult, something I miss. This was a great read. It was a great change of pace for me.

New Author Blog hop! New authors and giveaways!

2011-11-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the New Author Blog Hop. Saba @ Of Thoughts and Words and I are co-hosting this event to try and get the word out for new authors. The blogging world is a great asset and we thought we would help out. There are over 40 bloggers and authors participating. Please see the bottom of this post to see who else is posting. Most of them are having giveaways!

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Michelle Madow, the debut author of Remembrance! She also gave me an e-copy of her novel, so that is what I am offering up for a prize! See details at the bottom of this post!

What has inspired you to pursue writing professionally?

I’ve always created stories in my head, but never knew people would be interested in
them until I took Intro to Creative Writing during college. For the first assignment, I
wrote the first chapter of a novel I’d created in my mind. I was totally surprised when my
classmates and teacher loved it and wanted to read more! That was when I realized that I would never know if I could succeed in completing a novel if I didn’t at least give it a try. So I tried, and ended up with Remembrance

Care to share the best (or one of) moment you have had during the post-acceptance
of being published?

My best moments I had after being published were when my first reviews came in.
Seeing that other people loved and appreciated my novel was an amazing experience, and I’m so happy to be able to share Remembrance with the world.

In your book, who is your favorite character and why?

I’m going to be lame and choose Lizzie, my main character. (I did focus the book on her,
after all ;) She’s a sweet girl, even though she’s still figuring out what she wants in life
and how to stand up for herself when what she has to say isn’t what others want to hear.
Plus, she gets to go on this awesome adventure of learning she’s reincarnated, which I
think is pretty cool.

Any new projects you have in the works?

Yes! I’m currently working on final edits for Vengeance, the short story that happens
right after Remembrance. Vengeance is releasing on December 8, 2011. After that I’m
going to start working on the third (and final) novel in the Transcend Time Saga.

What are five non-author facts about your self?

1. I absolutely love pizza and eat it a few times a week.
2. My favorite movie is Back to the Future. I can recite practically every line. I
have to restrain myself from saying them out loud when I watch the movie with friends, so I don’t annoy them.
3. My favorite musical is Wicked. I’ve seen it ten times!
4. I love wearing lots of bracelets, even better if they’re shiny and/or sparkly.
5. I’ve wanted to go to Antarctica since 5th grade, and I plan on making it there
someday!

Thank you so much for featuring me on the New Author Hop!

Visit Michelle’s website, www.michellemadow.com, to check out her debut novel,
Remembrance, and to add her on all her social media sites!

Remembrance is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book
Depository.

To enter the giveaway leave the following info in a comment:
Be a follower - leave your GFC name
Leave your email

Super simple! Tomorrow I will be posting my review of Michelle's book. Stop back and read it. I hope you enjoy the hop!

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

2011-11-19T11:29:00.000-05:00

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

This is my favorite book of the trilogy. It picks up right where it left off in The Maze Runner. Thomas and the gladiers go to sleep and when they wake up, Theresa is no where around, some people are dead and another "test" begins.

The group, dwindling now, goes through a scorching desert, trying to figure out what they should be doing. They run into some cranks, Brenda and Jorge, and find out they need to get to the safe haven. Brenda immediately attaches herself to Thomas. At first I didn't mind this because I wasn't attached to Thomas, but then I did so, and his bond with Theresa seemed to torture the guy. I felt bad for him. Theresa shows up, kisses him, and takes off. Then she tells him it is going to get really bad but then it will get better thought their mind-speaking abilities. Brenda is still there, inching her way into Thomas. Seeing a relationship through a boy's eyes, left out the butterflies, and made it very realistic for me. He was torn, but he sought comfort.

I didn't trust Brenda.

Then Theresa does something horrible, and I wanted Thomas to forgive her, but I didn't know if he could. I didn't know if it was part of his nature.

Thomas is super important in the story (yes, I realize I am stating the obvious.). But we start to see that WICKED, through flashbacks and mini-trials, is specifically watching him and wanting him to survive.

Minho is a great - loyal - friend and even though he isn't destined to be as great as Thomas, I find his character to be essential to Thomas, more so than Theresa.

Tiger's Voyage by College Houck

2011-11-14T04:14:00.000-05:00

In the third installment of the Tiger series, Kelsey Hayes pushes through the pain of lost love and strengthens her friendship with Kishan. Despite his strong feelings for her, Kishan has agreed to be her ally in helping her reunite with the man she still loves. Together, they seek to help Ren regain his memory and begin the search for the third magical gift—an object of power that will help break the curse that causes them to live part of their lives as tigers.

They board a luxury yacht and seek Durga's aid once again, who supplies them with her golden weapons. With Nilima, Mr. Kadam, Ren, and Kishan at her side, she soon learns that the task ahead will be even more difficult than the others. Confronting a dark magician, multiple dragons, and terrifying denizens of the deep seems easy when compared to facing the daunting task of stitching up her heart. Just when she thinks she's ready to set her feet on a new path, she is yanked back with a jolt to the one she's determined to leave behind.

The jarring tug-of-war that ensues for Kelsey's heart leaves her anxious and confused. Combined with the stress of almost being killed every other day, it would appear that saving the tigers is almost more than she can handle. Still, she presses on, knowing that a choice is looming on the horizon. One she cannot put off making for long.

No one paintball my house. I didn't love this one the way I loved the first two. I mean, I loved it. I did, but I wasn't as captivated. Mind you I have a bunch of stuff on the ol' brain, plus I am super freaking annoyed with Ren. I know. You are all probably sitting there going, Michelle, you are all about Team Ren. And I am, was. I dunno! I am really irritated with him in this book. He makes Kelsy's heart a swinging door and does some really romantic things followed up by some real d@ck moves. Was anyone else super annoyed with him?

Diana told me she was leaning toward Team Kishan and, I think I am jumpin' the fence and joining that team too. I am really angry at Kelsey and Ren for how they are so focused on "their" love that they don't see how much Kishan has changed and how stable he is for Kelsey. And deep down, I know Kishan knows Kelsey is going to pick Ren in the end, but he still tries anyway. I totally think one of the brothers is going to die in the final installment.

On to the dragons. Houck does such a great job at coming up with new problems and Indian lore for our three main characters. The dragons were all so different in personality. I hated some. I really liked some other ones. It was good. I can't tell you much more because I won't spoil it.

The ending. Houck does try to murder me at the end of each of her books. Like the first two I had heart attacks because of her cliff hangers. This time I may have hyperventilated. (I'm beginning to think I liked this book more than I thought I did as I type this).

Loekshi - I hate you.

2011-11-12T12:49:00.000-05:00

Thought I would re-post this since it is getting down farther on my list.

Have you recently published a book? Do you know a first time author recently published? It's tough these days getting our stories and books out there. This hop/giveaway helps to support first time authors whether published traditionally or self-published in getting their books noticed and read by the reading community. Let's support one another! Find and support new authors and their debut publications!

For authors: Provide details/summary of your book, places where your book can be purchased, review(s) etc. Giveaway is not mandatory but is highly encouraged.

For book lovers: If you have read a debut novel and loved it, help the author by sharing it with us. Write a substantial review and where the book can be found. A book giveaway is not mandatory but again, it is highly encouraged. Nothing draws a big crowd like a fun book giveaway! :)

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

2011-11-11T12:47:00.000-05:00

The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

I read this book like two years ago, but since the sequel is finally coming out, I needed to brush up on what the book was about. I am not one to re-read unless I am completely infatuated. I REALLY enjoyed the book the first one and still enjoyed the book the second time.

One thing I really like about this book this time around is that the vampires are not cuddly. Lucius (AKA stud) is very charming but there is something very dangerous about him and very lethal. He's not a tortured soul, loving a human. (mind you there was a time when I loved this scenario) Lucius is in PA to let Jessica know that she is actually a vampire princess. While her parents (adoptive) were very much aware of this and the fact one day Lucius would come, Jessica doesn't believe in vampires. Lucius stays and starts to charm the socks off of her.

He's honor-bound to fulfill a pact that was sign by both of their parents before they brutally hunted down. This marriage will join families and prevent war. Noble cause right. Who doesn't want to stop a war. Um, how about the senior mathlete who cannot wrap her head around the fact that vampires exist.

Jessica doesn't immediately fall for Lucius. She holds on to her crush at school. He's nice to her. He's nice to look at. But eventually Jessica just doesn't want nice. She wants the vamp. It's a progression and I like how she doesn't up and believe in vampires right away. She's also pretty gutsy at the end of the novel.

I have a question for everyone: If you were faced with the paranormal creatures (vampires, werewolves, trolls, or anything of the like) how would you react?

Reading slump - seeking suggestions

2011-11-08T17:54:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. *waves*

So since my life has drastically slowed down from all kinds of Student Council, Battle of the Classes, and the New York State Reading Association Conference fun, I have been cleaning, grading, and getting back on top of my game and still manage to get 7 hours of sleep. I forgot what sleep was. It's so nice. *sighs* Sleep.

OK.

I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I haven't read anything that I am like "OMG I LOVE IT!" since Tiger's Quest. Silence didn't really rock my world. I know, blasphemy. Don't worry - I am still very much Team Patch. I think I have just been super tired and haven't been able to fully commit to my closet love of books.

Anyway - any bombshell suggestions for me?

Maybe I am tired of paranormal. *ponders a second* Nahhhh. Never.

Also, I am looking to borrow two books. I have the sequels to these books. I need to review them for The Charlotte Award. I am not a big fan of reading a sequel without the first one. But I have had heard good things about both of the series.

Lisa Desrochers - Personal Demons
and
Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edhill's Legacies: A Shadow Grail Novel

If anyone has the e-book that would be great, or a pdf, or the actual book and want to send it my way, that would be great. Thanks!

I need your vote!!!

2011-11-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

I signed my school up for a chance to win 25,000 dollars for our tech department. I made it to the voting part, except there is like 150 other people going for this. YIKES! Good note, we have to be in the top 15 of voting. I am at 119. Yeah, so I need some help! Your help. Please go to this website and vote. You can text, sign into facebook, or create a Pepsi account. Your vote will help us out.
Also you can vote daily!!!

Please go and vote and help out my students!!!! They will get their own netbooks!!! Come on vote!!! Yep, click that button!!!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom RIggs

2011-11-05T07:22:00.000-04:00

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows

At the NYSRA conference I was at, I said that I wanted more YA with pictures. I am not saying every page has to have a graphic, but a like twenty for a book of 200 pages. My friend Karen, who is on the Charlotte Award Council, got this book. I began reading it and you know what? It has pictures! Talk about getting what you wished for.

The pictures in the book, make the book. Creepy. Some people say real, some say not so much, I say - gave me better visuals in my head... some of them are downright creepy.

The word creepy leads me to my next paragraph. I really thought I had a Stephen King - make you freak out - book on my hands. The first five chapters are really creepy, there is a murder, and the details of the murder for Jacob are scary. Then no one believes him. They think he is crazy, poor kid.

This island has a lot of secrets and the story is well-developed, but once Jacob gets to meet the peculiar children, take away the peculiar aspect and it become a regular story. A good regular story, but the element of me being afraid at night when I put it down, was lost. I think I am looking for a really good scary book. Maybe my dream walker book will turn into one.

Where I'm From

2011-11-01T16:58:00.001-04:00

George Ella Lyon wrote an awesome poem:

Where I'm From

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush
the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.

I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
          from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
          and the pass-it-ons,
from Perk up! and Pipe down!
I'm from He restoreth my soul
          with a cottonball lamb
          and ten verses I can say myself.

I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger,
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.

Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments--
snapped before I budded --
leaf-fall from the family tree.

At NYSRA I sat in on a memoir writing workshop. The presenter presented this poem, presented the one she had wrote in her format, and then asked us to do the same. This is my first draft.

Where I'm From,

I'm from cow poop smells and sounds of a prison,

I'm from a forest of tress, a rickety, old cabin built in the 40's

with a fresh water spring

from a mountain side.

I'm from homes with swings, kickball games, tree forts

and ghost in the grass

I'm from a neighborhood of all boys who rebuilt engines, snowmobiled, and hunted,

played hard; embraced me and beat up anyone who came to near.

I'm from a father who still call me princess,

a mother who I resemble more and more,

and a brother who still tells me to look both ways when I cross the road.

I'm from a place where I sprained ankles, pirouetted, leaped, spent my Saturday mornings

and preformed for faced blacked out by stage lights.

I'm from a place so far away it only exists in pages

and in the minds of Clare, Miller, Houck, and Lindsay.

I'm from a past with a mistake,

who was a liar,

and broke my heart but taught me I deserve better.

I'm from a man who wasn't my childhood prince,

but turned out to be a white Knight

with a sense of humor, a kind heart, and desire to see the world.

I'm from a long list of four-legged friends who greeted me every day.

I'm from clothes spilling out from closets and drawers on to the floor,

where papers are shuffled and piled one upon the other,

where house can wait , because I have better things to do.

I'm from two o'clock dance parties, Sunday Fundays, policies of friendships, and inside jokes.

I'm from a dream of opening a Bead and Breakfast,

being a published author,

of being a mother,

of being fulfilled.

It's a great writing activity. If you write one, I would love the link or an email of it! You find out so much about a character (person) this way.

The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

2011-10-30T12:32:00.000-04:00

When Patricia's Great-Gramma Anna came to America as a child, the only things she brought along from Russia were her dress and the babushka she liked to throw up into the air when she was dancing. Soon enough, though, Anna outgrew the dress and her mother decided to incorporate it and the babushka into a quilt. "It will be like having a family in backhome Russia dance around us at night," she said. And so it was. Together with her Uncle Vladimir's shirt, Aunt Havalah's nightdress, and an apron of Aunt Natasha's, Anna's mother made a quilt that would be passed down through their family for almost a century. From one generation to the next, the quilt was used as a Sabbath tablecloth, a wedding canopy, and a blanket to welcome each new child into the world.

The Keeping Quilt, Patricia Polacco's signature piece, was first published in 1988 and won the Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries. This edition has been expanded to include Patricia's two children, who have also been able to share in the family tradition by using the quilt for birthdays and for play. Now a new generation of readers will come to cherish this heartwarming story of one family's special symbol of enduring love and faith.wn family, and the quilt that remains a symbol of their enduring love and faith.

I had the wonderful privilege of listening to this inspiring woman speak at the New York State Reading Association. Her topic was heroes in her life. She spoke of her grandmother and how she made sure that Patricia new her family history. She talked about the idiosyncrasies that the people we love have and what they mean to us after they have gone. When she talked about her grandmother's death there was not one dry eye in the house.

She spoke of a teacher who realized that Patricia could not read. She talked about her had someone come in and help her. She talked about how when she saw the teacher 30 years later, how she thanked him.

The book is a memoir. It would be great for modeling in the classroom and a great lesson about the importance of remembering your family.

At this point, I want to take a minute to say thank you to a few people in my life.

My parents and brother - I am not me, without each of you

Dr. Mosher - because when I told him I was going to be a writer, he said, "Go for it."

Kristi for showing me so much more than dance

Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey - mini review

2011-10-28T12:21:00.000-04:00

The Malorys

A family of dashing rogues and rakehell adventurers -- and ladies of uncommon beauty and incomparable spirit -- their amorous exploits are spoken of in envious whispers from Regency London to America′s shores.

Love Only Once

The exquisite niece of Lord Edward and Lady Charlotte Malory, Regina Ashton is abducted by Nicholas Eden -- an arrogant seducer hardened by a painful secret from his past.

Reggie has vowed to marry the golden-haired rogue who has besmirched her good name--and who arouses her womanly desires to an unendurable level. But her beauty only stirs Nicholas′s passion--giving rise to dangerous misunderstandings. . .and a love that can live only once in a lifetime.

I am a huge Lindsay fan. In fact the Malory family series is one of my favorite. I find myself always giggling at the antics this family does. I am slowly re-reading the series. The first one is the introduction of Regina Ashton, the niece of the Malory brothers (handsome and charming all four of them). Regina is special to me. She is the perfect definition of an imp (in a good way) and takes her family seriously and loves fiercely.

Introduce Nicholas Eden. Rake. Handsome. With a secret. He compromises Reggie's reputation and though he desires her more than anyone, marriage is something he is not willing to consider, for personal reasons, but he doesn't count on the weight of the Malory family. He is forced down the isle and somewhere in there they fall in love - I know shocking in a romance novel - but can't seem to get on the same page. Nicholas is so worried Reggie will judge him. Reggie is sure he will never want her again because of her uncles.

It's a great read

New Author Blog Hop sign-up

2011-10-26T19:57:00.001-04:00

7x7= Thanks Steph!

2011-10-24T21:20:00.000-04:00

7x7= Thanks Steph!

My friend Steph over at The Non Sequitur Ramblings awarded me this oh, about a month ago. But life has been busy and I could see which way was up but now school has settled down, so I can FINALLY accept the 7x7 award and pass it on.

The fine print within the award is to share seven past blog articles that fit each category. Then maybe read them. Depends on how bad you're trying to procrastinate. Lastly, I am to slap this award onward to seven other people.

Most Beautiful: While I love books, writing,and anything related, there are two characters that I love the most in this world: Fergie and Mia, my pups. This post is when I first introduced them into you!

Most Helpful: I am torn. I have some helpful posts for others and I have posts that I think after I wrote out everything, things became clear to me. So I am going to go with what works for me... (flipped a coin) So here is a post about Rose and Luce where I got to know what I looked for in a female protagonist.

Most Popular: I chose not to pick anything with a contest. This one came from the writer's campaign. It's my flash fiction piece. Check it out! I tried to be funny!

Most Controversial: Um? I dunno. I guess I always try to be really PC. OK. So yeah. Nothing controversial so I picked something that people could be split about. It's a post where I asked my followers if they like happy endings or heartbreaking ones.

Most Surprisingly Successful: It was one of my first Follow Friday Memes. The question runs along the lines of "what would you do if zombies attacked." I got to feature some advice from my students and starts to let my sense of humor come into play into my blogging.

Most Underrated: TIGER'S CURSE BOOK POST! People. ONE OF THE BEST BOOK EVER! Why didn't you give me feed back. So go here, now. Thanks.

Most Prideworthy: It's a bit self-centered. BUT a fellow blogger, gave me my first award and I was just really taken a back by getting an award. It let me know someone was paying attention to me. It also gave me a chance to say thank you to people who had help me grow. It was during this post that I realized, I was growing, getting better, and really networking like I had hoped to. Here it is.

Who will be the next seven victims in this count by numbers meme?

Diana at The Lovely Getaway. I love this girl. I often call her my book soul mate. We are that intuned to each other's tastes in books.
Melissa at My world in words and pages. She super helpful, resourceful, and always pulls me away from reading YA. I need it every now and then and she always has great books on her blog.
Kamol at In which I write nonsensically. She's my writing focused blogging buddy. We have developed a great friendship where we can be honest about the writing process with each other.
Lulu at The Bookworm is here! Lulu and I are just starting to get to know each other and I love how "alive" her posts are. They are so energetic.
Saba @ Of Thoughts and Words and I are putting on a New Author Book hop together. Her ambition to help new authors out is great. If you are a new author and want to sign up for the hop...head over to her blog.
Lindy at Lindy Legends and Other Such Nonsense is another ambitious writer I have met on the blog world. She currently is hyped up for November. Why you ask? Because it's the National Writing month.
Logan - at Logan E. Turner is my last but certainly not least. She always has great new books and like Melissa forces me out of my comfort zone of YA. Check her out folks for something inspiring.

Enjoy folks and check out my top 7!

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

2011-10-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

Everyone take a moment to reflect on this stunning cover. Sophie Jordan's art team - you guys are sensational! My goodness - look at Tamara. Diana said she looked at the cover of Firelight a lot while reading, and I have to say I did the same with this cover. Every time I got to a point about Tamara - I wanted to see her. I do think Jacinda is described as beautiful, but man, Tamara - STUNNING.

I was a big fan of Firelight - and quickly bought Vanish. Now, no one throw anything at me. I like Cassian. I am 100% on team Cassian. Several times I put the book down because Jacinda was "following" her heart - I know - she's in love. But really CASSIAN. Sigh. I know Diana, I said "hello Will" but now I am saying "Hello Cassian." I get Tamara's frustration with the situation. It is clear that Cassian is in love with Jacinda but really Jacinda, get your head in the game!

Jacinda, Tamara, and mom go back to the pride. Jacinda is treated horribly, mom is just outcasted, and Tamra is the new "it". There are a lot of hardships in this book for all three women to bare. However the book is not action packed, it moves a long and sets you up for the third installment. The ending was NOT a shocker, I kept waiting for it, but it didn't come. It was a simple stop - let you know where it was going - but not what would be done. I want to know what is going to happen but I am not frustrated, which is nice because I bet the third installment doesn't come out for awhile. Anyone know when?

blog hop participants?

2011-10-20T16:52:00.000-04:00

Saba at Of Thoughts and Words and I are joining forces for a hop! She cam up with the idea of a new author (traditional and ePub) authors who have appeared on the book scene within the last year or so. What we are looking for:

New authors who want to get their book out there
New authors who want to donate their book epub or traditional books, maybe critiques?
New authors who want to do interviews
New authors who want to have their website be part of the hop
Bloggers who want to hold interviews
Bloggers who want to have giveaways

Just about everyone :)

We are thinking that it will be held the last two weeks of November.
Please email me at mf060784 at gmail if you are interested.

Lost in Time by Melissa De La Cruz

2011-10-16T05:43:00.000-04:00

After their beautiful yet brief bonding ceremony in Italy, Schuyler Van Alen and Jack Force are forced to separate. To fulfill the Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler travels to Alexandria to search for Catherine of Siena and the Gate of Promise. But Schuyler quickly discovers that everything she believed about the Gate to be wrong. Meanwhile, Jack makes the difficult decision to return to New York to face his twin and former bondmate, Mimi. But instead of a bitter reunion, he is faced with a choice for which there is no good option.

Mimi, with a most unexpected travel companion in Oliver Hazard-Perry, jets off to Egypt, too, to search for Kingsley Martin, her long lost love. With all roads leading to Hell, Mimi learns that not all love stories have happy endings. But she'll have to put her own feelings aside if she's going to save her crumbling Coven.

Packed with heartache, twists, and vampiric folklore, Lost in Time is sure to satisfy hungry fans' cravings for more Blue Bloods adventure.

I have been reading the Blue Blood series since Winter 2008. I am very invested in this series. The characters in this series seems to be like old friends that I am happy to see again. I have gotten to know them, cried with them, hated them, and smiled when they get what they deserve, both happy and sad.

This entire book is told from three plot lines, each chapter goes to the next plot line. The plot lines are:

Jack and Schuyler searching for the next Gate
Mimi and Oliver searching for Kinglsey in hell
Allegra and Charles initial separation back before their children are born

I was horrified that in the first chapter Jack was leaving to go battle it out with Mimi. Luckily it doesn't happen he stays with Schuyler. It was nice to see how their relationship was building, though Jack has a few secrets he isn't sharing with Schuyler about their bonding.

Speaking of secrets, Mimi doesn't tell Oliver the reason he is going to hell with her is so he can give up his soul so Kingsley can come back. Hell in this book is not the burning inferno, but a place where your deepest secrets are displayed for you, to slowly torture you. It's subtle? hm. Yep. Subtle. Hello Kingsley. I think I'm starting to fall for his character more than Jack's. Jack was such a jack wagon when I fell for him in the first three books, not that bad ass has left because he is so in love with Schuyler, which is great but his edge is gone.

Allegra - I don't know for being Gabrielle and one of the highest angels, she sure is clueless about the Blue Blood codes and rules and the outcomes and it's disappointing. Really disappointing. However, this plot line makes me feel really sorry for Charles Force. He loves her and she left him. She may have her reasons, but I have no doubt that is why he is so cold in present day.

The end three plot lines - all surprising. All great. Next book please!

Can we please make this a movie? Someone? Yes you! Future movie maker, there in the back! Yeah. You do it!

The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

2011-10-14T17:43:00.000-04:00

This Regency era battle of wits, wills, and the sexes features a wily duke determined to see the succession of his line secured. The duke can't force his sons to marry, but he can make their lives miserable until they do. Resisting his pressure, each gentleman holds out for true love.

The second book in the series features Devlin St. Just, the duke's oldest, but illegitimate, son. He arrives at his new estate weary in body and spirit only to find the previous owner's bastard daughter and her beautiful cousin are his responsibility and making his life almost unbearably complicated.

I really enjoyed The Heir, the first in this series, The Soldier was OK in comparison. I was hoping to get a glimpse of Westhaven and Anna but they were not seen in the book. Val did reappear and I hope that the third installment is his.

In The Heir, Devlin (which I really am thinking about putting this on my baby boy names list - no I'm not pregnant) was very menacing. In this book, we see how being a soldier has really broken him as a man, but not enough. He reveals one seen that has done damage to his psyche but I think I would have felt more heartbroken if he had revealed more, even if it was in his private thoughts, and not to Emmie. He does find comfort with a new friend, Bart's exmistress' hubby. He helps Devlin put the new property that he has inherited into shape, and lends a shoulder of friendship. I thought the relationship was touching and deeply explored. The last time I saw a brother friendship explored this much was in the Mallory series by Johanna Lindsey.

As for Emmie - I thought her problem was going to be life threatening by the descriptor. I think her problem for the time period is very serious and I get why it was done. I also get why she kept Devlin at bay. I could have seen some more romance between them... it is why I love books like this after all :).

Winnie's presence in the book was new for me for this genre. It is not often that a child plays an essential role in these books. She pulls some antics that are hilarious! She also is Helmsley's bastard child - the one Devlin shot in The Heir. And because Devlin shot Helmsley, Devlin feels responsible for the child.

It was a pretty good. I hope their is a third installment.

Writer's Block - Yikes

2011-10-12T17:48:00.000-04:00

Yeah, friends, I have got it and I have got it bad.
I had Columbus Day Office. (Thanks Chris) I had a big, fat nothing to do and I decided to write (I know this is starting out as a bad story -it's only going to get worse) and I sat down to my Mac and I got this.

That's my body's imprint after I ran smack into my writer's block.

So some of you might be saying: She's has had writer's block for two days? Big Whoop.

I get that - BUT I looked back on the last two weeks and what I happened to write - oh it's ugly. It would resemble this.

Yeah - Scary and ugly. So it's been here that little infectious disease that cripples a writer to want to cry - yeah, for those of you have never had to deal with it, it is that bad.

So my question to my writer friends - what do you do to get over it? Some tips and tricks would be great!

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-10-10T12:06:00.001-04:00

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.
I had been waiting to see Patch again for some time... but I will tell you that I was super nervous when Nora couldn't remember the last five months of her life - IE. No Patch?! AHHHHHH - don't worry it doesn't play out that way.

So Nora wakes up in a cemetery, remembering nothing and when she finally gets back with her mom, she finds out mom is dating HANK MILLAR. AHHHH, but Nora only feels like something is off. And some other people like Vee and Mom don't seem to remember certain things like: Patch, Rixon, Scott, among other things. It's really odd, leads you to believe that mind erasing has happened.

Then, Nora meets Jev - AKA PATCH! sigh - It's a relief to see him again, and slowly he begins to flirt with Nora, though she doesn't know why she is so drawn to him for being a stranger in her eyes. I will say there is more Nora/Patch one on one in this one than in the previous installment and Patch is all about Nora with no tricks. It was great to see.

Hank Millar - Holy schemer and plotter. This man - mastermind - congrats to him.

I hate Marcie

A few things I didn't like - well, i felt like there was holes. Like Detective Bassco - Nora has a really off feeling about him, but then we don't see him again, at all. Vee wasn't a huge part of this story and I missed her - but with Nora coming back, I thought they would be inseparable. Nora's dad showed up in Cresendo, but he doesn't appear. Dabria shows up - seems to love Patch but not half as nasty as she was in the first one. Then Nora seems to get her memory back in one scene but I am not sure she really did or is just using memories she stole from Patch... - All things minor in the world of Hush, Hush.

Pst... hear the rumors of a fourth book? It's true.

Cascade by Lisa T Bergen

2011-10-08T10:12:00.000-04:00

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever

Careful - spoilish because it is the second in the series...

I liked this one, but not as much as the first. I think it was how their mother was so willing to believe them that they could time travel. Maybe I am thinking of my mom. She would think I was telling her a story. But I was happy she was so willing because that mean that Gabi was going to Marcello again, and soon.

In this story I do like the boys better. I love how proper Marcello is. I read the historical romance novels, and the leading men are gentlemen but have the rake side, but not Marcello. He steals sweet kisses, never lays an inappropriate hand on Gabi, and professes undying love and loyalty for her. He is willing to risk everything for her... So Romano not in the picture - er, kinda.

Luca - sigh. He's the one I want to date. Humor and carefree spirit are what attract me in real life, and naturally Luca's character is the one I gravitate to. I am relieved that Lia turned out to not be so uptight and finally caves for the man. Sigh.

The concept of the plot is really good. There are a few characters that turn traitor for both sides, which is surprising, but good and aid our characters or bring them into terrible life and death situations. However, some of the really good scenes, take forever to get to. Like I could skip a chapter and I wouldn't miss anything pressing. But back to the really good situations, Ms. B does not sugar coat the situations they find themselves in. She beats up Gabi, almost freezes her to death in a river, and cages her like an animal.

I predicted the ending.

:)

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

2011-10-06T12:02:00.002-04:00

I got this whole series from the wonderful Logan E. Turner. Click her name for her blog, she just did a new blog design as well! Stop by and tell her how it looks!.

Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Time travel... hm? I like it. I like more than I am in the 1300's for this series. I am historical romance nut, and this time period is right up my alley. But wait, you mean to tell me, it is a YA, historical romance (minus the steamy scenes)? Oh Thank you Ms. B.

Gabbie finds herself tossed into the middle of a brutal war, savagely hot men, and without her sister, who she knows has also time traveled. Insert the knight in shinning armor, literally. Marcello and Luca come to her aid. I grow to love Marcello but I immediately fell in love with Luca's easy going way and charming banter. He doesn't hit on our dear Gabbie, but tries to make her feel at ease, something that I find to be genuine.

Marcello is clearly smitten with Gabbie but there is that whole he is getting married to the gorgeous Romana - aka the b@tch. And though he tries to remain loyal to his betrothed, well... you know how these stories go.

Lia, Gabbie's sister, becomes a monumental part in the climax of the story, and we learn some trusted people, are not so trusted. Don't worry, it's not Luca. In the end, Gabbie has to leave, and I knew it was coming, because I read the back of book 2, but she fell for Marcello, and I didn't know what could make her leave him. Ms. B. was smart, she left Gabbie and Lia no choice. Hence book 2.

2011-10-04T08:04:00.000-04:00

The Flower

Doomed to a life of unending toil, Heather Simmons fears for her innocence—until a shocking, desperate act forces her to flee. . . and to seek refuge in the arms of a virile and dangerous stranger.

The Flame

A lusty adventurer married to the sea, Captain Brandon Birmingham courts scorn and peril when he abducts the beautiful fugitive from the tumultuous London dockside. But no power on Earth can compel him to relinquish his exquisite prize. For he is determined to make the sapphire-eyed prize. For he is determined to make the sapphire-eyed lovely his woman. . .and to carry her off to far, uncharted realms of sensuous, passionate love.

The Flame and The Flower is a guilty pleasure of mine. I have probably read it, oh, 10 times. No joke. There is just something about this story that appeals to me and also, its one of my familiars, like an old friend. Do you have a book or two that is like that? I also love the time period. I am a sucker for historical fiction. Though the excerpt from Goodreads really does tell you what it really is about,

Anyway - Brandon Birimingham is the epitome of male for me. He's handsome, business savvy, has a temper, ridiculously protective, and has the soft side. We see the soft side in the very beginning when he first "abducts" Heather but when he is forced to marry her man does he turn in to a jerk, but through his thoughts we see, he has already realized that by not being nice to Heather, he is hurting himself. Upon meeting Louisa, Brandon's ex-fiance- we see how nasty she is, and so does Brandon, not that he ever thought she was sweet - just not that nasty and slutty. We also see his protective side and how he aims to keep Heather safe from Louisa's biting words.

Heather - might be the most innocent characters I have ever read about. From going with the god-awful William Court, dealing with Aunt Fanny, Brandon's nasty temper, Louisa and another person. But for every bad person, there is a good person, Lord Hampton, George, Jeff, Brandon (eventually) and Hatti. Heather immediately causes people who are not jack wagons to love her.

Heather's innocence is also what ultimately lands Brandon in love with her. She does things just because, not to be calculating, and he becomes very aware of her. Once they finally figure out they love each other, I love the little moments that we can read about, the touch of his hand on her shoulder, how he fastens her gown for her, carries her up the stairs when she is tired.

One of the best love stories. Really go get it.

I got interviewed. Check it out.

2011-10-03T16:14:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!
Just a quick post. The awesome Kelly McClymer interviewed me! It's about the campaign and my interest in being published. She did a great job. So stop on over there and see what we talked about. You can click here.

Thanks Kelly! You're awesome!

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

2011-10-02T07:43:00.001-04:00

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Wow. Was I blown away. I mean I started out thinking the first chapter that the book really wasn't for me. (Yeah - its like five pages.) But I kept going because I am a huge fan of Sophie Jordan and was thinking that maybe YA wasn't for her. Um, boy was I wrong. After the scene when Will discovers Jacinda in the cave, and whispers that "word" I was hooked, hooked forever.

I am going to start with Mom though. Mom who has lost her husband (murdered), has a daughter that does not possess the draki gene, and a daughter who is basically a prize as she is so special. I admire her for protecting her daughter and not letting her fall victim to that barbaric custom, but I really get the feeling she wants Jace's draki to die. I am not sure if she doesn't care that it is killing Jace or she doesn't get it, though she should.

Tamara - definition of a teenage girl. She wants to be accepted, she wants to be friends with the Queen Bee, wants the perfect social life. A lot of the time I thought she was bratty. Then I needed to remember that for a while now, she was seen as unworthy in the draki pride. OF COURSE SHE WANTED A NORMAL LIFE - I need to know if she manifests in Vanish - When does that come out. Someone tell me it is out!

Cassian - Hello ultimate bad boy. Prediction - Jace is so going to break his heart. - million pieces.

Will - I am not sure what I want to say about him. He's fictionally super hott. He's got some secrets. He can't stay away from Jace even though he stayed away from every other girl before she came. I love his character but it is very reminiscent to Edward Cullen - No he is not a vampire - I am saying more the relationship preface. Don't get me wrong. I swoon when his name appears on the page. He's def. a new fictional boyfriend.

Jace - I really feel bad for her as she goes to her new home and her Draki starts to suffocate. You can tell she is torn about staying and leaving, about Will, about her sister, about her mother. School is extra hard for her and sadly, Will's attention to her does not increase her popularity at all. But Will ... she can't stay away from him and man am I happy she can't GREAT SMOOCHY SCENES. Two thumbs up.

Brooklyn - I like her as the bitch because she just isn't the Queen Bee who glares and starts rumors. She legitimately goes after Jace. She really is mean.

Xander - Dick - It's all I got.

WINNERS

2011-10-01T07:33:00.002-04:00

The Falling Into Books Hop Giveaway is now over! I hope all of the other blogs who hosted found it to be successful for them! I was super happy and decided to giveaway a critique AND the book! Yeah - I know. I am awesome (gives herself a pat on the back).

On to the winners!

Winner of Tiger's Curse Lieder Madchen over at Songs and Stories!!!

Winner of a critique from me

Steph from The Non Sequitur Ramblings!!!

Another great thing going on is at Zook Book Nook for us Campaigners. The general idea is you post the opening hook, of your book, chapter, sequence, poem, anything and other campaigners are going to give you feedback. Here is mine for The Owens Legacy: Revelations.

Where have they dropped us this time?

Black, rusted iron gates stood in front of my sister and me. Gargoyle statues stared down at us; I think they were angels at one point, but years of sitting perched on those brick columns turned their cherub faces into faceless demons. They warned us not to enter the place where they had dropped us off. I guess “dropped” is a loose term considering our so-devoted aunt and uncle, had their chauffeur drive us to the airport - again with no goodbyes.

Certainly doesn’t look like the website, does it? I heard Ryder say.

I shook my head in agreement. We both stared at the sign “Evermore - School for the Gifted and Talented.” Actually, it should have read “a great place to drop the unwanted.”

I don't mind critical!

Follow and TGIF

2011-09-30T07:03:00.001-04:00

What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character?

Tiger's Curse!!!!! by Colleen Houck! YAY!!!!! SOMEBODY PLEASE MAKE THIS A MOVIE! I heard rumors but I want some proof! (Brushes the hair out of her face and picks up all the things that have scattered on the floor) OK I have composed myself.

And who would I like as a character? I want Diren AKA Ren as this guy. I stole it from Diana at The Lovely Getaway. Yes, I totally copied but if you have read the book. He's perfect. And no I do not know his name. Maybe D does.

Speaking of Tiger's Curse, I am hosting a Falling into Books Book Blog giveaway with that books as my prize! If you are interested, go to this link. There are ten or twelve other blogs hosting giveaways too!

Banned Books: How do you feel about the censorship of the freedom to read? Do you think the education system needs to be more strict on what children are exposed to in books?

As an educator, I think censorship is awful, for a few reasons.

1. With everything these kids see on TV, with their home lives, and on the Internet, you are concerned about literature done in tasteful manners? People!

2. Books with touchy topics, make those touchy topics a little easier to talk about it. It's a segue. I teach the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, and when I first started was worried that I would have angry parents coming in left and right. Well, only one did, and when I asked this parent if they had ever talked to his child about sexual assault, he had no response. I went on to tell him that I was giving factual information to my students to protect them and keep them safe and God forbid, what to do if it ever happens to them.

3. Writing is a beautiful thing that can be raw and if you took out all of those raw aspects, all you would have left would be books with NO complex plot lines. Alright, that may be an exaggeration, but you get what I mean.

Thanks for stopping by! Leave a comment, follow me, join up on the giveaway, or just hop on to the next place! Have a great weekend!

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-27T07:28:00.011-04:00

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

I feel very reminiscent to Amanda Hocking's Tyrlle series. I liked the first book. I loved the second book. I was thrown completely off track with the third book. WHAT THE BEEP. Seriously. I know. I just posted about how I like to make my readers feel and typically make them cry, but really, Ms. K., what are you doing to me?

I loved this book's beginning, for the simple fact I got to see Ash and Meghan develop as a couple. Ash's ice starts to melt away, and we get to see a human side of him, jealous, territorial, soft. Meghan, hurts his feelings a lot, and I am not a fan of that, but it is realistic. After this book, I know for sure I am more attached to the males in this book than Meghan. At the end, I was more upset for Ash and Puck than Meghan.

I really would like to have seen more of Oberon and Mab. Did anyone notice that Mab was supposed to be all icy and she was nicer than Oberon?

So what is my beef with Meghan? Well the fact everyone calls her Meghan Chase. Also, her character, abruptly changes in this book. She was meek, mild, and building to being strong and then it was like WHACK - huge revelation (that I must have missed in the book) and she was all Xena Warrior Princess. I knew she was getting stronger, but it was too rushed for me.

A character I have not paid enough attention to is Grim. I do see the Cheshire Cat, but

Also, I know I am all Team Ash, but I really love Puck. I mean he's funny, he has great comedic timing in the worst situations, to make me go "heh" and smile. I think he really loves Meghan as much as Ash does. I think in other stories where the best friend loves the girl to, its more like: we spend a lot of time together and you're pretty, so I love you - don't date the other guy". With Puck, I think it's genuine. Can I be on both teams?

Also my Fallin' into Books Hop is going on! Stop in and see what others are offering up! It is just below this post!!

Falling Into Books Blog Hop Giveaway!

2011-09-26T00:28:00.010-04:00

Hey Everyone! Welcome to the Falling into Books Blog hop! A bunch of reading and writing bloggers got together to celebrate fall.

I want to say thanks to all of my friends who are hosting giveaways, participating in the giveaways, and for all the people who taught me about hosting the blog, linky lists, the button, and the overall blog feedback! Notice there was not a linky list - I just don't get it. Below you will find a list to all of the blogs that are participating. Go see them all! They are offering up some awesome gifts!

So what am I giving away?! You have an option of what you can win.

Option 1 You can win a copy of Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck. It's my current fav series and I encourage everyone to read it.

Option 2 is a twenty page critique for your manuscript. I'm an English teacher and I have practice at editing. I warn you, I'm super honest when I do it.

You tell me what works for you!

What you have to do to enter:
- Must be 13 years of age or older.
- It is international
- You must be a follower
-You must leave me your email address
- You must leave the option you want
I hope you all have a great time on this hop! I am center for the hop, so make sure to come back here to get a chance for all of the giveaways!

Here's the list of all the participants!

Diana at The Lovely Getaway
Melissa at My World...in Words and Pages
Lindy at Lindy Legends and Other Such Nonsense
Tia at Depression Cookies
Becky at Becky's Barmy Book Blog
Lulu at The Bookworm is here!
Kamol at In Which I Write Nonsensically
Jackie at My Ever Expanding Library
Molli at Once Upon A Prologue
Bastard at Bastard Books and other crap
Nellie at The Scribbling Pen
Amanda at Amanda's Writing
Saba at Of Thoughts and Words
Melissa at The Guardian Blogger
k. liz barker at Just a word in this story called life

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-23T17:26:00.001-04:00

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

I liked this one more. I am officially attached to Ash and the rest of them. This could be spoiler-ish because its the second in a series. I will do my best not to spoil all of it.

So this one starts out with Meghan trapped in the Unseelie court with no Ash. I was super bummed for awhile. But then Ash's brother Rowan totally is a manipulative, evil character (AWESOME) and he sets the whole plot into motion and ultimately the separation and distance that Meghan finds herself from Ash. Which, is really a good thing because Ash is pushing out the "ice" vibes, like I almost feel the frost.

And then you have our dear, sweet Puck. I have this picture in my head of him, but he isn't a teenager in my mind's eye. Does anyone remember the movie A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger? Remember the red-headed character who always gets into fights with Chaucer? That's Puck - maybe slightly younger. But as always, Puck is there for Meghan, being her rock and her friend when she needs consoling about Ash. Um can we say my heart broke for him at the end of this book.

Meghan - What can I say about her? I like the other characters more. Yeah - that's all I got.

My favorite side character in this book is Ironhorse. What a noble, honorable character. A moment of silence please.

Thank you.

Now moving on - Um - my prediction - She is totally going to be Queen of the Iron fey. Tell me I am wrong or tell me I am a little slow on the draw.

TEAM ASH!

Male and female authors and love relationships

2011-09-21T18:33:00.000-04:00

Clearly, I love a good love story. I love all the cliches

The forbidden love
The love triangle
The best friend who you had no idea loved you
The guy is such a jerk to me 75% of the time but hello other 25%
The I'm a vampire, werewolf, demon, ghost, angel or any other supernatural creature and I want to kill you half of the time
The I am stuck working with this idiot but wait, he's kind of good looking.

I am guilty. Go on, raise your hand if you are like me. I see you in the back there.

That being said, have you ever noticed the difference between love relationships and interests written by men and by women? I am not lumping everyone into this, but it's a majority. Women delve into the relationship, chapters about sweet kisses and thoughtful embraces. But men? Not so much.

Great examples are now coming.

We will start with one of my faves - Neal Shusterman's Unwind - Connor and Risa develop a relationship but half way through the book, I wasn't sure if they were interested in each other. It was subtle, and then at the end, they share this really romantic moment. PS They never kiss and I love it still. Super pumped for the relationship in the sequel

And then you have the fab Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series. - Jace and Clary share fiery kiss after fiery kiss. Like I find myself swooning and I am not being kissed. This relationship is super intense and begins forming from the beginning and continues along wonderfully.

So guys, what's the deal?

Can you pick your favorite romantic couples - one has to be a boy author and the other has to be a girl author.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

2011-09-20T17:56:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I know I've been gone but the start of school and teaching a brand new grade has been a lot. However, I am getting it under control and squeaked in a book in the last week.

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart

There were things that I really liked about this book and was surprised about and some things that I was just like "eh" about.

So some good things first. I like the Fey world. I love the fact they are not your TinkerBell or Jimminey Circket or Fairy Godmother types. They are manipulative and cunning. It really intriguing and Meghan starts to pick up on how to talk to these creatures, thus making enemies. I love a good love story but I also love a good enemy and I feel like more are coming in the series.

Spoilerish - Speaking of witch, I had no idea that the Iron King was not going to be her dad and that it was going to be based on technology. Hello surprise. And now I am wondering why Iron stays in the title. No one tell me!

Can someone support me that Puck is super sweet and clearly in love with Meghan. Saw it coming a mile away though it has not been confirmed. And I love the cliche of it, she is totally going for Ash. Which leads me to this comment. "Hello Ash! I'm your next girlfriend!"

Some things I wasn't too crazy about. I didn't get attached to the characters. I am curious. I am going right into the next book but if I didn't have it already, I wouldn't go out and buy it. I am more or less curious how it will end, not what will happen to them.

If Oberon and Mab were such big bad @ss why weren't they more involved? Why didn't the Big O get his daughter? How come Mab didn't realize Meghan was in her territory?

What did you guys think?

Just a reminder on Sunday is my blog hop. You can still join up! Come back and enter the giveaways!

Make them happy or break their hearts.

2011-09-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

So who is "them"? "Them" are your readers. The first half of this post is geared toward my writing friends and the second half will be geared toward my reading friends.

When you are writing a story, what do you aim to do. It's the end of your book (or series), do you wrap everything up in a perfect bow? Does the girl always get the guy of her dreams? Do you have everyone of the main characters survive and go off to college? Does the bad guy get "it" in the end?

or are you like me? When I write, I write to make a reader cry. I want them to feel a deep emotion that may just shatter them. In my completed manuscript The Owens Legacy: Revelations the last chapter makes people cry. It frustrates them. Do I like making my friends (who have been so kind to read my book) cry? No, but it seems very rewarding to me to make them feel, and to feel deeply.

So will I always make them cry - maybe. What about you?

And my reader friends. What do you prefer? Do you prefer a heartbreaking ending or do you prefer the pretty bow? As an author, it is me who wishes to know what you expect from me, from the great authors out there.

As a reader, maybe I put too much stock in the last pages of a book. I know that the last five pages are what stays with me the most when I am done reading. I mean I love a great cliffhanger, but I know more is coming, so it is not over. I know there may be some more turmoil but the end bow (or heartbreak) has not come yet. So when the book or series is over what do you want to feel?

Support finding the cure to Leukemia and Lymphoma.

2011-09-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! My student council kids and I are participating in the Light the Night walk supporting finding the cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma and it also goes towards supporting those who are undergoing treatment financially. I would really appreciate it if you would make a donation towards this cause. One dollar goes along way.
Here is the my fundraising page.

And if you are feeling super kind and thoughtful, re-post this. :)

Thanks guys.

Michelle

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

2011-09-07T12:44:00.001-04:00

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

I am not sure where I want to start with this novel, er, yeah. I thought the novel, plot wise, started out strong, just the way I like it. I'm an English teacher and I spend a lot of time with Poe, (after reading this novel my students are so going to be doing an author bio on dead, creepy, mentally unstable authors.) so that excited me. I loved how the Red Death was worked into it. (again, my English students may get their wits scared out of them come Halloween) However, somewhere in the middle, it dragged for me because I did not know what was going on in the dream world. I guess the biggest question is why did Varen involve Izzy if he could have helped it? Maybe there is a strong reason and I missed it, but by the end, I wasn't as attached.

The main characters run the trend "Super popular girl falls for social outcast and is shunned" Now don't get me wrong. I like this, but if you are someone who does not like this trend, this book is not for you. But the one thing that is good about this trend, is that it tell students now to pass someone by because they are not in the "in" crowd.

Varen, is our leading male, who is our distant leading male. And like The Ghost and The Goth, the cover does not due him justice, in fact, the guy on the cover, with those eyes, makes me want to turn the book upside down when I'm sleeping. I wonder if that was what they were going for?

Izzy and Varen fall for each other and I just looked up that there will be a sequel so it's not over. I did think that if the author were to have ended the series, that it would have been a painful ending, one with longing. How often do we have that in a story? Someone dies, always, but not our leading characters.

Overall, I thought this was rich with Poe, could have the potential in the dream world to be somewhat on the horror side, and I will be picking up the sequel.

Flash fiction piece

2011-09-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. Today is the first challenge for the Platform Building Campaign. We had to write a flash fiction piece, in 200 words or less and start with the phrase "The door swung open". Added challenges were to hit 200 words on the mark, and end with the phrase "The door swung shut". (I hit it 200 on the mark and ended with ending phrase. CHALLENGE COMPLETE!)

Here is what I wrote.

The door swung open and propelled me into the guy that I had just checked out. I landed smack into him and heard him say “hmrph” as he righted himself.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, feeling the color in my cheeks turn to a cherry shade. He turned around and looked at me, still a little startled. “The door,” I stated, like it explained why I had just barreled into him. He looked passed me at the door, as people continued to push in.

“It happens,” he said and turned back around.

I couldn’t help myself, I looked at his butt again, and by the swivel of his hips, I knew he had turned around. Oh my God, could this be anymore embarrassing?

His smile was wide, “You know I have never had to say ‘Eyes up here,’ to a girl before.”

My cheeks flamed brighter as I looked at him. I opened my mouth like a guppy, a few times. All words in my head refused to form a sentence. I was wrong, this got way more embarrassing than 30 seconds ago.

Without knowing what to do, I headed for the exit. And behind me, the door swung shut.

I actually think I could pop this into one of my novels. I think this is exactly what Ryder would do. :)
Wish me luck!

A Scandalous Proposition by Wendy Soleman

2011-09-04T12:44:00.000-04:00

Hampshire, 1809

When a beautiful woman bursts into Lord Adam Fitzroy's room at an inn seeking refuge, he assists her. His curiosity is piqued when he later spots her entering the local house of ill repute. The next day he is shocked when his mother introduces the woman as her new paid companion. His mother adores Florentina, so Adam agrees to keep her nightly activities a secret…on one condition: she must spend one wicked night with him.

Florentina Grantley is both scandalized and intrigued at the prospect, but she worries that the dashing war hero will quickly discern her lack of experience. True, she's no innocent—but she's a widow, not a whore. Yet she can't explain the true reason behind her alliance with the brothel's madam, or the danger she faces if exposed.

As their initial tryst grows into something deeper, the stakes become higher. What will Adam do when he discovers Florentina's deception?

I can't seem to help loving historical romances. I love the 1800's in England. Why, I'm not sure but this book fit the mold with a few differences than the normal trends that are seen throughout romance novels.

Adam starts out very sweet and honorable when he comes to Florentina's rescue within the first four pages of the book. I don't want to say he is entranced by her from the very beginning but she does have the damsel in distress going on for her, until he finds her a less than reputable house that sees to the pleasure of men. And then it gets worse when he comes home to find out that Florentina is the companion to his noble, loving mother.

And let the scandal begin - he propositions her to sleep with him to keep her secret, except her secret isn't that she sleeps around, and eventually he does figure that out.

Another character, Philippa, Adam's ex-fiance, new sister-in-law is conniving, determined, and a villain. I love when I can hate a character and I hate her. She bullies and threatens adding an element of side danger to Florentina's big problems.

The next step after not finding an agent?

2011-09-03T14:03:00.000-04:00

For anyone who started the summer out with me, you know that I have been working on getting my manuscript to an agent and designing the cover with the fabulous Kenzie Mencer of Kaboom photography. You would also know that I have been pursuing both tracks of publishing: the traditional and the ePublishing. I am gaining a bunch of knowledge about both and I feel that I have done well for two months. An agent even asked for my first 35 pages. It's a step, right?

I still have a few more agents to query and then that was when my traditional path kinda stopped in the planning process. Komal sent me a list of a bunch, like 60 ish. There is more out there. I plan to find them. So then what?

I recently signed up for Netgalley, which is away for you to get ARCs digitally. It's great. I had to create a bio and I mentioned my manuscript. A wonderful man named Harrison Demchick from Bancroft Press contacted me to see if he could help answer any questions that I had. It was a pleasant surprise and we sent a few emails back and forth.

The comment that made a lasting impression on me was the fact, as a publisher, he rarely uses agencies. Now I realize this could be the company's preference, but that made me think: My next step is to query publishing houses? Do any of you do this first? Do any of you have an awesome list you want to email me so I can send my manuscript? Do any of you have a different opinion?

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan

2011-09-02T07:21:00.001-04:00

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

I loved it. I thought it was a new fresh story line. It's based around biblical stories and faith. It did have a few things that I felt needed more of an explanation, but overall a great read.

Sasha is a great character. She's very special as the daughter of Eve and Aurora (One of those things I wished for more knowledge about) and completely pure at heart. She's a very sweet side, no compassionate is the word but she just a 17 year old girl at heart. She has insecurities about boys, desires, the need to be accepted, and loves to shop.

Jax. Hello handsome. Jax is a son of Hell and has a really dark side, which we don't really get to see. We see the side of him that is always trying to win and woo Sasha. I get that Jax isn't supposed to show Sasha the dark side of him, but the book is told from both of their perspectives so there was opportunity for the reader to see him rip some apart or unleash some unbridled rage. Sadly, his rage in the book comes across as an overprotected, jealous boyfriend, but I do not believe that is how it is supposed to come across.

In reality, love at first sight, isn't real. There are some hella strong physical reactions to people and there are def. instant, strong connections, but love takes time to build, sometimes it does happen quick, but not instantly. But I am a girl. I love the idea of love at first sight. (Raise your hand if you are a hopeful romantic?) I think it is one of the reasons that I love paranormal and supernatural. Anything can happen in this genre so why not love at first?****SPOILER*** highlight to see it. Sasha and Jax don't fall in love at first sight, but they do within the week of meeting and for this genre, it works.

To be a Skia, you have to give up your soul. There are too many characters that cave to this in the story that throughout the book seem strong, but in the end give their soul. With one of the characters, I get it is a moment of desperation, but the two other ones, no. I don't get why. I needed more information.

A few more awesome points - the kissing scenes (refer back to the hopeful romantic question.) I liked Phoenix the best out of the brothers. They talk about M and Lucifer a lot but I wish I could have "met" them more. But I heard there is a sequel! WOOOOOWHOOOO! OK i have myself under control. The ending almost brought me to tears.

It was a great read, long but I read it in a day. Pick it up!

Want an awesome contest? Check out Unabridged Andra's 400 follower giveaway - Maybe she can hit 1000?

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

2011-08-31T05:16:00.000-04:00

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.
The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I Am Number Four is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.
I AM NEXT.

Some of you may remember that I started reading this awhile ago, like Feb (I think). Well, I was in a bit of a YA reading slump and I tried it again.

I love the concept of this book. ALIENS. It's an untouched YA trend, which is why (I'm sure) it had some popularity. My favorite aspect of this book is the relationship with John and Henri. I know that Henri was meant to be a protector and a guide to John, but he is so much more than that. I could feel the love Henri had for John throughout.

I hadn't picked up the book until after the movie came out and really thought Six and Four were going to be an item, so when I met Sarah, I thought she would get the brush off. (Side note - the brush off of the first anticipated love interest is not done enough in books). I was surprised that she was the leading love for John. Their relationship was sweet, but it was a let down for me because I thought he was going to be with bad ass Six. Maybe still a chance, I felt Henri threw out some foreshadowing in there when he said John would love selfishly with another alien.

The action in the book was slow for me in the beginning. Again, I had a preconceived idea that it would be a constant battle for John and Six would be a bigger part of it. So maybe that hurt me. (Yes, all of this came from the previews....not the actual movie). It showed John having to deal with bullies, and there was the magazine thing, but really the last few chapters were packed full with action! But I was kinda over the book by then so I was over it.

Some quick thoughts

What is this that sequel has nothing to do with Six and Four, but Seven? Really? Come on. It better tie all together.

I love how the author made himself (eh, her?) part of the book.

SUPER DOG!