Happy New Year from Me to You

Well, it's a few short hours from 2012 and I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Years. 

 2011 brought with it many things...both good and bad. Looking back, though, it has been a supremely amazing year. I started this blog thing here, not realizing what I was getting myself into. LOL. If I had known, I wouldn't have put it off so long. The characters, co-bloggers, authors, and followers I have met are amazing. You see...a book is nothing without out characters and well, it is tough to have characters without amazing authors. Sort of like, I can write all the reviews in the world, but if people don't read them...what's the point? So thanks to the authors who give me books to review AND thanks to my followers for reading those reviews.
A new year means a new set of goals and promises that often go unchecked. I am hoping 2012 will prove to be better than the last (this is my typical resolution). More specifically though, I do have some things I hope to improve on regarding the blog thing.
1. I am participating in more challenges this year. You can check out my Challenges page to see what those are. And April...I promise to participate weekly in the TBR Intervention Challenge. (See, you are priority number 1. LOL)
2. I am going to add a feature or two. I have a couple of ideas...you will see next week, so stay tuned. 
3. Oh my...I am going to work on commenting more on other blogs as well as responding to comments on my own blog. Be sure however you sign in to comment that you leave an email. Who knows when I might just say "You won..." (hint, hint, hint)
I think for now, I will stick with three. I know for certain there are many other changes coming.

The Farsighted Holiday Tour

Announcing the Farsighted  Social Media Whirlwind Tour!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Farsighted eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 30th, so you don’t miss out.

 

 To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of Farsighted for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS:  If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!
5. DOUBLE BONUS:  If I receive more comments than any other blogger, *I* win $100.

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, a guest blog on Novel Publicity! Emlyn kicks off the tour on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog by discussing her brightly burning passion for books in a guest post entitled “My journey through the pages and toward a life-long love of reading.”  One commenter will win an autographed copy of Farsighted. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. The winners will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet:  Looking for a fun read to round out your holiday break? The paranormal YA hit Farsighted is just 99 cents! http://ow.ly/81Dt1 #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Stay Farsighted book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. Two chances to win with just one click! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Farsighted book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Are you ready for some more fun? Take a picture of yourself with your copy of Farsighted either in paperback or on an eReading device, then post it to Emlyn Chand’s Facebook page or email a copy to author@emlynchand.com. You just way win one of three Amazon gift cards! A $100 prize will go to the photo with the most interesting setting (so put your holiday travel time to work for you). Another $50 will go the funniest photo, and one more prize of $50 will go the scariest photo—this is a paranormal YA book after all. An autographed copy of Farsighted will go to one randomly selected entrant. For more details about this contest, please visit www.emlynchand.com.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Farsighted: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Farsighted is the winner of the 2011 Dragonfly eBook Awards. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:  Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Hello 2012. Goodbye World!

A Guest Post by Emlyn Chand

The New Year is upon us. And if the Mayans were right, so is the apocalypse. Oh, man… Just when Earth was getting good.

Well if I’m going to go by flame, flood, meteoric collision, or zombie uprising, I think it’s best to be prepared. No, not with a flame retardant unitard or a well-equipped cross bow, but with mental resolution—with a calm acceptance of humanity’s plight.

Consider this a combo suicide note/ Dear John letter to the world. I might as well get a few final words in (just in case those Mayans knew what they were talking about). Pfffhew, here goes…

Dear World,

I wish I didn’t have to write this letter. We’ve been together some twenty-seven years, and that’s a long time. Sure, we’ve had our clashes. You’ve sent a fair share of inclement weather my way. Remember that thunder storm when the tree almost broke through the window of my apartment? I was so scared. That was totally not cool on your part. And tornados? I mean what’s that about. Control your temper!

But I know I’ve hurt you too. I’ve been frivolous with your resources and have sometimes even—gasp—littered. I bought a V6 when I could’ve bought a hybrid. In fact, I think my carbon footprint is a size 12 at least—and that’s a size you have to special order at the shoe store. Yeah, I’m not saying I’m perfect. We all do things we regret, but Earth, you know I love you, right? That’s why it’s so difficult saying what I have to say…

We can’t be together anymore. I’ve heard talk of a major problem. They say you’re going to die a horrific death, and since I count on you for protection, I’m gonna die too. I’d like to say we’ll be together in the next world, but do planets go to Heaven? I can’t say for certain, so I think I should say goodbye instead.
We’ve had a good run, you and I. And I never regret having loved you. How I wish I could save us both, but who am I to interfere with an ancient prophecy?

I’ll miss the way you spill light through my closed blinds in the early morning, gently telling me it’s time to start my day. And I’ll remember fondly the way the ground smells after a restorative rain shower—the way the pitter patter on my skin prickles like teensy weensy fingers giving me a massage, the way the earthworms come out of the ground and dance on the pavement. The songs of birds in the morning are my favorite; they always sound so happy. I wish I understood the lyrics to their upbeat symphony so that I could join in with them. And ice cream? I’ll give you credit for that, because the cows are yours, the vanilla bean is yours, the sugar is yours. The taste is magnificent! To never feel that icy sensation arouse my taste buds again is such a great shame.

I’m tearing up now just thinking about all our good times together. I hope you’ll remember me with the same fondness. No matter what happens, I will ALWAYS love you.

Now it’s time to say goodbye. Go out with a smile,

Alex For The Win

Okay everyone. Get your fingers ready to do some heavy voting. Alex from Half-Blood is in the YA Heroine Tourney over at YA Sisterhood. She's up against Katniss! Eeps. I'm a little scared. But...Jennifer L Armentrout...the author is offering up some pretty great incentives. There are also some great giveaways going on around the blogosphere. I will list them here so you can find them easily. 

Link to Vote!

Valerie over at Stuck In Books has an awesome guest post from Katy, blogger extraordinaire from Obsidian, explaining to Daemon why you should vote for Alex...and a giveaway. She also lists the "incentives."
MoMo at Books Over Boys is Alex's official advocate. She has done a wonderful job and I totally expect her to end up in Twitter Jail several times before this tournament is over.
Need reasons why...check out Jennifer's Official Blog and see what she did last round.
Find my review of Half-Blood here! And...I have read Pure. To die for! So go make this happen for Alex. I promise she deserves it.

Top 10 Characters of 2011

Today's topic: Top 10 Characters of 2011. Since I did Book Boyfriends yesterday, I think I will do all heroines (except one) today.

Today, I am going to do a quick post...the last three have taken me several hours to put together and I am just not in the mood for that tonight. Sorry!

So...these are in no particular order...well, except Alex, cause tonight is a super important night. She's going up against Katniss in the Heroine Tourney over at YA Sisterhood. Be sure to go vote...also, Jennifer L. Armentrout (author of Half-Blood) is having a live VLOG at 11:00 PM EST. Stay tuned.

Vote for Alex HERE!

1. Alex from Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Alex is phenomenal.  She has so much anger and so much life. Things get taken from her that should never be taken. She struggles through her difficulties with her head held high. She fights for what she believes is right...always. Alex has had to learn to keep her mouth shut at times but mostly, she says what she believes. She kicks daimon butt. She fights for change. She is complete awesomeness.

2. Katy from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Not only did she lose her dad to cancer and have to move to another state that's not Florida but she also has to deal with Daemon...her nasty but hot next door neighbor...and she saves his life. 

3. Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. She lives through the embarrassment of heart-break and moves on. She dresses in costumes. She designs fantastical fashions. She falls in love again and lives through the heart-ache...again. She falls into a deep depression. Realizes who she truly loves. Pulls it together before she jumps into another relationship. She loves her family and friends. She is flawed and perfect at the same time.

4. Helen from Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini. She is forced to deal with a fate she can't escape. She is strong, fierce, and loyal. She learns to love instead of hate.

5. MacKayla Lane from the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. I love her so much. She grows from a young girl into a beautiful and strong woman who knows what she wants. She's tough, sassy, and funny. 

6. Calla from Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. A werewolf with an attitude and priorities. She is fighting against a system that is wrong. Her group has been lead to believe things that might not be as true as she once thought. She refuses to lie down and give up. She fights for the underdog. Relentlessly.

7. Anna from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Anna gets shipped to another country for her senior year of high school. She is alone but makes friends fast. She knows what she wants...no matter what, and she goes after it.

8. Archer from Hushed by Kelley York. Yes, I know...he killed people for love. Ridiculous, right? And he's not a heroine but I love him all the same. I like Archer because he progressed so much during the book. He acknowledged his mistakes and bettered himself. 

9. Clary from City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. Do I need to explain? Really? She's pure awesomeness. That's it, that's all.

10. Tessa from Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Again...do I need to explain?

Ugh...I just can't think of any more. I'm sure I forgot someone...when I figure out who, I will add them. LOL!

Don't forget to vote for Alex. I will put the link here when it is up.

{Review} Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Books (The Penguin Group)
December 2, 2010

Website ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads ǀ Amazon ǀ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

After needing a break from reading so many dark books, I needed something fun. When I asked for recommendations I was repeatedly told to read Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door. Perfect recommendations...both of them.

I don't read a lot of contemporary YA but after reading Anna and the French Kiss, I can promise I will be reading tons more of this cute little sub-genre...plus lots more by Stephanie Perkins. She is so much fun to read. Her books are spunky and light. Her characters are always flawed in some completely human way but undeniably loveable. The kind of loveable that there is absolutely no way you can't fall in love with them.

Anna and the French Kiss tells a story of Anna, obviously, who is forced to go to a boarding school in France. How sad for her...right? Well, actually it really is. Her dad is now a famous author and decides that this is what she needs. She is a senior for goodness sake. Going to school in a different country for the last year of high school is completely ridiculous. Agreed? Well...personally, I would have loved to have gone to high school in Paris, and eventually Anna is grateful that she has this experience. It just takes time.

Anna wants nothing more than to become a film critic. She loves movies, all movies, but she doesn't want to be an actress. She lives to be the next great female film critic. Anna misses her home in Atlanta; her job at the Royal Midtown 14 multiplex; her friend, Bridgette; hopeful boyfriend, Toph; and her brother, Seany. Now she is in a new country, unable to speak French, without friends.

It doesn't take her long to make friends though. Meredith finds her crying in her room and invites her next door for hot chocolate and that marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Okay, a little far...maybe but it is exactly what Anna needed to make it through the night and the first day of school. Anna is soon surrounded with Meredith's other friends...including the infamous Etienne St. Clair, or just St. Clair. SWOON! I loved St. Clair from the moment Anna ran into him in the hall. I fell a little bit more in love with the turn of every page.

St. Clair has a girlfriend, Ellie. He has been with her for over a year and she may be the undoing of Anna. St. Clair proves to be a good friend, with great hair, and a sexy English accent. He has his own set of problems that only get worse throughout the year. His father is a giant @$$, refusing to let St. Clair go to San Fransisco to see his very sick mother. St. Clair goes a little insane, drinking a little too much, showing up at Anna's door and professing his undying love...only to be dragged away by his girlfriend. Things are changing all around St. Clair and he needs some sort of stability in his life, so breaking up with Ellie is out of the question...at least for a little while.

This it the first book I remember reading that is written in present tense. I remember reading an article somewhere stating that books written in present tense often sound like movie scripts. I never got that feeling from this book. Stephanie's writing is fun and upbeat. I love her fascination with hair. Her descriptions are out of this world. And her world building is completely made of awesomeness.

This book didn't make me want to go to Paris, it made me NEED to go. I loved the school, the sights, and the city. I loved St. Clair's crazy fear of heights and his love of The Hat. I loved that Anna couldn't speak French and was terrified to order food in the cafeteria. I loved that not one single person in this book was "perfect." This aspect of Stephanie's writing created perfect characters. I know...a little backwards...I know. I love that love didn't come quick or easy for Anna and St. Clair. They worked for it. I love that they were friends before they were anything else. I love, I love, I love.

I would like to tell you there was something I hated about this book but there wasn't. There wasn't even something I disliked...with the exception of St. Clair's dad...in this book. It left me smiling and happy. Completely refreshed for another round of darkness.

Happy New Years 2012 Giveaway Hop

The last giveaway hop of 2012! I am looking forward to the new year and all it has in store. I hope you find yourself blessed and with lots of books to read. I want to help you out...so enter to win $15 to Book Depository!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
To find the complete list of blogs participating in hop...please press Read More~

Other Giveaways:


New Years: Making it to 1000 Giveaway
Dark Seeker by Tara Browning

It's Vote for Clary Time Again!!!

Well, it's that time over at the YA Sisterhood again...I am speaking up for Clary from The Mortal Instruments today. I love these books. All of them. And Clary makes a super heroine. She's smart, kick-ass, and loyal. Besides all that...she has Jace. Does anymore really need to be said? I didn't think so. Go Vote Clary...Now!

Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2011

Oh, today's topic is one of my favorite topics. Book Boyfriends. There are so many great catches in books these days. I often wish they made guys like these in real life. Links will take you to my reviews of books mentioned. Those without links haven't been reviewed yet but will be soon.

Jericho Barrons - Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. No, these books are not YA but I am completely and irrevocably in love with this mysterious man. Hot, sexy, full of secrets, dark, and well...a little bit scarey.

He grabbed a fistful of my T-shirt, and dragged me up against him until our noses touched. "I'll bring it on, Ms. Lane. But remember you asked for it. So don't even think about trying to tap out on the mat and quit the fight."...He swapped the fistful of my shirt for one in my hair, and ground his mouth against mine. - Bloodfever

Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is my newest Book Boyfriend. I just finished this book last night and I absolutely loved Cricket...more than St. Clair...but not much more. Cricket is just so...everything. Mostly though...he is unique, quirky, genuine, nice, and perfect for Lola.

Cricket Bell had always been...nice. And he was cute, and he was intelligent, and he was older, and it was only natural that I would develop feelings for him. But the day everything fell into place was the same day I discovered that he'd become interested in his appearance. Not in an egotistical way. Simply in a "maybe baggy shorts and giant sneakers aren't the most attractive look for a guy like me" way. - Lola and The Boy Next Door

Zachary Moore from The Shade Series by Jeri Smith-Ready is complete awesomeness. I know most people love Logan, and I do too, but I have chosen sides...I think Zachary is the one for Aura. Besides the fact that he's not dead, Zachary really loves Aura...enough to go to hell and back for her. And...he wears a kilt! How sexy is that?

The short tuxedo jacket covered none of his kilt, whose background color picked up the dark forest green of his vest and eyes – or at least the color of his eyes as I remembered them. Not that I ever thought about that. - Shift






Aiden St. Delphi from The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout makes me want to dive straight into the book and perhaps put myself in danger so he can come save me. Anyone else feel this way. Or...possibly, I should have him as my personal trainer. To bad I'm not training to kill daimons.

In front of me, he walked right through the flames, looking every bit like a daimon hunter should. The fire did not singe his pants nor dirty his shirt. Not a single dark hair was touched by the blaze. Those cool, storm-cloud-colored eyes fixed on me.

It was him--Aiden St. Delphi. - Half-Blood

Daemon, the not-so-typical boy next door, is snide, rude, hateful, demeaning, belittling, sarcastic, and fiercely charming. Katy should have probably tried to kill him at times or just let the Arum have him but I am so glad she didn't. I mean, the book cover alone is enough to make me want him. His cocky protectiveness and bad boy facade just seals the deal. Yes, I am one of those girls who loves a bad boy.

His stomach was ripped. Perfect. Totally touchable. Not the kind of stomach I expected on a seventeen-year-old boy, which is how old I suspected he was, but yeah, I wasn't complaining. I also wasn't talking. And I was staring.

My gaze finally traveling north again, I noted thick, sooty lashes fanning the tips of his cheeks and hiding the color of his eyes as he looked down at me. - Obsidian

Ren Laroche...oh man, how I do love me some Ren. I get a lot of flack over this one because I prefer him over Shay. I just think Shay seems a little too desperate and whiny. Ren, again, is sexy, brooding, a little bit bad, but extremely loyal to Calla. I am so relieved that Bloodrose comes out next week so I know what happens. I have been dying to know how everything ends...

"The way you move is incredible." Ren drew me back to press against him. His fingers slid down to the curve of my hips, rocking our bodies in rhythm with the heavy bass. The sensation of being molded against the hard narrow line of his hips threatened to overwhelm me. We were hidden in the mass of the the people, right? The Keepers couldn't see? - Nightshade

Patch will always be one of my book boyfriends. I am excited that I will get to count him again next year since there is going to be a fourth book. Yippee! Again, dark and broken, but oh so sexy. Silence is probably my favorite book of the Hush Hush Series so far. He has tried to do what he thinks is best for Nora but they just cannot be apart. As hard as he tries, Patch simply cannot deny her anything.

His black eyes sliced into me, and the corners of his mouth tilted up. My heart fumbled a beat and in that pause, a feeling of gloomy darkness seemed to slide like a shadow over me. It vanished in an instant, but I was still staring at  him. His smile wasn't friendly. It was a smile that spelled trouble. With a promise. - Hush Hush

I mentioned St. Clair earlier in this post, and even though I love Cricket, I still adore St. Clair. I loved his charisma. I seriously doubt that this guy has ever been disliked by anyone. Everyone knows someone like Etienne St. Clair. I think I liked his imperfections the best, they made him real. Scared of heights, not wanting to be alone, dealing with a crazed family life...we've all been there in one way or another.

The first thing I notice is his hair - it's the first thing I notice about everyone. It's dark brown and messy and somehow both long and short at the exact same time. I think of the Beatles, since I've just seen them in Meredith's room. It's artist hair. Musician hair. I-pretend-I-don't-care-but-I-really-do hair. - Anna and the French Kiss

Adrian Ivashkov from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy Series, is one of those guys I rooted for but he lost. I am hoping he has better luck in the new series, Bloodlines. He really does deserve it.

The speaker was a Moroi guy, a little older than me, with dark brown hair that had undoubtedly been painstakingly styled to look messy. Unlike Keith's ridiculously over-gelled attempts, this guy had actually done it in a way that looked good. Like all Moroi, he was pale and had a tall, lean build. Emerald green eyes studied us from a face that could have been sculpted by one of the classical artists I so admired. - Bloodlines





And last, but not least...the illusive Noah Shaw from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Noah is a boy with secrets but he is far from the typical dark and brooding types I usually like...in fact, he actually attempts to keep Mara out of trouble. I see that this may prove difficult for him, now and in the future.

His general state of disarray was almost enough to distract me from his face. The boy - if he could be called that, looking like he belonged in college, not high school...

His strong jaw and chin were slightly scruffy, as though he handn't shaved in days, and his eyes looked gray in the shade. Strands of his dark chestnut hair stuck out every which way. Bedroom hair. He could be considered pale in comparison to everyone else I'd observed in Florida thus far, which is to say he wasn't orange. - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

A-Z Book Challenge

This seemed like a fun challenge hosted by Babies, Books, and Signs so I thought I would play a long. I mean all books have titles...right?

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z challenge.  A - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A - Atonement B- Black Beauty C - The Count of Monte Cristo D - Dances with Dragons etc.   OR  B - The lazy way (how I do it) : Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Hope that by the end of the year you have read one book for each letter. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit. A:B:C:D:E:F: Fracture by Megan MirandaG:H: Hallowed by Cynthia HandI: If I Die by Rachel VincentJ:K:L: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie PerkinsM:N:O:P:Q:R:S: Seeds of Discovery by Breanna PuttroffT:U:V:W:X:Y:Z:

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

Today's category: Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

This is definitely a subjective topic and there are so many beautiful covers out there...how will I ever choose? I'm not going to lie, I do judge a book by its cover...initially. I usually read books I am drawn to visually before I read others; however, there are times I am disappointed and other times that a story makes me love a cover I didn't love in the beginning.
 

Well, let's start by saying I love these beautiful red and black covers. They are sexy and captivating. 

Die for Me by Amy Plum is captivating. The dress the girl is wearing is described pretty closely in the book and the fact that she is looking over Paris...wow! How freaking romantic.

 





Everneath by Brodi Ashton, I haven't read yet. The cover is phenomenal though. She looks so 

"otherworldly."

 Falling Under by Gwen Hayes is one of my favorite covers ever. The book is sensational as well. I love the red dress on the black roses. Darkly Beautiful.

I just finished The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton and I loved it. Hopefully I will get the review posted soon but doesn't the cover look mysterious?

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini...well, the blues and grays are the perfect contrast to the beautiful pinkish dress Helen is wearing. Definitely gives you a bit of the "Greek Mythology" feel.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin...many won't agree with me but I love this cover and I don't really know why. Perhaps it's the question of what exactly is taking place...is he saving her? Is she drowning? Who really knows but I love it.










Obsidian and Half-Blood are both by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I love Daemon's bright green eyes in Obsidian. Plus, he looks rough and sexy. Yummy. And...he is just as bad as he looks. The green background is unique and not found on many books. 











Half-Blood is amazing...as is Pure and Deity. The covers are ghostly and mysterious. They are elegant and, well, beautiful is really the only word I can think of to do them justice.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick is deadly. The Hush, Hush Series has some of my favorite covers ever. Patch is just so...well, Patch. The darkness is perfect for this story. I would not change a thing.












And...last, but certainly not least, is Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Her covers are always so intense and this is no exception. I think I like this cover so much because of the way it encompasses so much of the story on a single page.









What do you think? Would you agree or would you recommend another cover? Let me know.

Top 10 Books I Read in 2011

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011 - In no particular order. These are all Young Adult since that is the majority of my blog. Perhaps I will do an Adult Fiction someday soon. Hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic.

Title: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Synopsis:


Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.
Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Title: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Synopsis:


How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Title: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Title: Vanish: A Firelight Novel by Sophie Jordan

Synopsis:

An impossible romance.
Bitter rivalries.
Deadly choices.

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?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

Title: Die For Me b y Amy Plum

Synopsis:


My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

Title: Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Synopsis:

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Title: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Title: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Synopsis:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Title: Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. 

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. 

Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Title: Touch by Jus Accardo

Synopsis:

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Farsighted Excerpt by Emlyn Chand

Announcing the Farsighted Social Media Whirlwind Tour! 
 

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Farsighted eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. 
 
What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 30th, so you don’t miss out.

 

To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of Farsighted for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS:  If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!
5. DOUBLE BONUS:  If I receive more comments than any other blogger, *I* win $100.

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, a guest blog on Novel Publicity! Emlyn kicks off the tour on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog by discussing her brightly burning passion for books in a guest post entitled “My journey through the pages and toward a life-long love of reading.”  One commenter will win an autographed copy of Farsighted. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. The winners will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet:  Looking for a fun read to round out your holiday break? The paranormal YA hit Farsighted is just 99 cents! http://ow.ly/81Dt1 #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Stay Farsighted book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. Two chances to win with just one click! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Farsighted book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Are you ready for some more fun? Take a picture of yourself with your copy of Farsighted either in paperback or on an eReading device, then post it to Emlyn Chand’s Facebook page or email a copy to author@emlynchand.com. You just way win one of three Amazon gift cards! A $100 prize will go to the photo with the most interesting setting (so put your holiday travel time to work for you). Another $50 will go the funniest photo, and one more prize of $50 will go the scariest photo—this is a paranormal YA book after all. An autographed copy of Farsighted will go to one randomly selected entrant. For more details about this contest, please visit www.emlynchand.com.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Farsighted: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Farsighted is the winner of the 2011 Dragonfly eBook Awards. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:  Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Now please enjoy this exciting excerpt from Farsighted…

“Did Dad tell you? A new tenant moved into the old pharmacy next door.”

“Really?” I ask, not letting on I already know. If I feign ignorance, Mom’ll divulge all the details. “What is it?”

“It’s a psychic shop,” Her voice crackles with excitement like a fire that’s just beginning to burn. “The All-Seeing Miss Teak. Isn’t that cute? Miss Teak, Mystic. Ha, I wonder if that’s her real name.”

I laugh. “That is funny. Never had a psychic in town before. What’s she like?”

“Oh, she’s very friendly. Why don’t you go over and say ‘hi.’  I’m sure she’d like to meet you.”

“Okay, I think I will.” I’m incredibly intrigued, because first off, it’s a psychic shop—how weird is that?—and second, its presence made Dad super uncomfortable—also very cool. I waste no time heading next door to check out the scene.

As I step cautiously into the new shop, a recording of soft, instrumental music greets me. I can make out chimes and a string instrument I don’t recognize but for some reason reminds me of snake charmers. The smell of incense fills my nostrils, which explains the burning I detected earlier.

“Hello?” I call out into the otherwise quiet room.

Nobody answers. I walk in deeper, sweeping my cane out in front of me in a metronome fashion. This place is new to me, so I need to be especially careful while moving around.

Thump! Despite my precautions, I stub my toe on something hard, big, and made of wood. Just my luck to stub the same toe twice in one day. I reach down to press my fingers into my throbbing foot to alleviate some of the pain. Something teeters before rolling off of the chest and across the floor; the sound it makes indicates a curved path. Suddenly, the object stops. Somebody’s stopped it.

“Hello?” I call again.

“Hello,” a deep, feminine voice responds, placing more emphasis on the first syllable than the second.
“I- I’m sorry I knocked that thing over. I didn’t mean to…” I hope she’s not angry. Probably not a good idea to get on a psychic’s bad side.

“That wasn’t just a thing, it’s a crystal ball,” she says as she walks over, sending my blood pulsing through my veins. I sense her looking at me for a moment before she places the ball back on top of the chest.
“Can it see the future?” I ask, allowing my curiosity to outweigh my uneasiness.

“No.” After a pause lasting several beats, she continues. “But I can see the future sometimes when I look into it.”

“Oh, okay.” I tighten my hand around my cane and turn to leave. It may not be the most polite thing to do, but all of this hocus-pocus stuff is freaking me out more than I would’ve guessed.

The psychic lady speaks again, stopping me cold. “Don’t run away, Alex Kosmitoras.” She must’ve spoken to Mom earlier today. That must be how she knows my name.

“I’m not running away,” I say meekly. “I’m just going back over to Sweet Blossoms.”

“Don’t run away,” she repeats—this time she speaks louder and with more energy. “Don’t run away from your abilities. They are gifts.”

“What?” I ask in confusion. What abilities is she talking about?

“You already know. Watch. Listen. Be open to your gifts.”

I turn to face Miss Teak, but find she’s already gone, returning to wherever she was before I got there.
Is it safe to leave? I trail my fingers across the wooden box I ran into earlier; a thick coat of dust clings to the tips as I pull away. If this shop just opened, why is it already so dirty? I wipe my hands over my shirt to get the gritty substance off. Shivers rock my whole body. Something about this place is wrong, and I’m not sticking around to figure out what. Tapping my cane along the floor, I’m able to find the exit without knocking into anything else.

Reading Romances Challenge 2012

The Reading Romances Challenge is not about the amount of books you read, but the variety of titles you’ll have read when the challenge is over! Our goal is to read a bit of everything related to romance and open our minds to new genres we wouldn’t usually read. This challenge is being hosted by Reading Romances.

I will be listing reviews to this post throughout the year. Be sure to stop by often and see what I have read and reviewed.

Fracture by Megan Miranda (January - Options 1 & 2)
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (January - Option 2)

Happy Holidays to All

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy HolidaysOne and All Hey guys! I wanted to drop a quick note and tell you all happy holidays and that each one of you is truly a blessing to me. I won't be posting anything new until December 28, 2011. I am going to spend some much needed time with my family and friends. I still have several giveaways running, so be sure to check those out... I will have several reviews going up next week along with a new feature that I am excited about. I hope you will be too.   So still plenty going on...just nothing new for the next couple of days. You will still find me on twitter.
Current Giveaways:New Years Giveaway Ends Midnight New Year's Day Mid-Winter's Eve Giveaway Ends Midnight December 28Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning Ends Midnight New Year's Day12 Days of Christmas Ends Midnight December 24 - Winners Announced and Notified!

{Cover Reveal} Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

Title: Chosen Ones
Series: The Lost Souls
Author: Tiffany Truitt
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: TBA

Synopsis:

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Wow. I am in love with this cover and I can't wait to read the Chosen Ones either. It sounds phenomenal and maybe a little intense. I love dystopian so much but I don't read a lot of it. Maybe that will be one of my changes in 2012! Thanks for stopping by to take a peak at Chosen Ones.

I want to thank Entangled Publishing for allowing me to take part in this wonderful cover reveal.