Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Waiting On Wednesday (9/29/2010) Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting. This is a book that I am dying to read.  By dying I mean that a part of me wants to read it so badly because I can't wait to see what happens to Grace and Sam. However, a part of me doesn't want to leave the fate of Sam and Grace to a self proclaimed black-hearted author that likes to make people cry.  I would make the ending happy and everyone would sigh and hug the book to their chests smiling dreamily.  Happy Happy Joy Joy!  Maggie (black-hearted author that she is) has confessed to enjoy writing kissing and crying.  While I do enjoy the kissing I can't stand to think of what she could write to make me cry.  DON"T DO IT Maggie!

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
To Be Released on July 12, 2011

This is all it says about Forever on Maggie's website.

The final installment in the trilogy. 

So who else can't wait/is scared to read Forever?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Don't Miss Out! Last Day To Enter September 30th!

The last day to enter the Wind Warrior Blog Tour Giveaway is September 30th!  Don't miss out on your chance to win.  Click here to enter.  Good Luck everyone!  Remember you can now get your copy of Wind Warrior by Cynthia Roberts at amazon.com

Monday, September 27, 2010

Book Review: Speed Dating With The Dead by Scott Nicholson

Speed Dating With The Dead
Author: Scott Nicholson
Released: July 9, 2010
Published by: Haunted Computer Books
Pages: according to the nook 265
Source: Scott Nicholson himself for my very honest review
Target Age: Adults and maybe Very Brave Mature YA
Summary from Smashwords 
and Amazon

A paranormal conference goes haywire when a man channels his dead wife and disturbs demons in an Appalachian inn. Inspired by an actual paranormal conference in 2008. "Always surprises and always entertains."--Jonathan Maberry, Patient Zero

"Keep both hands on your pants, because Nicholson is about to scare them off."-- J.A. Konrath/Jack Kilborn

A paranormal conference at the most haunted hotel in the Southern Appalachian mountains . . .

A man’s promise to his late wife that he’d summon her spirit . . .

A daughter whose imagination goes to dark places . . .

And demonic evil lurking in the remote hotel’s basement, just waiting to be awoken.

When Digger Wilson brings his paranormal team Spirit Seekers International to the White Horse Inn, he is skeptical that his dead wife will keep her half of the bargain. He doesn’t believe in ghosts. But when one of the conference guests channels a mysterious presence and an Ouija board spells out a pet phrase known only to Digger and his wife, his convictions are challenged.

And when guests start to disappear, Digger and his daughter Kendra must face the circle of demons that view the hotel as their personal playground. Because soon the inn will be closing for good, angels can’t be trusted, and demons don’t like to play alone . . .


I'm so glad that Scott Nicholson gave me the opportunity to join his blog tour and the chance to read his book Speed Dating With The Dead.  I really did enjoy this book quite a bit.  I have to admit that it was a little spooky/freaky/gross at times.  Digger was a complicated character and I wanted to like him but he was just so weak that I ended up mad at him most of the time, then I would feel bad for him again and forgive him.  I loved Kendra, Digger's daughter.  She is tough and bitter, but with pretty good reason.  The side characters were great, some were funny, others annoying, a really great mix that kept me entertained and never bored.  This book is suspenseful at times and hard to put down.  Not recommend to read at night especially if your afraid of the dark! I would say you should definitely add this to your to be read list.  Enjoy!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Welcome Scott Nicholson!!! Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway Extravaganza!

Digger Wilson’s Paranormal Investigation Team
By Scott Nicholson
www.hauntedcomputer.com

A lot of host bloggers for the Kindle Giveaway Blog Tour have been interested in my
experiences in paranormal investigation and how I used them in Speed Dating with the
Dead.

I don’t want to overdo the topic, but today’s host Shari put an interesting spin on it by
asking “If you, Scott, were actually Wayne ‘Digger’ Wilson and you were hiring your
own "SSI" team what kind of interview would potential applicants experience?”

It would depend on my ghost hunting goals, of course. If I were a serious investigator, I
would want tech experts, a person with a vast knowledge of building construction, and
someone with video and audio recording skills. But Wayne isn’t that serious, because
his main interest is paranormal conferences. He has curiosity but he also recognizes
paranormal tourism is part showmanship and entertainment.

The interview would be skewed based on what role the applicant would fulfill on the
team, because Wayne needs a few people who can impress attendees with the latest
gizmos, and he also needs one or two Sensitives who can infect people with their belief
in ghosts. Of course, he’d also want a couple of metaphysical drama queens as well, to
provide spark and a certain unpredictability.

But let’s assume Wayne just wants a general type of hunt leader, someone who has a
little experience beyond just watching “TAPS” reruns. Here’s how it would go down:

DIGGER: So, what caused your interest in the paranormal?
APPLICANT: When I was ten, my grandmother died, and that night she came to the foot
of my bed and told me everything was okay.

DIGGER: Really? That would have freaked me out.
APPLICANT: It runs in the family. Everybody’s seen Uncle Floyd’s ghost, too. We don’t
talk about it much, but it’s not off limits, either.

DIGGER: So you’ve already made up your mind about the existence of an afterlife?
APPLICANT: I believe in it, but I also want proof.

DIGGER: Why is it so important that you make others believe? Isn’t your own faith good
enough?
APPLICANT: The more people understand, the more seriously people will take our
work.

DIGGER: You can’t be serious. Are you serious?
APPLICANT: I thought you were serious, too.

DIGGER: Sure, sure. As you know, we break up into groups of six or eight for each hunt.
Can you lead a group like that?

APPLICANT: Yes. We have a little team back home and we go out once a month for an
overnight.

DIGGER: We don’t have time for that. This is speed dating with the dead. Tight
schedule, fifty minutes for each location, ten minutes to rotate and set up. Every guest
gets at least one hunt with whichever para-celeb we fly in for the conference.
APPLICANT: That doesn’t sound very scientific.

DIGGER: You’re a tour guide for paranormal tourists. That’s what we do. Now,
hypothetical situation. Someone on your hunt freaks out in the dark, makes a run for it,
knocking over equipment. How do you handle it?
APPLICANT: I turn on the lights?

DIGGER: Wrong. You yell, “Oh, my God, what was THAT?” Then wait for everyone to
panic and flee. Then slowly back out of the room, holding your flashlight. It’ll become
the most popular hunt site of the conference.
APPLICANT: That sounds a little phony.

DIGGER: Listen. People don’t want the truth. Have you ever told anybody the truth
about themselves?
APPLICANT: Yes.
DIGGER: And they didn’t want to hear it, right?
APPLICANT: I suppose.
DIGGER: I’ve been doing this awhile. And I’ve learned people only want to have their
own beliefs affirmed. Nobody’s objective in this field. If you already believe in ghosts,
we’re here to give you ghosts. If you don’t, you’re probably not at the conference
anyway.
APPLICANT: So you’re playing to the crowd?
DIGGER: Nobody has any answers. All we can do is ask more questions.
APPLICANT: I don’t think I want this job.

DIGGER: You’ll be perfect. We’ve already got a whiz kid, a tech guy, a demonologist,
and a skeptic. We need somebody like you, one of those sincere types.
APPLICANT: Do I get a black jumpsuit?

DIGGER: Sure. And I’ll even cut you in on T-shirt sales. One last question.
APPLICANT: Okay.
DIGGER: Do you by any chance speak in tongues?


----------------
Scott Nicholson is author of The Skull Ring, Speed Dating with the Dead, Drummer Boy,
and nine other novels, five story collections, four comics series, and six screenplays. A
journalist and freelance editor in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, he often
uses local legends in his work. This tour is sponsored by Amazon, Kindle Nation Daily,
and Dellaster Design.

To be eligible for the Kindle DX, simply post a comment below with contact info. Feel
free to debate and discuss the topic, but you will only be entered once per blog. Visit all

the blogs on the tour and increase your odds. I’m also giving away a Kindle 3 through the
tour newsletter and a Pandora’s Box of free ebooks to a follower of “hauntedcomputer”
on Twitter. And, hey, buy my books and put me in the Top 100 and I’ll throw in
another random Kindle 3 giveaway. Thanks for playing. Complete details at http:// www.hauntedcomputer.com/blogtour.htm

Good Luck everyone!!!
Thank you so much Scott for including me in your fantastic blog tour.  It's been a blast!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Welcoming The Fall Giveaway!!

I have such a love~hate relationship with fall.  I love that I can finally go outside again without melting in a puddle.  I hate that we have to close up the pool.  I love Halloween and Thanksgiving but I hate leaving our lazy summer days to begin the busy days of our back to homeschooling lives.  I do love that I am able to stay at home and homeschool my children though.  I love pulling out my jeans and sweaters but I hate coats.  I do love the great cool evening air that's so great for sleeping in though.

 Anyway with such a roller coaster of emotions I needed to do something that I love and have fun doing.  Good Choice Reading had a great idea, a fall giveaway.  Sounds great!! Sign me up!  I wasn't the only one who thought that a giveaway was a good idea, over 50 bloggers have joined in the fun.

  So you guys get over 50 blogs to visit to try and win some amazing prizes.  Here at My Neurotic Book Affair you can try your luck at winning a prize pack containing your choice of  two of the three listed books: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Tantalize by Cynthia Smith or Dark Visions by L.J. Smith (your choice).  Plus surprise goodies!  All you have to do is comment to this post with one thing you love about fall that's one entry, follow me that's another, follow me at twitter (@mybookaffair) that's another entry, follow me at facebook for another entry, tell others about the giveaway on your blog, twitter, facebook or any other place that book lovers look to for giveaways and get another entry.  Then let me know in your comment how many entries you get and viola you are on your way to winning.  Links are greatly appreciated not because I don't trust you all, but cuz I love to see my name all over the place!  Make sure you leave me your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.  If you don't want your email on my blog you can email it to me at myneuroticbookaffair@gmail.com (make sure you still comment though)


I'm also including some book extras in your package to enhance your reading pleasure, wait that sounds dirty.  The extras aren't dirty I promise:)  Have a great time visiting all the blogs and I wish you all luck in winning some great prizes.  Here is a list of the other blogs that are participating.  HAVE FUN!  REMEMBER this contest is only one week long!!!!






  1. A Cozy Reader (US & Canada)
  2. A Musing Reviews (US ONLY)
  3. Bibliognome (US & International)
  4. Blkosiners Book Blog (US Only)
  5. Romance Book Junkie (US ONLY)
  6. Skyla11377 (US & International)
  7. Sinfully Tasty Reads (US ONLY)
  8. Once upon a Twilight (US & Canada)
  9. Crazy Book Reader (US & International)
  10. Dark Readers (UK & International)
  11. Looksie Lovitz (US & International)
  12. My OverStuffed Bookshelf (US ONLY)
  13. To Read or Not To Read (US & International)
  14. Divas Bookcase (US ONLY)
  15. My Neurotic Book Affair (US & Canada)
  16. Sizzling Hot Books (US ONLY)
  17. End of Story, Next Book (US & International)
  18. Paige Maddison (US ONLY)
  19. Kishaz World (US & International)
  20. Iam a Reader, Not a Writer (US & Canada Only)
  21. iB Book Blogging (US ONLY)
  22. Candaces Book Blog (US ONLY)
  23. Reading Angel (US & International)
  24. The Elliott Review (US & International)
  25. J. L. Jackson (US & Canada Only)
  26. Reenas Blog (US & International)
  27. Reflections with Coffee (US & International)
  28. The Itzel Library (US & International)
  29. The Eager Readers (US & International)
  1. Soap Box in My Mind (US ONLY)
  2. Book Noise (US & International)
  3. My Reading Room (US & Canada)
  4. Dark Wyrms Readers (US & International)
  5. Good Choice Reading (US & International)
  6. The Cajun Book Lady (US only)
  7. Read for your future (US & International)
  8. The YA Glutton
  9. resugo reads (US & International)
  10. Jennifer Lane Author of With Good Behavior (US ONLY)
  11. All the days of (US & International)
  12. Two Little Cavaliers (US & International)
  13. SweetNothingsxo (US & International)
  14. Lillie (AliseOnLife): Read My Mind (US & International)
  15. Ex Libris (US & International)
  16. Another Book Junkie (US & International)
  17. JL @ An Avid Readers Musings (US Only)
  18. Divine Perspective (US Only)
  19. BookZone (US Only)
  20. Naked and Unashamed (US Only)
  21. Age is Just a Number (US Only)
  22. Divine Truth Press (US Only)
  23. Susan Kaye Quinn Author of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (US ONLY)
  24. Wicked Awesome Books(US ONLY)
  25. Scarrlet Reader (US & Canada)
  26. Aines Realm (US & International)
  27. Supernatural Snark (US Only)
  28. Taffys Writing (US & International)
  29. Words are things. . . (US ONLY)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (9/21/2010) Dead Is Just A Rumor



Miz B and Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Dead Is Just A Rumor 
                                   Author: Marlene Perez

Ryan fumbles with his buttons, but I thought he wasn't going to get his shirt done up in time, so I decided to help him.  I mean, my telekinesis skills were perfect in a time like this, right?  Wrong.
I was so flustered that my concentration was messed up and I popped all the buttons off his shirt, sending them flying in every direction.  




Monday, September 20, 2010

Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Amazing) No Spoilers

Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: August 2010
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Pages: 390
Target Age: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from Jessica Secret

Summary: by Barnes & Noble:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.


I have loved this series from the very beginning.  I've been very emotionally invested in the characters and have been waiting (just like everyone else) to find out what would happen to Katniss, District 12, and President Snow.  Right after I finished Mockingjay I brought the book to my daughter and told her not to read it.  I told her that it was the worst, most horrible book I had ever read.  She knew I was lying of course, she could see that I had been crying and not just a few tears.  Oh no! I had the full on hiccuping sobs.  You know the kind, body shaking, snot dripping, oh yeah I was a mess for the last few chapters.  Really though I loved this book.  It was a wonderful ending, I don't think I could have asked for more.  Not that I liked everything that happened in the book, no no.  However, I knew going in that there would be heartbreak and loss, there always has been in Katniss's life.  If you haven't read The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay then you are missing out on a truly amazing story. 


Sunday, September 19, 2010

Speak Loudly!!!!


         "Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity; it should end there."
                                                                                            Clare Booth Luce

                                                             Enough Said!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Before I Was Blogging- Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong

The Summoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Released: September 2008

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.
All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.
Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

The Awakening
Released: APRIL 2009


If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl — someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment — not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.
Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends — a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch — and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

The Reckoning
Released: April 2010


My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.
But normal is one thing I'm not.
For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.  Highlight this area only if you like spoilers
Not normal.
My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.
Definitely not normal.
And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.
As far away from normal as it gets.
I'm rating these books as a series and they are one of my very favorite YA series.  The first book took me a few chapters to get into and then I was seriously HOOKED!  The characters and great and I felt like I was on the edge of my seat a lot!  Definitely a must read! 

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Book Review: The Duck Song by Bryant Oden

The Duck Song
Author: Bryant Oden Illustrations by Forrest Whaley
Publisher: Flinders Press
Pages: 31
Released: September 2010
Source: I was given this book by Flinders Press for my honest review, which is the only kind of review I am willing to give. 
Summary: With the touch of a button on the cover, children will be singing The Duck Song as this musical book tells the comical story of a persistent duck that pleads for grapes at the most unlikely of places: a lemonade stand.  A comical tale of persistence and compassion, adults and children alike will delight in listening to this one-of-a-kind singing book, and reading it again and again.  Also included is a music CD, The Duck Song and More Fun Songs, with 12 original children's songs by Bryant Oden.  Featured songs include the hits " I Got A Pea," "Honey Bear," "The Duck Song #2," and more!
This book came in the mail and became an instant hit in my home.  Not only does my 6 year old son love it, my 11 year old daughter does as well.  I have to admit that The Duck Song is an adorable book that I have enjoyed reading to my son many times.  He also loves the song~ it is very catchy.  After the story make sure to look in the back of the book for the section that explains why the duck asks the man at the lemonade stand for grapes.  I think that was actually my favorite part of the book.  The illustrations are so cute and I was impressed to find out that Forrest Whaley was only 14 years old when he animated the music to The Duck Song.  You can view the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHi6LCx6Lx8
If you have little ones in your life I think this would be an excellent addition to their library.  I know I plan to to spread The Duck Song around this Christmas.

Book Review: Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Fantasy Lover
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Released:  February 2002
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 352
Target Age: Adult, definitely Adult

Summary by Barnes and Noble
Dear Reader,
Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day.
As a love-slave, I know everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all, how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She alone bothered to take me out of the bedroom and onto the world. She taught me to love again.
But I was not born to love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace--the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two-thousand-year-old curse?
Julian of Macedon

I really enjoyed this great adult romance by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  I had heard a lot about her books and how good they were and I honestly wasn't disappointed.   I loved that Grace treated Julian like a person and not the sex slave that he had been cursed to become.  I loved Grace's best friend Selena, she was so much fun.  Julian was HOT and the romance was steamy, I could have used a few more of those steamy scenes actually. The twists with the gods was fun and had this romance straying a little bit into the paranormal genre.  Whether you normally enjoy paranormal romance or not this book is definitely worth reading.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Waiting On Wednesday (9/15/2010) Once In A Full Moon

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting.  This book sounds really good, and I can't wait to get it in my hands.  The cover is beautiful too.

Once In A Full Moon
Elllen Schreiber
Being Released: January 2011
Target Age: YA
Pages: 304

Summary from Shelfari
Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever. Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend’s Run is famous for them. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight. Brandon may be Celeste’s hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend’s Run. The bestselling Vampire Kisses author, Ellen Schreiber, weaves together psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf—the perfect formula for what happens...once in a full moon.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (9/14/2010) Mieradome by Kate O'Hegarty

Mieradome
Author: Kate O'Hegarty

Miz B and Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

She backed away from the balcony a few feet, then raced ahead again.  She puhsed out her arms and fluttered her faery wings for the first time.  She sailed quickly over the slick balcony and flew.  Caiden's body plummeted farther and faster downwards and Amavia raced her arms forward to grab him.
Page 142
 

Monday, September 13, 2010

Book Review: Manifest by Artist Arthur

Manifest
Author: Artist Arthur
Released: August 2010
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 256
Source: I received this book from NetGalley.com for my honest review which is the only kind of review I am willing to give.
Target Age: Young Adult

Summary by Barnes and Noble:
When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.
But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener—and everything she'd ever want—except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door—Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like Krystal, she started off pretty "woe is me".  Granted, she is really upset with her mother for leaving her father and not giving Krystal a reason.  She has been moved to a new city and school and really doesn't have a clue as to why.  Her mother has remarried and has expected Krystal to just go with the flow.  I would be a little pouty and mad too.  I think out of all of the characters though, my absolute favorite was Jake.  I'm really hoping that in the next book he is focused on a lot more.  There was just something about him that really drew me to his character.  There is definitely more to learn about Sasha and whats going on with her as well.  I really enjoy a book with powerful characters and these characters have powers for sure.  This story flows along really well and is sometimes really hard to put down.  I'm looking forward to reading more about the Mystyx.  Definitely a book worth adding to your to be read list. 

Sunday, September 12, 2010

A Contest of Epic Proportions!!

I've been promising another big contest for when I reach 200 followers, so it's about time I delivered. But not only am I celebrating, so is my daughter, Jessica from Shut Up! I'm Reading. who recently passed 700 followers. So we're teaming up to bring you one amazing contest. Here are the books you can win:

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (PB)
Z by Michael Thomas Ford (ARC)
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (ARC)
Almost To Die For by Tate Hallaway (PB)
Captivate by Carrie Jones (ARC)
Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J. MacHale (ARC)
Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda (ARC)
Prophecy of Days: The Daykeeper's Grimoire by Christy Raedeke (PB)
Thirst No. 1 by Christopher Pike (PB)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (PB)
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R.J. Anderson (HB)
The Society of S by Susan Hubbard (HB)
Marked by P.C. and Kristen Cast (PB)
Max by James Patterson (PB)
Birthmarked by Caragh M O'Brien (ARC with dust jacket)
Nightlight by The Harvard Lampoon (PB)
Awakened by Ednah Walters (Manuscript)
Mieradome by Kate O' Hegarty (ARC)
Earth Is Not Alone by John Knapp ii (PB)
Nomansland by Lesley Hauge (ARC)
And more will be added!

We're not sure how many winners there will be, but each winner will get 2 books each. 1st winner get 1st dibs, then second, then so on. Ends October 17 at midnight, winners will be announced the next day. US and Canada only. FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER. (While comments are appreciated, they will NOT get you an entry.)

BUT international daisies, we haven't forgotten you. There is a second section of our contest that is open to EVERYWHERE The Book Depository ships! (Before you enter,please double check to make sure The Book Depository ships to your country!) One winner will have their choice of 1 finished copy of the following books:
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (Jessica loved this one!!)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

To enter THIS section of the contest, FILL OUT THIS FORM!

Jessica and I both love blogging and our followers and are so glad that we're able to give our wonderful blogger friends a little something whenever we can. Thanks and good luck!

Note: The entry form is the same on both blogs. You only need to enter once.

(Oh, and by the way, Ednah Walters, author of the upcoming novel Awakened, is having her own awesome contest on her blog. I highly recommend this book, so don't miss it!!)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Book Review: Awakened by Ednah Walters (Really Loved It)

Awakened (Book 1 of The Guardian Legacy)
Author: Ednah Walters
Release Date:  August 2010
Published by: Pill Hill Press
Pages: 272
Source: Ednah Walters sent me a copy  for my honest review.  That is the only kind of review I am willing to give.
Target Age: Young Adult


Summary: from the back cover
Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice.


Loved it!!!  What did I love about Awakened?  Well there wasn't much there for me not to love, honestly.  From the very first page I was drawn in.  A voice in Lil's head?  Who can resist voices in the main character's head?  I loved the characters.  Especially Lil's awesome Grandpa.  I have always had a soft spot for those super soft, but stern when they have to be grandpas.  Bran, oh what do I say about Bran?  I loved him but wasn't sure I was suppose to love him.  You'll see why when you read Awakened.  I also loved the kick butt action in this book. 
So you all know from my previous reviews I don't do spoilers.  I sometimes think that the back of a book gives away too much.  So I'm just going to tell you, once again I loved it and if you enjoy reading about angels, romance, mystery and action then I think you are going to love Awakened as well.  I recommend moving it to the top of your to be read list.  As always when you finish Awakened I would love to know what you thought.