tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20072699034453251272024-03-13T11:54:30.997-04:00Lost For WordsCorrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.comBlogger605125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-4245603699082579022018-07-12T13:25:00.000-04:002018-07-12T19:47:45.868-04:00Killing Pace - Douglas Schofield (Review)<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487466347l/33574178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #454545; float: left; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487466347l/33574178.jpg" width="210" /></span></a><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Laura Pace is a woman on the run—struggling to reconstruct her past, to rebuild her memories, to retrace her steps... and to identify the people who tried to erase her from existence.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Everglade City, Florida, March 2015. It’s been two months since Lisa Green crawled barefoot and bleeding out of a terrible car accident with three important questions: Where am I?... How did I get here?... and most importantly… Who am I? Her boyfriend Roland has been nursing her back to health under close watch. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lisa has amnesia. They both know that, but only Lisa knows that she hasn’t lost her ability to reason. And reason tells her that she is not Roland’s girlfriend. She is his prisoner. Gradually, Lisa remembers training and skills that she didn’t know she had and is able to make her escape. When a sheriff’s deputy finds her, she tells him she wants to report a missing person: herself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What follows is a high-octane international chase, which involves US Border Control, the Sicilian mafia, and a shadowy organization specializing in trafficking infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples. Lisa, whose real name is Laura Pace, must figure out who she can trust and how to stay alive...</span><br />
<i><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Synopsis taken from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33574178-killing-pace" target="_blank">goodreads</a>.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Title: Killing Pace</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: Douglas Schofield</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Publisher: Smith Publicity, Minotaur Books</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Publication Date: November 21, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Format: Finished copy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Smith Publicity for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/customer-reviews/R3L9V40L9HQF0X/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1250120551" target="_blank">Amazon.ca</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R181JF30PAPC88?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/killing-pace-a-mystery/9781250120557-item.html" target="_blank">Chapters</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My rating: 3.5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">KILLING PACE is a riveting, edge of your seat thrill ride. It ramps up the action, packs a punch, and doesn’t stop. There is a lot of information packed onto every page. This may bog the reader down if not immersed fully in the story. It is touted as a #metoo, post-Weinstein era read. I didn’t realize how eerily apropos it was for today’s social clime. Especially with the news coming out of the U.S. over the last several weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Laura Pace is an impetuous and fearless main character. I like her pluck, and she has no qualms with getting to the bottom of things. She has suffered through so much, but still rises to the occasion, and pushes to get what she wants. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">All in all, a fast paced read. You will need to keep your wits about you with this one, as it packs in so much information. I’m looking forward to finding out what is next for Laura. Douglas Schofield is an author to watch. </span>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-9262248016086150282016-02-21T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-21T06:00:03.617-05:00Subject Seven - James A. Moore (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Years ago, scientists began developing the ultimate military weapon: deadly sleeper assassins housed within the bodies of teenagers. Now, Subject Seven, the dangerous alter-ego living inside a 16-year-old boy, has escaped the lab and is on a mission. His objective? To seek out others like him and build an army capable of destroying their creators.<br />
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Hunter, Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kylie: five teenagers leading typical lives, until the day they each receive a call from a mysterious stranger-and learn that their destinies are intertwined. Subject Seven holds the key that connects them all. And a vicious, bloody battle for their lives is just beginning. <i>Synopsis taken from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8345521-subject-seven?from_search=true&search_version=service" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</i><br />
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Title: Subject Seven<br />
Author: <a href="http://www.jamesamoorebooks.com/Main.html" target="_blank">James A. Moore</a><br />
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Thriller<br />
Publisher: Razorbill <br />
Publication Date: January 20, 2011<br />
Format: ARC<br />
Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Penguin Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.</i> <br />
Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Subject-Seven-James-Moore/dp/1595143041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456021661&sr=8-1&keywords=subject+seven" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Subject-Seven-James-Moore/9781595143044?ref=grid-view" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>, <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/subject-seven/9781595143044-item.html?ikwid=Subject+Seven&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=1" target="_blank">Chapters</a>.<br />
My rating: 3 stars<br />
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Hunter, also known as Subject Seven, is a modified military weapon, engineered in a laboratory. He escapes from the covert military experimental laboratory. Now on an escape mission, he finds others similar to him, and bands together with them. We see Subject Seven’s character, the alter ego to his actual teenage identity, Hunter, battle for dominance. Both identities will need to piece together the mystery surrounding the secret military operation. They will also need to learn how to live cohesively together, as they both struggle for control of their body.<br />
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Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kyrie are others who are similar to Hunter. They all have gaps in their memories that they are having to deal with. It is refreshing to see things from their perspective, and not just from Subject Seven’s point of view. It can be a little confusing as the story does jump around a bit. However, there is quite a bit of gratuitous violence, and I would recommend this book to older teens due to the amount of violence included in the story.<br />
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All in all, a good concept, leaving the reader wanting to find out what happens next. Some may find the violence a little too graphic, and should forge ahead with caution if they decide to read it. Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-22621724403941826122016-02-20T20:11:00.002-05:002016-02-20T20:30:14.436-05:00Where They Found Her - Kimberly McCreight (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From the author of the New York Times bestseller and 2014 Edgar and Anthony nominee Reconstructing Amelia comes another harrowing, gripping novel that marries psychological suspense with an emotionally powerful story about a community struggling with the consequences of a devastating discovery.<br />
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At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions.<br />
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When freelance journalist, and recent Ridgedale transplant, Molly Anderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the story for the Ridegdale Reader, it’s a risk, given the severe depression that followed the loss of her own baby. But the bigger threat comes when Molly unearths some of Ridgedale’s darkest secrets, including a string of unreported sexual assaults that goes back twenty years.<br />
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Meanwhile, Sandy, a high school dropout, searches for her volatile and now missing mother, and PTA president Barbara struggles to help her young son, who’s suddenly having disturbing outbursts.
Told from the perspectives of Molly, Barbara, and Sandy, Kimberly McCreight’s taut and profoundly moving novel unwinds the tangled truth about the baby’s death revealing that these three women have far more in common than they realized. And that their lives are more intertwined with what happened to the baby than they ever could have imagined. <i>Synopsis taken from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22693182-where-they-found-her?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</i><br />
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Title: Where They Found Her<br />
Author: <a href="http://www.kimberlymccreight.com/wp/" target="_blank">Kimberly McCreight</a><br />
Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery<br />
Publisher: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins <br />
Publication Date: April 14, 2015<br />
Format: ARC<br />
Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.</i><br />
Look for it: <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Where-They-Found-Her-Novel/dp/0062225464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456016507&sr=8-1&keywords=where+they+found+her+kimberly+mccreight" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Where-They-Found-Her-Kimberly-Mccreight/9780062393036?ref=grid-view" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>, <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/where-they-found-her-a/9780062393036-item.html?ikwid=where+they+found+her&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=1" target="_blank">Chapters</a>.<br />
My rating: 4 stars<br />
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WHERE THEY FOUND HER follows Molly, as she and her husband are trying to come to terms with the loss of their baby. They move to his hometown for a fresh start. Molly, an investigative reporter, has had other things occupying her time, other than reporting. When a body is found, she is assigned to report the situation, not realizing how much this story will affect and traumatize her. She struggles with the past, as the story, and the body, haunt her waking moments.<br />
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There are a lot of secrets, and a lot of eyes watching the investigation. Particularly since the crime was committed in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and everything is related. Innocuous comments made early on in the read later turn up and are extrapolated on. Molly is a character who one can sympathize with, as she mourns the loss of her child, and is trying to move on. A stranger in a small town, she is the perfect person to look at things objectively. Molly’s voice aptly shows the struggles she has trying to keep her past from interfering with the present.<br />
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We also get to know two other characters quite well, as they both voice their own turmoils. Barbara, and Sandy are compelling characters. I’m particularly fond of Sandy’s character. She is going through a very traumatic time, as her world is also falling apart while she is looking for her missing mother. I didn’t find Barbara very likeable, but her insight did add to the read.<br />
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All in all, an atmospheric, engaging, and suspenseful read. This book highlights harrowing subject matter, and has several underlying themes present. It will leave you questioning, as you become more immersed in the read.Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-24972480468348844192016-01-04T22:36:00.000-05:002016-01-04T22:36:35.660-05:00Teaser Tuesday (Jan 5)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at <a href="http://adailyrhythm.com/" target="_blank">A Daily Rhythm</a>, and anyone can play along! </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Grab your current read </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Flip to a random page </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Select two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page, <i>try not to include spoilers</i>! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Please let us know the author and book so we can add them to our TBR pile!</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"So Lyle, can I ask you, what is it that makes you so obsessed with the. . . this case?" As I said it, the sky got just dark enough to switch the highway lights on, and all in a row, into the horizon, they blinked white, like my question had intrigued them."</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pg. 213, DARK PLACES - Gillian Flynn</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So far, this is an intriguing, atmospheric read. What is your Tuesday Teaser? What are you currently reading? </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-52989892130220746082016-01-01T18:25:00.003-05:002016-01-01T18:35:00.318-05:00Happy New Year! <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy New Year everyone! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll keep it short and succinct, <i>and will also try to keep it book related</i>. 2015 was a year of growth. A year of realizations. A year of introspection. A lot can change in one year. I've lost some friends, and I've gained new ones. I am looking forward to 2016, to getting back into reading, and blogging. As such, I have joined in the first book of the year which is hosted by Sheila over at <a href="http://bookjourney.net/2016/01/01/the-first-books-of-2016/" target="_blank">Book Journey</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My first read for the year is... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have loved all of Patricia Briggs' books, and am looking forward to finally reading this one and getting it off of my review shelf. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wish all the best for you <i>(everyone)</i> this year, and hope that 2016 is the brightest and best year for you <i>(everyone)</i> to date. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is your first read for the year? </span>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-76888650776039224422015-11-15T20:00:00.000-05:002015-11-15T20:00:01.029-05:00Creep - Jennifer Hillier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pulsing with the dark obsession of Radiohead’s song “Creep,” this taut thriller—Jennifer Hillier’s superb debut—rockets from its seductive opening to a heartpounding climax not easily forgotten.<br />
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If he can’t have her . . .<br />
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Dr. Sheila Tao is a professor of psychology. An expert in human behavior. And when she began an affair with sexy, charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she knew she was playing with fire. Consumed by lust when they were together, riddled with guilt when they weren’t, she knows the three-month fling with her teaching assistant has to end. After all, she’s finally engaged to a kind and loving investment banker who adores her, and she’s taking control of her life. But when she attempts to end the affair, Ethan Wolfe won’t let her walk away.
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no one else can.<br />
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Ethan has plans for Sheila, plans that involve posting a sex video that would surely get her fired and destroy her prestigious career. Plans to make her pay for rejecting him. And as she attempts to counter his every threatening move without her colleagues or her fiancé discovering her most intimate secrets, a shattering crime rocks Puget Sound State University: a female student, a star athlete, is found stabbed to death. Someone is raising the stakes of violence, sex, and blackmail . . . and before she knows it, Sheila is caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the lover she couldn’t resist—who is now the monster who won’t let her go. <i>Synopsis taken from </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10088219-creep?ac=1&from_search=1" style="font-style: italic;">goodreads</a>.<br />
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Title: Creep<br />
Author: Jennifer Hillier<br />
Genre: Suspense, Thriller<br />
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada<br />
Publication Date: July 5, 2011<br />
Format: Finished Copy<br />
Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i><br />
Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creep-Jennifer-Hillier/dp/1451669356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447620373&sr=8-1&keywords=jennifer+hillier+creep" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Creep/9780751549010" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>, <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/creep/9781451669350-item.html?ikwid=jennifer+hillier+creep&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0" target="_blank">Chapters</a>.<br />
My rating: 2/5<br />
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I was intrigued by the premise for <i>Creep</i>. It showed such promise. A professor, having an illicit affair with one of her teaching aides, also newly engaged to another man. A missing student, whose body is found. It was laden with all of the markings of a great read.<br />
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would. I feel like it tackled the topic from one direction, without thinking that it could have been written from a different point of view altogether. The characters were one-dimensional, lacking substance. I couldn't connect to them. If the story had been written from a different view, targeting the villain and following the mystery aspect, rather than the supposed psychological aspect, it would have been so much better. It felt like a first draft rendering. With work, it could be something better.<br />
I hate writing negative reviews. I have had a friend read it and rave about it, it just didn't work for me. Hillier has potential, and I hope that now that this book is under her belt, that she continues on to bigger and better. </div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-52247921910613681102015-11-15T16:13:00.000-05:002015-11-15T16:13:27.682-05:00The End of the Unintended Hiatus. Hello everyone.<br />
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It has been several years since I have blogged with any regularity. Life certainly has been busy, and I ended up having next to no time to blog, let alone read. I was working three jobs, and now am down to one, which is giving me ample time to get back into reading, and writing reviews.<br />
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I have a lot of books to review from the last several years, and will be getting to those books as I can. I will also be adding in reviews of my own books as well sporadically. I apologize for the delay in getting these reviews written. Unfortunately, life happens. I hope you stick with me, but if you decide not to, I understand.<br />
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I look forward to getting back into blogging, and being part of the blogging community again.<br />
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Thank you! :)Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-55201352197547594882015-01-01T14:56:00.000-05:002016-01-01T14:56:25.735-05:002014 Reading Challenge1. Addicted to You - Krista and Becca Ritchie<br />
2. Green Rider - Kristen Britain<br />
3. The Rosie Project - Graeme Samson<br />
4. The Weight of Blood - Laura McHugh<br />
5. No One Else Can Have You - Kathleen Hale<br />
6. King of the Dead - Joseph Nassise<br />
7. Half Bad - Sally Green<br />
8. The Paladin Prophecy - Mark Frost<br />
9. Dark of the Moon - Tracey Barrett<br />
10. New York to Dallas - J.D. Robb<br />
11. Uninvited - Sophie Jordan<br />
12. Wolfsbane - Andrea Cremer<br />
13. The Hallowed Ones - Laura Bickle<br />
14. Goat Mountain - David Vann<br />
15. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs<br />
16. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs<br />
17. Cruel Beauty - Rosamund Hodge<br />
18. Iron Kissed - Patricia BriggsCorrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-73730872314118222372013-04-15T12:09:00.000-04:002013-04-15T12:09:02.706-04:00Demons - Heather Frost - Blog Tour Review, Interview, and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate's life is far from normal. She can see Auras, her boyfriend is immortal, and her powers make her a target. But now that the Demon Lord is hunting her, things are about to go from dangerous to truly deadly. Packed with action, mind-blowing plot twists, and characters you can't get enough of, this is a fast-paced, heart-pounding read from cover to cover.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13695982-demons">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Demons (Book 2 of the Seers Trilogy)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.heatherfrost.com/">Heather Frost</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: Sweetwater Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: September 11, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Finished Copy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Cedar Fort Inc for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Demons-Seers-Trilogy-Heather-Frost/dp/1462110347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366039287&sr=8-1&keywords=demons+heather+frost">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Demons-Heather-Frost/9781462110346">Book Depository</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My rating: 3/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate is coming to terms with her new powers as a seer. She's acclimating well, but she knows that the Demon Lord is still after her. She and Patrick are in love, and she'll do anything to protect him, as he would do the same for her. She just wants everything to regain a semblance of normalcy, but that isn't about to happen anytime soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed reading <i>Seers</i> and was excited for <i>Demons</i>. However, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. It felt more like a transitional read, and while there was stuff going on, and things looked dire for certain characters, it felt like it was keeping pace rather than bringing the fight to Kate. That isn't bad though, we get to see more of the relationships that Kate has with her friends and her family, as well as the relationship with her guardian, Patrick. The story does move, and it maintains a relatively fast pace, but we don't see or learn much about the demons until closer to the end. I clued into what the major plot twists were going to be, and am wondering how Frost is going to resolve things with the complications that are now evident with the new characters and situations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate is a strong character. She is resilient and you can feel the love that she has for her family and for Patrick. She has a stubborn streak as well, and even though she has a demon lord after her, she's not one to hide in the corner and let others take care of her. She wants to be part of the team, and she wants to be able to protect herself and her family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Patrick is equally as strong, and he will do anything and everything in his power to protect Kate and her family. He loves her, and their love is evident throughout the book. He has his own share of troubles though as he has to come to terms with the troubling fact that guardians may not be as immortal as they once thought. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, this transitional read is captivating, and will hold the reader's interest as they find out how Kate and Patrick handle the challenges thrown their way. Kate learns more about her abilities, and what she is willing to do for the ones she loves. <i>Demons</i> is a relatively fast paced read and provides the perfect build up for <i>Guardians.</i> I'm looking forward to finding out what Frost has in store next for her characters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Interview</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Which of your characters would you most trust to have your back in a fight? Why them?</span></i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would probably want Patrick O’Donnell around in a tight spot. He’s a skilled fighter with lots of experience, and if he counts you a friend, you know he’s going to do absolutely anything to make sure you get out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i><span style="color: cyan;">What one song best explains how you view the world?</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It really depends on my mood. But I love “Singin’ in the Rain”—that song just makes me feel like, no matter your circumstances, you can choose to be positive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;"><i> If you could have any super power/ability, what would it be and why?</i></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Control over time—to speed it up or slow it down, and travel around the future and past. </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Do you have any quirks that you employ while writing?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must have music—silence starves my creativity. I prefer soundtracks, or songs with lyrics that don’t distract—<i>Enya</i> is a top choice.</span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> If you could be a character in any book, who would it be and why?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, I would want to be Hermione Granger—she’s smart, tough, and has a wand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for being here today, and for answering my questions, Heather! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Heather Frost can be found on her <a href="http://www.heatherfrost.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/">twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seers-The-Official-Fan-Page/158893460846605">facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4983261.Heather_Frost">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gkKOq8TUDY4/UWwkR6VC3VI/AAAAAAAABT8/96ReIBEtbqA/s1600/heatherfrost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gkKOq8TUDY4/UWwkR6VC3VI/AAAAAAAABT8/96ReIBEtbqA/s1600/heatherfrost.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Bio:
Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she loves her family very much. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English at Utah State University. Heather has always been an avid reader, and reading and writing are among her favorite things to do. She also enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Guardians, the final book in the Seers Trilogy, will be released July 2013.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heather Frost and Cedar Fort Inc have graciously provided <i>Lost For Words</i> with an e-book copy of <i>Demons</i> for giveaway. Thank you, Heather! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please fill out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1s_Hu5FQfJ3pEj9Jh2hN--bmRUlHPjSBgdEFdfsPw2wM/viewform">this FORM</a> to enter the giveaway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway is open internationally and will end April 22, 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you!</span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-16742320742935432502013-03-06T12:27:00.000-05:002013-03-06T12:27:15.916-05:00A Place for Us - Liza Gyllenhaal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brook Bostock has led a privileged life. The daughter of an extremely wealthy and prominent family, she married the man of her dreams and is raising two deeply loved children. But her happy home is shattered when a neighborhood teenager is assaulted during a night of drinking with the Bostocks' son and his prep school friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The scandal receives national attention—not only because of Brook’s family name, but because of the lawsuit looming against Brook and her husband, Michael, that alleges they are responsible for what went on in their house. Suddenly the small Massachusetts town they call home seems to be turning against them, revealing the simmering jealousies and resentments that have been lurking under the surface all along.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With their once-perfect family in danger of falling apart, Brook and Michael must find a way to get through this together—or risk losing everything they love… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808468-a-place-for-us">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: A Place for Us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Liza Gyllenhaal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: NAL Trade</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: March 5, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Finished copy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Penguin Group USA for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Place-For-Us-Liza-Gyllenhaal/dp/0451239237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362589188&sr=8-1&keywords=a+place+for+us">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-Place-For-Us-Liza-Gyllenhaal/9780451239235-item.html?ikwid=a+place+for+us&ikwsec=Home">Chapters</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My rating: 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brook has always loved her husband and children, and absolutely loves living in her husband's hometown, away from the influence of her own family with their high society last name. She has tried to distance herself from the acclaim that comes with being a Pendleton, and has done a good job of it. One night though, is all it takes for disaster to strike. Her family is now thrust into the midst of a scandal as a teenager was assaulted in her home while she and her husband were not there. An impending lawsuit threatens to shatter Brook's once perfect family. Will Brook's family survive this trial, or will they lose everything? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This book tackles many hard-hitting issues. Underage drinking, and assault first and foremost. Many emotions roll through the reader as they come to terms with what is happening. Outrage, anger, frustration, sympathy, and sorrow. We see the situation unfold through several different eyes. Phoebe and Liam have a history that unfolds through different flashback scenes throughout the book. We see the boy Phoebe has fallen in love with, and we see what he actually thinks of himself. Gyllenhaal writes broken characters that just resonate with the reader. I couldn't help but feel sad and frustrated with them for what they did, and what they did not do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another topic that comes under investigation is whether or not the onus is on the parents if they are not there to supervise. Maybe things wouldn't have escalated had they been there. Should they be held responsible for what happened in their home? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gyllenhaal tackles these topics and more as she weaves a complex and heartrending tale. <i>A Place for Us</i> is a thought provoking read, one that captures interest and will not let go until the end. Will Phoebe have justice? It is not just these characters who are dealing with their emotions and the consequences of their actions. We see Brook and her husband Michael deal with their respective pasts and see how it affects them now, and how it affects their perceptions now that they are in this situation. Would or could they have done anything differently? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, this is a harrowing read hitting on some dark topics. Gyllenhaal deftly weaves a story that will resonate with readers. Fans of Jodi Picoult's should enjoy <i>A Place for Us</i>. </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-61079419972254142642013-02-27T09:37:00.002-05:002013-02-27T09:39:08.255-05:00The Burning Time - JG Faherty - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1351368251l/16112450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1351368251l/16112450.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An ancient evil has come to Hastings Mills, and only one man can stop it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wherever The Stranger goes, evil follows. Wild dogs roam the fields. Townspeople turn on each other in murderous fury. Innocent women throw themselves off bridges. Swimmers disappear, victims of a deadly beast that haunts their waters. And the worst is still yet to come. The Stranger plans to open a gateway to the nether realms and release the Elder Gods to bring forth Chaos on Earth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only one man knows the truth, a country mage whose family has fought The Stranger before. But can he defeat his ageless enemy before Hastings Mills is nothing but a smoking ruin and the townspeople become unwilling blood sacrifices to the Old Ones? With only the help of a young woman and her teenage son, he will have to use all of his arcane knowledge to thwart his adversary and prevent the final apocalypse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Hastings Mills, The Burning Time has arrived.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16112450-the-burning-time">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: <a href="http://journal-store.com/bookstore/the-burning-time/">The Burning Time</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://jgfaherty.com/">JG Faherty</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Adult Fiction, Horror </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: JournalStone </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: January 18, 2013 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Finished copy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Many thanks goes to Dark Eva for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This review is part of JG Faherty's blog tour for <i>The Burning Time</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Burning-Time-J-G-Faherty/dp/1936564637/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361973284&sr=8-3&keywords=the+burning+time">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Burning-Time-JG-Faherty/9781936564637">Book Depository</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Rating: 3.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the Stranger comes to town, you should probably take off for parts unknown to him. When he comes to town, all the dark and chaotic energies in the universe come out to play. Wild dogs, tempers flaring to the extreme, sinister and senseless deaths. With the body count rising, and hell coming to fruition in Hastings Mill, it looks like there will be a burning time. Only one man has a chance at stopping it. With a town set against him, will he be able to stop the Stranger from burning through Hastings Mill? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John is an interesting character. He has been around fighting evil in all entities as well as collecting lore for years. He has lost many loved ones to the Stranger in previous years. He is weary, yet dedicated to eradicating the world of the Stranger once and for all. He is flawed, yet all the more human for his flaws. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The premise of <i>The Burning Time</i> makes this book sound like a good read, and it does not disappoint. It reads fluidly, though I would have liked more rounding out of the characters and situations. The horror instilled although sinister and insidious, was not bone-chilling. The book is dark, though not dark throughout, there was enough "light" when it came to John and his newfound companions. As their story unfolded, you couldn't help but like Danni and Mitch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Stranger is pure evil and chaos. He alone will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up while reading. He is fanatical in his obsession to bring about the burning time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, <i>The Burning Time</i> was essentially an 'easy' read as everything unfolded. I was absorbed in the tale and didn't find the horror too overbearing. That is not to say that it wasn't dark, because it had its share of darkness and death. One would not want to go to Hastings Mill anytime soon, what with all the macabre and senseless violence happening there. Fans of horror will enjoy <i>The Burning Time</i>. </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-38826363069874997382013-02-14T08:18:00.000-05:002013-02-14T08:19:41.355-05:00A Natural History of Dragons - Marie Brennan - Author Interview<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marie Brennan is here today with an author interview, courtesy of the Tor blog tour for her new release, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Natural History of Dragons.</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Thank you for being here today, Marie! </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you needed to choose one of your characters to stand by your side in a fight, who would you choose, and why? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mirage, from the doppelganger books. No contest. She’s a mildly superpowered ninja; why <i>wouldn’t</i> I choose her? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually, now that I think about it, very few of my novel protagonists are physical badasses. Deven was briefly a soldier and Dead Rick’s probably good in a street fight, but Mirage is the only one who’s highly trained. If I’m allowed to have magic, though, I’d probably go for Julian, from <i>Lies and Prophecy</i>; a combat-trained psychic could take down a great many threats.</span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What is your favourite part to write. Do you prefer plotting, characters, world-building? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My imagination tends to start with the world, followed shortly by a character in that world; for example, <i>A Natural History of Dragons</i> started out as “a Victorian kind of setting, with dragons” plus “a woman studying dragons and writing her memoir.” But for favorite bits -- the parts I think up and then can’t wait to write -- those are all over the place. They could be neat bits of setting, intense emotional moments, unexpected plot twists, whatever. </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> If you could define yourself in one song, what would that song be? If you could define how you view the world in a song, what would it be?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the size of my music collection? No way on earth I could boil myself or the world down to a single song. I will say, though, that I make “soundtracks” for my novels, and love it when I find the perfect piece for a certain character or plot event. That’s actually part of why I make the soundtracks; once I build up that association, the CD becomes a memento of the story, and a way to relive those moments. (There’s a hazard to this, too. I stop whatever I’m doing when “Death Is the Road to Awe” from <i>The Fountain</i> comes up on iTunes’ shuffle, because it throws me right back into the climax of <i>With Fate Conspire</i>.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you could visit any time in history, which would you choose, and why?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Again with making me choose just one! Republican or imperial Rome, Heian Japan, New Kingdom Egypt, one of the Classic Maya states . . . but I’ll stay a bit closer to home and say Elizabethan England, if it means I get to meet some of the major players from that time. I got a very strong sense of their personalities while researching <i>Midnight Never Come</i>, and deeply admire a lot of those people, warts and all.</span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Where do you write? Do you have any rituals while writing?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I write in my home office, and don’t have a lot of rituals, beyond the fact that I almost always write late at night. (I am a solar-powered night owl; it’s an odd combination.) The major one is that I usually have music playing; I always make several playlists for a given book, to fit different kinds of scenes, and use those to get myself in the right mood for whatever I’ll be writing that night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you so much for being here today, Marie, and answering my questions! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Marie Brennan can be found at her <a href="http://www.swantower.com/">website</a>, on <a href="https://twitter.com/swan_tower">twitter</a>, and on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/105839.Marie_Brennan">goodreads</a>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A Natural History of Dragons can be found at <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780765331960">Indiebound</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Natural-History-Dragons-Memoir-Trent/dp/0765331969/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355336692&sr=1-1&keywords=0765331969">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-natural-history-of-dragons-marie-brennan/1111307264">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?isbn=0765331969">BooksAMillion</a>, <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/0765331969?&PID=33241">Powells</a>, <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/21053044">Walmart</a>, and <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/A-Natural-History-of-Dragons-Hardcover/6742221/product.html?keywords=9780765331960">Overstock</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>About the book.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the
study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s
presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once
experienced, can never be forgotten. . . . </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the
world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of
dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern
science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish
young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling
conventions of her day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation,
her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought
true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to
the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that
would change the world forever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marie Brennan introduces an enchanting new world in <i>A Natural History of Dragons</i>. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2GjY5jN_Hw/URzcYjy6kuI/AAAAAAAABTo/Uo0u_QQduBo/s1600/Marie+Brennan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2GjY5jN_Hw/URzcYjy6kuI/AAAAAAAABTo/Uo0u_QQduBo/s200/Marie+Brennan.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author Bio:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marie Brennan is a former academic with a background in archaeology, anthropology, and
folklore, which she now puts to rather cockeyed use in writing fantasy. She lives in the San
Francisco Bay Area. In addition to many short stories and novellas, she is also the author of
<i>A Star Shall Fall</i> and <i>With Fate Conspire</i> (both from Tor Books), as well as <i>Warrior</i>, <i>Witch</i>,
<i>Midnight Never Come</i>, <i>In Ashes Lie</i>, and <i>Lies and Prophecy</i>. You can find her online at
<a href="http://swantower.com/">SwanTower.com</a>.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>All art credited to Todd Lockwood.</i></span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-45596623933637281812013-02-14T07:27:00.000-05:002013-02-14T08:22:51.142-05:00The Ruining - Anna Collomore - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annie Phillips is thrilled to leave her past behind and begin a shiny new life on Belvedere Island, as a nanny for the picture-perfect Cohen family. In no time at all, she falls in love with the Cohens, especially with Libby, the beautiful young matriarch of the family. Life is better than she ever imagined. She even finds romance with the boy next door. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All too soon cracks appear in Annie's seemingly perfect world. She's blamed for mistakes she doesn't remember making. Her bedroom door comes unhinged, and she feels like she's always being watched. Libby, who once felt like a big sister, is suddenly cold and unforgiving. As she struggles to keep up with the demands of her new life, Annie's fear gives way to frightening hallucinations. Is she tumbling into madness, or is something sinister at play? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ruining is a complex ride through first love, chilling manipulation, and the terrifying depths of insanity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15715847-the-ruining">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: The Ruining </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Anna Collomore </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Young Adult, contemporary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: Razorbill </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: February 7, 2013 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: E-ARC </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Penguin/Razorbill for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This review is part of the Razorbill blog tour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ruining-Anna-Collomore/dp/1595144706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360842455&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ruining+anna+collomore">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Ruining-Anna-Collomore/9781595144706">Book Depository</a>, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Ruining-Anna-Collomore/9781595144706-item.html?ikwid=anna+collomore+the+ruining&ikwsec=Home">Chapters</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Rating: 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annie Phillips jumps at the chance to nanny for a family in sunny California when she realizes it would mean she could leave her current life, and family, behind. She falls in love with the Cohen family, and idolizes Libby. The adage be careful what you wish for comes into play as she realizes that not everything is ideal in her new life. She fights to hold on to her sanity as she tries to figure out if Libby is truly the person she thinks she is; or if she is the cause for all of the weird and crippling situations that are occurring with a frightening regularity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Ruining</i> has oppressive undertones that nag and worry the reader as they are reading. It is easy to see Annie's descent into madness, even though she herself cannot see it. Within the first few pages we get a glimmering of Libby's personality. However, Annie, who is completely enraptured with creating the ideal life for herself with a new family, does not see that there is something <i>off </i>with her 'perfect' family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The undertones throughout the novel continue to build this web of confusion, and madness around Annie, leaving the reader unsettled. As we find out more, we realize, long before Annie does, how dangerous Libby can be. Nothing is as it seems, and Annie will need to figure out what is going on before she loses herself, her identity, completely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would have liked more closure, for Annie's sake, as I felt that there were some things left unresolved. Collomore weaves a brilliant tale of madness and horror as Annie realizes that things are not alright, that she cannot trust herself, or those around her. I just wish that there had been a more visual, more tangible interaction between Annie and Libby at the end of the book once Annie comes full circle and realizes just what has happened to her. I felt the ending was a bit anti-climactic for my taste. That is not to say others won't enjoy it, I just wanted a little more action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, <i>The Ruining</i> is a chilling and disturbing read that does not pull any punches. Annie struggles with identity and madness. The sheer insidiousness of the book alone had me reading along wanting to know more, with the hope that Annie would realize what was happening to her before it was too late. Even now, the book has gotten under my skin, and it has left me feeling a little unsettled. </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-67294770659377143162013-01-29T09:25:00.000-05:002013-01-29T09:25:06.743-05:00Paper Valentine - Brenna Yovanoff - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Paper Valentine</i> is a hauntingly poetic tale of love and death by the New York Times bestselling author of <i>The Replacement</i> and <i>The Space Between</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12109772-paper-valentine">goodreads</a>.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Paper Valentine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.brennayovanoff.com/">Brenna Yovanoff</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Young Adult, mystery, romance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: Razorbill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: January 8, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Finished copy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Penguin/Razorbill for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This review is part of the Razorbill blog tour.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Valentine-Brenna-Yovanoff/dp/1595145990/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359466585&sr=8-1&keywords=paper+valentine">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Paper-Valentine-Brenna-Yovanoff/9781595145994">Book Depository</a>, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Paper-Valentine-Brenna-Yovanoff/9781595145994-item.html?ikwid=paper+valentine&ikwsec=Home">Chapters</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Rating: 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been a sweltering hot summer, which makes for long days, and even longer nights. When a girl is murdered, it makes them seem all the more oppressive. Hannah knows what it is like to lose someone you love, seeing as her best friend died earlier in the year. She is still suffering the aftermath of losing Lillian. What she doesn't expect is how involved she is going to get with the girls who are being murdered. She might not be able to help them before death, but she is going to find out who is killing them before someone else ends up dead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The atmosphere surrounding this book showcases the oppressive heat, and the depth of Hannah's despair. Lillian's death is still affecting her, and she is gathering the pieces, trying to make sense of things. It really doesn't help that Lillian is still around, even after death. This read is a poignant one as you see how Hannah is suffering from Lillian's slow downward spiral. She fluctuates between wondering if she could have stopped Lillian, and being angry that Lillian could not realize that she did not need to be perfect. Yovanoff entwines these feelings well with the unstable and volatile feelings of a town on edge after yet another girl is found murdered. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The budding romance between Finny, a misunderstood loner, and Hannah is also aptly appealing. The tension is there as they are getting to know each other, but when Finny is taken in for questioning, Hannah realizes she doesn't know him as well as she thinks she does. Can she trust her judgement; is he really a good guy, or is he the killer everyone fears?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The romance marries well with the mystery in <i>Paper Valentine</i> and gives the reader a well-rounded read. I have been a fan of Yovanoff's writing from the start. I absolutely loved <i>The Replacement </i>and <i>The Space Between. Paper Valentine</i> may have started off slow, but it picked up speed and kept me engrossed until the final showdown. This is one of those books that will keep you reading until all hours of the night as you will not want to put it down once you get into the meat of the story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, memorable characters, and a diverse plot make this an atmospheric and lyrical read. The budding romance is perfect in comparison to the darker edges of the novel, and it balances well with all of the entwined threads. Yovanoff throws a lot of different emotions at the reader, yet they blend well to make this a near perfect read. Even though this is a slow starter, you will be burning up the pages to find out what happens next.</span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-18268304616399694482013-01-08T15:58:00.000-05:002013-01-08T15:58:34.825-05:00Teaser Tuesday<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WhjN9OphJFU/UOyDpvxAjyI/AAAAAAAABSQ/LzzjtqvZ9ck/s1600/tuesday_t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WhjN9OphJFU/UOyDpvxAjyI/AAAAAAAABSQ/LzzjtqvZ9ck/s1600/tuesday_t.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB from <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/">Should Be Reading</a>, and anyone can play along! </span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grab your current read </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flip to a random page</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">select two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">try not to include spoilers! </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">please let us know the author and book so we can add them to our TBR pile!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I have a double feature. First up is the one from a YA book by Robin McKinley, titled <i>Pegasus.</i> This book is just full of win so far! Anyway! Teaser time! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>" She thought it looked at her with surprise and... and... What made her think it was looking at her with anything? Maybe it was just interested to see a girl for a change: the first daughter of a sovereign since her grandmother.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pg. 55</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">This next teaser is from a book that just hit bookshelves today. It is from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">The Blood Gospel</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"> by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell. James Rollins is o</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">ne of my favourite authors so I'm looking forward to reading this one! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"It's just my dig," she said, preparing to believe her lie. "It's been years of planning, and there was earthquake damage." </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>pg. 67</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both of these sound fantastic. Can't wait to dive back into them both! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy! What are you reading this week? </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-6421665350300612292013-01-05T19:47:00.001-05:002013-01-05T19:50:51.711-05:00I'm back! <div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm around, and have been a very lax blogger of late. My apologies everyone. =/ Life has been hectic, and I have had some devastating challenges crop up. My resolution for this new year though is to get back into blogging. I have a ton of book reviews that I need to post, and will start posting those shortly. I'm not one to share what is going on in my personal life, so I won't go into details. However, I am looking forward to new beginnings, and blogging once again. Hopefully I'll get back into a rhythm shortly, and will be back to posting every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much love, and hope you all had a Happy New Year, and hope that 2013 is a great year for you! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me? You'll find me reading. ;) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cor</span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-15875738876849787192012-10-18T15:47:00.000-04:002012-10-18T15:59:18.140-04:00The Gods of Gotham - Lyndsay Faye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1845. New York City forms its first police force. The great potato famine hits Ireland. These two seemingly disparate events will change New York City. Forever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Timothy Wilde tends bar near the Exchange, saving every dollar and shilling in hopes of winning the girl of his dreams. But when his dreams literally incinerate in a fire devastating downtown Manhattan, he finds himself disfigured, unemployed, and homeless. His older brother obtains Timothy a job in the newly minted NYPD, but he is highly skeptical of this untested "police force." And he is less than thrilled that his new beat is the notoriously down-and-out Sixth Ward-at the border of Five Points, the world's most notorious slum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One night while returning from his rounds, heartsick and defeated, Timothy runs into a little slip of a girl—a girl not more than ten years old—dashing through the dark in her nightshift . . . covered head to toe in blood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Timothy knows he should take the girl to the House of Refuge, yet he can't bring himself to abandon her. Instead, he takes her home, where she spins wild stories, claiming that dozens of bodies are buried in the forest north of 23rd Street. Timothy isn't sure whether to believe her or not, but, as the truth unfolds, the reluctant copper star finds himself engaged in a battle for justice that nearly costs him his brother, his romantic obsession, and his own life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: The Gods of Gotham</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Lyndsay Faye</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Adult Fiction, Historical, Mystery</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: March 20, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Barbara from Penguin Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Gods-Gotham-Lyndsay-Faye/dp/0399158375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350587340&sr=8-1&keywords=gods+of+gotham">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Gods-Gotham-Lyndsay-Faye/9780399158377">Book Depository</a>, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/product/9780399158377-item.html?ref=google:sayt">Chapters</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My rating: 4.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Timothy Wilde is a bartender. He isn't a police man. He enjoys pouring drinks, not patrolling the rowdy streets of New York. When a fire razes down his place of employment, he finds himself out of a job. Much to Timothy's chagrin, his brother has no problems recruiting him to the newly minted police force. While patrolling one night, or rather, coming home from patrolling, he runs into a girl, and falls headlong into his first big case. Will he be able to solve the mystery surrounding this blood soaked girl, and the deaths that keep cropping up around her, before something happens to him? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Gods of Gotham</i> is a richly written book, and the attention to detail is fantastic. I'm a huge fan of historical novels. Especially when they are written well, and don't read like an actual history book. This novel offered up a host of memorable characters, and left the reader feeling engaged in the story. Timothy Wilde is a charismatic and intriguing character. He keeps the reader guessing at some of his thoughts, especially when drawing conclusions to who he thinks is responsible for the crimes that are inundating the city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Faye weaves a deftly tantalizing tale of murder, and politics, all the while keeping the reader guessing alongside Timothy. <i>The Gods of Gotham</i> stays in character to the times, and also keeps the read authentic to the policing and forensics of the era. One thing I found that kept me fully immersed while reading was the attention to the language and slang of 1845 New York. This really is one of the best reads I have read in a long time, and Timothy certainly kept me guessing right up to the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, if you're looking for something to read next, I recommend that you pick up this book. Engaging characters, mysterious circumstances, lyrical writing, and the historical detail alone will have you devouring this book. I look forward to the next Timothy Wilde book because I have a feeling his story is not finished quite yet. </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-41277377806233602862012-09-03T12:33:00.001-04:002012-09-03T12:33:16.297-04:00Y - Marjorie Celona - Blog Tour Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329495375l/13489087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329495375l/13489087.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“My life begins at the Y…” so starts Shannon’s story, a newborn baby dumped at the doors of the local YMCA. Bounced between foster homes, Shannon longs to uncover her roots. Where is she from? Who is her mother? And why would she abandon Shannon on the day she was born?
The answers lie in the heartbreaking tale of her mother’s family, and their flawed and desperate fate. Through Marjorie Celona’s intimate observations and quirky wit, present and past converge to shape a unique and lasting story of identity and inheritance. A novel that asks us to consider the “why” of our lives, even as it reveals that the answer isn’t always clear.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13489087-y">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Y</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Marjorie Celona</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genre: Adult Fiction, General Fiction</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Canada</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Publication Date: September 3, 2012</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: ARC</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Received from publicist. <i>Many thanks goes to Bronwyn from Penguin Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blog Tour: This review is part of the Penguin blog tour. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look for it: <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Y-Marjorie-Celona/dp/0670066370/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346283379&sr=8-1">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Y-Marjorie-Celona/9780670066377-item.html?ikwid=y,+marjorie+celona&ikwsec=Home">Chapters</a>, <a href="http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780670066377,00.html">Penguin</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My rating: 4/5</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shannon's life hasn't been easy, and she has always wondered why she was left on the doorstep of the YMCA. As she travels from foster home to foster home, she wonders, and resolves to find her birth parents, no matter what the cost. Would life have been better with them, or where she is now? She'll need to find out who her true family is, and "why" everything progressed the way it did and how she may, or may not be better for it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are no easy answers when it comes to foster care, and particularly Shannon's fate in the system. Bouncing around from home to home left Shannon bereft of family, and left her longing for more than she had. She wanted to belong somewhere, and looking for her parents and finding out why they gave her up is her starting point. Her story is a sad one, as is their story. Her voice is mature as she reveals her early years to the reader. One can't help the emotions she stirs up in them as she reveals some of her most personal hardships. Why was she left, could she have been left accidentally. Her story pulls at the reader's heartstrings as they instinctively want to shield her from the world around her. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bad choices and events that transpire before Shannon is left on the doorstep also leave the reader to understand why her parents made the choice to abandon her. One cannot know the circumstances that arise in any given family, but Shannon's parents, and her story is a powerful one, and maybe there could be some absolution. Shannon just needs to find her parents, to see them, and find out why. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Y</i> is aptly named as we follow Shannon's struggle with identity, and why this life is the one she must lead. Celona has created a powerful debut, one of hardship, longing, and the meaning of family. She weaves together both Shannon's story, and her parents story skillfully, leaving the reader wanting to know more, and letting them also question why. </span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-70817569837871671152012-04-23T14:39:00.002-04:002012-04-23T14:39:30.027-04:00Blog Tour: Fall From Grace - Charles Benoit - Author Interview<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charles Benoit is here today with an author interview courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/fall-from-grace-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for his book, <i>Fall From Grace</i>. Thank you for being here today, Charles! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/fall-from-grace-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<center><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/fall-from-grace-tour-details.html"><img height="101" src="http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7525/fallfromgracebanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What one song would you say describes the world as you see it?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Let’s get Moving) Into Action by Tim Armstrong and Skye Swetnam </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If Grace and Sawyer were walking down the street, and they ran into you, what would they say?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sawyer wouldn’t say anything, he’d simply wait for me to say something. But that’s okay since Grace would do the talking for both of us, probably a rant about how Larry was the best Stooge or that Bonnie and Clyde was a good movie that was ruined by the ending. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i><span style="color: cyan;">If Murphy's law affected you, what scenario would you see most likely unfolding?</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If? I get no special dispensation from Mr. Murphy. It usually rears its ugly head around deadlines and freezing computers, but it’s been known to pop up when I’m due to make a speech or big presentation, often as a nasty shaving cut (on my bald head, naturally), a missing sock, hiccups or laryngitis. </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you could choose to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sushi. Specifically nigirizushi, which is basically raw fish on a ball of rice. I have been known to exist on it for days at a time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Can you give us a description of FALL FROM GRACE in haiku? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nice guy with no clue </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clever girl with lots of plans </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steal something for me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you again for being here today, Charles! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Charles Benoit can be found on his <a href="http://www.charlesbenoit.com/">website</a>, his <a href="http://www.charlesbenoit.com/blog">blog</a>, and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=775505304">facebook</a>. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grace always has a plan. There’s her plan to get famous, her plan to get rich, and—above all—her plan to have fun.
Sawyer has plenty of plans too. Plans made for him by his mother, his father, his girlfriend. Maybe they aren’t his plans, but they are plans.
When Sawyer meets Grace, he wonders if he should come up with a few plans himself. Plans about what he actually wants to be, plans to speak his own mind for a change, plans to maybe help Grace with a little art theft.
Wait a minute—plans to what?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9829065-fall-from-grace">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div>
</div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-17001478295490027252012-04-17T13:54:00.000-04:002012-04-17T13:54:30.909-04:00Blog Tour: Breaking Beautiful - Jennifer Shaw Wolf - Book Trailer Debut, Giveaway, and Guest Post<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jennifer Shaw Wolf is here today with the debut of her book trailer for her soon to be released book, <i>Breaking Beautiful,</i> courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a>. Thank you for being here today, Jennifer! You can follow along with the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/breaking-beautiful-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/breaking-beautiful-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/breaking-beautiful-tour-details.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="100" src="http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5826/breakingbeautifulbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #b9cbd3; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida sans', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About seventeen years ago I stood in front of some executives from Bonneville Communications to tell them why I was majoring in Broadcast Communications and why I deserved their scholarship money. My speech went something like this: "Being a broadcasting major is like finding out exactly what I want to do with my life, that I never knew I wanted." As confusing as that phrase might be, I won the scholarship. Then I got my degree in broadcasting, went on to be a stay-at-home mom and never worked (ha ha) a day in my life. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though I have never had a "real" job in broadcasting, video-production has been one of my hobbies, loves, and passions since my first year of college. In school, my emphasis was in production (behind the camera) as opposed to news (in front of the camera), but we were encouraged to try both sides. After spending a few months as a very pregnant student reporter I never wanted to go in front of the camera again. (I've been trying to work up the nerve to vlog, but still haven't gotten there yet.)</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The part of video production that I love is editing the pieces together to create a story, from something as small as telling a couple's love story for a wedding video to a mini-documentary that followed a three day pioneer reenactment done by teens from my church. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I've learned about visually telling a story has helped me a with writing (the the "what I wanted to do with my life that I've always known I wanted"). I visualize a scene over and over in my mind before and as I write it, and once it's written I look for the "heart" of the shot (or line or paragraph or chapter) and trim away what doesn't work, just like I do when I edit videos. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I FINALLY get to debut the combination of my two loves, writing and video production. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had the book trailer for BREAKING BEAUTIFUL in my mind since I first started writing the story. Right when I was ready to really get started on it, some personal things came up and I ended up having to scale back my original idea a lot, but I couldn't be happier with the result. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had so much creating this trailer. I loved working with my "Allie," Brooklyn. She's one of my son's friends, an amazing teen actress (and singer) and just a really fun girl. I put her through a lot of to geth this finished; lying on a cold ledge, running in heels, and taking time out of her spring break vacation, but she was always willing to do it. I'm also grateful to North Thurston high school in Lacey, Washington and for letting me use the school locker area and to the Librarian, Steve Coker for helping me arrange that. And since we're doing the academy award thing; thanks to my amazing videographer-husband David and my son and other teen actors, David, Tristan (best creepy voice ever), Jennifer, Chelsie, Mellissa, Josh, Ben, and Jesse. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with way ado that is probably necessary here is the trailer for BREAKING BEAUTIFUL. </span></div><br />
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<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="182" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AT4TPxhZ0Rw" width="300"></iframe></center><br />
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</span></center><center style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311740644l/10914560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311740644l/10914560.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.</div></span></center><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10914560-breaking-beautiful">goodreads</a>. </i></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway Details</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jennifer Shaw Wolf has graciously offered up a copy of <i>Breaking Beautiful </i>for giveaway. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you, Jennifer! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway is open to US only. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway will end April 24, 2012. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please fill out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dERRUWs3ck5fbnMyZTN1VzN5cS16c0E6MQ">this FORM</a> to enter. Comments, while appreciated, won't be counted as entries.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you! </span></div></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-23629879021240646172012-04-09T12:42:00.000-04:002012-04-09T12:42:28.452-04:00Blog Tour: The Wicked and the Just - J. Anderson Coats - Author Interview<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">J. Anderson Coats is here today with an author interview courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/the-wicked-and-the-just-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for her soon to be released novel, <i>The Wicked and the Just</i>. Thank you for being here today! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/the-wicked-and-the-just-tour-details.html">here</a>. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avK2xQhGDzM/T4MQooXKNGI/AAAAAAAABM0/bpHgHTWrrbU/s1600/2061038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avK2xQhGDzM/T4MQooXKNGI/AAAAAAAABM0/bpHgHTWrrbU/s1600/2061038.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What was your favourite scene from THE WICKED AND THE JUST to write?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end, there’s a scene where Cecily realizes the consequences of her actions. It’s gripping, abrupt and devastating, and it changes her completely.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What song would you say describes the world as you see it?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“It’s the End of the World As We Know It” by Great Big Sea.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Can you give us a description of THE WICKED AND THE JUST in haiku?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medieval North Wales.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tax breaks and cheap land. Life’s good </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are English.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Murphy's Law applied to you, what outcome would you most likely see </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">happening?</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Probably the same as what happens now. If I’m in a good mood, I see the beauty all around me. If I’m blue, that’s the way the world has always been and always will be just kill me now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you could go back in history to any time period, which would you </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">choose, and why?</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmm, knowing what I know about history, I’m pretty fond of the twenty-first century. I like flush toilets and antibiotics and representative democracy. But I have to say I’d be tempted to visit the great age of sail - the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. There’s something very appealing about a world of frontiers, a world driven by discovery and novelty and the sense of potential for an ordinary (admittedly male) person with a little bit of luck and a lot of moxie.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The historian in me is scolding me for this choice, as it was also the advent of modern chattel slavery and the disastrous introduction of disease to the New World. But this era had the kind of restless energy and optimism that faded away once there was nothing left for people to discover. We traded wonder for knowledge, and although this was in no way a bad trade, something is definitely absent from a world without any more frontiers for ordinary people to explore.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for being here today, and answering my questions, J! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>J. Anderson Coats can be found on her <a href="http://www.jandersoncoats.com/">website</a>, her <a href="http://www.jandersoncoats.com/blog/">blog</a>, and on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jandersoncoats">twitter</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328908675l/12180253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328908675l/12180253.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12180253-the-wicked-and-the-just">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-73195267093663177192012-03-14T21:10:00.001-04:002012-03-14T21:24:50.965-04:00Blog Tour: Pieces of Us - Margie Gelbwasser - Author This or That<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Margie Gelbwasser is here today with an author this or that courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pieces-of-us-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for her book, <i>Pieces of Us. </i>Thank you for being here today, Margie! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pieces-of-us-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pieces-of-us-tour-details.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="100" src="http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5315/piecesbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: cyan;">Pop or Coffee</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">: Coffee, definitely. Can't start a day without it.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;"><i>Rock or Rap</i></span>: Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Beatles—rock all the way</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Skirts or Pants</span></i>: Jeans are my go to style</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Lipstick or Lip gloss</span></i>: Why wear it if you can't see it? :-)</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Writing or reading</span></i>: I'm going to cheat and say both. I need both to survive.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Toaster Strudel or Pop tarts</span></i>: My health has been eh and I'm on a gluten free diet now, so unfortunately neither.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Tom boy, or girly girl</span></i>: Girly tom boy maybe? I like to hang with the guys, but want to look cute doing it.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Serious and sweet, or carefree and reckless guys</span></i>: As a teen, I was into the reckless, class clown type guys. As an adult, I'll go for the sweet, but they don't have to be serious all the time. :-)</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Comedies, or Action movies</span></i>: I like both, but not usually rom-coms or chick flicks.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Summer or Winter</span></i>: Definitely summer. I'll take one snowfall so my kid can get the sledding out of his system, and then bring on the warmth.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Mountains or Beach</span></i>: I like hiking a lot, and the ocean. If we're talking vacation spots, the beach will probably win.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for sharing your preferences with us, Margie; and thank you so much for being here today!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Margie Gelbwasser can be found on her <a href="http://www.margiewrites.com/">website</a>, her <a href="http://www.margiewrites.com/blog/">blog</a> and on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MargieGelb">twitter</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327929260l/11788404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327929260l/11788404.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two families. Four teens.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A summer full of secrets. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11788404-pieces-of-us">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-13833256835308960402012-03-07T06:00:00.002-05:002012-03-07T06:00:11.132-05:00Blog Tour: Pretty Crooked - Elisa Ludwig - Aiden This or That<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elisa Ludwig is here today with a character this or that list, courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pretty-crooked-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for her new novel, <i>Pretty Crooked</i>. Thank you for being here today, Elisa! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pretty-crooked-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/pretty-crooked-tour-details.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="100" src="http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3961/prettycrookeda.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><i>Khaki Pants or Jeans? </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Jeans, for sheez.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Pomegranate or Dragon Fruit</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dragon Fruit, just because it sounds badass.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Action or Drama Movie</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Action. Preferably John Woo.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Go Out or Stay In</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go out. The world is out there!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Coffee or Tea</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coffee, and chocolate-covered coffee beans.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Desktop or Laptop</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laptop, because I like to go out (see above).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marilyn.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Pepper, but only because I had to look up Mr. Pibb!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Dog or Cat</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dogs. If I could, I want adopt all of them!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">Boxers or Briefs</span></i>? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boxers. A dude needs some space.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for giving us your preferences, Aiden! Thank you also, Elisa, for being here today!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa Ludwig can be found on her <a href="http://www.elisaludwig.com/">website</a>, and on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ElisaLudwigYA">twitter</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309195599l/11182074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309195599l/11182074.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">High school sophomore Willa and her artist mother move to Arizona where Willa starts attending an elite prep school after her mother finally sells some paintings, and Willa attempts to even things out by stealing from the rich students and giving to the poor ones.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11182074-pretty-crooked">goodreads</a>.</i></span></div></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-23640335779195242852012-03-05T13:58:00.000-05:002012-03-05T13:58:16.137-05:00Blog Tour: Cobbogoth - Hannah Clark - Author Interview & Giveaway<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hannah Clark is here today with an author interview courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/cobbogoth-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for her new release, <i>Cobbogoth</i>. Thank you for being here today, Hannah! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/cobbogoth-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/cobbogoth-tour-details.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="100" src="http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/2909/cobbogothbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What would your characters say to you if they met you walking down the street?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lylend: “Ah, so you’re the kyndie who made me a jewelry-making war captain. Not sure how I feel about that.” </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James: “At least she gave you ‘Viking-sized’ arms and a nice scar, old man. That’s something.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norah: “But are you sure you meant to make me the protagonist in Cobbogoth? I mean, look at me, I’m a freak.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lylend: “What exactly is a ‘freak’, kyndie?”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James: “Don’t listen to Nor; one day I’ll convince her that she’s beautiful. In the meantime, can you tell me what’s up in Book 2? Do I get to kiss her again? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lylend: “Eh-hey! That’s my kynd!”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norah: *blushing*</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If Murphy's Law applied to you, what scenario would most likely happen? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t know. I’m a pretty cautious person. I consider all that could go wrong before I go into a situation, so I’m usually prepared for the best and worst case scenario. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Describe Cobbogoth in one sentence. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cobbogoth is a fast-paced fantasy-adventure with mystery, danger, and intrigue, a unique and complex power system, and a story and mythology all its own. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What inspired you to write about archaeology? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love ancient things—artifacts, legends, buildings, history, etc. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to explore our small town looking for Native American and pioneer artifacts. We never found anything exciting, but it was fun just the same. I guess you could say that I was with my town, the way Uncle Jack was with Hella, Iceland, only he was searching for Viking and Cobbogothian artifacts. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What will readers hopefully take away from Cobbogoth? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope readers take three things away from reading Cobbogoth: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Most of all, I hope the world of Cobbogoth and Norah’s story gets under their skin, the way only entering a unique, new world can. And I hope they can’t wait to come back!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) I hope they leaving feeling like being afraid of something is okay—we live in a scary world—but that they are inspired to face their fears and push through them. Like Lylend says to Norah: “You can’t really be courageous without fear, for courage is when you act in spite of the fear.” </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Finally, I hope they have a better understanding of how our choices don’t just affect us, but everyone around us. We all belong to some kind of a community, whether it is our family, our town, or society in general. Like Norah, when she has to make a decision about the Haven, I think it’s so important to consider how our choices will affect our communities before we make them. And despite popular belief, I want readers to see how powerful selfless choices can be—they are the choices that change the world for the better.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you could sum up Norah's personality in one sentence, what would it be? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norah is an extremely smart, very loyal, yet chronically anxious seventeen-year-old who is not only searching for where she belongs in the world, but wants to love and be loved more than anything.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What is your favorite line from Cobbogoth? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from the line by Lylend up above, it’s a toss-up between these two:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“What is it with you and shiny rocks?” -Norah</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I see you’ve met the ding-bats.” -James</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: cyan;">What is up next for you?</span></i> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I’ve just finished the outline for Book 2 in the Cobbogoth series, and have started writing. I’m very excited about the continuation of James and Norah’s story. We are hoping to have it out by December of 2013. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for answering my questions, and for being here today, Hannah! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hannah Clark can be found on her <a href="http://hannieclark.blogspot.com/">website</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317308120l/12393892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317308120l/12393892.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To seventeen-year-old Norah Lukens, the Cobbogothians were just a myth. But after her archeologist uncle's brutal murder, and being asked to translate one of his old research journals for evidence, she begins a journey to discover the truth for herself.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chasing the myth her uncle was obsessed with, Norah learns that his murder was a cover up for something far more sinister. If she hopes to save others from suffering the same fate he did--including the peculiarly magnetic James Riley--she must head to Iceland in order to find out the truth once and for all. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If she succeeds, she'll gain the one thing she's always longed for. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But if she fails, not even the gods can help her.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12393892-cobbogoth">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway Details</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hannah Clark has graciously provided <i>Lost For Words</i> with a copy of <i>Cobbogoth</i> for giveaway. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you, Hannah!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Sorry to those of you who are international. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Giveaway will end on Monday, March 19.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please fill out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGt2R2FIbExDV3ZCVUJWNldab1ptY3c6MQ">this FORM</a> to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you!</span></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2007269903445325127.post-85554955427242195812012-02-29T11:53:00.000-05:002012-02-29T11:53:09.304-05:00Blog Tour: Deadly - Julie Chibbaro - Author Interview<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Julie Chibbaro is here today with an author interview courtesy of the <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/">Teen Book Scene</a> <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/deadly-tour-details.html">blog tour</a> for her book, <i>Deadly.</i> Thank you for being here today, Julie! You can follow along with the tour <a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/deadly-tour-details.html">here</a>, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/deadly-tour-details.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="100" src="http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8214/deadlybannernew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Can you give us a description of DEADLY in haiku?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A girl scientist</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fights a fever spread by</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typhoid Mary, cook</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you could jump into any story, and live out the story alongside the characters, what world/story would you most like to visit? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the books and stories I love are pretty godawful worlds I wouldn't exactly want to visit. Like in <i>The God of Small Things</i>, she lives in a poor part of India. In <i>The Poisonwood Bible</i>, they live in a terrible part of Africa. I'm attracted to dark stories about people who overcome, or don't. That is the fascinating part for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What wouldn't you want to see grace the headlines of a major newspaper about you? What would you want it to say? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Um, is that a trick question? I wouldn't want to see anything about my housekeeping abilities. They're just embarrassing. I would want the headlines to talk about what a good mother I am. I think that's been a point of pride for me. And, of course, about my stellar writing ability, hee, hee!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you were given the power to have three wishes granted, what would you choose? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wish number one: Enough money to take care of my family and be generous with others in the world. Number two: A cure for cancer. Number three: to go back in time and use that cure on the people I've lost.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If you were a tree, which kind of tree would you be and why? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I'd like to be a banana tree. I love their long, elegant leaves, and the fruit they produce.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for answering my questions, and for being here today, Julie! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Julie Chibbaro can be found on her <a href="http://www.juliechibbaro.com/">website</a>, and on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/juliechibbaro">twitter</a>. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>-------</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327995132l/11986354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327995132l/11986354.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prudence Galewski doesn’t belong in Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls. She doesn’t want an “appropriate” job that makes use of refinement and charm. Instead, she is fascinated by how the human body works—and why it fails.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prudence is lucky to land a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of a mysterious fever. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, Prudence explores every potential cause of the disease to no avail—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. But she’s never been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in solving one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Synopsis taken from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11986354-deadly">goodreads</a>. </i></span></div>Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464195462026286253noreply@blogger.com0