Thursday, June 30, 2011

Freedom Giveaway Hop


I recently did a re-read of Need by Carrie Jones.  See my mini-review here.

So I decided to give a paperback copy of this book away for the Freedom Giveaway Hop.






Must be a follower and fill out the form below.  Open internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you.  Check here to see.

This contest is closed



Then hop along to the next blog.

Follow Friday #3

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by ParaJunkee – helping bloggers get out there and meet new bloggers!

Be sure to visit ParaJunkee’s blog to add your name to the linky if you’re joining in, and to get the button with code below. Click on the picture to get there.

I'm still new to Follow Friday although I've read them for a while on a lot of great blogs out there.









Q. ACK! Your favorite book/movie character (example Hermione Granger played by the Emma chick) just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you include visual stimulation.


A. Okay, I'm going to admit it.  I like Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullin.  I know, he has his odd moments but I think that is why I still like him.  He's real.  As far as how I would react? Melt and then hide.  I don't think I could talk to him face to face.  Now if I could talk to him on twitter - that would be so cool.  =)

What about you?  What's your favorite book/movie charter?

A few of my favorite characters

A special guest post as part of the Blog Party for the Four Hundred Days release




So many times, it’s the main characters that are the focus of a book review.  I can’t talk about The Mortal Instruments without talking about Jace and Clary.  There is no way to talk about The Iron Fey without talking about Meghan, Ash and Puck.  But there are some characters that make the books so much better and never get the spotlight.  I want to give a little of that spotlight on those kind of characters today.


The first one is Grimalkin from the Iron Fey series.  According to Julie Kagawa, “Grimalkin in the name of the witches’ cat in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A grimalkin can also be a term for an old gray cat, but if they are one and the same, Grimalkin isn’t saying.”  (http://www.juliekagawa.com/funStuff.html ) 

Now Grimalkin is a cat but he’s a Fae cat so there’s a lot more to him than a normal cat.  The best part is that he can talk and he says some of the funniest lines in the whole book.  Here are a few:

“The cat didn’t blink. ‘Human,’ he said, and if a cat could sound patronizing, this one nailed it, ‘think about the absurdity of that question.  I am resting in my tree, minding my own business and wondering if I should hunt today, when you come flying in like a bean sidhe and scare off every bird for miles around.  Then, you have the audacity to ask what I want.’ He sniffed and gave me a very catlike stare of disdain.” The Iron King Julie Kagawa

"I could have taken a nap instead of waiting for you to finally show up. What took you so long human? Did you walk?" The Iron Daughter Julie Kagawa

“For the record,” Grimalkin stated as we ventured, single file, into the black, “I do not think this is a good idea. But, as no one listens to the cat anymore, I will have to wait until we are completely lost to say ‘I told you so." The Iron Queen Julie Kagawa

"Grim, wait. Are you sure you'll be all right?" Grimalkin smiled. "I am a cat."  And, just like that, he was gone."  The Iron Queen Julie Kagawa

The next one is Church.  Church is a cat in the Mortal Instruments series.  What I love about Church is he doesn’t talk but he says so much.  In the City of Bones, he is the guide around the Institute.  Whenever Clary needs to find someone or someplace, Church is the guide.  And normally, Church takes you where you want to go but the one time he doesn’t is the best.  When Jace and Clary return from visiting Clary’s house they are looking for Hodge or Alec.  Jace asks Church to take them to find one of them. 

“He stood up, and church shook himself, trotted a little way down the corridor, and glanced back over his shoulder” Page 134 City of Bones Cassandra Clare

Of course, Jace follows Church but instead of taking them to Hodge or Alec, he takes them to the kitchen and Izzy and she mad that Jace brought Simon into the Institute.

“I told you to bring me to Alec! Backstabbing Judas.” Page 136 City of Bones Cassandra Clare

“Isabelle cast an indifferent look at Simon.  ‘I suppose not,’ she said, absently dropping a piece of fish on the floor.  Church fell on it ravenously.”

“‘No wonder he brought us here,’ said Jace disgustedly.  ‘I can’t believe you’ve been stuffing him with fish again.  He’s looking distinctly podgy.’” Page 137 City of Bones Cassandra Clare

Church never says a word but so much is communicated.  I love the cat.  I missed him in City of Fallen Angels.  I was not the only one and Cassandra has promised he will be in City of Lost Souls.


Don’t think that everyone of these characters will be a cat.  The next one isn’t a cat.  No this one is a mouse.  Do you remember Reepicheep from Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Down Treader in the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis?  He becomes the leader of the mice that aid Caspian. Reepicheep is dedicated and funny.  The first time I read this book, I was actually listening to it.  The reader for the audiobook does the best voice for Reepicheep. 

"Why should your majesty think it? My own plans are made. While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle. When that sinks, shall I paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan's Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise... and Peepiceek will be head of Talking Mice in Narnia" C. S. Lewis


So now you think I am only talking about animal characters.  No it doesn’t have to be.  How about Seth from Twilight.  Yes, Twilight.  I know not everyone likes those books, but I have to tell you that reading that series started my adventures into YA paranormal and though it is not my favorite, I still love it. 

We see Seth in Breaking Dawn mostly.  I love the banter between him and Jacob.  He “makes” the part of the book from Jacob point of view.  Here are a few of his lines:

“Wait up. My legs aren’t as long as yours.” Breaking Dawn Stephanie Meyer

“You want me to be all doom and gloom, or just shut up?” Breaking Dawn Stephanie Meyer

“Alice wants you, too. She says she’s tired of hanging out in the attic like a bat in the belfry.” Breaking Dawn Stephanie Meyer

So what is the point of all this?  Well, I just wanted to point out a few of those great characters who are not necessarily the main characters.  They may be minor but they make such a great contribution to the book that they desire some lime light. 

Now I know I missed some good ones, so let me know in the comments who I missed.  Who are your favorite minor characters?

Check out the Four Hundred Days drawing contest here

Check out the Blog party for Four Hundred Days here

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly


Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly

Thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick press for the early look at this book.

My summary:

Willow Fields is different. Her mother is living in a fantasy world. They live with Willow’s aunt who never lets her forget how hard that is or how expensive that is. Never having the money for more than thrift stores and basics, Willow is self taught to fix cars. She doesn’t care that she’s different. Oh and she’s psychic. When the most popular girl at school asks for a reading, Willow isn’t sure it’s a good idea. But she feels the need to make a choice in Beth and decides to help her. A choice that Willow will regret.

Alex is seventeen and has been killing angels for years. He works alone now though he was trained by his father and used to partner with his brother. Both are dead now, killed by angels. These aren’t the kind and loving angels that most people think of when they think of angels. No these are the kind that feed off human aura and leave them mentally or physically ill. Now, Alex works for a secret department of the CIA trying to battle the threat of the angel invasion. He gets text messages that tell him where an angel has been sighted and he takes them out.

When the two worlds of Willow and Alex collide, the secrets that are hidden in both of their lives start to link out. What is really wrong with Willow’s mom? Why is she so psychic? Who is sending Alex the text messages about where the Angels are. How do they know how to find them? Should he trust them completely?

My thoughts:

4 stars – a great read

Characters – this book is a great example of rich full characters that are strong in their own right. Willow is comfortable with herself. She doesn’t need anyone to save her or protect her. Alex is troubled but content with his life. He’s good at what he does and is happy to do it. Together they make for a great story. I love the strength of both of them. I love that we can see inside both of their heads. The author alternates between Willow’s and Alex’s point of view. There are a couple of other characters that we see their point a view too.

The setting of this book is realistic. It moves around with the characters from New York to Colorado and a few other places. The world is built to make sense of the angels existing right in the world around us. Devote angel believers are all around and the non-believing just scoff. It makes perfect sense in a modern world. I was surprised to see that the angels were not the good guys in this book. That’s really different. They aren’t even from God but from a different world. I found that interesting and different. The twist as to why Willow is psychic is also completely plausible. The world just felt comfortable and real. I enjoyed that.

The plot is fast moving and interesting. While there was an immediate attraction between Willow and Alex, it wasn’t developed quickly. The tension and angst between them was perfect. There wasn’t the fall into each other’s arms thing going on. The story moved their relationship forward, which was refreshing. Things didn’t come easy for them and they struggled a lot. There were only one or two little things that bugged me. I won’t say too much so I don’t spoil anyone but the ending drama was confusing to me. Still not sure about one little thing. Maybe I need to ask the author. Hmm.

Anyway, if you like the paranormal romance, then you will love this book. It’s fast and fun. If you read my review, you know I sometimes have to take stress breaks when my characters are in danger. I did have to do that once in this book but I quickly came back to finish.

Pick this one up – you won’t regret it. Enjoy the read.


Teaser Tuesday 6-28-11

This is a weekly bookish meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
To participate you:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from Lor Mandela Destruction from Twins by L. Carrol.  The second book in this series, Four Hundred Days, comes out soon.  So here's a taste of book 1.

"There, outside her second story window, two bright white lights--no bigger than a dime--darted around behind the fluttering curtains.  They zipped to the right, stopped, and held still for a second, and then spiraled down together to the left. They made a faint but peculiar noise as they jumped from place to place, like a cross between static on a television and chirping crickets."  page 11

Just starting this one so I'll let you know what I think.

In the mean time, check out the blog tour going on for the release of book two, Four Hundred Days.  If you're an artist, then check out the 'Four Hundred Days' Creature Drawing Contest.

Let me know what you think about my teaser and what your teaser is in the comments.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Calling all artists...

Ignite Your Imagination with the 'Four Hundred Days' Creature Drawing Contest

Lor Mandela


Creature Drawing Contest
In celebration of the upcoming release of Four Hundred Days by L Carroll, the second book in the Lor Mandela Series, we are launching a Creature Drawing Contest.
We are asking readers to show their love for the Lor Mandela series by bringing life to the creatures in this series. We are inviting artists to participate and win
First place prize package: $25 iTune Gift Card and a SIGNED copy of Four Hundred Days.
Second place prize: A Signed copy of Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr.
Meet the Creatures: (L Carroll has provided scenes that best describe the following characters)
1.     Lortu:
 Lortu is the thin, yet muscular, grey-skinned leader of the Lortus Clan of Shadow Dwellers. Here is his description straight from the first book, DESTRUCTION FROM TWINS:
            On the other side of the river, the room's walls were alive with dancing reflections of the water and flickering glints of light from the torches that lined them.
            Suddenly, something about the shadows became abnormal. A section toward the center of the wall started to take shape and form. Quickly, and quite seamlessly, a human-like creature emerged from the shadows. It was a thin, yet muscular man wearing only a tattered animal skin which wrapped around his waist and hung nearly to his knees. His shoulder length hair twisted and weaved out of the shadows, gradually brightening from a gloomy bluish black to pure white. It floated around as if it had a mind of its own.
            Even in the dim light, and from easily thirty feet away, Maggie could see that this mysterious creature's eyes were either white, or a very pale, icy blue.
            As the last bit of him separated from the shadowy wall, he leaned over so that his knuckles were almost on the ground and then broke into a phenomenally fast gallop across the bridge.

2.     Tabbit:
A playful, magical creature, Tabbit is the typical Shadow Squanki. Though she can fade in and out of shadow, she prefers to observe her surroundings by melting into whatever solid object she happens to be near. As she dissolves, her body, clothing, and hair take on the appearance of the object, camouflaging her like a chameleon. Her big buggy eyes are the only part of her body that remains visible. Here is a more complete description of Tabbit:
            Just a few seconds had passed when a demure fairy-like creature, dressed in a cropped blue top and a long, bright yellow skirt bounded around the corner...
            Tabbit was no taller than a small child and grinning ear to ear. Her big blue eyes were wild with anticipation...
            She bobbed her head up and down, causing her pure white wisps of long, wild hair to turn and twist strangely—almost as if they were alive...
            “Yep!” She popped her arm up to a salute and pushed out her bare bulgy brown tummy. “Me know whats to do!”

3.     Rynolt:
The rynolt is not a creature you’d want as a pet! Imagine what your mom would say if you brought one of these guys home and asked if you could keep it:
            There was a faint rustling in the mangled trees, and then a loud crash as an enormous two-headed creature burst out and thundered onto the meadow.
            “Okay, okay,” Maggie’s eyes widened with terror. “Don’t panic! Two headed . . . two headed . . . not real!”
            The creature turned back toward the dark forest and let out a deafening shriek. Slowly, it paced back and forth in front of the twisted trees.
            In the piercing starlight, Maggie could see the massive, frightening animal quite clearly. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen or heard of—a huge, mythical-looking beast with a thick, muscular body, resembling an enormous horse, but at least twice a horse's size. It was black and scaly with powerful, long, prancing legs, and a sleek, full, spiked tail. At the top of each swaying reptilian neck was an oblong, hooded head, similar to a king cobra's.
            It turned, giving Maggie a full view of one of the heads. It had creepy, glowing, silver slits for eyes, an enormous mouth and gleaming, long, sharp, dripping fangs that gnashed wildly at the hazy air.

4.     Solom Warrior:
This is a new clan of Shadow Dweller introduced in book #2, FOUR HUNDRED DAYS: 
      At that moment, a strange orange light began surging throughout the entire hall; it seemed to be coming right out of the walls.
            “Solom,” Mikil gasped, both excitement and fear evident in her voice.
             Everyone else was so occupied in trying to pinpoint the source of the strange illuminations that no one noticed her drop to her knees in a humble bow.
             “Glaron! Get everyone dat is not Noble DOWN!” she shouted. “Dey’ll keel you if you are steel standing!”
            Bridgette didn’t hesitate. The warning was enough for her and she quickly dropped into the same position as Mikil. As she did, the glow intensified, and then gathered and formed what looked like hundreds of tiny orange flames flickering on the walls of the room. Within seconds, the flames condensed even more and then transformed into sets of haunting, pupil-less amber eyes.
            “Get down!” Mikil shrieked again, and this time Glaron listened and lowered to his knees.
            The walls of the foyer began to ripple and distort, darkening as they waved unnaturally.  Dozens of large, black, bare feet started to materialize at the floor, followed by long, thin black legs. Suddenly, and with a strange swishing pop, creature after creature slinked out of the shadowy mass and moved further into the hall, eyeing the Nobles and weaving their heads side to side as they did. These beings were unlike anything Bridgette had ever seen before, and seemed rather like what one would witness in a demonic nightmare. They all stood at least seven feet tall—even the women—and had pure black skin. In fact, the only things on them that weren’t as dark as night were their eerie orange eyes, the long golden loin cloths worn by the men, the short golden toga-type dresses worn by the women, and the jagged pewter daggers they held out in front of themselves. Perhaps the most startling feature however, was the thick black scrolling ram’s horn on either side of their heads, which made their heads oddly disproportionate to the rest of their bodies. 
To Enter:
    Draw one (or more) of the creatures based on their description above.
    Leave a link to your drawing in the comment box.

Extra:
    Tweet "Check out my entry in the #FourHundredDaysContest @StuckinBooks, http://tiny.cc/b61pj win SIGNED books and more"
    Follow this blog to receive contest updates.
    Facebook about the contest.
    Blog about the contest.
    Grab 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days button and plug into your blogs sidebar.
Please leave a link to each.
Please read the Four Hundred Days Creature Drawing Contest Rules and Regulations before you enter.
Contest Ends July 15th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
*You could also participate in our sister contest "Four Hundred Days Character Drawing Contest" Hosted by WovenStrands.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare


In preparation for the YW Bachelors event hosted by Down The Rabbit Hole, I am going back and reviewing a book I read last year. 

I have the privilege  of interviewing the wonderful Will Herondale as part of this great event.  Look for that post July 22nd. 


Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My thoughts:

5 stars – a must read

So I will just admit that I love all of Cassandra Clare’s books.  I have read all of the Mortal Instruments and can’t wait for City of Lost Souls.  So I was very excited about Clockwork Angel.  I haven’t read historical fiction for a long time but I was sure that I would love it.  Of course I do.

The world that Cassandra creates is a prequel of the Mortal Instruments.  There are shadowhunters, fae, vampires, warlocks and werewolves.  Many of the last names of favorite characters are seen in this series too.  The setting is London instead of New York but the rest is the same.  It’s like visiting the twin of a favorite friend.  So much is the same but enough is different to make things fun and exciting.

I love the characters in Clockwork Angel.  Will is the mysterious bad boy.  He’s a shadowhunter that many have compared to Jace, but they are very different.  Will’s past is a clouded and he acts outrageous to protect himself and others from that past.  Clearly his is drawn to Tessa and her to him, but he resists it like his life or hers depend on it.  I can’t wait to find out why Will is this way in Clockwork Prince.  Cassandra has promised that Will’s past will be disclosed in that book.  Jem is less mysterious.  His past is somewhat explained in Clockwork Angel.  He is ill; nonetheless, he is attracted to Tessa as well.  I don’t think Tessa realizes it yet but it won’t be long.  This sets up a love triangle.  I haven’t seen one before where I could clearly be on either side but Cassandra has accomplished that in this book.

Other characters add a lot of charm to this book.  I love Henry.  He is absentminded and brilliant.  He spends too much time in his lab and not enough time noticing his life.  Jessamine is exactly what you expect from a lady living during this time.  She is interested in getting a husband and NOT being a shadowhunter.  Although, I don’t personally like her, she adds to the book.  I love Charlotte.  She is charming and strong, something uncommon for the time.  There are several other minor characters that add such fullness to this book that they can’t be ignored, Sophie, Thomas, Agatha, and Gabriel. 

Told from multiple points of view, the story is action packed and full of the unexpected and it’s hard to put this one down until you are finished.  Some books I read, I have to put them down and take a break.  Not happening with this series. 

Even if you haven’t read the Mortal Instruments series, this is a must read.  The entire world is developed in this book so you don’t have to read Mortal instruments first.  If you like paranormal and you enjoy historical fiction, then this book is for you.  Enjoy the read!

And the winner is...





This winner of the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop is Velvet. (Winner was chosen by Random.org)

The winner gets a copy of Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton! Yay!


*Throws virtual confetti!* 

The lucky winner has been contacted.  They have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Mini Review - Need by Carrie Jones


So I was traveling this last week, driving, and I needed a book to listen to.  I love audiobooks in the car.  But honestly, I don't need another book to review right now.  I have a long list that needs to get done soon, so I picked a re-read.  I read this book before my blog, so I've never reviewed it.  BUT I don't need more to do.  So I am going to try this little mini review.

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.


My thoughts:

I have read Need (book 1) and Captivate (book 2) but not Entice (book 3).  So I thought a re-read of Need was in order then I could read Entice.  


I remember almost immediately how much I really didn't like the phobia quoting that Zara does when she's nervous.  She tries very hard to be a strong female character with all of her save the world and independence but I didn't quite buy it.  

Don't get me wrong, I love this book.  It's different.  Pixies.  What's up with that?  Not Fae but Pixies.  Something about that is just funny.  


No, I think that what I really like about this book is the shifters.  Not just wolves but all kinds, including an eagle.  How cool is that?  I love Nick of course.  He's the gorgeous wolf that Zara is drawn to.  I really think it's the characters that make this book great.  


I originally rated this book 5 stars but that was pre-blog.  I think I would rate it 4 stars - a great read now.


If you haven't discovered this series, check it out.  Book 4 comes out next year.

Lucky People in Lousiville, Kentucky


Fandom Fest Brings Large New Literary Track to Louisville Amid
Major Expansion of Fright Night Film Fest

Marquee celebrities like Hollywood legends John Carpenter and Henry
Winkler will command great attention at the Fandom Fest/Fright Night Film
Fest weekend July 22-24, 2011, in Louisville, KY.  Alongside the wide
array of premium Hollywood and media personalities, an incredible
opportunity beckons for writers, gamers, readers, artists, filmmakers, pop
culture fans, costuming enthusiasts, and many more.

Fandom Fest represents a bold expansion of the popular Fright Night Film
Fest, establishing several new tracks, genres, and a host of activities
catering to pop culture, science fiction, steampunk, anime, costuming, and
fantasy.  The event builds upon Fright Night Film Fest’s strong horror
legacy, growing from its inception in 2005 to become the third largest
genre festival in the United States.

Fandom Fest’s brand new Literary Track alone features over a hundred
participating authors, covering over 55 expert panels, 20 workshops, and a
large number of live readings, author signings, and book launches.  From
the current state of publishing, to intensive writing workshops, and
workshops in topics like self-publishing and e-Book development, the
panels and workshops of the Literary Track have something to offer
attendees from all levels of experience.  As a comprehensive learning,
networking, and career development opportunity, Fandom Fest’s 2011 content
is unprecedented in its region.


Major press authors such as Julie Kagawa (The Iron Faery Series), Molly
Harper (Jane Jameson Series), Eric Wilson (Fireproof, Jerusalem’s Undead
Trilogy), Shirley Damsgaard (The Ophelia and Abby Mysteries), Michael
Williams (one of the first DragonLance novelists), and Maurice Broaddus
(Knights of Breton Court) are just a few examples of the well-established,
award-winning authors from all across the United States who are attending.

Editors and publishers of many levels round out the impressive list of
track participants., The Literary Track’s sponsor is Belle Books/Bell
Bridge Books, who also happen to be sponsoring the prestigious
Dragon*Con’s 2011 Writer’s Track.  The main genres being featured at
Fandom Fest are primarily fantasy, horror, and science fiction, but the
Literary Track programming caters to writers of any genre, with panelists
from spheres such as mystery, romance, and even erotica.

The new gaming track unveils an array of panels, tournaments, special
guests, and much more, debuting yet another new section of the event.
Tabletop role-playing games, video games, board games, and even Live
Action Role Playing are scheduled throughout the weekend with a strong
team of gaming hosts.  Attendees include representatives of highly
regarded game companies/publishers such as DriveThruRPG,  Pinnacle
Entertainment Group, SilverMeet Studios, Hex Games, Beautiful Brains, and
Blackwyrm Publishing.

A multitude of vendors will fill the concourses of the Fern Valley Hotel
and Convention Center at Fandom Fest.  Gaming stores, publishers, authors,
crafts, production companies, memorabilia dealers, actors, artists, and
much, much more will be available for convention attendees to browse and
buy one-of-a-kind items from.

Even the live music portion of the event advances with a concert from
international rock act Bella Morte, whose frontman, Andy Deane, is also a
horror author appearing on the Literary Track.  Fast rising heavy
metal/hard rock prospect ZeroKing is slated to open for Bella Morte.

From gatherings of cast members from popular franchises like Revenge of
the Nerds, Enter the Dragon, Jem, and The Walking Dead (including Tony
Moore, artist and co-creator),to icons such as Margot Kidder (Lois Lane in
the Christopher Reeve Superman films), Kane Hodder (Jason Vorhees in
several Friday the 13th installments), and Larry Drake (Dark Night of the
Scarecrow, Dr. Giggles, and Darkman), the list of attending film and media
guests contains something for everyone.  For the thousands in attendance,
there will be more than enough to choose from in regards to programming,
events, activities, parties, and celebrities.

Best of all, standard weekend passes are just $45 dollars, which is much
less than the cost of genre events which are a small fraction of the size
of Fandom Fest/Fright Night Film Fest.   In value, content, and
affordability, Fandom Fest/Fright Night Film Fest is poised to become one
of the top events of its kind in the United States.

For further information on the 2011 event, please visit www.fandomfest.com
or www.frightnightfilmfest.com

Direct Links related to Literary and Gaming Tracks:

Literary Track Guests: http://www.fandomfest.com/literary-guests/

Literary Track Programming:  http://www.fandomfest.com/literary-track/

Gaming Track Guests: http://www.fandomfest.com/gaming-guests/

Gaming Track Schedule and Programming:  http://www.fandomfest.com/gaming/

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Follow Friday #2

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by ParaJunkee – helping bloggers get out there and meet new bloggers!

Be sure to visit ParaJunkee’s blog to add your name to the linky if you’re joining in, and to get the button with code below. Click on the picture to get there.

I'm still new to Follow Friday although I've read them for a while on a lot of great blogs out there.





Q. In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?


This is so easy. I don’t even have to think. My FAVORITE fae story is the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. I love Ash. He is so serious and all male.  I love Puck.  He is so funny and he makes me laugh. I love Meghan. She is a strong female but she still female.  I think Grimalkin is a hoot! I am always waiting to see what that cat is going to do or say next.  I can’t wait for the Iron Knight.

So what about you?

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck Author Interview & Book Review

Welcome Colleen Houck to StuckInBooks!

Hey Colleen, thanks for joining me at StuckInBook today.  I loved Tiger’s Curse and I’m so excited about Tiger’s Quest.

I love the whole idea of the curse with the Indian lore that goes with it.  It’s unique.  Where did you get your idea for the books?

Thanks, Valerie.  I started out picking a Beauty and the Beast theme and settled on a white tiger for my beast.  As I researched white tigers, I discovered that they are all descendants of a white cub that was captured in India decades ago.  I started looking into Indian mythology specifically related to tigers and found Durga and her tiger Damon.  The story grew from there.
 
Can you describe Tiger’s Quest in 5 words – you don’t have to make a complete sentence.

 Magical, Heart-wrenching, Romantic, Suspenseful, and Sweet

I know you spend a lot of your days with your characters. But if I could literally spend a day with one of them, I would want to hang out with Ren, even if most of it he was a Tiger.  I love him.  I would want to have him show me around India.  Who would you spend the day with?

I think I'd be too flustered to hang out with Ren, though it's likely he'd change my mind. I'd actually like to spend time with Mr. Kadam.  He fascinates me.  He knows just about everything and has had a very interesting life.

So many authors have playlist for their books these days.  Do you listen to music while you write?  Is there a song that you feel goes with the Tiger series?

I can't listen to music when I'm writing but I walk every day and I have huge playlists of songs that make me think of characters or chapters so that I can brainstorm while I walk. My playlists for both books are on my website under the extras tab. Different songs mean different things in the book but for Tiger's Quest the most important song for me is "I Told You So" by Carrie Underwood.


(Check out the rest of her play lists here).

Do you read the YA genre that you write for? What are you currently reading?

I am reading everything in YA now.  I just finished Keirsten White's Paranormalcy and Sophie Jordan's Firelight and I'm currently reading Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. Next up is Incarceron by Catherine Fisher.

Any recommendations for our “to be read” pile?

I really like Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, Paranormalcy and Firelight are good too and if you like sci-fi try Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

 When you're not writing or reading, what are you doing?
 
I shop with a friend about once a week and I love movies and eating out.  I also like to work on my "World's Best Aunt" status frequently.

Thanks so much for spending some time at StuckInBooks today!  I’m really excited about Tiger’s Quest and I just know it’s going to be fabulous.

Thank you!

Here's my review of Tiger's Quest

My summary:

Kelsey is home from her Indian adventure in Tiger’s Curse and is attending college.  She left her beloved Ren behind so he could choose the life he wants.  Attending a martial arts class, Kelsey meets Li, a perfectly normal boy.  As they get to know each other, Kelsey is faced with a choice between the man she loves and a normal life.  But adventure pulls her back to India where she searches for yet another gift to break the tiger curse.  What she finds is another choice to make between men who love her.  The struggle to choose and save those she loves may prove too much for Kelsey’s heart to take as the adventure continues in Tiger’s Quest.

My thoughts:
3.5 stars – A good read

I loved Tiger’s Curse and was only a little put off by Kelsey’s belief that she wasn’t pretty enough or good enough for Ren to love.  Assuming that he would “wake up” and figure that out, she left to avoid the hurt.  Well, she gets nothing but hurt as a result of her choice.  I spent the first third of this book yelling at Kelsey to wake up and realize how much Ren loves her and to choose him.  Then I spend the last 2/3 of this book with my heart in my throat worried about the characters I have come to love.  I put the book aside many times because I couldn’t handle the stress of reading it. I think I rated this book lower because of how heart-wrenching it was for me to read.  Obviously I love it and will continue the series.

The world that Colleen creates is quite complex.  I loved this aspect of the book in Tiger’s Curse but I became overwhelmed by it in Tiger's Quest.  I think that I really just wanted to know if my characters were okay so I wanted to skip this aspect of the book. The characters were why I finished the book.  I had to know what happened to them.  I love Ren and was truly worried about him.  I have come to care about Kishan.  Kelsey frustrates me but by the end of the book my heart was broken for her as well.  

The story was difficult.  I realize that authors do things to their characters to help them grow and to develop the story but the pain that these characters go through was so overwhelming I can see why Colleen described the story as heart wrentching.  By the end the story it was clear that the characters were left with the same results as life with the master weaver in control.  The book starts out with the masterful poem “The Loom of Time”.  The poem explains the need to trust in the creators hand when life throws the curve balls.  The dark aspects of the weave are important to the story.  The weaver here in this book is Durga.  Just as in life, people often become angry at God and wonder why, so do I want to demand from Durga her reasons why.  All we are left with is the advice of the poem, to wait and see the whole pattern when the weaving is complete.  For this series, that means three more books until the pattern in complete.  I will wait.



Monday, June 20, 2011

Teaser Tuesday

This is a weekly bookish meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



My teaser is from Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly

""So? I'm sure she's seen a carburetor before.' Nina stared at me.  There was a beat, and then I realized what I'd said and started laughing. 'Oh.  Maybe not, huh?'"  page 16


Just getting started so no real opinion yet.  What do you think?

Leave your thoughts and your teasers in the comments...

Midsummer 's Eve Giveaway Hop




Welcome to the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop, sponsored by I AM A Reader, Not A Writer.

For this hop, I am giving away one of my favorite books. Anglefire by Courtney Allison Moulton.





Check out this fabulous artwork based on the book.







Artwork by Yue Wang!
You can see more of her brilliant work on her website:
http://sakimichan.deviantart.com/

So, if you want to win this wonderful book, fill out the form below. The only requirement is to follow this blog. This giveaway if for US/Canada only, sorry I'm shipping this time.






Now hop along to the next blog, bye.


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Saturday's SIS Read-a-thon Updates and Report

Ok, first I will be putting everything in one post today and then just updating it so that I don't drive you too crazy with read-a-thon updates.

Update # 6

Total books read: 2
Total pages read: 607
Books read since last update: 2
Pages read since last update: 401
Total time read: 14 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling: Tired.  I read for a long time last night (or rather this morning) and then I tried to sleep for only a few hours.  I slept longer than I planned and I now I'm really tired.  So I'm not doing this mini-challenge.  I need to take a shower and wake-up. =)

Update #7

Total books read: 2
Total pages read: 622
Books read since last update:0
Pages read since last update:15
Total time read: 14.5 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling:Showered and awake.  Taking my book and going to get a pedicure!

Mini Challenge:  What book do I think should be taught in school and in what grade?

I think Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone should be read and discussed in grade school, probably 5th grade.  The reason I do is because there are so many great lessons about being a kid that doesn't fit in in that book.  Every kid goes through not fitting in in some form or another.


Update #8

Total books read: 2
Total pages read: 632
Books read since last update:0
Pages read since last update:10
Total time read: 15 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling: Not getting as much reading done as I wanted to. Have a family BBQ to attend but I brought my book.  Afternoon will be more productive.

Mini challenge:
How would I organize my bookshelf of favorite books.  Hmm.  I talked to my daughter today about this and she said her's would have to be in alpha order by the authors last name.  OCD much?  That doesn't appeal to me.  I have a bookshelf in my classroom of favorite books that I like to share with my students.  I organize it by how much I like the books and a series MUST be in order.  Then I have to re-organize it all the time because my students don't put them back in the right place.  Luckily, some of my students are OCD and fix it for me. =)

Update #9

Total books read: 2
Total pages read: 652
Books read since last update:0
Pages read since last update:20
Total time read: 15.5 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling: Done with the BBQ and home now.  Can finish strong and I'm ready!

Mini challenge:

So I'm supposed to make an anagram from my name Stuck in Books!  If you want to make one - go here.  Here's mine:





Update #10

Total books read: 2
Total pages read:695
Books read since last update:0
Pages read since last update:43
Total time read: 16.5 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling: Moving right along now.  Tired but good.

Mini challenge:  What is the funniest/most inspiring thing I read so far.

I haven't really read inspiring books so I'll go with funniest.   In Hereafter, Amelia was trying to talk to Joshua while he was mostly asleep.  I laughed a lot at his answers and wondered if he would even remember having the conversation.  You see my son, Joshua talks to me like that and rarely remembers anything he says.  The Joshua in the book managed to get enough of the conversation that he was where he was supposed to be the next day.  But I couldn't help but think of my Joshua.  Loved that scene. =)

Update #11

Total books read: 2
Total pages read:733
Books read since last update:0
Pages read since last update:38
Total time read: 17.5 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
How I'm currently feeling: I want to finish this book!

Mini Challenge:

If I could live in the world of one book, what would it be?  Oh this is hard.  I can think of so many books that I would want to live in, it's hard to pick just one.  Hmm.  Living in the world of a book doesn't mean I get the leading guy, cause he's taken and frankly so am I.  So I need to love the world not the characters necessarily.  With that in mind, I think I would love to live in the world that Julie Kawaga has created for the Iron Fey series.  I love the fey world that is there, the many magical creatures and the many possibilities.  Puck is there and he makes me laugh.  Yes, that is where I would want to live.

Final report

Total books read:3
Total pages read:849
Books read since last update: 1
Pages read since last update: 116
Total time read: 19.5 hours
Currently reading: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin - finished
How I'm currently feeling: I didn't reach my goal but I read a lot! YAY!

My favorite book during the read-a-thon was Hereafter by Tara Hudson.  It was really long, almost half of my reading, but by far the best.

I participated in all but one mini-challenge.  I was a little hurried this morning and didn't do the combine two characters one.

I think I like the challenge where we used pictures to create book titles the best.

I really liked that the read-a-thon focused my time on reading.  I got interrupted a lot but I could say, look I'm in a read-a-thon here!

I thought I would be able to do more reading than I did.  I underestimated how much I would enjoy Hereafter.  I never realized before that when I love a book, I have to stop and ;think about it, process if you will.  This book demanded that of me and it took me much longer than I had hoped.  I'm happy with what I got done though.  I really enjoyed re-reading Low Red Moon.

I do think the updates may have been too close together.  Three hours may have worked better.  I needed more concentrated reading time.

I really liked the read-a-thon and would only change the closeness of the updates.  I loved the twitter chatting.

I would do a read-a-thon again.  This was my first so I wasn't sure what to expect of if or me.  I think I will do a better job of preparing for it next time.  Maybe I could prepare my posts ahead of time to some extent.  I would clear my schedule better than I did this time.  I would be picker about the books I choose to read.

Thanks www.squeakybooks.com for sponsoring the read-a-thon!  Great Job!

 

Friday, June 17, 2011

Hereafter by Tara Hudson


Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this book.

My Summary:

Amelia doesn’t remember her death, she only that she drawn in a river under High Bridge.  She continually relives that part in her death nightmares.  She wonders not being seen by the living until the boy falls in the river.  He sees her.  He touches her.  With her encouragement, he escapes the river.  And after the paramedic’s carry him away, he returns to find her.  Together, they try and figure out who she is and how she died.  But they must be careful, because others aren’t happy about their new found relationship.  Evil forces seek Amelia and other forces try to banish her.  Can this boy help her?  Can she help him?  Or are they both in danger just being together?

My thoughts:

4 stars – A great read

I will admit that I am not a ghost story kind of girl.  I avoid books about ghosts even though I love most other paranormal.  But this book intrigued me and I decided to give it a try.  I’m glad I did.  The world that Tara creates is a pretty normal one.  There’s a ghost haunting High Bridge.  A group of locals has long been trying to stop him.  They are considered lunatics by many who don’t believe.  It’s very believable. 

I love the magic that is Joshua and Amelia.  It isn’t an instant thing or a crazy thing.  They develop a relationship with high intensity and lots of sparks.  Amelia is genuine and good.  She worries that she was a bad person before she died and that maybe she deserves what she got.  Her self doubt makes her more interesting and believable.  Joshua is strong and caring.  He isn’t worried about what others think of him.  He worries about Amelia and about his family.  I love his personality.  One of my favorite scenes is when Amelia is talking to him while he is mostly asleep.  I loved it.

Eli confused me a lot.  He was a lot of bravado and not much bang.  I really didn’t like him but I don’t think we were supposed to since he was the evil one.  I will admit his masters kind of disappointed me and I was confused by the ending with them.  That part may have been too easy for Amelia.  I’m sure things will change in book two. 

The plot moved quickly and held my attention.  As a matter of fact, I wanted to slow down and enjoy it more, but I’m in the middle of a read-a-thon and needed to read on.  I read this book in one day.

If you enjoy paranormal romance, then you should definitely pick this one up.  Enjoy the read!

SIS Read-a-thon Report

Update 



I am close to finishing my first book.  I have read 206 pages of Hereafter in about 6 hours with lots and lots of interruptions.  I am not on track to meet my goal of 5 books and need to pick up the pass.  I think I will be happy with 3 books.  Hopefully, I will get more read tonight.

What is the favorite thing you have read today?




I have loved reading Hereafter because it is a great book.  I probably should have chosen a different book because I keep rereading parts and thinking about the story too much.  But I have enjoyed it so that what counts.


Which mini-challenge was your favorite?




I liked the using book titles to make a complete sentence challenge the best.


What has been your favorite thing about the read-a-thon?


I love dedicating time to just read.


What has been your LEAST favorite thing about the read-a-thon?




Why doesn't the world understand that I am not available right now!?


Are you on track to meet your goals?




No I am way behind.


Will you be participating tomorrow? Do you have any new goals?


I will participate tomorrow but I am changing my post to only one and do all my updates within that one post.  I will probably only get through 2 or 3 books and I'm going to be okay with that.

SIS Read-a-thon Update #5

Update:

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 160
Books read since last update: 0
Pages read since last update: 28
Total time read: 5 hours
What I'm currently reading: Hereafter
How I'm currently feeling:  Ok, took a break and did some blogging.  Made me feel better.  Back at it now.

Mini Challenge:  So I'm supposed to make a complete sentence from only the words from at least 3 books so here goes:

Once in a full moon, everything I was rhymes with cupid.

SIS Read-a-thon Update #4

Can't believe how fast this is going and I'm not getting as much reading done as I thought I would. It could be I'm enjoying the book so much that I don't want to go fast. :)

Update:

Total Books Read: 0
Total Pages Read: 132
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages read since last update: 40
Total time reading: 4 hours
How I'm currently feeling:  Um - do I have to update, cause I'm so STUCK in this book! :) #Hereafter

Here's the mini challenge:  I'm supposed to give you images that when put together make the title of a book.  So my hint is that it's very literal and I've read this book and reviewed it.  Here you go:
 


 

Leave your guesses in the comments.... Back to reading!

SIS Read-a-thon Update #3

Update:

Total Books Read: 0
Total Pages Read: 92
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages read since last update: 46
Total time read: 2 1/2 hours
How I'm currently feeling: I'm a little flustered. I have a bunch of email and blog stuff that I'm ignoring. But I really like Hereafter and what to continue reading.

Mini Challenge:

Hmm. Here goes -

There once was a Shaman who lived deep in the jungle. He hide from the people who mocked him for his believes. One day, as he meditated, a goat approached him. On the goats back was a bag of sorts. Inside the bag was a bright lime colored laser pointer and an invitation to present a PowerPoint for the people to better get to know him. His fears had come to pass. The people demanded a lecture. He ran screaming deeper into the jungle never to be seen again. The end.

Yeah, well I didn't have much to work with here. ;)

Back to reading....

SIS Read-a-thon Update #2

Okay so I am back from the Dentist and this time I am posting from my computer - which is much easier to do!

May I also note that the hygienist kept making me laugh while she cleaned my teeth. Hmm. How am I supposed to keep my mouth open during that???? It was fun though.

Update:
  • Total Books Read: 0
  • Total Pages Read: 46
  • Books Read Since Last Update: 0
  • Pages Read since last update: 0
  • Total time read: 60 minutes
  • How I'm currently feeling:  Excited to get started reading again. 
Mini Challenge: I love wordle and have used it before.  Here's mine

Wordle: StuckInBooks

SIS Read-a-thon Update #1

Read-a-thon update:

  • Total Books Read: 0

  • Total Pages Read: 46

  • Books Read Since Last Update: 0

  • Pages Read since last update: 46

  • Total time read: 60

  • How I'm currently feeling: Loving Hereafter Tired of interruptions



  • So I have a dentist appointment to interrupt this day. BOO :( Be back soon....

    Mini challenge answers: Are there good movies based on books? If I have to choose I would say Harry Potter and the prisoner from Azaban. The worest movie from a book I have ever seen was Beastly. The book was brilliant but movie was terrible!

    Read-a-thon staring line

    Just a quick post to let you know that I've started reading for the read-a-thon!

    Soda? Check

    Music? Check

    Book? Check - Starting with Hereafter by Tara Hudson

    Plan on reading 5 books but that may be a stretch

    Check in later with an update - Happy reading! :)

    Thursday, June 16, 2011

    First ever Follow Friday

    Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by ParaJunkee – helping bloggers get out there and meet new bloggers!
    Be sure to visit ParaJunkee’s blog to add your name to the linky if you’re joining in, and to get the button with code below. Click on the picture to get there.

    I'm new to Follow Friday although I've read them for a while on a lot of great blogs out there.






    Question: Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?


    To answer this question, I have to admit that I love Twilight. Yes I do. My favorite genre is Paranormal romance and Twilight was the first book that I read in this genre. After reading it in a matter of hours, I ran to get the rest of the series and then spent a long time looking for something that was in the same genre. 


    My next great find was The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. From there I discovered goodreads.com and then twitter. Soon I had more paranormal romance books then I could read. So my next step was this blog. I'm coming up on my 6 month bloganniversary and things may be out of control. 

    But it's all good! 

    I'm all about the books and I enjoy reading.
    So what's your favorite genre and what book started it?

    True Intentions by Lisa Kuehne


    (Disclaimer:  I received this ebook free from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review)

    True Intentions by Lisa Kuehne (Check out the end for a giveaway for a Kindle)

    My Summary:
    Ava has only been sixteen for a few months when she is in a car accident with her twin brother and her father.  Both of them are in the front seat and don’t make it.  Ava, in the back seat, is the only survivor of the accident.  Her mother is unable to handle living in the same house and city with the pain of dealing with the deaths.  So they move to California to be closer to Ava’s grandparents.  There she meets Mr. Mysterious, Samuel Perry.  He has a sudden and profound effect on her.  Tall and gorgeous with the most beautiful teal eyes, Ava is addicted to him.  His strange behavior has her curious but when he saves her life she seeks the truth about him and finds some truths about herself and her twins death.  Can she resist him?  Will he protect her from the dangers of his master, Lucifer?  Just how much are either of them willing to do for love?

    My Thoughts:

    3 stars – A good read

    I was intrigued by the world that Lisa creates in True Intentions.  There are dark angles living around us trying to tempt us to commit sin.  They are the organized team of Lucifer but they have their limits.  I liked the good verse evil aspect of the book.  The idea of being responsible for your actions regardless of who tempted you was clear. 

    I did like the two main characters in the book.  Ava is a strong faithful girl who faces some very difficult trials in her life.  I like that she is willing to be strong in the face of a lot of problems.  I never got a clear picture of her looks but I liked her.  Sam is described a lot and I can clearly see him.  I like that even though he is a dark angel he has some redeeming qualities.  The story of how he became a dark angel broke my heart.  There needs to be some redemption for Sam.  The rest of the characters are so rarely involved in the story that I really didn’t get connected to them.  I think the one that should have been developed more was William.  Maybe we’ll see more from him in book two?  His sudden appearance near the end (he was in passing introduced early but never really part of the story until the end) was disconcerting.  Ava’s mom is also missing quite a bit.  I was disappointed, for example that we didn’t get to witness the scene of Sam meeting Ava’s mom.  Sam and Ava plan it, it’s skipped over, and then Sam and Ava’s mother have a relationship.  I think that was something that should have been included. 

    While I’m on the topic of the writing, I think that the idea for this book is fabulous but that the writing needed more time and work.  There were too many places where we just skipped forward in time and opportunities to get to know characters and relationships just didn’t happen.  The book was short, only 257 pages.  It seems to me that there were a few chapters missing here and there that would have made it better.  Additionally, there were quite a few places were words were maybe missing or arranged wrong.  The editing could have used a few more reviews.

    Finally, I have to point out the Twilight factor.  (Highlight the text to read on – a little spoilery). Personally, I really enjoyed Twilight but I get tired of the comparisons.  But it’s hard not to notice the plot elements that are very similar in this book.  I’ll mention a few.  Ava and Sam fall in love almost at once.  He saves her life and then acts very bizarre.  He warns her that she should stay away from him.  She has to puzzle out what’s going on.  He calls her actions absurd.   He’s willing to protect her at all costs.  She thinks he is totally gorgeous and talks about it a lot.  There are more but you get the idea.  Now because I liked Twilight, these didn’t bother me but it may be an issue for others.

    Honestly, I enjoyed this book and read it quickly, in a little more than an afternoon.  I didn’t become emotionally involved with the characters but I could see myself reading the next book to find out what happens in the end – there’s a bit of a cliffhanger. J  If you like paranormal romance and you’re willing to over look some writing issues, then this is your book.  Enjoy the read.

    Check out the trailer for this book below.






    So the author of this book, Lisa Kuehne is giving away a Kindle in a very unique contest.  In True Intentions, Ava has her first kiss in a very memorable way.  So for this contest, Lisa has set up a everyBizBook contest where you can share your first kiss story in 500 words or less.  The stories will be voted on and the winner gets a Kindle.  Here are her instructions for how to register and save your story:


    Go to http://lisakuehne.com website and click on the "e" in the top (by facebook/twitter/etc)
    This is the everybizbook site where my contest tracking is held.
    Click to register and it will ask you to describe your first kiss in 500 words or less.
    it will list all the entries (with only first name and last initial)

    Your readers/friends/neighbors/etc can go to the same place and vote. Contestants will be able to log in and see how they are doing with votes.

    The winner (first kiss with the most votes) takes home the Free, brand new kindle

    2nd place gets a FREE True Intentions e-book.

    The contest will end July 31st. On Aug 3rd the winners will be announced...