Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: The Girls of No Return

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:



 






The Girls of No Return
by Erin Saldin
Published by: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: February 28, 2012












CUT meets HATCHET in this lacerating debut about girls, knives, and redemption.

The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area stretches across two million acres in northern Idaho. In its heart sits the Alice Marshall School, where fifty teenage girls come to escape their histories and themselves.

Lida Wallace has tried to negate herself in every way possible. At Alice Marshall, she meets Elsa Boone, a fierce native Idahoan; Jules, who seems too healthy to belong at the school; and Gia Longchamps, whose glamour entrances the entire camp. As the girls prepare for a wilderness trek, Lida is both thrilled and terrified to be chosen as Gia's friend. But everyone has their secrets--their "Things" they try to protect; and when those come out, the knives do as well.
(image and summary from Goodreads)

I just found this book after looking over the titles compiled for The Story Siren's 2012 Debut Author Challenge. This one immediately caught my attention. It sounds both emotional and dangerous - a combination that will definitely take me on a roller coaster. The book is described as a combination of Cut - which I have read, and Hatchet - which I haven't. I guess maybe I now I should. But The Girls of No Return is a definite read for 2012!!

Monday, November 28, 2011

And the Winner Is . . .

The Winner Is . . .
 
Amy Bailey

She has won my Gratitude Giveaway - $10.00 in books from The Book Depository
(winner has been contacted by email and accepted giveaway prize)

There were 400 entries and using random.org, number 266 was selected. Congratulations Amy! Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog and entered.

Upcoming Giveaway: Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop - begins Dec. 2, 2011

Sunday, November 27, 2011

In My Mailbox (54)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme run by Kristi at The Story Siren which explores the books that have been delivered to our mailbox or doorstep or directly into our hot little hands.

Where I go on an e-book buying binge.














Purchased:
all e-books
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu
Deadly Little Secret (Touch) by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson
The First Time by Jessica Verday and Rhonda Stapleton
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Review:

Won:
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Thank you Stacey at Stacey Says and Cyndi Sews

Gifted:
Falling by Sharon Dogar
a Random Act of Kindness
Thank you Beth at Living a Goddess Life

Swapped:
Mistletoe: Four Holiday Stories by Hailey Abbott, Melissa de la Cruz, Aimee Friedman and Nina Malkin
Forever . . . by Judy Blume
 Paperback Swap

This IMM is for the past two weeks, so while I did go a little crazy with my e-book buying it wasn't all at once. There have just been so many incredible offers, especially the offer for over 60 books for $2.99 each from Bloomsbury. If you don't know about this, check it out HERE

So I guess you could say my "No Book Buying November" is over. I knew I wouldn't last the entire month, but with all of the great e-book deals I got this month, I still spent less than I normally would. 

I'm excited to have received Mistletoe just in time for the Christmas holiday. I love having a holiday themed book to read during this time of year. Last year I read Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. The year before I read Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson. I recommend either of those if you are looking for a fun holiday read. 

If you already have your holiday books selected, I'd love to know what you will be reading. Please let me know in the comments.


Friday, November 25, 2011

Holiday #Readathon is coming!

The second annual Holiday #Readathon, hosted by Liza at WhoRuBlog, begins on December 2 and runs through the 4th. This will be a great time to sneak in some holiday reads, catch up some books that you've been meaning to get to, and have fun reading along with other bloggers. 

Everyone who signs up will be entered into a random drawing to win a SIGNED first edition copy of Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Prince. Novel will be sent from Books of Wonder after December 6, 2011.


Sign-ups are going on now and will continue throughout the readathon. 
If you want to join in on the fun, SIGN UP HERE.




Also, several bloggers and authors have joined in and are hosting giveaways and challenges during the readathon. 

1. Kai from Fiction State of Mind: http://fictionstateofmind.blogspot.com
2. Mary from Sparkling Reviews: http://sparkling-reviews.blogspot.com
3. Author Laurie Viera Rigler: http://www.janeaustenaddict.com
4. Heidi from YA Bibliophile: http://yabibliophile.blogspot.com/
5. April from Good Books and Good Wine: http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com
6. Melissa from YA Bookshelf: http://www.yabookshelf.com/
7. Courtney from Stiletto Storytime: http://www.stilettostorytime.wordpress.com
8. Author Wendy Delsol: http://www.wendydelsol.com
9. Author Audrey Hart: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13014354-the-dig
10. Rani from Perks of Being a Bookseller: http://perksofbeingabookseller.blogspot.com
11. Jen and Kellee from Teach Mentor Texts: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/
12. Cassay from Vamps, Weres, and Cassay OH My!: http://vampsweresandcassay.blogspot.com/
13. Courtney Rae from Courtney Reads: http://courtney-reads.blogspot.com/
14. Stacy, Shannon, Nancy from Girls in the Stacks: http://girlsinthestacks.com

WhoRuBlog Challenge:

1. Pledge a penny or two or three (or any amount you want!) per page that you read.  Put a minimum number that you will pledge.  For example:  100 pages – $1.00. And then donate the amount to your favorite charity.

OR

2. ANY type of donation for the holiday season – a can(s) of food, book to a library, Toy for Tots, gently used books or clothes donated to a shelter, school – qualifies. Just list it. (Feel free to come up with your own ideas!)

I have pledged to donate a penny for every page that I read and all money raised will go toward books for my community's Christmas Drive. Last year I made this same pledge, ask my friends and family to sponsor me for the readathon and raised over $120 in books. This was one of the most rewarding things and did.

I know that this year's readathon will be just as fun and rewarding. I hope that if you have some free time next weekend that many of my readers will join in too or just cheer me along!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Interview: Kiera Cass author of The Selection

 
 Visiting the blog today is Kiera Cass. She is the author of the soon-to-be released young adult novel, The Selection.
I have been following Kiera for a while on Twitter and YouTube - where she posts some fun, creative and very entertaining videos. (After reading this interview, check them out! - you won't be disappointed).

 
 Welcome Kiera!
About your book:
What was your inspiration for The Selection?
I’m not quite sure why these two things combined in my head, but I was thinking about Esther and Cinderella. I always wondered if Esther had her heard set on someone before she was shipped off to marry this king that it seems she got along with but didn’t deeply love. Did she care for someone else, and have to let that love die? And Cinderella never asked for a prince; she asked for a party. What if she ended up unhappy with this prince, or the job she got simply from taking a night off?
I knew I wanted to write a story about a girl who was poor but would get the attention of a prince. However! She wouldn’t want him because she was already in love. And I knew she would participate in an event (which is the Selection) and that it would lead to way more than she was prepared to deal with.
Somewhere in there, America was born, and The Selection is her story.
If you could write your own cover blurb for The Selection, what would it be?
I couldn’t! I’m terrible at writing blurbs (which is why the review system on my website relies on a candy rating) and I don’t summarize very well. I’m still trying to figure out how I got an agent.
Who would be America Singer's literary best friend? What would they do on a Saturday night?
I think I might have said this before, but I think it might be Rhine Ellery from Wither. Not that their situations are the same at all, but I have a feeling they would understand each other very well. Also, they both seem to have a bit of a rebellious streak. If they both existed in the real world, today, I think they’d be stealing Slim Jims from the local 7-11. To share with their families, of course.
On writing:
Have you always been a writer? Did you keep a journal or write stories or poetry when you were younger?
Actually, I did write poetry when I was in high school. I can safely tell you it’s ALL TERRIBLE! Of course, it was ground-breaking at the time, but now it’s just embarrassing. It all lives under my bed. I also got great grades in the classes where things depended on papers, and I was crazy about my journals. I guess the desire was waiting there all along, and I just wasn’t smart enough to notice it.
But I wouldn’t way I always wanted to be a writer. The way I fell into it is a bit of a long story. I’ll spare you that for now. Short version: it saved me.
How did writing your self-published novel, The Siren, differ from the process of writing The Selection?
Well, the writing process in the beginning was very similar. Things changed when I got my agent and got into the traditional publishing process. With self-publishing, everything is in your hands. I chose the cover art, I kept in everything I wanted, I wrote what’s on the back, I edited it… These are not necessarily gifts of mine. With traditional publishing, I have an agent who is always seeking to find the best opportunities for my book, an editor who knows how to make the story shine, a design team that made an AMAZING cover, and a marketing team who know how to make it stand out.
That’s where things are really different. I get to simply be a story teller, and that is what I’m good at. It’s also what I love.
How long do you think about a story or characters until you finally decide what you want to write about it/them?
Not long at all. In the case of The Siren, it was less than five minutes before I absolutely had to start writing something down. I think The Selection came slowly, but I remember being in the car and coming up with the name of the country, and once I knew where she was, I had to get started.
When crafting your story, do you write it in sequential order or do you write the story as it comes to you and then piece it together?
All of the above. It just depends on what comes to me first.
What is your favorite writing environment? Is it also your most productive?
Pretty much anywhere my two-year-old son isn’t crawling on me! Sometimes I work at the kitchen table, sometimes bookstores, sometimes coffee shops. I’ve learned to work pretty much anywhere, but I have plans for my own workspace someday.
About books and reading:
Searching for new books to read is a small part of my love for books. What are some determining factors when you are selecting new books to read?
I have a test: I read the first line. If I like it, I read the first paragraph. If I like it, I read the first page. If I like it, I buy the book. If it doesn’t pass any of those marks, I just sit it down. Writing it out, it sounds so mean! But I don’t think it’s ever really let me down.
Do you judge a book by its cover?
Absolutely. You eat with your eyes first. If something looks sketchy, you don’t bite. Same thing with books.
Do you have a book that you like to read over and over again (what I would call a comfort read) because you know that it will make you feel good after reading it? Is it a book that you turn to because you know that it will make you laugh or does it remind you of how you felt when you first read it (a sense of nostalgia)?
Actually, rereading books is a coping mechanism for me. When I get stressed, I go into familiar worlds. I love going over Harry Potter or Twilight books. They’re both fun in their own ways, and even their sad moments are comforting because I’ve been through it before.
Your novel doesn't come out until April 2012 - what books would you recommend to read until we can get our hands on The Selection?
Well, there’s a crazy line up of books out with HarperTeen. They are my home, so I do tend to read them first, but you can’t go wrong with:
The Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi 
Catch up with Kiera at:

The Selection will be available April 24, 2012 from HarperTeen. 

And if you can't wait until then, Kiera's short story "In the Clearing" will be in Brave New Love: 13 Dystopian Tales of Desire - available March 6, 2012.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Re-Readathon -November 18-20

Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner is hosting this rereadathon beginning today through the rest of the weekend. I decided to join because I rarely allow myself the opportunity to reread books that I own. I keep most of the books that I love with the hopes of one day rereading them. With the exception of The Jessica Darling Series by Megan McCafferty, that just doesn't happen.

In a recent Top Ten Tuesday, I shared a list of books the I want to reread. I may read a book from this list, but I plan to read some verse novels and memoirs in verse that I love. Some top contenders for rereading are:








I'm looking forward to spending this weekend with these books. I hope that in the future I will take the time to reread more of my favorite books and don't wait until someone declares a rereadathon to do it. (But Thank You Jamie!! for doing it this time!)



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