Waiting on Wednesday (37): Cold Fury

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein

July 24, 2012 by Putnam Juvenile

Goodreads

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

EEE! I am so full of excite for this one! it sounds really, really good and actually reminds me of Hanna--which I really liked, except for that dumbass ending. Man, I can't wait for this one. It sounds SO GOOD. What are you waiting on?

review: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
May 1, 2012
Walden Pond Press
Middle Grade | Fantasy
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom #1
Pages: 432
Source/Format: Publisher/ARC
Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


Enter a world where everything, even our classic fairy tales, is not at all what it seems. 

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never head of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as "Prince Charming." But all of this is about to change...

Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Guztav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other associated terrors to becom the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

IN A SENTENCE:

A quirky read about the four Prince Charmings, one that I freaking loved and will be placing this book on my favorites shelf and reread multiple times. What a GREAT debut, and I can't wait to read the rest of this trilogy!

REVIEW:

WOW, I loved this book. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy is fantastic; I loved the storytelling and its unique premise. The bards got the story wrong and there isn’t a Prince Charming? Well color me DISAPPOINTED. But I loved the actual Prince Charmings (or, as Duncan says, “Princes Charming.”)

I wish we got to know the princesses more—but from what we did learn of them, I really liked Ella. You know, Cinderella. She was totally kickbutt and awesome and ready to take action and guh, LOVE tough characters <3 especially the tough girls who aren’t afraid to break a nail and get dirty.

I loved each of the “true” stories and how the characters came together. They are definitely some of my favorite characters. No, strike that—The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a book that's going on my favorites shelf. LOVED this middle grade adventure story! So, so amazing.

Out of the Princes, Prince Frederic is probably my favorite. He’s the first one we’re introduced to in the book, so maybe that’s why I really like him, or maybe because I love the story of Cinderella (Disney Version, ha ha) but I also really liked Prince Duncan. He was so nerdy and awkward and I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for him and Snow. ALL of the characters are amazing, though, but I really did like these two the most.

Don’t let the size intimidate you. I read it quickly once I got hooked because I had to know how these characters were going to save their kingdom. And I was laughing out loud at parts—it always seems like it’s middle grade that gets me laughing out loud instead of YA or even adult (although I have to admit, if those books make me chuckle, I automatically rate them higher. It’s HARD to make me laugh from books!)

I really did enjoy the unique twist on the fairytale stories we all know. Since I love those stories, I was afraid I wouldn’t like The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. But I did and highly recommend YOU reading it, too, even if you don’t normally read middle grade. (also, WHY NOT? Middle grade is freaking awesome!) Go pick this one up—you won’t regret it. 

Other Reviews:

IceyBooks

There's A Book

Top Ten Tuesday: Some of my favorite books

Hey everybody! This is my first time doing Top Ten Tuesday, which is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. I've always liked reading other's Top Ten Tuesday lists and finally took the dive and made my own list! This week's topic is: Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years. 


The links go to Goodreads. :)


1. A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Danny Pearl by Mariane Pearl. YOU GUYS. This book tore me to pieces emotionally. I love non-fiction like this and hope more people pick up this book.


2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I love the premise of this book and I stayed up at night with the covers over my head and a flashlight reading this one for the first time. LOVE LOVE LOVE.


3. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. This one is a fantastic retelling of Alice in Wonderland and I lurve it.


4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I love these books, so I'm not even going to say why I hope people continue to discover this series in thirty years.


5. A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass. If you want your heart yanked out of your chest, this is the book for you. I loved this coming-of-age story and how it delves into synesthesia. I had no idea what that was until I read this book! Love it when books teach us new things. :)


6. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. oh SWOON. This book is so amazing. I don't even know if I can I adequately say how much I loved it. I love books that take our normal world and twist it around so you have a whole new look at the world and man, LOVE this book!


7. Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard. As much as I whine and bitch about Wyoming, I do like it here, and Kirsten Hubbard has captured the beauty and lovelyness of Wyoming into this book. I also love the friendship and guh, THIS BOOK is so good!


8. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I'm just going to direct you to my review.


9. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. This entire trilogy is amazing; I love the first book and recommend it to dystopian lovers. I remember reading it after The Giver and just loving this one.


10. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. This is one of my favorite Jodi Picoult's books. My other favorite is The Pact, which I'll be listing below. The Tenth Circle makes me fall in love with Picoult's writing all over again. I really wish more people would read this one.


While doing this list, I stumbled upon a few books published more than ten years ago and also wanted to include them, as extras. :)


1. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. This book is one of my all time favorites ever.  I read it all the time.


2. Sabriel by Garth Nix. I actually didn't read it until maybe 2005? 2006? Somewhere around there. I love this trilogy and want to own it so I can read it all the time.


3. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. These books were some of my first middle grade reads and I love them.

4. Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle. NO JOKE, I named my dog Madeline after Madeleine L'Engle. Okay, that is a joke, I didn't name her, but still: I love this book. I think it's one of her lesser known books, because everybody knows about A Wrinkle in Time, but how many have read Troubling a Star? I love this one.


5. The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I just can't even describe how much I love this book. I don't know why, but I guess I really like suicide books since The Pact is another suicide book, but this one really delves into the emotional loss and guh, I love it. <3 I really want to reread this one now.


What books made your Top Ten Tuesday list?

Giveaway!

Win STORYBOUND by Marissa Burt and some gourmet hot cocoa! Open internationally, so get your entries in NOW. :D

review: Nightspell by Leah Cypess

Nightspell by Leah Cypess
May 12, 2011
Greenwillow
Young Adult | Fantasy
Mistwood #2 (companion novel)
Pages: 336
Source/Format: Author/Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.
In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger--not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.


Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom--not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.

In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?

REVIEW:

Nightspell by Leah Cypess is amazing—I loved the story. I loved Darri, Callie, and all the other characters. Especially Darri. I could really connect with her because she’s impulsive and uh, I’m sorta like that too. I love the impulsive characters; they run off and take risks and sometimes fuck it all up, but mistakes happen and I love it when they fix their mistakes. And that has nothing to do with Nightspell! Oops.

What I really loved about Nightspell is how many times it made me gasp. I didn’t see ANY of the twists coming. After the twists were revealed, I noticed the clues, but it didn’t click until it was revealed. Leah Cypess is that awesome.

So, on Goodreads, I asked a few questions about the worldbuilding—mostly, is Ghostland the only place with ghosts and why do they appear there? Because you know, I freaking LOVE worldbuilding and it’s just habit of me to ask questions about the world. And the good news is Cypess answers them HOORAY! I love it when the worldbuilding is exquisite and makes me want to live there. Maybe not Ghostland, but another country in this world.

Oh, and you know how Nightspell is a companion novel? Well, I haven’t read Mistwood at all and still really enjoyed Nightspell—as it should be since it’s just a companion novel. I know that I will be reading Leah Cypess’ other novels (I’m really excited for her assassin one in 2014!) because I love her writing style and the way she told the story. I love murder mysteries, so she probably already had brownie points with me for writing a ghost murder mystery. :)

AND! The good news is tomorrow is the paperback release of Nightspell! If you want to read it, it’s less than $10! What a great deal. (Links to buy are UP THERE!) I would definitely pick this one up right away if you enjoy fantasy, murder mysteries, and ghosts. 

Darri didn't see the ghost until he was upon her, a solid weight that dropped from the branches above and threw her sideways off the saddle. Because he was solid, she didn't realize at first that he was dead. She hit the ground with a thud and rolled to her feet, pulling her dagger from her boot. By the time she was standing, she had already thrown it. 

- p. 1/Hardcover

Other Reviews:

A Cupcake and a Latte

The Book Smugglers

Ems Reviews Books

book haul: City of the Siren

It's that time again, where some bloggers let other bloggers get a peek into their mailboxes. You can link your posts over at Katie's Book Blog.  

bought:
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare: let me tell you one thing: I am a sucker. I can't seem to quit this series even though it has basically gone down the shitter since it's been extended. I disliked City of Fallen Angels, so why oh why did I get COLS? because of the cover and the trailer and oh god, I AM A SUCKER. 


for review (egalley): 
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz: OH YEAH sexxxxy book! it's really good so far and hot *waves hand in face* phew. Although I think the premise is a little out there (complete control over her book? what writer would give up those rights? I don't know. I JUST DON'T KNOW.) but like I said: it's good so far. And I love a good book. also, for those who read Fifty Shades of Grey and want more erotica: try this one. you'll like it. *G*


Anddd... that is all I got this week! summer is off to a slow start mailbox wise, but that's good, right? I can catch up with my tbr pile! YIPPY. although it does make me sad when I get nothing in the mail, ha ha. 


on a personal note, yesterday my mom and aunt were talking about Fifty Shades of Grey and I happened to walk in on their conversation. I added to the conversation and my mom asked me if I had read it. It was a little weird because I'd gone from being the twelve-year-old girl sneaking romance novels off of the shelf that were forbidden to me to talking erotica with my mother. it was STRANGE and it just hit me at once that I was no longer that twelve-year-old girl anymore. (I AM A BIG GIRL NOW.) just... a strange little thing to realize. 


Giveaways:
If you like middle grade, or want to start reading it, I have an international giveaway for Storybound by Marissa Burt! Includes hot cocoa, and how can you resist that? I know I'd like to curl up with a good book and hot cocoa on a rainy day. 

I think I shall do that for the rest of my weekend. I hope your weekend is fabulous (and to you US-ers, hope you enjoy Memorial weekend!) and enjoy whatever you got in your mailbox! Leave links below and I'll comment. <3

Cover Love: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

So... remember Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor? And HOW IT ENDED? Well, EW released the cover today for its sequel, Days of Blood & Starlight. A little about the sequel: 

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy." 


Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor is set to release November 6, 2012 from Little, Brown Books For Young Readers. :D

OMG. how gorgeous is this cover?! I love it more than Daughter of Smoke & Bone: 

So, what do you think? Which cover do you like more?

review: 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
Translated by Tara F. Chace
April 17, 2012
Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Young Adult | Science Fiction/Horror
Standalone
Source/Format: Publisher/Hardcover
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

In this chilling adventure set in the most brutal landscape known to man, highly acclaimed Norwegian novelist Johan Harstad creates a vivid and frightening world of possibilities we can only hope never come true.

REVIEW:

Whoa. Here’s a little hint: don’t read 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad at night. That was my mistake; holy shit, you guys, this book is CREEPY at night. In the daylight? Not so much. But when it’s 2 AM, the house is quiet, and the occasional night creature sounds out, I was pretty sure the shadow on the moon was in my house and I was going to be dead.

At first I wasn’t keen on the writing style for this book, but after finishing it, I realize it couldn’t have been written any other way. Third person past tense, with a very SIMPLE overtone, and while it isn’t wowing, it works. I got so caught up with the story when they finally were going to the moon/on the moon that I totally forgot about how simplistic the writing was. It was wonderful. <3

I really grew attached to Mia. While I liked the other two, 172 Hours on the Moon was really Mia’s story and I as a reader really liked her more than the others. Antoine and Midori were okay, it’s just there was something that clicked for me with Mia. I did, however, dislike how ANGRY she was at the beginning, at everybody! What the crap, Mia. Take a chill pill and sit down and find your happy spot. For the love of god, PLEASE.

I didn’t like the pace in the beginning. It was too… everywhere and slow and I wish we could have seen Mia, Antoine, and Midori get to know each other. It was like we just had to accept they had conversations, went past the awkward to the friendly phase. I wish we would have seen Mia and Antoine’s relationship grow a little more—fall in love while they fell in love. But I mean, the pacing is so freaking awkward; we meet the characters as NASA decides to send three teenagers to the moon, and then a year later, they are training to go on the moon.

But I mean all that? It was a damn good story. I read it in one day because I had to find out what was lurking on the moon (apparently this is very obvious for most people, but see, I don’t research what could be on the moon, so it was new to me and dear god, IT WORKED TO SCARE THE EVER-LIVING CRAP OUT OF ME.) But I mean, I’m trying SO HARD right now not to spoil it for you because trust me, you will not want this book to be spoiled. And I hope you read it at night because HOLLA, scary books are best read at night (YES THEY ARE.) :D

She climbed in and helped Nadolski the last little bit, until he was in, too. She waited a few seconds before doing anything else. Postponing it. Then she grabbed the hatch, pulled it shut, twisted the locking wheel, and let go. She waited a few seconds, it felt like an eternity. 

And the hatch slowly swung open again. 

No no no no no no no.

p. 219, Hardcover

I hope you all decide to pick 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad up! If you do, ENJOY. :D

Devoured Books (2): Insurgent and Black Heart

I like to joke that I read too fast to review. Sadly, it's true. There are books that I would love to review, but I either don't feel like I can review them or too much time has passed that I just can't review them without rereading the book. So... devoured books was started! These are not book reviews, rather gushings about the book. For the most part, these books will be ones I bought, not received for review. Because if they were, well, I'm not doing my blogger job, now am I?


Previous Devoured Books are listed here.  And yes, these are sequels, but I DO NOT spoil previous books in the series, nor the actual book, so read on? Because I am awesome like that and don't like spoiling shit. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the sequel to Divergent, and was released on May 1, 2012 from Katherine Tegen, an imprint of HarperCollins. 

I really liked Divergent. I loved Insurgent. Tris is in such an emotional place throughout the books, thanks to the choices she made at the end of Divergent, but she still grows throughout the entire book.

My favorite part has to be the worldbuilding and getting to understand more of the factions and of the factionless. Amity’s part of the city is so beautiful the way Veronica Roth described it. I could live there, under the trees. However, I’m not a peaceful type of problem, so they would probably throw me out at the first sign of trouble.

The twists in this book… they made me gasp. I didn’t see them coming and omg. SO amazing. I loved the action scenes, and even the simulation tests. Those parts intrigued me so much (whoops, my Erudite is showing. *COVERS THAT UP*)

The ending was breathtaking. I wanted to reread the last ten pages to make sure it ended the way I thought it did (spoiler: it did. Holy crap.) The third book needs to be in my hot little hands right now because I need to know what is going to happen! This series is so amazing, and I think you should read it right now if you haven’t. 

Black Heart by Holly Black is the last book in the Curse Workers trilogy and was released April 3, 2012 from Margaret K. McElderry, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

This series is amazing. Holly Black is an incredible writer, spinning a tale that keeps me guessing. While I figured out a few twists, there were a lot that left me reeling because I hadn't seen them coming at all. I loved White Cat, and it's the only audiobook I have listened to and kept me hook. My mind didn't wander at all while listening to it. The audio-person? I don't know what to call him, was amazing. I still hear his voice when reading these books. And Red Glove was so lovely. Intriguing as hell and and such a me type of book.

Black Heart was different than the other two; oh, it's written in the same style as the others, and it's not so, so different, but it stands out from its predecessors. I loved the choices Cassel had to make, and most of all: I loved the ending. I HIGHLY suggest reading this series if you haven't. It's brilliant.


I'm still in awe over the worldbuilding of this series. I could live in this world, and if I think that, you know the worldbuilding is really well done. I would want to be a curseworker, maybe. I don't know if I could deal with the blowback, but hey, like everything, magic has its consequences and man alive, I LOVE THAT. I also love that being a curse worker is a genetic thing. Ah-may-zing. <3


See? You so want to read this series now, don't you? AS YOU SHOULD. *Ashy stamp of approval* 

Waiting on Wednesday (36): Dualed

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Dualed by Elsie Chapman

February 26, 2013 by Random House

Goodreads

Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

OH MY LANTA. I'm not sure how I didn't have this book on my to-read list before! it sounds AWESOME, and that cover? it scares me. Look at the shadow! EEEEK. I don't even. Dualed by Elsie Chapman is going on my arc-wishlist because I WANT IT. 

What are you waiting on?


p.s. I have this awesome giveaway going on right now. you could win STORYBOUND by Marissa Burt, along with gourmet hot cocoa. open to everybody in any country because we heart you! you don't have to be a follower to enter, either. :D

Five Facts about Marissa Burt and Storybound + Giveaway

Today on the blog, I have a fun little guest post from Marissa Burt, author Storybound, a middle grade fantasy from HarperCollins. About Storybound:

Inkheart meets The Neverending Story in this sweeping fantasy about a twelve-year-old girl who falls into a magical world – and discovers that it may be up to her to save it.

In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.

In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.

But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself…

With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.

About Marissa Burt:

Marissa Burt was forever getting notes sent home from teachers about reading novels during class. She grew up in Oregon, and drifted eastward through Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and South Carolina before coming back to the Pacific Northwest. She now lives in the Seattle area with her husband and three sons. You can visit Marissa online at www.marissaburt.com.

You can read my review here. And now, five facts about the author Marissa Burt and her amazing middle grade debut, Storybound:

1.  I am a cat-lover and always have been.  Though we are a cat-less family now, we once had three: Slinky (a finicky Siamese), Pandora (a sweet black kitten), and Samwise (a feisty gray tabby).  Sam, Una's friend in STORYBOUND, is named after our Samwise.

2.  STORYBOUND was initially titled THE TALE OF UNA FAIRCHILD.  Back in its very early days, Peter was the WI, and Una was the Lady-in-training who helped him navigate Story.  Once I sorted out that Una was really the one to be Written In, the story fell into place.  The first scene has always been in a library and was inspired by my own middle-school study halls and memories of the gloomy basement of my college library.  The library catalog numbers and letters on pg. 4 were derived from my first two sons' middle names.  (Son number three arrived after!  Maybe he'll get a cameo in the next book. :)

3.  I chose the name "Una", because I was reading Spenser's THE FAERIE QUEEN  - which I still haven't finished - around the time I began writing (this is where Archimago gets his name, too.)  Also, I've always liked Una Meredith's name (though I had little patience with her character) in L.M. Montgmery's RAINBOW VALLEY.

4.  When I was about halfway through the first draft of STORYBOUND, I stumbled across Cornelia Funke's INKHEART while browsing the shelves at Barnes & Noble.  I had a bit of a cry (because all first-time writers think they have a truly original idea - ha!) and almost threw the manuscript aside.  Instead, I finished writing it.  I still haven't read the INKHEART trilogy, although I did enjoy the movie. [I *heart* the Inkheart trilogy and the movie. So good!]

5.  One of my favorite things about being a writer is all the things that qualify as "work": reading good books from home in my PJs, going out and daydreaming in a coffee-shop, and getting to know fellow book-lovers online and in person.  Brilliant!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Marissa has offered up a signed hardcover and some gourmet hot cocoa to one winner, which is kinda awesome. And it's international, so yo, check it and enter!

The Deets:

to enter, fill out the rafflecopter form
must be thirteen years of age or older (and have parents consent unless 18 and over)
contest is open to EVERYBODY! IT IS INTERNATIONAL YAAAAAAAAAY!
the winner will be notified by email unless for some odd reason there isn't an email provided. the winner will also be listed on this post at the end of the giveaway
the winner will have 72 hours to respond to the email or a new winner will be picked

The Prize:
one signed hardcopy of Storybound
gourmet hot cocoa


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrate Suffocate by S.R. Johannes

It is May 21st and guess what that means?

S.R. Johannes’ Suffocate is out today!

Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres. You can add it on Goodreads, if it sounds like your type of read. 

“For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times. It's a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy that affects the very air she breathes. 

If those responsible find out what she knows, they won't stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.”

The 2nd novella in the series, CHOKE, is scheduled for Fall 2012. The 3rd, EXHALE, is scheduled for Winter 2013.

You can purchase Suffocate for only 99 cents at Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About S.R. Johannes:

S.R. Johannes is author of the Amazon Bestseller Untraceable and a current nominee of the Georgia Author of the Year in the Young Adult category. After earning an MBA and working in corporate america, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her goldendoodle Charley (notice he is listed first :), her British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.  You can find her hanging out online and visit her at srjohannes.com

And these places: 

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Help spread the word about Suffocate and tweet about it!

“Today is the release of @srjohannes’ novelette, Suffocate! Check it out on http://gypsybookreviews.blogspot.com/!" 

review: Storybound by Marissa Burt

Storybound by Marissa Burt
April 3, 2012
HarperCollins Children's
Middle Grade | Fantasy
Storybound #1
Pages: 416
Source/Format: Author/Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.


In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.


But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself....


With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world. 

IN A SENTENCE:

For fans of Inkheart, Storybound spins an intricate tale of adventure and friendship and gives readers a new look at how they read books; I freaking loved Storybound and want everybody else to read it and experience their own Story.

REVIEW:

Storybound by Marissa Burt is amazing and takes you on a whirlwind adventure. I wanted to be a character in Story and learn all about how to be a character. It’s such an interesting premise and Marissa Burt definitely did it—and the characters—justice.

I do have to say that it started off slow for me. While it takes off with a bang (Una is Written In within the first few pages) but it slows down and it took me a few days to get through the first 150 pages. It really hooked me around page 250 and all I wanted to was read this book instead of other things like clean my house or cook dinner. Who needs food anyways? But aside from that little speed bump, I thoroughly enjoyed Storybound. The voice is spot on and eee, you guys KNOW how much I love middle grade fiction. It’s the perfect addition to any MG’s lover bookshelves.

Una was a brilliant protagonist. I loved her. She’s smart, even though she does a few dumb things in the book—but I can forgive her for that. I mean who hasn’t done stupid mistakes in their life? :P And Peter is one of my favorite characters out of this book, alongside with Sam. Aww, I love Sam, the talking cat. <3

I loved the unique twists and plan on reading the sequel. Mostly because at the end, we still don’t learn who Wrote In Una and I’m VERY curious about who Wrote her In, especially after all the revealing things we find out about Una at the end of the book. I highly recommend Storybound by Marissa Burt to those who love a good fairytale-esque book.

Check back tomorrow for a guest post with the author and a giveaway! 

Other Reviews:

Rondo of a Possible World

The Hiding Spot

book haul: the one with lots of ebooks

It's that time again, where some bloggers let other bloggers get a peek into their mailboxes.You can link your posts over at Katie's Book Blog. 

OH HAI STUPID NON-ROTATING PICTURE.

Won/Trade/Misc.:

Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky--from Walden Pond Press. thanks, guys! Really excited for this one.

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb--I did a trade with Wendy from The Midnight Garden, and not only did she send the book, she also sent a Hunger Games poster and buttons! thanks, lovely! <3

the ebooks:

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter--for review.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry--for review.

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes--bought

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Raised by Wolves #2)--bought

Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper--bought (it was free). Rhemalda Publishing sent me a copy of this book for review, but it wouldn't open on my iPad, and I never got around to emailing them that and then Tangled Tides was free on Amazon and I bought it. 

Eye Candy by Tera Lynn Childs--bought. it was free, though.

Ginga Ninja - The Seven Doors of Doom by B J Torfin--bought, but it was free. I normally wouldn't have bought it, but Megan at Book Brats said one of her friends said it was really good and well, I like free things. but I hate that title so much. 

Dust by Arthur Slade--bought, but it was free. do you see a pattern here? because I do.

What did you get?