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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday - Inside Out


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



Inside Out
by Maria V. Snyder
Release date: Spring 2010


An unforgettable futuristic story about a girl whose attempts to rebel quietly puts her at the forefront of a revolution.

Presumed release date Spring 2010. Sequel also announced at Bitten by Books.


That was what I found on Goodreads.com. Looks good :).

Read more...

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Where I deliver some news...

I try not to do update posts frequently because I think they can be tedious, but here we go...

First of all, big news is: September Comment Contest is extended.. until I have 10 different titles in the pot. I have 5 right now. Yes, I suck. Give me another week or two and I'll have five more, promise! So until I get those read and filled up to ten, you can still earn entries by commenting on new posts.

Secondly, I'm a bit behind. Things are getting hectic. I have a few reviews to post and I still need to post about Saturday's YA conference, which was fantastic. So, look forward to that sometime this week.

And last of all, I need help coming up with some names for my fiance's feature. He gave me his first review - which to be honest - put most of my reviews to shame it was so good. So, I need a name and possibly a regular day to post it on.

Some of my lame ideas have been:
Chris' Corner (his first name)
Saturday Sci-Fi Reviews

And really.. that's it. So, if you have a suggestion, please leave it here. He mainly is going to be reading and reviewing adult sci-fi and some fantasy. His name is Chris and he's my fiance.. um and that's mainly the info you could use for coming up with feature names.

Okay and last last last of all. I was thinking about making my own bookmarks for my blog. Does anyone else do this and what program/business do you guys use?

Thanks for being awesome and always helping me out. :)
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Teaser Tuesday - The Other Side

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • 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 is from a nonfiction book about ghosthunting called The Other Side: A Teen's Guide to Ghost Hunting and the Paranormal by Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns, and Dave Schrader.

Trance mediums are not very common, as many psychics are a bit skeeved out by the idea of allowing their body to be controlled by outside forces. And seriously... can you blame them?
-p. 51
Read more...

Monday, September 28, 2009

It's Monday, What are you reading?



J.Kaye hosts this wonderful meme.

Click on titles for my reviews or more info on the book.

Blarg! I only read ONE book this week. *shakes head* I know I'll do better next week...

Read this past week:
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (audio)

Currently Reading:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (audio)

Upcoming:
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Medina Hill by Trilby Keny

Poll Results!
Last week I asked:
My fiance reads mainly adult sci-fi and fantasy. Would you be interested in reading reviews by him?

36% said: Sure, why not?
11% said: No way.
51% said: You have a fiance who reads! Of course I want to read his reviews!

So I will be coming up with some sort of name for his review times and he's working feverishly on a few different reviews. :) He's excited. Look for that new feature in a few weeks.

Updates:
  • I am working on a huge awards post.. it's huge. I'm not joking. It's been 6 weeks and I keep getting nominated more! Gah! I really need to include it in this meme I think.
  • Things are getting stressful. I feel a bit overwhelmed with the wedding stuff. Hopefully I can read a few books.. maybe.
  • Check out my ongoing contests by looking right below my banner. :)

Read more...

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Shrinking Violet Contest

There's a few reasons I'm doing this.

The first of which is because this book may already be going out of print! In order to support Danielle Joseph and her amazing book Shrinking Violet, I'm going to order a copy TWO lucky winners. My current copy is still getting thrown into the September Comment Contest (don't worry!).

Danielle herself is holding a contest for a $25 gift card if you help her get out the word and/or order her book. More information about that here.

To learn more about Shrinking Violet, read my review here.

The second reason I'm doing this is to celebrate my almost 400 followers! (399 at this second)

And, I've been wanting to do some sort of order contest.

Two winners will get a copy of Shrinking Violet ordered and sent to their humble abode.

So, onto the rules!

The Rules:
1. Open to anywhere Amazon ships to! (not sure what that includes...)
2. Please include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Sunday, October 4th at 8 pm CST
4. How to get points:

+1 for commenting
+1 for commenting on my review of Shrinking Violet
+2 for following my blog (whether it's through google connect, email, or RSS)
+5 add my blog button to your blog's sidebar (Leave a link!)
+1 for every time you advertise this contest - You MUST leave a link
!
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I, Coriander by Sally Gardner




I listened to this amazing book and finished it midweek, but haven't had time to review it due to all the book signings I've been going to.

The story is one of a girl who finds a pair of silver shoes when she is young. When worn, these shoes transport her to another world. Her mother warns her against the shoes, saying she should be able to choose her own life. Being young, Coriander does not understand and searches out the shoes.

She believes it is for this reason that her mother becomes ill and dies and her father remarries a most horrid woman who is cruel and believes deeply in the Lord's ways. So much so that the woman beats her own daughter - Coriander's new sister. When her father is taken away from aiding the king that is in hiding, her stepmother introduces a cruel preacher into the house who constantly hits Coriander until she will proclaim her name as Ann - a good Christian name.

Coriander finds herself again in a different world, the world her mother grew up in. Both worlds have their own troubles and only Coriander to help them right again.

The audio of this book was fantastic. I was completely engrossed on my travels to and from work. The story is entrancing, filled with adventure, romance, and cruelty that you want to scream for the perpetrators to stop.

Definitely a classic fantasy novel and one I would suggest to everyone who loves fantasy.

5/5 Roses

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Sunday Spotlight - YA Book Queen

Alright, Sunday edition of my Spotlight weekends. Today we've got the Queen of YA books.. no really.. it's in her blog name. :-D Isn't it cute? If that doesn't catch you.. then read on - and if it does - read on as well!

Name:
Lea
Nickname: YABQ
Blog Name: YA Book Queen
About Me: I'm 18 and way too obsessed with reading. I love movies, quoting movies, music and so much more...
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog July 14th, but it took me a couple weeks to get into it, and understand it. I wanted to start a blog because I really love reading, and I'm always hanging out on blogs like Meg Cabot's, Melissa Walker's, Sarah Dessen's and recently The Story Siren's (doesn't she have the coolest blog name? I'm so jealous!). Blogging about books is fun, especially if I can show some people books I love, and find out what one's they love. In all, I just love the idea of sharing books and author names that sound awesome, and learning a few more.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
My blog is about YA novels, but every now and then I can't help adding in little tidbits about my other obsessions, like the TV show Dexter. So far, I have refrained myself from just blabbing and blabbing about Dexter...I don't really have any cool features currently, but hopefully, eventually, I will.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
I don't have one set up currently, but I'm planning on it, and will make sure it's straightforward on my blog..
Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
Just do it, and give it a chance. It's a little hard at first (still hard for me) to get used to it, get followers, and find your style, what makes you different. I'm constantly changing the layout of my page, trying to find a set up that suits me. It all takes time, but you might as well start it and learn. If you're ever confused, just take a peak at some blogs you love, or ask someone who's doing well with their blog for help. People on the YA Blogosphere are especially helpful, and I'm so grateful for it.
What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I really love different genres/books for different reasons, but right now I'm loving futuristic novels, like The Hunger Games. I think my biggest weakness is anything fantasyish, something out there or wiccan. But then I also love books by Sarah Dessen, who's writing reflects life, and the struggles in it. I just love books in general! I can't decide!


Thank you Lea for sharing more about your blog with us today! Go on over and check her out.

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.


Read more...

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Banned Book Week Kickoff

After hearing Ellen Hopkins speak today at the YA Book Conference held by Andersons bookstore, I just had to find a way to participate in Banned Book Week.

So I want to kick it off with an actual reading by Ellen Hopkins on the Manifesto she wrote for BBW.




This was reading of the manifesto was posted on the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) website and was followed up with this fantastic interview with author Ellen Hopkins.


Kids’ Right to Read Project: What was your motivation for writing the Banned Books Week Manifesto?

Ellen Hopkins: The idea for the Manifesto came from talking to my publisher around Banned Books Week. My book Burned had been and continues to be censored in Pocatello, Idaho. Although many Mormon readers have written to tell me they liked the book, Pocatello, which is a majority Mormon community, has made it so Burned is not available anywhere, including stores and libraries – everywhere. My book, whose main character was inspired by a friend of my daughter, tells the story of a girl who is abused and is questioning the world and her belief as anyone would. I tend to be outspoken and so the Banned Books Week Manifesto came out of this. Censorship is a hot button issue and I wanted the poem to address it.

KRRP: You mentioned that you are outspoken. How has that shaped your writing and your approach to “sensitive” topics?

EH: I don’t back-pedal and I don’t sugar-coat things for my readers. Crank and Glass were both based on true stories- fictionalized of course to give space to my daughter and those that the stories are based upon. I don’t feel as an author I need to tip toe around addiction, sex or anything else. In my books my characters experience things as they are. Kristina for instance feels meth is like riding a roller coaster the first few times she does it. The point is obviously kids should just say no, but they should do so because they understand the consequences of saying yes on their lives. My books allow youth an honest look at important issues affecting them.

KRRP: Why are the “controversial” parts of your books important?

EH: My books speak to real life. My latest book Tricks is about teen prostitution. To write it requires having sex in the book, and not pretty sex. It has to include sex. In Identical which is about sexual abuse by a parent and I take my readers right into the bedroom. Why not shut the door? Well, a lot of books do that and we need to really look at what is going on. What do perpetrators really look like? We expect them to be a certain way – and we need to explore our ideas of who sexual predators are to access the way to protect ourselves and our children. As adults we want to believe things like this, or drug use, are not happening anymore, or happening less and less, but that’s not the case and we need to acknowledge that in order to help the victims. We can’t make life prettier for youth, but we can arm them. In high schools today there are youth who cut, there are those who commit or think about suicide. We have to give our kids the tools.

KRRP: How has being outspoken led you to respond to censorship attempts? How have you responded in Pocatello?

EH: I haven’t been into Pocatello, but I would love to go. I’m not sure how I would address the community there, but I would love to go into the schools and speak to students, many of whom seem hungry for the kind of knowledge my books impart. I did the biggest book signing of my life in Boise because people drove all the way from Pocatello, and other points distant, to not only buy my nooks, but to hear what I had to say. I carry a strong anti-drug message when I speak, and it’s important young people especially hear a “real” story about addiction and how it affects not only the addict but also the people who love him/her, rather than “just say no.”

KRRP: What would you like youth to know about books that have been challenged or banned?

EH: I want them to know that it’s a minority trying to censor books. I want them to think about who challenges books, where banners come from and why they take things off the shelf. Who are the gatekeepers? Librarians should not try to redirect kids and censor in subtle ways and parents can try to censor, but in high school, I think kids will read what they want. It’s a better idea for a parent to read a book with their child and use it as a jumping-off place to open lines of communication.

KRRP: Have you ever felt pressure to censor yourself as a writer?

EH: I have a really good idea of who my readers are and always write with a sensitivity to my audience. I use the F word when necessary, but there are words I won’t use, mainly because I don’t like them. I don’t write about body parts when I write about sex. It’s not about the physiological, it’s more important for teens to read about the emotional aspects. I do think there are times when self-censorship is important, however. While I fully believe in the First Amendment, there are times when “free speech” leads to the kind of fear we’re seeing in America today. And that fear is driven by distortion, not to mention out-and-out lies; I think the pundits responsible should consider the hysteria they’re creating, all in the name of money.

KRRP: Do you have any advice for other authors?

EH: Authors have to write for their characters, for who they are, that’s the strength of books. Don’t worry about censors. Just write the story you need to tell and the rewards will come. I have maintained a file of letters from readers who tell me my books have helped them turn away from drugs, suicide and other monumental choices. If you are challenged, send the censors letters like these. It should stop the challenge.

KRRP: How do you plan to spend Banned Books Week this year?

EH: I’ll be speaking at high school and holding book signings to promote the right to read.


When I saw Ellen today, I actually shed many tears as she read the letters from her readers on how much her books have impacted them to make the right choices or understand what their friends and family are going through to due to her books. She is an amazing woman and author and her books should get into the hands of ANY tween/teen/adult who wants to read them.

If you haven't yet heard the deal about her canceled school visit in Norman, Oklahoma - check it out here.
Read more...

IMM Vlog (6)

First things first, the winner of my Willow contest is *Samantha* from Harlequin Twilight's Book Blog. :) Congrats!

Woot for IMM! This is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.




Books won/given:
Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder
The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber
Stargazer by Patrick Carmen

Books mooched:
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

Swap books (hosted by The Shady Glade):
The Realm of Possibility by David Leviathan
Mates, Dates Simply Fabulous Books 1-4 by Cathy Hopkins

Books bought:
Absolutely, Maybe by Lisa Yee
The Great Call of China by Cynthia Liu
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
Here There Be Dragons by James Owen
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
The Fourth Horseman by Kate Thompson
The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson
Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block

Books for review:
Cinderella and the Mean Queen by Tony Bradman
Red Riding Hood Takes Charge by Tony Bradman
The Zoo with the Empty Cage by Steve Brezenoff
The Painting that Wasn't There by Steve Brezenoff
Monster and Me by Robert Marsh
Wind Power Whiz Kid by Scott Nickel
Buzz Beaker vs Dracula by Scott Nickel
Sleeping Beauty by Martin Powell
Children of the Dawnland by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear
City of Fire by Laurence Yep
My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar
The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Read more...

Saturday Spotlight - The Book Scout

Welcome welcome one and all! I really love weekends. First off, I get to sleep in, second of all .. I get to sleep in.. and well that covers up until number 9 and then 10th of all.. haha, no just kidding. I love weekends because I have blog time AND I get to share about new bloggers that are awesome. This girl is pretty amazing that you're going to hear about in just a moment. Her blog has really grown since she started it and is looking cool as ever.

Without further ado...

Name: Kelsey
Nickname and/or blog name: The Book Scout
Blog URL: http://thebookscout.blogspot.com/


Tell me a bit about yourself.
I'm going to be a freshman starting this fall. I love reading, listening to music, going to the movies, running, playing with my dog, among other things! I'm going to be 15 in September and hopefully I'll get a lot of books! (:

When and why did you start your blog?
I started this blog in July. I love reading and always feel like I want to tell everyone about the books I read, my friends like reading too, but it's not the same as having a whole blog just to spill out your feelings about a great book!

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
My blogs mostly young adult/teen book reviews, I have some special daily posts, like "Friday Finds" where I write about cool books I've found during the week that I want to read.

Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us?
I don't really have a system. I right an honest review, highlighting the best points of the book and then give it x/5 stars.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?

Well, try to get the word out about it, and then just start posting reviews, features, etc. I'm still getting started myself, so I don't really have a lot of advice.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I love realistic fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy. I'll read pretty much anything though. It's hard to say what my favorite book is, it changes so often, but right now I'd have to say The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. I recently read it and really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. This will probably change by next week though. (:


Thank you to the awesome girl that is The Book Scout. I just love her blog more and more as it evolves.

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.

Read more...

Friday, September 25, 2009

Random Contest!

As I was cleaning up my bookshelves - to mooch and also to post my TBR pile picture.. I realized that I had some duplicates/books I don't feel like reading in with my books from ALA.

So, some of these are obscure, but I figured, why not throw some sort of contest to get rid of them all?

So here's the list: (click the link for more info)

Posh and Prejudice by Grace Dent (ARC)
Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd (ARC)
The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. (Signed ARC)
Alphas by Lisi Harrison (ARC)
A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (2 books in one, Teacher's Edition)
Hazel by Julie Hearn (ARC)
Troubadour by Mary Hoffman (ARC)

There's seven books, so I will break it down like this:

3 winners!

1st place:
Chooses 3 books from the list above

2nd place:
Chooses 2 books from the remaining books

3rd place:
Takes the last 2 books not already picked.


The Rules:
1. Open to US and Canada (sorry! I'm poor for a while here).
2. Please include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Saturday, October 3rd at 8 pm CST
4. How to get points:

+1 for commenting
+3 for following my blog (whether it's through google connect, email, or RSS)
+5 add my blog button to your blog's sidebar (leave a link)
+2 for every time you advertise this contest - You MUST leave a link

Watch out for more contests coming soon. :) (I'm almost up to the 400 Followers! Gah!)



Read more...

Michelle Zink signing



So last night, I went to yet another signing. This time for the fabulous Michelle Zink. I was relieved to see some kids in the audience because they were the ones that asked most of the questions.



Well, but first off - I got a little lost on the way to Borders and ended up at Half Priced Books - which I had heard rumors of from a friend of mine. Imagine... books that are half of the list price! Well, I found four, bought them and then headed off the RIGHT way to Borders.

Sadly, the Borders I was at did not have wi-fi yet. So I walked (in my nice sandals) to Caribou. I had to stop on my way - at Walgreens - where I bought some blister bandaids because my feet were already in pain.

I was nervous but excited - because Michelle said she may be available after the signing to go out afterwards for a bit with me. (More on that later).

So, finally at Borders and who do I see? Some other young woman - Danielle - who was at Maggie's signing. So we ended up sitting together and chatting. She's an aspiring author and was really awesome to talk to.

Here's a picture of us with Michelle after the signing.


I had actually won a signed copy of PotS and a regular copy previously. So I bought an extra - got one signed to my future sister-in-law whose birthday is at the end of October (she's 14 and loves to read!) and then one for one of my followers! But, I'm waiting a bit on the contest, because I'm going to be running a different contest first (so look for the PotS contest to come!).

While she was signing my book, she told me how much she had been dying to meet me! I was like.. wait.. that's MY line. :-D



I got a great big hug from Michelle and another picture and was sad to hear that she was dead on her feet and so was her driver. She was really fabulous and I can't wait to hang with her again during the YA Conference this Saturday. Hopefully she's been resting a bit between her school visits and book signings and will be ready to chat it up on the panels.

So, you'll see another post this Saturday or Sunday chatting all about that... :-D.

I had a ton of fun at the signing and wish more awesome authors would come my way!
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Friday Finds


Hosted by MizB, click here to see more Friday Finds

I said on twitter last night that I wasn't going to post, but here I am, 5:30 am, posting. I'm so tired...

Onward!

This week, only two finds:

Description from goodreads:

What would happen if an author went back to the darker themes of the original fairy tales for his plots, and then crossed the Disney princesses with Charlie's Angels? What's delivered is The Stepsister Scheme -- a whole new take on what happened to Cinderella and her prince after the wedding. And with Jim C. Hines penning the tale readers can bet it won't be "and they lived happily ever after".





Description from Goodreads:

What would happen if a star writer went back to the darker themes of the original fairy tales for plots, and then crossed the Disney princesses with Charlie’s Angels? What he’d end up with is The Mermaid’s Madness—a whole new take on The Little Mermaid. And with Jim C. Hines, of Jig the Goblin fame, penning the tale, you can bet it won’t be “They lived happily ever after.”





Sounds pretty good, right? They're part of the same series. I saw this randomly around the blogosphere and thought the covers were pretty. I also am a sucker for fairy tale retellings.

What did you guys find?

Read more...

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Link a Contest Thursday!

So... it's that time again.. where you link your contest to promote it and so others can enter!

Rules (or at least STRONG suggestions):
1. Name the item being given away (instead of the blog name)
2. Give the end date in () after the name
3. Make sure to link DIRECTLY to that contest post - if you don't know how to do this - just click on the title of the contest blog and it will give a direct URL you can use.
4. If you want to post a contest you've found, make sure it isn't already posted.

Thanks!

And please steal this! Not all my followers will be following your blog, so if you spread the contest love with a Mr. Linky, all the better for contest-loving-bloggers!


Read more...

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Maggie Stiefvater book signing!

I just came home from seeing Maggie Stiefvater at a local bookstore near where I work.


Maggie was great, a little slap happy, but every one was too shy to ask more than a few questions so she rambled on a bit about subjects related to the book.


First of all, I want to assure you that Grace will not be having twins (nonetheless alien babies) in Linger and that the name will NOT change to Litter. (I told you she was slap happy...).

My favorite part of the night was when she was asked how she came to write Shiver. She actually described it like getting a pimple. One day your face is all clear, then you start to feel something coming up and then it just comes out of nowhere and you have to do something about it. Maggie did elaborate to explain that she wanted to write a book that would make people cry after she had read the Time Traveler's Wife for the second time. The idea of werewolves came from a short story contest she decided to do randomly.

I now officially feel guilty for not having finished Shiver yet and not reading my copy of Ballad... Bad me!



It was really a lot of fun. I may be doing a giveaway... haven't quite decided on what it will include. So... stay tuned for that.

Tomorrow, I see Michelle Zink. :) I think this is my official author week... lol.
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Waiting on Wednesday - Forgive My Fins


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




Forgive My Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs
Release Date: May 2010

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Can you say AWESOME?
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Weekend Blogger Spotlight List

This is my favorite feature. I interview mainly new bloggers and some oldies and share them with my fellow bloggers. Check them out below.

Alphabetical by Blog Name:

-A-
A Bookful of Thoughts
A Passion for Books
A Reader's Adventure
All Things Urban Fantasy
An Addicted Book Reader
And Anything Bookish
April Nichole's Blog
Ashley's Library

-B-
Badass Bookie
Between the Lines
Book Chick City
Book Crazy
Book Dragon's Lair
Booking Through 365
Bookjourney
Booknerds are Pretty Too
booktumbling

-C-
Confessions of a Bookaholic
Consumed by Books
Cover to Cover

-D-
Darkly Reading
DeRaps Reads
Dreamer

-E-
Eating YA Books
Everything to Do with Books

-F-
Fantasys Ink
Feed Your Imagination
Fragments of Life

-G-
Girls in the Stacks
Good Books and Good Wine
Good Golly Miss Holly

-H-
Harmony's Radiant Reviews
Hey! Teenager of the Year
Holes in My Brain

-I-

-J-
JacobsBeloved

-K-

-L-
La Femme Readers
Laina Has Too Much Spare Time
Lisa the Nerd
Loud Words and Sounds
Love to Read for Fun
Lovely Miss Lucy

-M-
Melanie's Musings
Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks
Miss Danaidae
Mrs. Magoo Reads
Mrs Q: Book Addict
My Tea Time is Book Time
My Words Ate Me

-N-
Nyxen's Sidewalk Journey Through Life

-O-

-P-

Page Turners
Park-Avenue Princess
Pepper Ink
Pirate Penguin's Reads

-Q-
QT Bookworm

-R-
Raschel Reads
Read Now, Sleep Later
Reading in Color
Reading the Best of the Best
Reading Through Life
ReadReadRead
Red House Books
Reversing the Monotony
Ruby Loves Adventure
Running for Fiction

-S-
Shut Up! I'm Reading.
Spellbound by Books
Star Shadow Creative Mishaps
Steph the Bookworm
Story on a Page
Storywings
Strange & Random Happenstance

-T-
Tales of a Teenage Book Lover
Tales of Whimsy
That Chick that Reads
That's a Novel Idea
The Allure of Books
The Bodacious Pen
The Book Scout
The Book Vixen
The Book Whisperer
The Bookologist
The Eagle's Aerial Perspective
The Hiding Spot
The Library Lurker
The Life (and lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object
The Lost Entwife
There's a Book
Three Cheers for Literacy
Tin Heart Tomes
Too Many Book, Too Little Time
The Undercover Book Lover
Twin Pigeon
Two and a Half Book Lovers
Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews

-U-
Une Parole

-V-

-W-

Wicked Good Books

-X-

-Y-
Yay! Reads
YA Book Queen

-Z-

And tons more coming!

If you're interested in being a spotlighted blogger, please fill out this form.


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List of Author Interviews/Guest posts


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Review List


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Review Policy

Welcome to Bookworming in the 21st Century. Thank you for considering us to become a reviewer of your novel or product. We love accepting novels from authors and publishers as well as hosting giveaways, guest posts, and interviews. It is always nice to get to know other authors and booklovers.

If you are interested in having one of us review your novel or product, host a giveaway, or have us post an author interview or guest post, please fill out this form.

Our reviews of an item always involve our honest opinions. Sending us a product or novel to review does not guarantee a 5 rose review, but will reflect our true thoughts on the item during the review post, including positive and negative feedback and how we felt about the item personally.


Genres that Kristen enjoys:

Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction are the two main types of fiction that I read and blog about on Bookworming in the 21st Century.. I do accept some adult novels if they fall into the category of Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and some Science Fiction and usually only if the author is familiar to me. My personal favorite genres are paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction and dystopian literature. I also am a big fan of graphic novel and manga. I generally will not rate those types of novels, but will do so if the graphic novel is a review book.

I prefer actual ARCs or physical copies of a review book, but will consider a title in e-book format if the book highly appeals to my tastes in reading.

Here is a complete list of all the books I have reviewed since the start of my blog. My format has changed over the course of my blogging, but the ratings have not.

Genres that April enjoys:

My favorite genres are YA paranormal and fantasy. While books are a good way to escape reality those are my two favorites to use. If it appeals to me I will also check out some science fiction, adult books of paranormal and urban fantasy. I would rather that the book either be an ARC or finished copy. No PDFs or e-books.


What happens when we accept a novel to review:

Accepting an item for review does not guarantee that we will write a review. If the book does not appeal to us after about 50 or so pages, we usually move onto a different book. In our best interest, we do our best to accept books that we think we will enjoy most so that this situation does not arise. While we promise only to give an honest review of the item, we will make sure that there are always positives and negatives in our reviews. Even if we do not like a book, we like to convey the reason to my readers why it did not appeal to us personally and what the novel's stronger points were.

Our reviews generally include:
  • The cover art of the novel,
  • The Author's name,
  • Release Date of the novel,
  • A summary of the novel, and
  • My personal opinion of the book.
If requested, we will also provide any information provided about the author, her website, social networking accounts or any multimedia that coincides with the books - such as a book trailer.

Generally, our reviews are posted here on Bookworming in the 21st Century, as well as on Goodreads. If you want a book reviewed on a website other than these two, please let us know and we will try my best to oblige.


Ratings:

We have created a review rating that suits my love of reading. We will rarely rate a book below 3 Roses because we think all books have merit and something good about them. This is how the Rose Rating is broken down:

5/5 Roses Loved the book

4/5 Roses Liked the book

3/5 Roses Did not enjoy the book personally.

2/5 Roses Skimmed most of the book.

1/5 Roses Gave up on it.

We're very honest, but we try my best to find something good about the book we've just read. You won't end up seeing a lot of 1 or 2 rose books because we won't review them if we haven't read most/all of the book.


How long will it take for a review:

If sent a book for review, we will try our best to read it in a timely manner. We try to review novels that are already published first and then ARCs a week or so before they are due to be published. If you want the review posted by a certain date, please let us know so that we can make sure the book is read and reviewed by that date. Most likely, it will take us about 3 months after receiving a novel, but that is not a guarantee.


Bookmarks and Swag:

We love receiving bookmarks and swag to help promote Young Adult and Middle Grade novels. We tend to send out bookmarks and swag with my contests, so if you would like to send us some, please email me.


Other Products:

If you have a product that you think would appeal to teens and adults that like to read, please feel free to contact us. We are definitely open to reviewing any items that we think our readers will enjoy.

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About

Welcome to Bookworming in the 21st Century. This blog reviews mainly young adult fiction but also includes elementary and middle grade fiction due to the fact that Kristen is an Elementary School Library Media Specialist. All information and policies on this page are current as of November 2010.

Kristen's Contact Information:

Email: dragonzgoil@gmail.com

Find me on:
Twitter
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Shelfari
BookBlogs
Teen Fire
Random Buzzers

April's Contact Information:

Email: theaprilnichole@yahoo.com

Find me on:
Twitter
Goodreads
Random Buzzers

Want to know our review policy? Click here.

Copyright:
All content found on Bookworming in the 21st Century is copyrighted as of 2009, unless otherwise stated. All other pictures, interviews, and guest posts are property of the respected authors and artists unless otherwise stated.


If there is anything you would like to use from our site, please contact us via email.


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Teaser Tuesday - Prophecy of the Sisters


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of
Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • 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!
Today's teaser is from Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. I'm going to see her Thursday AND Saturday, so I need to finish her book!

She hesitates, shifting nervously on her feet before answering. "Well, everyon has dreams, Lia. . . ."
-p. 111
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Monday, September 21, 2009

Blog construction

Hi guys! Just wanted to let you know I'm playing with my blog. Say hello to menu bar buttons. Still working on formatting them to my liking and adding the posts to link to them. Let me know what you think! Suggestions, websites to look at for this type of thing and whatnot...

Thanks!
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It's Monday, What are you reading?



J.Kaye hosts this wonderful meme.

Click on titles for my reviews or more info on the book.

Blarg! I only read ONE book this week. *shakes head* I know I'll do better next week...

Read this past week:
Willow by Julia Hoban

Currently Reading:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (audiobook)

Upcoming:
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Medina Hill by Trilby Keny

Poll Results!
I asked this past week how many books you thought could be on my TBR pile. Then, I showed a picture later on to give a bit more of a hint.
Well, I counted them up and I have 205 books that I own To-Be-Read!
And here's how the poll results break down:
20 or more - 4%
50 or more - 21%
100 or more - 32%
150 or more - 12%
200 or more - 28%

This week's poll deals with my fiance and his love of books. Check out the sidebar...

Updates:
  • I started the process for getting my new apartment. Looks like I'll be picking up the keys a day or two before my wedding (way earliar than I thought we'd get them), but the price was right and the community of these apartments is SUPERB! I mean they have 3 luxury swimming pool, 3 tennis courts, 2 work out centers, 1 business center, a cafe that has free coffee and cookies and community events like ice cream socials and more! I could go on and on about how awesome this apartment is but one thing stood out to me in the actual apartment - a FIREPLACE! How cool is that? *so excited to move*
  • I was sick this weekend, so no apple picking - sad, but they picked some apples for me.
  • I'm attending two signings and a full day YA conference this week. Seeing Maggie Stiefvater on Wednesday, Michelle Zink on Thursday, and about 10 or so different authors on Saturday including Michelle Zink, Libba Bray, Ellen Hopkins, Cynthia Liu and many more!

Well, I think that's it. Gotta bug the fiance about dishes. :)
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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sunday Spotlight - Twin Pigeon

Welcome to the Sunday edition of my Spotlight weekend interviews. Today, we have a fun blogger who wants you to visit her blog. And well, if you're not enticed by the cool graphic below.. well, you will be if you read on!


Name:
Corey
Nickname and/or blog name: Twin Pigeon (my blog name...thankfully not my real-life nickname)
Blog URL: http://www.twinpigeon.com/blog



A bit about me: I've loved reading my whole life and was always reading above my age level. Therefore, I had already moved past YA novels (which I felt were less interesting) by the time I started middle school. However, on a whim a couple of years ago, I decided to pick up a book labeled as YA and was instantly hooked. Since then, I have found that a) the YA genre as a whole has improved since I was a teen b) I can read YA books constantly and be pretty freaking happy. Thus, an obsession--and a blog--was born. I am the female Benjamin Button of books.
On a personal front, I am 25, female, and married to the most awesome guy ever (who shall be henceforth dubbed "The Boy"). The Boy and I watch far too many movies and play a horrible amount of video games. Life is grand.


When and why did you start your blog? I uploaded my first post on July 25th, so I am practically a newborn. I started the blog because I was reading so many books that I wanted to keep track of. Then I figured, while I was at it, I might as well let the world know what I think. Plus, I have several friends who regularly ask me for recommendations; now I can guilt them into visiting my website. >: D


What's with the name? The Boy and I like to play a little game called "What do you think of the name _____ for _____." It usually involves the names of our Future Hypothetical Children (e.g. "What do you think of the name Jeffrica for a boy?") and is always horrible and/or hilarious. One day, when we were doing nothing in particular, The Boy busted out with "What do you think of the name Twin Pigeon for...anything." I thought it sounded absolutely hilarious, yet kind of catchy. And here we are. :D


What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share? Right now it's mostly about YA book reviews and news. But since I'm a pretty random person, you will probably see a lot of different stuff. Cool features may or may not include: grading the books' aesthetic features, Soundtrack Saturdays, Second-Chance Sundays, Unnamed "Things I Thought Were Awesome When I Was a Young Pigeon" Project, and more. Plus, I plan on flashing back to the children/YA books I actually loved as a kid. Which totally means I'm going to talk about Christopher Pike a lot.


Do you have a review system? If you do, would you like to explain it for us? I SURE WOULD, KRISTEN! ;) My reviews are split into five parts:

The Superficial: Observations on the packaging of the book, such as cover art, page style, typography, size, and title. Less important, but c’mon, you know you think about it.

The Short of It: My review in a nutshell. Usually one sentence long.

The Long of It: Like the Short of It…only longer. I.E. my full review.

Opening Lines: The biggest factor in any bookstore drive-by--the first few sentences.

Score: On a scale of one to ten. I will also address re-readability and buying suggestions (e.g. Buy Hardback, Library It, Wait for Paperback, Run for Your Life).



Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog? Just write. And make friends. :)


What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently? I am all about the horror and the supernatural. I like any kind of novel with strange things and screaming kids. If it's Gothic (extra points for southern) or dark, I'm there. I also like more "literary" books, satire/comedy, and a little sci-fi.


Thank you to Corey for sharing her fun blog with us today. I really love the look and feel of it, don't you? :-D Check her out and make sure to leave a comment (or a billion) on her blog for her.

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at bittahsweetharmony@yahoo.com.


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Saturday, September 19, 2009

IMM Vlog (5)

In My Mailbox is hosted by the fun and awesome Kristi from The Story Siren.




People/websites/places mentioned:
Addicted to Books
Reader Rabbit
The Bookstore
Kristi from The Story Siren
Michelle Moran's Literary Scavenger Hunt
Bookmooch
Book Closeouts
Swagbucks

Books/other stuff won:
Prophecy of the Sisters Swag Bag
My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

Blog Tour book:
Medina Hill by Trilby Keny

Books mooched:
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison
A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

Books bought:
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Rapture of the Deep by L.A. Meyer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Psyche in a Dress by Francesca Lia Block
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
Here There be Dragons by James A. Owen
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Ely Plot by Joan Lennon
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
War of the Witches by Maite Carranza
Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles DeLint
Love is Hell
The Icebound Land by John Flanagan
Undone by Brooke Taylor
The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison
The Game by Diana Wynne Jones
In the Hall of the Dragon King by Stephen Lawhead
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

I think I am officially banned from buying any more books. Seriously...
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