Happy Halloween, friends

[photo via moaan]

Hope you have a spOOktacular one!

RIP IV Challenge Wrap-Up

Can I just say how much I loved this challenge! I really did! It got me in the Halloween mood all month long. I read books outside my normal genres (and by that, I mean horror). It was so fun and I got a lot more titles read then expected. The challenge was for 4 titles and I definitely surpassed that amount - Yay me! Here is my final list:

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
Impossible - Nancy Werlin
Fairest of All - Serena Valentino
A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
Tombstone Tea - Joanne Dahme
The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink
The Vampire Diaires - L.J. Smith
The Peruke Maker: The Salem Witch Hunt Curse - Ruby Dominguez
Hellbound Hearts - edited by Paul Kane & Marie O'Regan
Ginger High - Melissa Burmester
Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman
Day by Day Armageddon - J.L. Bourne
Another Faust - Daniel & Dina Nayeri
Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road - K. Klise & M. Sarah Klise
The Magician's Elephant - Kate DiCamillo
A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb
Ruined: A Ghost Story - Paula Morris
Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror - Chris Priestley

This was spOOktacular reading. I can't wait for this challenge again next year!

Giveaway: The Last Song and A Change in Altitude

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

You can find my review of the book here.

Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.

A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.


GIVEAWAY: These are AUDIOBOOKS. I have 3 copies of each up for grabs - thanks to the lovely Anna at HBG.

Your comments will enter you in both giveaways unless otherwise specified. If you have a preference, also mention that in your comment.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) ; and for putting my spiffy little button on your blog. Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Friday, November 20.

Giveaway Results: Tall, Dark & Handsome

[photo via owlgardens]

and the winners are:
Tena
ColleenFL
Jaime
robin_titan
elnice

Way to go you guys! Winners were chosen using randomizer.org. I will be e-mailing each of you. You have until Wednesday to get back to me, if I haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

If you're still interested in more giveaways, check out my giveaways page [here]. More giveaways will be posted later today and throughout next week - so stay tuned.

Willow by Julia Hoban

On a stormy night, Willow takes the wheel and her whole life is forever changed. Both her parents are killed in the accident and Willow has to move in with her older brother, his wife and their young daughter. She feels the weight of the world is on her shoulders - she's emotionally overwrought, heavily grieving and feels guilt towards her part in the accident. To top it off, she also feels that her brother secretly blames her for their parents’ death and no longer loves her.

She finds that the only way to relieve herself when her emotions just become too much is to "cut" herself with a razor. But she is eventually found out by a classmate named Guy. Although Guy promises not to tell on her - he also can't just walk away from her. Instead he tries to get closer to her to find out what leads a person to hurt themself in such a way and to try to help her out of the dark place she's in.

This is the first time that I read about "cutting" in such detail and although a bit on the descriptive side, it was not overdone or gory. On the other hand, Willow's pain is so real that you can actually understand why she would feel the urge to cut herself... even if you don't actually agree with it, you almost feel as if it is acceptable. It's as if her pain will consume her if she does not find an outlet to let it out. From the moment you start reading this book you become so emotionally attached to these characters (i.e. Willow; her brother, David; Guy) that you fly through the pages just to see what happens. If they can forgive each other? If they can forgive themselves?

The book is written in the third person, and I really commend Ms. Hoban for having written it this way. It somewhat gives you a detached feeling but at the same time you feel as if you are looking at Willow and Guy from above. Catching a glimpse into a painful part of a young woman's life.

This novel is not just about cutting - it is about love, hope and forgiveness. Although it touches on such a heavy subject, it is not overwhelming, instead it is told in a very unique and graceful voice.

Willow is a beautiful story, compellingly told and is by far one of the best YA novels I've read in quite some time. It is a very powerful piece that I highly recommend to older teens as well as adults.

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The title says it all. Because really, who does not want to make their own bacon, cheese and marshmallows?

[photo courtesy of Sabino]

I'm also heart-ing this beautiful picture, which I thought was appropriate with Halloween right around the corner. I just heart the idea of reading underwater... because yes, if I could do it, I'm sure I would.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

Catherine Grace Cline wants to get the heck outta Dodge... or better said, the heck outta Ringgold, Georgia. There is just something about this town that just makes her restless - maybe it’s that it’s too quiet, or too small, or that it has a very small population - where everyone is your neighbor and they all know every little thing about your life. She and her sister spend every Saturday eating Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen and plotting their big escape.

Catherine Grace lives with her father, the town’s Baptist Minister, as well as her younger sister. It’s been tough living without her momma, who accidentally drowned when she was young. And although she still misses her mother and has always been haunted by her passing, she has luckily found a mother figure in her mother’s best friend, Gloria Jean.

Gloria Jean is an inspiration to Catherine Grace. For no one in town looks, dresses or acts like Gloria Jean - with her pretty nails, always done-up hair and fancy clothes. So when the chance arrives for Catherine Grace to move out of town and live in the big city, Atlanta - working in a department store and leading the life she has always dreamed about, she has no qualms with saying good-bye to her family, friends and boyfriend.

But when tragedy strikes and Catherine Grace has to make her way back home - not just is she surprised when she realizes that nothing she believed was as she thought, but she will also question whether leaving her hometown was the best thing for her, or was she where she belonged from the start.

Catherine Grace's voice is so unique and innocent that you become immediately immersed in her life and that of the citizens of Ringgold from the first sentence. As you read, you almost feel as if you are reading with a Southern drawl... it was really very endearing. Her voice is that of anyone who grew up in a small town - with hopes of seeing the great big world. Although the decision to leave everything and everyone you've known your whole life is a tough one, it is one that must be made.

This was a very lovely story - with some fantastic characters and plenty of twists that will keep you interested and in the end leave you wanting more. This is a coming-of-age story that not only leaves you feeling hopeful but also with a big grin on your face. I loved it and can definitely recommend it.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.

As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires. [borrowed from GoodReads]

As I'm sure some of you already know, I'm not too fond of short stories - although I did purchase this with the hopes of enjoying it since they seem to be loosely related stories with one particular character, the ubiquitous Olive Kitteridge. And as expected Olive does appear in every story in the book - sometimes just merely by name, other times it's a cameo appearance, but her presence is definitely felt throughout these vignettes into the lives of some of the residents of Crosby, Maine.

Now let me shed some light on the infamous Olive Kitteridge. Olive Kitteridge = a bit nasty, a little on the heavy side and definitely older. That description alone should give you a feel for exactly what we're dealing with here.

As you go from story to story you read about Olive, her friends, relatives and acquaintances scattered throughout Crosby, Maine. And I will confess that the stories in this book will have you thinking not just about the fictional characters Ms. Strout has created, but about your own life and that of your friends and family. These are very real life characters that you can easily associate with yourself.

With that said, sadly, I just never got around to "really" liking any of the characters. Don't take me wrong, Olive was a force like no other. When she came into a room (or a story) her presence was definitely made known. But I think it made me feel preoccupied... in the sense that I was looking forward to Olive. When was she going to enter the story? How did this person know Olive? Was she their teacher? Was she a neighbor that lived down the road? Olive, Olive, Olive. In the end, I found it to be distracting.

I honestly thought the premise was unique and clever. And, needless to say, Ms. Strout's writing is superb... but in the end it just never clicked for me. I'm not sure if that was because the stories were too short or I just had "too" high expectations for this, but sadly it just fell flat for me.

Giveaway: Run for your Life

A calculating killer who calls himself The Teacher is taking on New York City, killing the powerful and the arrogant. His message is clear: remember your manners or suffer the consequences! For some, it seems that the rich are finally getting what they deserve. For New York's elite, it is a call to terror.

Only one man can tackle such a high-profile case: Detective Mike Bennett. The pressure is enough for anyone, but Mike also has to care for his 10 children-all of whom have come down with virulent flu at once!

Discovering a secret pattern in The Teacher's lessons, Detective Bennett realizes he has just hours to save New York from the greatest disaster in its history. From the #1 bestselling author comes RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, the continuation of his newest, electrifying series.

GIVEAWAY: 5 copies are up for grabs.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Friday, November 13.

Giveaway: Beat the Reaper

Dr. Peter Brown is an intern at Manhattan's worst hospital, with a talent for medicine, a shift from hell, and a past he'd prefer to keep hidden. Whether it's a blocked circumflex artery or a plan to land a massive malpractice suit, he knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.

Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwna is a hitman for the mob, with a genius for violence, a well-earned fear of sharks, and an overly close relationship with the Federal Witness Relocation Program. More likely to leave a trail of dead gangsters than a molecule of evidence, he's the last person you want to see in your hospital room.

Nicholas LoBrutto, aka Eddy Squillante, is Dr. Brown's new patient, with three months to live and a very strange idea: that Peter Brown and Pietro Brnwa might-just might-be the same person ...

Now, with the mob, the government, and death itself descending on the hospital, Peter has to buy time and do whatever it takes to keep his patients, himself, and his last shot at redemption alive. To get through the next eight hours-and somehow beat the reaper.

Spattered in adrenaline-fueled action and bone-saw-sharp dialogue, BEAT THE REAPER is a debut thriller so utterly original you won't be able to guess what happens next, and so shockingly entertaining you won't be able to put it down.

GIVEAWAY: 5 copies are up for grabs.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Friday, November 13.

Giveaway Results: The Tudor Rose

and the winner is:
Pam

I will also gladly giveaway my gently read ARC copy to:
Crystal (you were the runner up, if you're interested, it's yours.)

Way to go ladies! Winners were chosen using randomizer.org. I will be e-mailing each of you. You have until Thursday to get back to me, if I haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

If you're still interested in more giveaways, check out my giveaways page [here]. More giveaways will be posted later today and throughout the week - so stay tuned.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Valerie is pretty much your average every day girl. Except for one thing, a couple of months back her boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their busy school cafeteria, killing six and wounding countless others. And worst of all, it wasn't a random shooting, instead he targeted people on the HATE LIST, a list that Valerie herself helped create.

Although it all started off as a joke - creating a list and placing the names of people that were mean or hateful toward Valerie and Nick... little did Valerie know that Nick would go to such an extreme as to target these people and kill them.

I was taken on such a powerful, emotional, turbulent, yet amazing ride on this one. The story is told through Valerie’s point-of-view and you can see how her life was before Nick’s deadly rampage and how she as well as her peers have been affected since that tragic day in May.

Although there are books about school shootings out there, I thought it was refreshing to read about Valerie, who not only is a survivor of the shooting but she was also to blame for her part as the shooter’s girlfriend... otherwise known as, guilty by association. The Hate List that they created - named anyone ranging from the school bully, to a mean teacher, the rude jock, the obnoxious trendsetter, and even to a parent who would not agree to allow one of them to do as they pleased.

Valerie was such a real, honest and relate-able character. Like every other girl her age - she was dealing with self-esteem issues and her situation at home (her parents were going through a rough patch in their marriage) really didn’t help her out any. The Hate List she created seemed , to me, like a way to relieve some of her stress. And although these are people she might have disliked (immensely), I would say hate was too harsh a word, and say she did “hate” them, she definitely didn’t want them killed off. Her boyfriend Nick was the only person she actually felt loved and understood her and with him gone... it just seemed like her world was falling apart.

I liked her sessions with her psychiatrist - these were some very tough questions and scenarios that were discussed in her therapy. There was such great character development (not just Val) but her parents, brother, schoolmates, her therapist, even Nick (who was dead from the start).

Although the book touches on very difficult subject matter, I was hooked from the start. Val’s world was upside down and to read how she was able to grow and mature after such devastation was amazing. This is a fast-paced, emotionally charged, thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 10/26/09)

I'm getting ready to start a new weekly meme for Mondays. It's sort of a recap of what I read last week, what I plan on reading this week and what went down over my week and weekend. I figure this will be an easier way to get everything down in one post instead of the multiple posts I normally do. Just testing the waters - but hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it. This will replace the What are you Reading on Mondays post. So here goes:

This week I plan on reading the following:

I'm keeping it nice and simple this week. Not too many books planned only because we have Halloween over the weekend and I don't want to stress myself over meeting my reading quota.

Last week I read the following:
- Meridian - Amber Kizer
- Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen - Susan Gregg Gilmore
- Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey
- Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

I never got around to reading Tales of Terror from the Black Ship - but I will... eventually. I was in a slump last week - I was tired, went to sleep early most nights and caught up on my TiVo for like the past two months.

I reviewed the following:
- A Certain Slant of Light - Laura Whitcomb [review]
- Ruined: A Ghost Story - Paula Morris [review]
- Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror - Chris Priestley [review]
- Oh. My. Gods. - Tera Lynn Childs [review]
- Beastly - Alex Flinn [review]

Aside from my procrastination issues over the week, we also had a new addition to the family and that kept me busy most of my weekend. Let me introduce you to:

GRANT

I also had the pleasure of meeting Scott Westerfeld yesterday. He was at my local Books & Books for a presentation and book signing of his most recent book Leviathan. His presentation was fantastic - he explained how he came up with the concept for the book, his illustrator, the beautiful illustrations scattered throughout the book and why he chose steampunk for his new series. I've only had the opportunity of reading Uglies- but I plan on finishing the series up since I became of fan of Tally right away. And Leviathan seems like it will not disappoint either.Mr. Westerfeld was very sweet, signed my book and also allowed me to take a picture with him. I abstained from squealing from joy when I got there only because I arrived a little late to the presentation and ended up having to stand at the back of the room the whole time, but still it was very entertaining, educational and fun. Here are some of the pictures:

And there you have it my week in as few words as possible. So tell me about your week and about what you're reading.

Giveaway: The Lovely Bones

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen.

In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets.

With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing.

GIVEAWAY: 5 copies are up for grabs.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Friday, November 6.

Giveaway: Life After Genius

Theodore Mead Fegley has always been the smartest person he knows. By age 12, he was in high school, and by 15 he was attending a top-ranking university. And now, at the tender age of 18, he's on the verge of proving the Riemann Hypothesis, a mathematical equation that has mystified academics for almost 150 years. But only days before graduation, Mead suddenly packs his bags and flees home to rural Illinois. What has caused him to flee remains a mystery to all but Mead and a classmate whose quest for success has turned into a dangerous obsession.

At home, Mead finds little solace. His past ghosts haunt him; his parents don't understand the agony his genius has caused him, nor his desire to be a normal kid, and his dreams seem crushed forever. He embarks on a new life's journey -- learning the family business of selling furniture and embalming the dead--that disappoints and surprises all who knew him as "the young Fegley genius."

Equal parts academic thriller and poignant coming-of-age story, LIFE AFTER GENIUS follows the remarkable journey of a young man who must discover that the heart may know what the head hasn't yet learned.

GIVEAWAY: 5 copies are up for grabs.

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. No P.O. Boxes. Winners will be drawn Friday, November 6.

Giveaway Results: The Heretic's Daughter and Halloween Bookmarks

and the winners are...

The Heretic's Daughter
Creations by Laurel-Rain Snow
Andrea
Sarah
Mary Ann DeBorde
Stacey

Halloween Bookmarks
Jess (abookhoarder)
April
Alexia561
Beth F
flowerchild

Way to go you guys! Winners were chosen using randomizer.org. I will be e-mailing each of you. You have until Thursday to get back to me, if I haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

Bookmarks will be on a first come, first serve basis. Send me a list with the one you want the most to least. I will choose them in the order I receive your e-mails. I will get these out to you tomorrow since I really want to have them out to you by Halloween.

If you're still interested in more giveaways, check out my giveaways page [here]. More giveaways will be posted later today and throughout the week - so stay tuned.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Kyle Kingsbury is the ruler of his school. He's good looking, he's wealthy, has a celebrity father, lives in a posh apartment in New York City, has the hottest girl in school on his arm and hangs with coolest guys. But he's a total jerk - having no qualms with making sure the average person knows how "beneath" him they are.

But when his classmate Kendra humilitates him in front of his friends, he vows to make her pay for it. He leads her to believe that she will be his date for the school dance... although he already has plans with his "real" date, the said hot girl. Once Kyle plays his sinister trick on Kendra he definitely was not expecting her to show up in his bedroom later that night or, much less call him "beastly" and threaten him with "comeuppance".

That's right, Kendra wasn't your obvious girl, of course, Kendra is a witch that curses Kyle to look on the outside the way that he is on the inside... beastly. He's cursed to find true love - someone he loves and who loves him in return. Obviously, not something that is easy with his hairy body, clawed hands and sharp teeth. And keeping all that in mind, there is also the slight problem of having a limited time to do it... meaning if he doesn't find someone within the allotted time, he'll be a beast forever.

Modern day version of Beauty and the Beast you say?

Of course, I ran right out and got me a copy because as you must already know, any remake of one of my favorite fairy tale's is a must-have for my bookshelves... and Alex Flinn's tale of the beastly, Kyle Kingsbury does not disappoint.

I loved all the little details scattered throughout the story - Linda also known as Lindy (which means pretty/beautiful in Spanish); the doting maid (which reminded me of Ms. Potts in the Disney cartoon), the rose, his new castle-like residence far from his father and the people who know him, and, of course, the magical mirror. These were such a delight to read about throughout the story.

My favorite parts though... Kyle's IM conversations with the other mythical creatures in the chat room for changed beings. I mean, these were the highlights of the book for me. So funny and a treat.

Kyle was intense, emotional, he's someone you love to hate... but as the story progresses he slowly becomes putty and is molded into such a wonderful young man that, as the reader, you forget how beastly he actually does look and you can't help falling in love with him yourself.

I thought this was such a fun, fast-paced, modernized version - that I'm sure will have you forgetting about the Disney cartoon and loving this so much more.

As always, I was a sucker for a fairytale remake, but I thought this was a fresh and fantastic retelling of an unforgettable classic that any teen and/or adult can enjoy alike.

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Phoebe’s life is turned upside down when her mother returns from her Greek vacation with a fiancé in tow and claiming that they (including Phoebe) are moving to Greece. Not only does Phoebe have to leave behind her BFF’s, but she will also be starting a new school for her senior year, and she has to leave behind her cross-country coach who has been working so hard with her in order for her to get that running scholarship for college that she’s been dreaming about.

Not only will she be facing all these sudden, drastic changes in her life, but she now has a step-sister from hell (who's mean, conniving and hates her on sight), and her mother breaks the news about the new school that she will be attending. An elite school where descendants of the Greek gods study - making her the only nothos (or ordinary human) in the whole school.

Phoebe is such a cool girl. I liked that she was sassy, and held her ground and although she was powerless compared to all her new classmates she was not intimidated by their strength and power. I also loved the chemistry between her and her new friends Nicole and Troy, and, of course, the smokin' hot Griffin. I would have liked for there to have been more interaction between her and Griffin though. I did feel that their relationship was a bit rushed and formed with very little interaction.

As for the storyline, although I did find certain plot points predictable, I was nonetheless carried away into this magical world of the gods. I am a sucker for Greek Mythology and this was a fun way of getting my mythological fix.

I loved the zany characters, the school setting and, of course, the mythology. This was loads of fun and I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment, Goddess Boot Camp. Because yes, I really did not want it to end.

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I've decided to start a new meme. Why? Well because everyone's doing it. :D

Fine... I guess not really because everyone's doing it, but because sometimes I fall in love with pretty things and I figure why not share them with you guys. That's right, I'm sweet like that, plus, my hubby does not really appreciate my tastes. So from now on, every Thursday I will feature a new meme that I will call

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i heart posts will feature book related things. They can be anything from some type of booky item, a book cover, even a picture of a book. Just anything that catches my fancy really. I figure it'll be a nice interlude between book reviews and giveaway posts. Plus, I love pretty colorful pictures so enjoy. This week

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[photos courtesy of DesignArtist]