www.BookHoundsYA.net

You'd have to have, like, a lentil for a soul to hate wiener dogs. ~Zuzana from The Daughter of Smoke & Bones by Laini Taylor


Thursday, March 31, 2011

GIVEAWAY! Fool for Books Giveaway Hop!

 Stop #31

Welcome to The Fool for Books Giveaway Hop! is to thank all of my lovely followers and runs from 12:01 AM on Friday, April 1st to 11:59 PM on Saturday, April 2nd, midnight.

Each participating blog is hosting their own giveaway with their own entry requirements. All participating blogs are linked up through the Fool For Books linky HERE. After you have entered one giveaway hop go to the next giveaway on the list.

Special thanks to Inspired Kathy over at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer for putting together this amazing hop! Please thank the co host of this event The Bookish Snob  HERE

Here are the next few blogs on the hop:

30. BookHounds (US)
31. FOREVER YOUNG (adult) (Intl)
32. The Balanced Writer (Intl)
33. Stuck in Books (US/Can)
34. Lisas World of Books (US)
35. Hypnotically Entranced (US)

On to the good part:

I have two  ARCs up for grabs

And a new copy of:



WANT TO WIN THIS  SET OF BOOKS?

Contest is open to anyone with reliable mail service (Worldwide and PO Boxes OK!)
Contest ends on 4.2.11 midnight and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 4.3.11
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by ME one set of books is available.


NOTE:  Postage has increased again and if the winner lives outside the US, I may opt to replace this set with the book of your choice from the Book Depository, up to $15 value.

To Enter:
Complete the below form
Follow Me

Extra Entries:
+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE
+1 Follow my other blog: BookHounds  HERE 
+1 You can also social network this TWICE daily for up to FOUR extra entries, just leave me a link with a way to contact you.







GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Zan Gah #1 & #2 by Allan R Schickman


Book #1 Description

The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature's wonders and terrors.

Book #2 Description

The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan s troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan s people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael s cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.

About the Author

Artist, teacher, author, and historian Allan Richard Shickman was an art history professor at the University of Northern Iowa for three decades. His first novel, Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure won an Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award and was a finalist for the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award.

Details Book #1

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Earthshaker Books (July 15, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0979035708
  • ISBN-13: 978-0979035708

Details Book #2

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Earthshaker Books (September 26, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0979035716
  • ISBN-13: 978-0979035715

 SOURCE:  PUBLISHER


MY THOUGHTS
LIKED IT

This is a wonderful action-adventure series that should appeal to boys and even those difficult to please ones around 12 years old.  I think these are probably safe for more mature 10 year olds as well.  The story takes place in prehistoric times where status is created by being a provider of safety and food.  There are themes that should spark some discussions about how humans came to be hunters and the devastation of war.  I liked how the author worked in diplomacy in a primitive warrior culture.
 




WANT TO WIN THIS SET OF BOOKS?

Contest is open to anyone with reliable mail service (Worldwide and PO Boxes OK!)
Contest ends on 4.15.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 4.16.10
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is sponsored by ME and one set of  books is available.

 Complete the below form  Follow Me
+1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 
+1 Follow my other Blog BookHounds HERE


And now, for those extra entries you can do each day:

+1 Leave a comment!  I love comments! If you don't follow on GFC, be sure to leave an email address or your the name you used on the form, so I can contact you.

 +1 for each post on twitter, a social networking site, blog, sidebar, etc., just be sure to leave a link.





Wednesday, March 30, 2011

REVIEW: Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White

Description

Something—some power—is blooming inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love.
Laurel suspects her newfound ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out.
Clues and signs and secret messages seem to be all around Laurel at Avondale School, where her mother had also boarded as a student. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day? Or will she set the stage for the most lovestruck, infamous prom in the history of the school?

About the Author

Amy Brecount White has taught English literature and writing to middle school and high school students. She has written numerous articles and essays for publications such as the Washington Post, but Forget-Her-Nots is her first novel. She can often be found in her garden and gives flowers to her friends and family whenever she can, though none have had magical effects—yet.
Amy Brecount White lives with her family in Arlington, Virginia.

Details

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Greenwillow Books (March 2, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 006167298X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061672989
SOURCE: Around the World ARC Tours /  Publisher
    LOVED IT


    I really enjoyed this fantasy debut from Amy Crecount White.  The story was told in just the right tone and set the stage for a believable account of one girl and her ability to create magic from flowers.  This book is appropriate for everyone and I think all teens and adults will enjoy it.  I liked Laurel and the fact that she grew as a person, didn't let mistakes overwhelm her and developed into a good person.  She makes good and bad choices and learns from everything she does.  There is a nice amount of romance and the fact that the story uses the common elements of flower and plants in a unique way that is credible. 

    Waiting on Wednesday: Sirensong by Jenna Black

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

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


    Description

    When Dana is invited to Faerie to be officially presented at the Seelie Court, it’s no easy decision. After all, everyone knows Titania, the Seelie Queen, wants her dead. But Titania claims not to be the one behind the death threats; and her son, Prince Henry, makes the decision a whole lot easier when he suggests Dana might be arrested for (supposedly) conspiring with her aunt Grace to usurp the Seelie throne. So she and her father better do as they're told…
    The journey through Faerie is long – and treacherous. Dana thought it would be a good idea to have friends along, but her sort-of-boyfriend Ethan and her bodyguard’s son, Keane, just can’t seem to get along, and Kimber’s crush on Keane isn’t making things any easier. When a violent attack separates Dana from their caravan, the sexy Erlking saves her just in the nick of time… and makes it clear that he hasn’t given up on making her his own.
    Arriving at Titania’s beautiful palace should be a relief. But Dana is soon implicated in an assassination attempt against Titania’s niece, and is suddenly a fugitive, forced to leave her father behind as she and her friends flee for her lives. Will she be able to prove her innocence before the forces of the Seelie Court catch up with her? Or, worse, the Erlking? And will she save her father before he pays the ultimate price in her stead?

    About the Author

    JENNA BLACK graduated from Duke University with degrees in anthropology and French. A full-time writer of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, she lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Visit her on the Web at www.jennablack.com.

    Product Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Paperback: 336 pages
    • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 5, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0312575955
    • ISBN-13: 978-0312575953
    OMG -- I can't wait -- I love this series.

    Monday, March 28, 2011

    GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Shimmer by Alyson Noel

    Description

    Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?

    About the Author

    ALYSON NOËL is the author of the Immortals series and seven previous novels for St. Martin’s Press. She lives in Orange County, California, where she is at work on the next book in the Immortals series. Visit her on the web at www.alysonnoel.com.

    Details

    • Reading level: Young Adult
    • Paperback: 208 pages
    • Publisher: Square Fish; First Edition edition (March 15, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0312648251
    • ISBN-13: 978-0312648251
    SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
    MY THOUGHTS
    ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
    Wow, I am totally blown away by how much Alyson Noel packed into one slim novel!  There is a moral and history lesson in an easy to read story.  Empathy is probably something most kids around 12 are lacking and Riley is short on this trait, like most 12 year olds.  As Riley freely admits she is willful, stubborn and acts rashly.  After earning her glow in Radiance, she is granted a vacation with Bodhi and chooses to go to an island her parents had described often.  There she comes upon Rebecca, a soul who hasn't moved on from 1733 when she was killed during a slave revolt.  She goes through reasons behind Rebecca's pain and helps her move on.

    The story is well balanced and most teens and pre teens should enjoy this story.  The younger ones may be a bit disturbed by the description of "beach bowling" where people are buried up to their head in sand and then, bowling balls are flung at them. There are some bits of violence described and again, some of the mentions might upset younger kids, but in this day of video games, it might not.  I loved how Riley truly grows through each encounter and that Bodhi actually guides her instead of using discipline to get her to go in the right direction.  This is a perfect follow up to Radiance and now I can't wait to read Dreamscape in Fall, 2010.


    WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

    Contest is open to anyone with reliable mail service (Worldwide and PO Boxes OK!)
    Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 4.12.10
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by ME and one book is available.
    This is for one Advance Reader Copy, in read once condition.

     Complete the below form  Follow Me
    +1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
    +1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 
    +1 Follow my other Blog BookHounds HERE
    +1  FAN Alyson Noel on GoodReads HERE
    +1 Follow Alyson Noel's Blog HERE
    +1 Follow Alyson Noel on Twitter HERE
    +1 LIKE The Immortal Series on Facebook HERE

    And now, for those extra entries you can do each day:

    +1 Leave a comment!  I love comments! If you don't follow on GFC, be sure to leave an email address or your the name you used on the form, so I can contact you.

     +1 for each post on twitter, a social networking site, blog, sidebar, etc., just be sure to leave a link.




      Saturday, March 26, 2011

      REVIEW: Sleepless by Cyn Balog

      Description

      Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.

      But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . .

      Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?

      Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.
       

      About the Author

      Cyn Balog had a massive case of insomnia while writing Sleepless. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and daughters. Visit her online at www.cynbalog.com.

      Details

      • Reading level: Young Adult
      • Hardcover: 224 pages
      • Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (July 13, 2010)
      • Language: English
      • ISBN-10: 038573848X
      • ISBN-13: 978-0385738484
        SOURCE:  Around the World (Princess Bookie) ARC Tour


        MY THOUGHTS
        LOVED IT

        Cyn Balog has quickly become one of my favorite new authors. In her latest retelling of a fairy tale, we get to hear about the Sandman.  Much like the tooth fairy, I grew up on this folk tale about how this person (the Sandmen) spread sand that sends you to sleep.  This is a quick read and the culture of Sandmen (Sandpeople?) is described  and you slip into another world.  Eron makes a wonderful narrator and Julia develops into a good foil for him.  I thought Griffin was a little bit trite for a villain and too overly wrought.  He really needed the stuffing knocked out of him.  I could see he needed to be evil to make the story work, but he only had Julia's love as his redeeming quality.

        That said, this is a nice summer read.  I am not going into plot detail since the story is so short, it would be giving the whole thing away. 


        REVIEW: Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

        Description

        A captivating and witty dark fantasy that will have girls lusting after it.
        Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King.

        Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

        About the Author

        Cyn Balog is the race and event manager for Runner’s World, Running Times, and Bicycling magazines. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and infant daughter.

        Details

        • Reading level: Young Adult
        • Hardcover: 256 pages
        • Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (June 23, 2009)
        • Language: English
        • ISBN-10: 9780385737067
        • ISBN-13: 978-0385737067
        SOURCE:  PURCHASED


        MY THOUGHTS
        ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

        I don't know why I took so long to read this book as it has been sitting on my shelf since it was released.  This is such a delightful story and I can't wait until Sleepless is released.  The author has a charming way with words and I can't wait to read more.

        Morgan is such a likable and realistic teen and the story of how her BF and neighbor turns into a fairy is extremely believable, something that is hard to pull off sometimes.  I read this in one sitting and just adored it.  It always says alot when you just have to read the next page and that page becomes the whole book in one sitting.  More, please!

        Friday, March 25, 2011

        REVIEW: Come Together by Richard Courtney and George Cassidy

        Product Description

        As the greatest rock and roll band of all time, the Beatles rocketed to worldwide fame soon after their 1964 arrival in the United States. Much of their achievement can be attributed to the unique Beatle sound, but it was more than just the music that catapulted them to the summit of success, and kept them there even after the band ceased touring and broke apart. How the Beatles both failed and triumphed as businessmen and the lessons today's entrepreneurs and business leaders can draw from this unique journey is the subject of Come Together: The Business Wisdom of the Beatles. Authors Richard Courtney and George Cassidy recount the band's many exploits, from its early struggles in Hamburg to the success of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and beyond, revealing from a business perspective what worked and what didn't. More than the music, this book explores what it took to pass the audition.

        Product Details

        • Hardcover: 300 pages
        • Publisher: Turner Pub Co (March 22, 2011)
        • Language: English
        • ISBN-10: 1596528087
        • ISBN-13: 978-1596528086
        SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

        MY THOUGHTS
        LOVED IT


        The history of the Beatles are intertwined with a fascinating look at current business practicing.  I really think that this book would make a great gift for a recent high school or college graduate.  It is filled with easy to read and understand business theories in a way that will appeal to young adults in a very entertaining way.  The Beatles made such an impact on modern history and this is a wonderful way to combine the two.

        Each chapter starts with a snippet of Beatle history and then relates that to a business idea.  I really thought the authors did a great job explaining how much practice (Hamburg) and effort (song writing) that the members of the group did in preparation for their world domination. There are touches of Malcom Gladwell that help explain the Beatles phenomenon as well. 

        Thursday, March 24, 2011

        AND THE WINNER IS: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

        1-Mockingbird- Suzanne Collins
        2-Nightshade-Andrea Cremer
        3-Anna and the French Kiss-Stephanie Perkins
        4-Matched- Ally Condie
        5-Jane- April Lindner

        bookworm1494

        Be sure to visit the BOOK BLOG EXPERIENCE HERE

        I agreed with everything on this list.  I just need to read Matched and Anna and the French Kiss!


        An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

        Thanks to all who entered.

        PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

        Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

        AND THE WINNER IS: Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

        DONNAS -- bacchus76

        Be sure to stop by DONNA'S HOME BLOG HERE

        An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

        Thanks to all who entered.

        PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

        Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:


        Wednesday, March 23, 2011

        Waiting on Wednesday: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

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

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

        Product Description

        What happens when a vampire is stabbed through the heart by a were-unicorn? She suddenly develops a very inconvenient conscience. Oops.

        About the Author

        Sarah Beth Durst is the author of Ice, an Andre Norton Award Finalist for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, as well as Into the Wild and its sequel Out of the Wild. She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. For more information, visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.


        Details

        • Reading level: Young Adult
        • Hardcover: 320 pages
        • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (September 13, 2011)
        • Language: English
        • ISBN-10: 1442423730
        • ISBN-13: 978-1442423732

        OMG -- A WERE UNICORN -- MUST HAVE NOW!


          Tuesday, March 22, 2011

          GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Bitter Melon by Cara Chow

          Description

          Frances, a Chinese-American student at an academically competitive school in San Francisco, has always had it drilled into her to be obedient to her mother and to be a straight-A student so that she can go to Med school.  But is being a doctor what she wants?  It has never even occurred to Frances to question her own feelings and desires until she accidentally winds up in speech class and finds herself with a hidden talent.  Does she dare to challenge the mother who has sacrificed everything for her?  Set in the 1980s.

          About the Author

          Cara Chow was born in Hong Kong and grew up in the Richmond district of San Francisco, where Bitter Melon is set.  She attended an all girls' Catholic high school, competed in speech, and had an encouraging speech coach, which served in part as the inspiration for her novel.  She was a PEN Emerging Voices Fellow in 2001. In addition to writing, Cara also teaches Pilates. She currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and son. Bitter Melon is her first novel.

          Details

          • Reading level: Young Adult
          • Hardcover: 320 pages
          • Publisher: EgmontUSA (December 28, 2010)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 1606841262
          • ISBN-13: 978-1606841266
          SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
          MY THOUGHTS
          ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

          Every once in awhile I come across a book that really hits me emotionally and Cara Chow's Bitter Melon is one of those books.  It filled me with pleasure, a bit of sadness and a some triumph.  The characters just jump off the page and the dialogue just flows perfectly.  This story is set in the 1980's but you would only pick up on the decade once or twice since the story is really quite contemporary.  I loved how the author took on such themes as tradition and duty versus independence and individualism. 

          Frances finds herself in that in between world of family values and that teen need for independence.  She is expected to become a doctor and support her mother after graduation.  These plans go awry when Frances ends up in a speech class rather than the Berkley worthy class of calculus through a mistake. When Frances finds a natural talent for public speaking and is encouraged by her teacher, Ms. Taylor, she comes out of her subservient role and truly finds her own voice.

          There are some moments in the book where you will find yourself weeping for the abuse that Frances endures from her mother, Gracie.  Gracie is set on raising Frances in a traditional Chinese way and only seeks monetary success for her daughter with no other options.  If you have read anything about the Tiger Mother controversy lately, this book will give you the point of view from a child's perspective and how hard it is to live up to the expectations of the parents.

          Gracie's best friend, Nellie and her daughter, Theresa try to calm down Gracie and help Frances through the abuse they see but can't truly act on since it is acceptable for the immigrant Chinese culture and for that matter most immigrant cultures through out history.  Theresa truly grows with the help she receives from Frances' friendship and Nellie is just a fun romp with her enthusiasm for life.  This is a book that can be enjoyed by all family members and should spark some important discussions about teenage life.


          WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

          Contest is open to anyone with reliable mail service (Worldwide and PO Boxes OK!)
          Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 4.6.11 (ends 4.5.11)
          Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
          This giveaway is sponsored by ME and one book is available.
          This book is a once read ARC.

          Complete the below form
          Follow Me

          Extra Entries
          +1 Be my friend on GoodReads HERE
          +1 Follow me on Twitter HERE
          +1 Follow my other blog BookHounds HERE
          More Extra Entries for Cara Chow
          +1 Fan Cara Chow on Goodreads HERE
          +1 Visit Cara Chow's Site and leave a comment HERE


          And now, for those extra entries you can do each day:

          +1 Leave a comment!  I love comments! If you don't follow on GFC, be sure to leave an email address or your the name you used on the form, so I can contact you.

           +1 for each post on twitter, a social networking site, blog, sidebar, etc., just be sure to leave a link.



          20 QUESTIONS WITH: Cara Chow, author of Bitter Melon


          CARA CHOW and 20 Questions

           About the Author

          Cara Chow was born in Hong Kong and grew up in the Richmond district of San Francisco, where Bitter Melon is set.  She attended an all girls' Catholic high school, competed in speech, and had an encouraging speech coach, which served in part as the inspiration for her novel.  She was a PEN Emerging Voices Fellow in 2001. In addition to writing, Cara also teaches Pilates. She currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and son. Bitter Melon is her first novel.

          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          I would like to thank Cara for stopping by my blog today!  I adored this book and it is should be a must read for everyone.
          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



          1.      Bookmarks or dog ears?

          Neither.  I use Post It tabs.  They work so much better.

          2.      Dust jacket on or off when reading a hard back?

          On.  I like pictures, so if I’m not reading a picture book, then the cover art is the only picture I get to look at.  Besides, if I lose my Post It, I can always use the jacket flap as a bookmark.

          3.      Favorite author?

          I don’t have a favorite author.  I love many authors.  Instead, I’ll list some favorite novels not mentioned elsewhere in this interview: Tenderness and Heroes by Robert Cormier, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.

          4.      Favorite genre?

          In the fiction category, I tend to like literary fiction, but it has to have a good plot and good pacing.  For non-fiction, my taste is very eclectic: geography, anthropology, neuroscience, sociology, linguistics, history, cookbooks, and gardening books.

          5.      What is the best book you have read in the last year?

          Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  Especially fun to read as I tended my own garden, composted, and ate the food I grew.  As I read about her challenges living off the land in Appalachia, I learned to appreciate how lucky I am to live in Southern California!

          6.      What book would you most like to see made into a movie?

          Bitter Melon!  Not now, but maybe a few years down the line.

          7.      E books:  Friend or foe?

          Hey, if it gets more people to read, why not?

          8.      Was there a book that inspired you to write?

          The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. 
          The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier.

          9.      What are you reading right now?

          Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have by Allen Zadoff, which, like Bitter Melon, was published by Egmont USA.  I just attended Allen’s book launch party, and now I am enjoying my own autographed copy.

          10.     What is the last book you bought just for the cover?

          On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan.  And the book lived up to the gorgeousness of the cover.

          11.     What is the last book you received in the mail?

          Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua.  Since everyone’s been comparing my book to Chua’s because both feature Tiger Moms, I figured I ought to read her book and compare it to her WSJ article, “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior.”

          12.     What is the number of books you own?

          I honestly don’t know.  In addition to the books crammed into my shelf, which takes up a whole wall, I have numerous other books stuffed in boxes in my garage because I don’t have enough room in my little house.

          13.     What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?

          I don’t really remember, but it was probably Snow White and Rose Red.  We borrowed it from the local library. 

          14.     Do you have a favorite place to read?

          On my Ekornes recliner in my home office, which is next to the desk where I write. 

          15.     What is next for you, publishing-wise?

          A second YA novel with the same publisher.  As for what the novel will be about . . . that’s a secret, so big a secret that even I don’t yet know!

          16.     Do you have a favorite place to write?

          The desk referred to in question #14.  It faces my backyard, so I can watch the pond, plants, birds, and squirrels when I need to take a break.

          17.     Do you have any pets ?

          We have five giant koi fish and several goldfish in our backyard pond.  But they don’t feel like pets.  They don’t let you pet them, and they don’t run up to you and lick your face when you call their names.  To compensate for this, I take long walks in my neighborhood and along the beach and pet other people’s dogs.

          18.    How does your garden grow?

          Quite abundantly.  It may have more to do with our climate (warm and sunny all year round) and soil (clay teeming with earthworms) than our gardening skill.  We get roses every spring; tomatoes, strawberries, and basil every summer; carrots every winter; and lettuce all year round.

           19.  The last thing you Googled?

          Loma Prieta earthquake.  I was fact checking for another blog post.

          20.     What makes you cringe?
                  N/A


          Product Description

          Frances, a Chinese-American student at an academically competitive school in San Francisco, has always had it drilled into her to be obedient to her mother and to be a straight-A student so that she can go to Med school.  But is being a doctor what she wants?  It has never even occurred to Frances to question her own feelings and desires until she accidentally winds up in speech class and finds herself with a hidden talent.  Does she dare to challenge the mother who has sacrificed everything for her?  Set in the 1980s.

          Be sure to stop by Cara Chow's site HERE

          BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY: CITY of FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare -- Teaser






          Monday, March 21, 2011

          AND THE WINNER IS: Lucky Leprechaun Hop

          KATELYN  -- katelynsblog

          Stop by KATELYN'S BLOG  HERE

          An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

          Thanks to all who entered.

          PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

          Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

          AND THE WINNER IS: Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

          DEBBIE -- twoofakind12

          An email has been sent to the lucky people named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam).  The winner(s)  has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

          Thanks to all who entered.

          PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

          Didn't win?  Order your copy from my Amazon link:

          Friday, March 18, 2011

          REVIEW: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

          Description

          In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?


          About the Author

          Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Carrie Ryan is a graduate of Williams College and Duke Law School. A former litigator, she now writes fulltime. She lives with her writer/lawyer boyfriend and two fat cats in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse. You can visit Carrie at www.carrieryan.com.

          Details

          • Reading level: Young Adult
          • Paperback: 336 pages
          • Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2010)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 9780385736824
          • ISBN-13: 978-0385736824
          SOURCE: BORROWED

          MY THOUGHTS
          LOVED IT

          his post-apocalyptic tale had me asking "WHY" a lot during the first 100 pages. The story all seemed to fit together about what was beyond the fence by the end of the next 100 pages. I now know that this is the first installment of a series and by the last 100 pages I was dying to know how everything turns out. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a nice departure from the many vampire young adults out there. Again, this one is probably not suitable for younger kids, since there are a few cuss words and some sex, but the older teens are going to love it.

          Watch the trailer -- it does more in a few minutes than I could ever explain.

          REVIEW: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

          Description

          There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

          Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

          Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

          About the Author

          Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, CARRIE RYAN is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University Law School. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can visit her at CarrieRyan.com.

          Details

          • Reading level: Young Adult
          • Hardcover: 384 pages
          • Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 22, 2011)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 0385738595
          • ISBN-13: 978-0385738590
          SOURCE:  Book It Forward ARC Tours

          MY THOUGHTS
          LOVED IT

          **slight spoilers -- don't read the beyond the first paragraph!**

          This was such a wonderful conclusion to this series.  I didn't expect it to end this way, but it slowly built up to the ending and everything seemed to fall into place.  There, did I pique your interest? I am trying not to give anything away, so I will just say that those of you who adore this series will not be disappointed with this last book in the series.  To me, this was the best of the series.

          There is a lot of action and cliff hangers built into the majority of chapters and it was a really quick read for me.  Annah and Gabry, along with Elias and Catcher fight there way through the forest and this lands them in the Dark City where Annah and Gabry come face to face finally.  There appears to be a love quadrangle between the four of them through out most of this book and the conclusion of that will be twist you won't forget.

          The first two books have little clues about the outcome of the book, so be sure to take note.  I reread the first two books, to remember everything.  One of the downfalls of having a series spaced out a year apart is that you can forget the details that turn out to an important factor in the outcome.  This is just a beautifully written series that should appeal to older teens and adults.  I am sad to see it go, but there was a little bit of an opening to possibly have another one.  Maybe?  PLEASE!


          Thursday, March 17, 2011

          Wednesday, March 16, 2011

          REVIEW: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

          Description

          The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
          Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
          Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
          The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

          About the Author

          Melissa Marr is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, and Radiant Shadows.

          Details

          • Reading level: Young Adult
          • Hardcover: 336 pages
          • Publisher: HarperCollins (February 22, 2011)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 0061659258
          • ISBN-13: 978-0061659256

          SOURCE:  Book It Forward ARC Tours
          MY THOUGHTS
          LOVED IT

          The series ended exactly how it was supposed to.  Well, at least I was happy about it.  I felt that Melissa Marr wrapped up the series with a reasonable plot line and that all loose threads were tied together.  It may not be the ending some people were looking for but it worked for me.  The story does flip around with each character given their own time in the sun and point of view.

          You find out what Seth really is, what Niall really wants, what happens to Irial and of course the queens.  Donia and Aislinn have come to an understanding and compromise that in turn makes them each stronger.  Keenan find his own place in the world. I did miss some of the minor characters like Leslie although she does make a brief appearance.  The Hounds figure somewhat prominently in the story like Baranach.  I thought this was a real page turner with lots of action and a little romance. 


          GIVEAWAY! Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop! Win Steel by Carrie Vaughn



          The Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop! is to thank all of my lovely followers and runs from 12:01 AM on Thursday March 17th to 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 20th, midnight.

          Each participating blog is hosting their own giveaway with their own entry requirements. All participating blogs are linked up through the Lucky Leprechaun linky HERE. After you have entered one giveaway hop go to the next giveaway on the list. There are over 200 blogs on this hop!

          Special thanks to Inspired Kathy over at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer for putting together this amazing hop! Please thank the co host of this event Books Complete Me HERE

          Here are the next few blogs on the hop:

          31. BookHounds (Intl)
          32. FOREVER YOUNG (adult) (Intl)
          33. Rebecca Talley (US)
          34. Taming the Bookshelf (US)
          35. WRITE WILD (US/Can)

          (new ARC  copy, read once)

          WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

          Contest is open to anyone with reliable mail service (Worldwide and PO Boxes OK!)
          Contest ends on 3.20.11 midnight and the winner will be chosen by Random.org on 3.21.11
          Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
          This giveaway is sponsored by ME one book is available.


          NOTE:  Postage has increased again and if the winner lives outside the US, I may opt to replace this book with one from the Book Depository, up to $15 value. You must live in an area where this book can be delivered by the Book Depository for under this amount.

          To Enter:
          Complete the below form
          Follow Me

          Extra Entries:
          +1 Follow me on Twitter HERE
          +1 Follow my other blog: BookHounds  HERE 
          +1 You can also social network this once for FOUR extra entries, just leave me a link 




          Waiting on Wednesday: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

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

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


          Product Description

          City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

          About the Author

          Cassandra Clare made her fiction debut with The Mortal Instruments series, which has been on many bestseller lists. Cassandra lives in an old Victorian house in western Massachusetts with her fiancé, their cats, and lots and lots of books. Visit her website at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about The Mortal Instruments series at MortalInstruments.com. Learn about her new trilogy The Infernal Devices at TheInfernalDevices.com.

          Details

          • Reading level: Young Adult
          • Hardcover: 432 pages
          • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (April 5, 2011)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 1442403543
          • ISBN-13: 978-1442403543
           I just don't have to say anything, do I?

          Check out Cassandra's site about a special letter that Jace wrote to Clary HERE

          From Cassandra's site:

          What this means basically is that Barnes and Noble in the US is going to be carrying a special edition of COFA with some special content inside it.

          The B&N Exclusive Edition

          In City of Glass, Book 3 of The Mortal Instruments series, Jace leaves a letter in Clary's room before he leaves for a life-threatening mission. The content of this letter has been the subject of much speculation among Mortal Instruments fans, but it has never been revealed until now. In the B&N exclusive version of CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS, Jace's letter to Clary will be enclosed in the book as a separate piece, designed to look as if it was handwritten on stationery."


          I had initially written the letter and given it to my publisher as something that could be a tour extra — something I could have printed up to hand out to people who come to my signings. But they loved the letter so much they wanted to make it available more widely and Barnes jumped on the idea of carrying it. Everyone agreed they wanted it to look really amazing, so it's handwritten — no handwriting fonts — and sealed with the Morgenstern wax seal.

          Just to answer questions: Yes, the signed edition has the letter too. No, that doesn't mean no tour giveaway — I now have something else to give away on tour, which is a sort of short story told via postcards between the characters during the gap between City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels. Yes, this edition is only available at Barnes and Noble stores and from their online store. Yes, that means it is not available from other stores, or in countries where there are not Barnes and Noble, as of now. No, this is not a limited edition. All City of Fallen Angels books sold by B&N will have it. Yes, we have been working to do other cool things with other stores and outlets too. Yes, Barnes does ship overseas but I don't know their shipping policies exactly, but I'm sure it says on the site. I should have tour dates soon so I'll post those soon as well!

          ETA: CHAPTERS/INDIGO WILL ALSO BE CARRYING THE SPECIAL EDITION WITH LETTER IN CANADA.

          Sunday, March 13, 2011

          CONTEST CRAZE GIVEAWAY! Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

          Princess Bookie asked me to host a mini challenge, so here it is!  
          Check out her other contests HERE


          This one is different from my normal giveaways since this is a challenge and not a general giveaway.  

          To Enter:

          All you have to do is post the five best books you read in the last year.  

          The books can be released in any year and in any order.
          If you post this to a blog, facebook page, my space, twitter and link back to me, you get 3 extra entries.
          You don't need to justify your choices, just let everyone know what you think is the best!
          Open worldwide, you just have to have reliable mail service or be in an area that the Book Depository ships.
          Ends on 3.21.11 and the winner will be chosen by ME on 3.22.11

          You can win:



          Description

          “I’ve left some clues for you.
          If you want them, turn the page.
          If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

          So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

          Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

          About the Author

          Rachel Cohn & David Levithan have written three books together. Their first, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, was made into a movie starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, directed by Peter Sollett. Their second, Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List, was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. For their third book, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, David wrote Dash’s chapters and Rachel wrote Lily’s. Although they did not pass the chapters back and forth in a red Moleskine notebook, they did email them to each other without planning anything out beforehand. That’s the way they work.

          Rachel’s previous books include Gingerbread, Shrimp, Cupcake, You Know Where to Find Me, and Very LeFreak. David’s previous books include Boy Meets Boy, The Realm of Possibility, Are We There Yet?, Wide Awake, Love Is the Higher Law, and How They Met, and Other Stories.

          For more information about Rachel and David, you can find them at RachelCohn.com and DavidLevithan.com, respectively. You may also catch them in the aisles at the Strand.

          Friday, March 11, 2011

          REVIEW: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

          Description

          Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy.
          He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.
          There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.
          But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family. . . .
          Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, the graveyard book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

          About the Author

          Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett); the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the story collections Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things. He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy Awards, and the Newbery Medal. Originally from England, he now lives in America.

          Product Details

          • Reading level: Ages 9-12
          • Hardcover: 320 pages
          • Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st ed edition (September 30, 2008)
          • Language: English
          • ISBN-10: 0060530928
          • ISBN-13: 978-0060530921
          SOURCE:  PURCHASED

          MY THOUGHTS

          ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

          The Graveyard Book does exactly what a story should do:  it takes you away to another time and place where your imagination can believe in an another world.  I can see why this book won the Newbery Medal award last year.  This is the perfect book to read out loud to a child, although I could see where this spooky story would be best for older ones. 

          The descriptions are so vivid that you can see Bod and his ghosty friends.  The action becomes quite intense as Bod grows up and starts to question his existence.  He seeks out his family's murder and with some quite clever allusions this books comes to a satisfying conclusion.  This is a must read for adults as well as kids. 

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