#BEA Update for Thursday -- ok I am bragging a bit

So, expect a lot of great giveaways in the upcoming months!  I am unfamiliar with a lot of these books, but I have heard great things about all of them.  I got a lot of recommendations from fellow YA bloggers.  Everything was organized nicely this year - I didn't see any of the fighting that was reported last year, in fact, most of the people there were very helpful.  In fact, on blogger told me about The Raven Boys giveaway and held my place in line for Lauren Kate.  

I did an awful lot of fan-girling - SQUEEING!  and the such.  I wasn't even the oldest one in line for a change!  

I also picked up a really cool Allegiant bag from Veronica Roth, she was signing posters but I had no way to get it home without ruining it.  I plan on giving that away when I get home!  I am sure someone will appreciate it!  Unfortunately with traveling from California to NYC, stuff is expensive to ship, so I can't bring home alot.  I did meet Melissa De la Cruz -- what a wonderful person!  I did pick up an extra copy of Minds of Salem which I will giveaway some time in July!  

I am sure there is a lot that I am forgetting but as brain starts to function again, I will post more.

WOW: Awaken by Meg Cabot @megcabot @this_is_teen

"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:

Book Description

Release date: July 2, 2013 | Series: Abandon

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth comes to a thrilling conclusion.

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn't want him to let go.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she'd be forced to live forever in the one place she's always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.

But now her happiness -- and safety -- are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.

If the balance between life and death isn't fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce's home back on earth will be wiped away. But there's only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

About the Author
MEG CABOT'S many series and books for adults, teens, and tweens have included multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers and have sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series has been published in more than thirty-eight countries and was made into two hit films by Disney. Meg also wrote the New York Times bestselling Mediator, Airhead, Insatiable, and Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series, as well as the award-winning novels All-American Girl and Avalon High. Meg lives in Key West with her husband and two cats. Visit Meg online at www.megcabot.com.

Review SKY ON FIRE by EMMY LAYBOURNE @FierceReads @EmmyLaybourne

Book Description

Release date: May 28, 2013  Series: Monument 14

Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.

Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .

Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . . .


About the Author

EMMY LAYBOURNE, author of Monument 14, is a writer and actress. She has appeared in movies like Superstar and The In-Laws, and has performed original comedy on Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, and with UCB and Chicago City Limits. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband and their two children. Visit her online at www.emmylaybourne.com.

SOURCE: AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

The group has survived intact so far with only minor injuries and have figured out how to counteract the chemical spill as well as fight off a few interlopers who would like to take over the superstore.  Alex and Niko decide that they can't sit around in the store forever and repair the bus to get to Denver International Airport where evacuations are taking place.  So with them, Batiste, Josie, Sahalia and Brayden who has been shot, all set off to get help in the bus.  As they travel through the interstate, the true horror of the catastrophe is even more than they could have imagined.  They are met by a group of marauding militia that tell them the airport is nothing more than a death sentence.  Still the group plods on.

Back at the store, Astrid and Dean try to keep the three youngest children happy and comfortable and they  think that they are safe, another refuge tries to break in and Jake reappears to save them.   As Jake describes the devastation outside, they start to gather supplies to make their own trek to the airport.  The air quality is deteriorating and they feel they have no other choice since everything seems to be getting worse.

The story again is full of action and perfect descriptions which make for a quick read.  The characters are more developed and I needed a book that wasn't a tortured romance -- although there is a bit of that between Astrid and Dean.  The ending left me hanging a bit and you do find out the fate of a few of them.  I am not going to ruin the outcome of this one since I know you will want to pick this one up.  Parents:  There is a bit of language and some kissing in this one, as well as some violence but it was nothing like the first one.  

 Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 28, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312569041
• ISBN-13: 978-0312569044
• 
  

BookHounds YA Review OF TRITON by ANNA BANKS @FierceReads @ByAnnaBanks

Book Description

Release date: May 28, 2013

Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death.


As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance in the Syrena world turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?


Once again, Anna Banks infuses Emma and Galen’s points of view with humor, intrigue, and waves of romance.



About the Author

Anna Banks’s first novel, Of Poseidon, was a Macmillan Fierce Reads title. She lives in Crestview, on the Florida Panhandle, with her husband and their daughter.

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

****spoilers if you haven't read the Of Poseidon****

Emma has learned that her mother is actually Nalia, the long lost Poseidon Princess that Galen's brother, Grom, was slated to mate with when there was an explosion and both thought the other was dead.  After some maneuvering on both Galen and Emma's part, the pair are brought together, but not after a harrowing chase and Rebecca's ability to track anything and everyone pinpoints the pair as they try to escape.  Galen has lied to Emma, although not intentionally, and she doesn't trust him, but doesn't know what else to do, so she accepts what has happened and still is in love with him.  Rayna, is there just to drive you batty and I think I would miss her if she weren't present.

Of course, there is the required lovers' spat and as the pair fight, they can't seem to keep their hands off each other.  It is nice to finally get some insight into how Emma came to be and we get to learn more about the history of Nalia/Natalie.  The romance between her and Grom is really wonderful.  As Emma suspects and Rayna noisily points out, Paca, doesn't have the gift of Poseidon but is an impostor and this all comes to a head in a climatic scene that is truly delicious.

I really enjoyed this one as much as the first, but again, I was left wondering what would happen to the all of the couples again.  Will Grom and Nalia be truly reunited?  Will Galen and Emma finally get together and mate?  Will Rayna ever stop picking on Toraf and admit she is madly in love with him?  You do find out bits and pieces, but there isn't a happily ever after yet.  Parents:  there is a LOT of kissing, not much more than that and overall this is a pretty clean romance geared towards teens.  Now, I need the next installment to clear up all these hanging threads.

BookHounds Review DARE YOU TO by KATIE McGARRY @HarlequinTeen @KatieMcGarry

Book Description

Release date: May 28, 2013 | Series: Harlequin Teen

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....


About the Author
KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Beth has relied on her friend Isaiah to keep her grounded and out of trouble, so when she takes the fall for her mother and abusive boyfriend, her aunt Shirley calls her father's brother, Scott, to bail her out of jail.  Scott drags her off to small town Groveton, her parents' home town from Louisville and she must now start a new school.  The week before her world shatters, she becomes the focus of a dare at a Taco Bell between some high school jocks.  Beth takes their dare and turns it on its head.  Never imaging that she would ever see these guys again, she plays them and get one of them to buy her food.  We briefly met Beth in Pushing the Limits since Echo started going out with Noah, who lived with her aunt.

Moving in with Scott and his wife, Allison, Beth doesn't like the rules they set since she never had any rules, other than keeping her mother and herself alive and with a place to live.  Her life really explodes when she comes face to face with they guy she plays at the Taco Bell.  Ryan has what seems the perfect life:  a stable home with parents, friends and a truck.  As Beth fights back from conforming, Ryan keeps on making contact with her since he can't get her out of his mind.  When Scott asks Ryan to help Beth maneuver the high school, he doesn't hesitate accepting, but Beth wants nothing to do with him until she figures out that he is her ticket to freedom.

Well, I only cried twice while reading this one, since I think I was in tears for most of Pushing the Limits.  I know there are so many damaged kids out there and this reminds me a lot of kids I knew growing up.  With a drug addict for a mother, Beth tried to be the mother but as a teen she is not mature enough to handle the responsibility but does it anyway since she doesn't know any other life.  Ryan makes an excellent counterpoint to her since on the surface, it seems like his life is perfect but it is almost as messed up as Beth's.  He does have more stability at home though.  This book can easily stand alone but really enjoyed get little snippets of how Echo is faring.  The next book is supposed to pick up on Isaiah's story which will be interesting and a novella about Lila, Echo's best friend in April, 2013.  Parents:  this is for more mature teens since there is drinking, drug use, sexual situations but they are all dealt with in a realistic manner.

JANE AUSTEN GIVEAWAY HOP! win PROM & PREJUDICE OR CLUELESS

Welcome to the LOVE IN BLOOM  Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 
vvb32reads (HERE)

Check out the entire list of participants HERE

There are  a bunch of blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts May 24th and and ends on May 27nd,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:
(click on the covers for more information)

 

 or

(this DVD will only play on US devices)

Want to win this prize?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 5.27.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE prize is available.

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Review TOWERING by ALEX FLINN @HarperTeen @EpicReads

Book Description

Release date: May 14, 2013

New York Times #1 bestselling author Alex Flinn reimagined the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast in Beastly and gave a twist to the story of Sleeping Beauty in A Kiss in Time.

Now with her gothic and darkly romantic YA novel Towering, Alex Flinn retells the tale of Rapunzel.

When Rachel was taken to live in a tower by a woman she calls Mama, she was excited. She felt like a princess in a castle. But many years later, Rachel knows her palace is really a prison, and begins to plan her escape. She is encouraged by the speed that her golden hair has been growing. It’s gotten long enough to reach the ground. And she’s begun dreaming of a green-eyed man. Could he be out there in the world? Is he coming to save her? Or will she find a way to save herself?

About the Author


Alex Flinn loves fairy tales and is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Beastly, a spin on Beauty and the Beast that was named a VOYA Editor's Choice and an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Beastly is now a major motion picture starring Vanessa Hudgens. Alex also wrote A Kiss in Time, a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty; Cloaked, a humorous fairy-tale mash-up; and Bewitching, a reimagining of fairy-tale favorites, including Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, and The Little Mermaid, all told by Kendra—the witch from Beastly. Her other books for teens include Breathing Underwater, Breaking Point, Nothing to Lose, Fade to Black, and Diva. She lives in Miami with her family.


SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Rachel's first few years were normal and then the woman she has called Mama takes her to a new home, where she is locked high into a tower.  Rachel adjusts to this new place and reads her days away.  Her hair grows freely, especially when she is stressed.  Wrapped up in her world of literature, she wonders if she will ever have a first kiss or romance of her own.  As her hair is growing more rapidly lately, she braids it and cuts it, making a rope, for what she is not yet sure.

 Wyatt, is sent to stay with his mother's best friend, Mrs. Greenwood, in the mountains where there is no cell reception and only small town life.  He mistakenly wanders into her deceased daughter, Danielle's room and discovers her diary.  Now with Wyatt narrating the story, we see how all of these characters come together.  There is a disturbing drug problem in this small town and quite a few local teens like Danielle, have disappeared.  When Rachel happens to spy and then save Wyatt from a frozen lake, the story becomes increasingly ominous.  All three characters collide in the end with a remarkable outcome.

This is a retelling of Rapunzel using  a dark, Gothic mystery much like Wuthering Heights which is also one of Rachel's favorite reads.  Although this one didn't grab me like Beastly and had no Kendra involvement, I really enjoy Flinn's writing and this story does work in the end.  There are lots of interesting minor characters that add a unique small town flavor to the mix.  Parents:  this one has some kissing, mentions of drug use (in an evil light) and is pretty safe for teens.  I am now looking forward to see what is next for this author.

• Disclosure 

• If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  

No Strings Giveaway WIN The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Welcome to the NO STRINGS ATTACHED Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

There are over 50 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts May 21st and and ends on May 27th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:
(click on the covers for more information)

Want to win this ARC book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 5.27.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE book is available.

Complete the below form 

That's it -- I just need your email address! 

Giveaway Review THE S WORD by CHELSEA PITCHER @GalleyBooks @Chelsea_Pitcher

Book Description

Release date: May 7, 2013

Lizzie wasn't the first student at Verity High School to kill herself this year. But the difference is, she didn't go quietly.

First it was SLUT scribbled all over the school's lockers. But one week after Lizzie Hart takes her own life, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it--in Lizzie's own looping scrawl. Photocopies of her diary show up in the hands of her classmates. And her best friend, Angie, is enraged.

Angie had stopped talking to Lizzie on prom night, when she caught Lizzie in bed with her boyfriend. Too heartbroken to let Lizzie explain the hookup or to intervene when Lizzie gets branded Queen of the Sluts and is cruelly bullied by her classmates, Angie left her best friend to the mercy of the school, with tragic results.

But with this new slur, Angie's guilt transforms into anger that someone is still targeting Lizzie even after her death. Using clues from Lizzie's diary and aided by the magnetic, mysterious Jesse, Angie begins relentlessly investigating who, exactly, made Lizzie feel life was no longer worth living. And while she might claim she simply wants to punish Lizzie's tormentors, her anguish over abandoning and then losing her best friend drives Angie deeper into the dark, twisted side of Verity High--and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie's quest for the truth behind Lizzie's suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for--even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.




About the Author
Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, Oregon, where she received her BA in English Literature. The S-Word is her first novel. Follow her on twitter at @Chelsea_Pitcher and visit her website at ChelseaPitcher.com.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

When Angie happens upon her best friend and her boyfriend the night of prom, all hell breaks loose.  Lizzie, known as the Ice Queen, for being untouchable in their social circle of entitled, popular cheerleader- sport star set, becomes the victim of bullying, led by Angie.  When Lizzie commits suicide soon after, Angie's anger turns to guilt.  When the word "slut" appears on Lizzie's locker and soon reappears again in what seems to be Lizzie's script, Angie becomes determined to find out exactly why Lizzie ended her life.  Parts of Lizzie's diary also are being circulated, pointing out the culprits that lead Lizzie to become so depressed that she can see no other way out.

This is part mystery, part social commentary, as Angie tries to pin down who is spreading Lizzie's diary around the school.  We also get to know Lizzie a bit more through these little insights.  The uncovers a horrible truth about surviving high school with all of the twists and turns of bullying and mean girls.  Although the picture painted is pretty bleak, the author does offer some hope for those who feel they are different.  This is really a heartfelt read and speaks to an important problem that teens face today.  Parents:  mentions of alcohol, suicide and as well as some sexual situations.

Disclosure If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  

Want to win a copy of this book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address
Contest ends on 6.3.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE book is available.

Complete the below form 
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Giveaway THE EVOLUTION OF ETHAN POE & THE REVELATIONS OF JUDE CONNOR by ROBIN REARDON

In the space of a few months, sixteen-year-old Ethan Poe's life has become a complicated mix of facts, theories, and hypotheses. Things he knows beyond doubt: his parents are divorcing, his older brother Kyle is exhibiting alarming behavior, and his best friend is turning into a spiritual fanatic. Then there are the shifting uncertainties-including his feelings toward his father and his desire to both blend in and stand out in his rural Maine hometown. Most pressing of all, there's his attraction to Max Modine, a boy he wants to know much better than he does.

Despite Ethan's initial reluctance, he gets pulled into a heated and sometimes violent conflict about whether to introduce Intelligent Design into science classrooms. Family and friends are turning against each other, school is a battleground, and Ethan will have to take a stand. Because some facts are irrefutable and some bonds unbreakable, even when they can't be seen. And once Ethan finds the courage to become who he was meant to be, the outcome could be absolutely extraordinary…

Jude Connor’s rural Idaho hometown is a place of strong values and high expectations. For those who fit into the local church’s narrow confines, there’s support and fellowship. For those who don’t, there’s ostracism in this life and certain damnation in the next.
Jude wants desperately to be saved—to believe with the fervor of the charismatic Reverend Amos King, whose sermons are filled with brimstone and righteousness. But every time Jude thinks he’s found the right path, there’s a fork in the road, and Truth seems to be in a different direction. It’s not just the forbidden friendship with his unconventional classmate, Pearl, or the difficulties of being orphaned and in his older brother’s care that challenge him. There are the restrictions governing how congregants should behave, the whispers that follow Gregory Hart, a man who cares for his wheelchair-bound sister and offers guidance Jude sorely needs. And there’s Jude’s burgeoning need to decide for himself how to live, when to question, and whom to love.
When loyalty doesn’t help Jude overcome his own temptations, he must confront the truth behind the church’s façade and his willingness to follow his own path—even if it leads him far from everything he’s known.

Want to win this set of NEW books?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 5.29.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE book is available.

Complete the below form 
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LOVE IN BLOOM GIVEAWAY Win Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Welcome to the LOVE IN BLOOM  Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 
Portrait of a Book (HERE)

There are over 200 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts May 16th and and ends on May 22nd,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:
(click on the covers for more information)

Want to win this ARC book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 5.22.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE book is available.

Complete the below form 
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Giveaway Interview THE CIRCLE by CINDY CIPRIANO @CindyCipriano

Tour Schedule

The Circle Calum Ranson is sure of three things: his cousin Finley is alive, Calum will find him, and no one knows Calum and his family are Sidhe. No one until Laurel shows up at his mother's bookstore wearing a dark clan's mark. When Calum learns the details surrounding the disappearance of Laurel's brother, he suspects the evil Hobayeth clan. Calum and Laurel work together in the Realm of Man and the Otherworld to rescue her brother - revealing a connection between Calum and Laurel that may cost Finley his life.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Goodreads

Praise

"The Circle is full of magic and mystery. Readers will be engrossed in faerie realms, charming characters, and a state of wonder and imagination. The Circle is for those who delight in reading fantasy and exploring mystical worlds."

--Kathleen Fox, LibraryGames.com

Author Cindy Cipriano Cindy Cipriano lives in NC with her husband, son, and 27 pets. Okay, more like one cat, three dogs, and many, many fish. Cindy is an award winning science teacher, who this past August celebrated her 12th first day of sixth grade.

Website * Twitter

PLEASE WELCOME CINDY TO BOOKHOUNDS

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

Watership Down. I think I was ten or eleven years old.

2. What are you reading right now?

I'm reading a friend's work-in-progress, but I just finished Starchild: The Age of Akra, wonderful science fiction by Vacen Taylor.

3. How does your garden grow?

It doesn't! I murdered my last tomato plant, which is very sad because I love tomato sandwiches.

4. What is the last thing you Googled?

Abatwa

5. What makes you cringe?

Spiders. Don't like them, especially when they've wandered into the house.

  Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
 Ends 5/31/13

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED by PAGE MORGAN @RandomBuzzers @PageMorganBooks

Book Description

Release date: May 14, 2013 | Series: The Dispossessed

Fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series and Lauren Kate's FALLEN novels will devour The Beautiful and the Cursed, a wholly original interpretation of gargoyle lore.
It was bizarre and inexplicable, but after it happened no one spoke of it and Ingrid Waverly was forced to leave her life in London behind. She had to trade a world full of fancy dresses and society events for Paris with her mother and younger sister, Gabby.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house her twin brother Grayson found for them isn't a house at all. It's an abbey. A creepy, old abbey with a roof lined in stone gargoyles that one could almost mistake for living, breathing creatures.
And Grayson is missing.
Yet no one seems to be concerned about Grayson's whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant who has some secrets of his own.
There's one secret about the city that he can't keep hidden, though. There's a murderer on the loose. And every day Grayson is missing means that there's less of a chance he's alive.
Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows he's in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.
Only the path to him is more than she could ever imagine.


About the Author
PAGE MORGAN has been fascinated with les grotesques ever since she came across an old, black-and-white photograph of a Notre Dame gargoyle keeping watch over the city of Paris. The gargoyle mythologies she went on to research fed her imagination, and she became inspired to piece together her own story and mythology for these remarkably complex stone figures. Page lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their three children.

SOURCE:  AMAZON VINE

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Ingrid Waverly has embarrassed herself and her family when the boy she expects to propose asks her best friend instead at a large party.  When her friend's house catches on fire, she thinks it is because she knocks over a candelabra.  At the same time, her brother has been banished from London by their father and by luck, her mother decides now is the opportune time to open an art house in Paris.  So, with her younger sister, Gabby, the family leaves England for France to the former site of an Abbey that her brother thinks would be an excellent location for the gallery.  Then things start to get really strange when her brother is missing and girls start disappearing as well.  As Ingrid starts to unravel exactly what happened to her brother, she stumbles on angels, demons and a few creatures in between.  Her younger sister, Gabby is a breath of fresh air and being the younger won't stand for being pushed into the background.  Ingrid and her sister are no damsels in distress, they won't back down.  

As they get closer to finding their brother, they find themselves in danger. Ingrid soon discovers, the Rectory they have moved to is surrounded by gargoyles which provide more protection than the myth would have you believe.  When Ingrid realizes that she has her own personal guardian gargoyle in the form of a hot guy named Luc ,the sparks really fly.  There is of course a human side of good that are fighting the demons, the Alliance, which tolerates the gargoyles, but believes them less than humans. The first hundred pages are mostly set up for the stories to come.   The last part of the book is really a page turner and non stop action.  

I adore Gothic tales and this one  is especially a treat since it has a really hot hero mixed with a young woman that doesn't take no for an answer. If you enjoy historical paranormal mystery with some really wonderful characters this has all the set up for a wonderful series.   I haven't read a decent story with gargoyles since Shanna Swendson put one in her Enchantments, Inc. series. Now, I suppose I will have to wait another year for the next installment.  Parents:  this is best suited for teens since there is some violence, but probably safe for most horror fans.  There are also a ton of wonderful themes about feminism, racism and I am sure everyone will be asking for there own personal gargoyle.

Here is my Luc, well this one has never been named, but I got him after a trip to Paris and knew I needed a gargoyle of my own and this one had the face of a dog! 

 

Children's Book Week Giveaway WIN 2 BOOKS

Welcome to the CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK  Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 
Kid Lit Frenzy (HERE)
Mymcbooks (HERE)

There are over 100 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts May 13th and and ends on May 19th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:
(click on the covers for more information)

Want to win this set of books?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 5.19.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE set is available.

Complete the below form 
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Giveaway Interview WEDNESDAY IN THE TOWER by JESSICA DAY GEORGE @JessDayGeorge @bwkids

Book Description
Release date: May 7, 2013 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Tuesdays at the CastleA castle that is constantly rearranging itself, and a young royal family sworn to protect it... Celie, Rolf, and their beloved Castle Glower are back in this exciting sequel.

When her brother Rolf dares her to catch magical Castle Glower creating a new room, Princess Celie takes the challenge! No one knows the Castle better than she does. But as usual, the Castle has ideas of its own.Celie finds the new room first, and inside it is hidden a giant egg. It looks like The Castle wants Celie to care for the egg and whatever creature it hatches! Celie hadn't bargained for a pet, and caring for this one will prove to be especially tricky, once Celie and her siblings realize what else the Castle is hiding....

About the Author
Jessica Day George is the author of Tuesdays at the Castle, as well as the Twelve Dancing Princesses series, and Dragon Slippers series. Originally from Idaho, she studied at Brigham Young University and has been a movie store clerk, a bookseller, and a school office lady before becoming a writer. Jessica lives with her husband, their three young children, and a five-pound Maltese named Pippin who often makes cameo appearances in her books. www.jessicadaygeorge.com

Twitter * Goodreads * Blog  * Website

PLEASE WELCOME JESSICA TO BOOKHOUNDS!

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

It was one of those 1st grade readers, called “Pug,” about a brown dog. “Pug! Oh, oh, Pug! We let you ride, Pug! Ride, Pug, ride!” I was so excited! Then I lost the reader and my parents had to pay for it . . . it’s whereabouts are still a mystery to this day!

 What are you reading right now?

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein, a wonderful historical YA about the Roanoke Colony. And Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to the kids.

 How does your garden grow?

A nice man comes on Mondays and handles that, lest I kill all the plants.

What is the last thing you Googled?

“What do the eggs look like in the Dragon Story app?” I’m so addicted to that game!

What makes you cringe?

When people say, “Oh, you write kids’ books? I bet if you set your mind to it, you could write for adults, too!”

Want to win a copy of this book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address
(no PO boxes)
Contest ends on 5.18.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher and ONE book is available.

Complete the below form 
Follow Me
Extra Entries

+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 

+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 Follow my reviews on Goodreads HERE

(I am at my limit of friends!)

+1 Leave a comment and/or social network this daily!  

(one link per site per day)

EXTRA ENTRIES FOR JESSICA

Follow on Twitter HERE 

Fan on Goodreads HERE

Follow her blog HERE