The Official Hunger Games Movie Trailer

The first sneak peak into the Hunger Games trailer was released this Sunday at MTV's Video Music Awards. Even though the trailer was short, it managed to reignite my interest in the movie. I CAN NOT wait to see the movie in March. I have a feeling that it's going to be amazing!

What did you think of the trailer?

The Official Hunger Games Movie Trailer

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa Review

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of the Iron Knight and let me tell you—it did not disappoint. After being completely enamored with the first three books in the Iron Fey series I didn’t think it could get any better. I was wrong. This book was not only just as good as the others, but even better. I laughed, I cried, my heart raced with fear, the tension in some parts caused me to hold my breath. And then there’s that twist that completely threw me off. It was incredibly unexpected! Just when we think that there’s nothing left to surprise us with; Julie proves us wrong.

The story starts off with Ash and Puck searching for Grimalkin. When they find him they go on a journey to search for a way to make Ash human again so that he can be with Meghan (the Iron Queen) without withering away in the Iron Realm. Although the book is told from Ash’s point of view it wasn’t only about him. We got to see a lot of Puck, and the other characters. Actually, it wasn’t until this book that I really started to love Puck! I felt like this book showed a side of him that the other three didn’t.  At first, from books 1 though 3, I was strictly team Ash…but, towards the end of the Iron Knight I became both Team Ash and Team Puck because I realized that both characters were equally loveable in different ways. So much of Ash’s character and true self was portrayed in this book that it made me love him ten times more than I did in the last book.

Although I am sad to see the Iron Fey series end, I was really satisfied with the way it ended. It was a world-wind of emotions for me, and probably one of the most memorable books I’ve read all year. The Iron Knight was a stunning conclusion to the Iron Fey series, and a book you’re sure never to forget.

This book is a must read!

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa Review

☆The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ARC Giveaway ★

Hi guys! I decided it was time for another giveaway! I am giving away my Advanced Reader Copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins. You can see my review for it here. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer will be released September 27^th, 2011 by Simon and Schuster Publishing.

For a chance to win a copy of it before the release date please comment after reading the guidelines.

Guidelines:
In the comment section below please provide....

1. Your name (or pseudonym) & email.
2. A link to your blog (if you have one)
3. +2 points if you are an old follower, +1 point if you are a new follower
4. +2 points Tweet about this giveaway + add the link in your comment
5. +4 points Blogged about this giveaway + add link in your comment
6. + 2 points if you add me as a friend on Goodreads

7. + 1 point If you love YA novels!

8. -100 points you hate YA Novels…

*Extra Notes:

• This contest is only open to those who live in the United States & Canada.
• Extra points will give you a higher chance of winning. More entries = more number of times you are entered in the drawing.  
• Deadline is Sat. September 3rd, 2011

Good luck!

☆The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ARC Giveaway ★

Crossed + Lola + Shatter Me ARC Giveaway!

Tahereh has THREE PRIZE PACKS to give away.

1. ARC of CROSSED + ARC of SHATTER ME

2. ARC of LOLA & THE BOY NEXT DOOR + ARC of SHATTER ME

3. ARC of SHATTER ME

Go here to enter her awesome contest. It ends August 17th. (aka Tomorrow).



Crossed + Lola + Shatter Me ARC Giveaway!

*AUGUST: Online Resources for Writers *

1. The EditMinion

Remember Write or Die? Well Dr Wicked has made another online tool for writers called the “Edit Minion”. 

“EditMinion helps you refine your writing by searching your text for some common grammatical, spelling and diction mistakes that spellcheck won’t catch. It looks for adverbs, bad dialogue attribution, commonly misspelled words and ending a sentence with a preposition. It will also count how many times a given type of mistake is found.

It’s obviously no replacement for a human copy-editor but it will give you an idea of what areas you might need to focus on revising in your writing.”

http://writeordie.com/2010/12/introducing-the-editminion/

2. The Bookshelf Muse

The Bookshelf Muse is a wonderful blog that has many resources for writers. My particular favorites (listed on the sidebar) are the Character Traits Thesaurus, Emotion Thesaurus, Setting Thesaurus, Weather & Earthly Phenomena Thesaurus, Color textures and Shapes Thesaurus, and Symbolism Thesaurus.

The amounts of things I’ve learned from this blog since I’ve found are phenomenal.  Aside from the Thesaurus’, just going through their regular posts you’ll learn so many great tips about writing.  You can tell that the people who run the blog really take their time with each and every post that they make. It truly is amazing.

I have it first on my Favorites Bar if that tells you how much I adore this blog. :)

http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/

3. What is High Concept?

Have you ever wondered what High Concept is? Why people keep talking about it?

Read this article here over at Wilde Life:

http://wildelori.blogspot.com/p/high-concept-writing.html

Have YOU found any helpful articles on writing this month? Please share ‘em if you do.

*AUGUST: Online Resources for Writers *

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

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

If you do this meme as well feel free to post a link to your Waiting on Wednesday post.

This week’s WoW is:

Under the Never Sky

By Veronica Rossi

Release date: February 7, 2012

Blurb from Goodreads:

EXILED from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as the Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage— and her only hope of staying alive.

Because they must, they will struggle together to survive.

Aria and Perry forge an unlikely alliance—one that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky

So what do YOU think? I really can't wait to read this book. It reminds me a bit of Divergent by Veronica Roth. They’re both dystopian novels, and the authors have the same first name and partially the same last name, not to mention they have the same publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This week I recieved two ARCs from HarperTeen. One of them, Vanish, is second in the Firelight Series. Firelight is about a girl who can transform into a dragon. I really liked the first book so I'm hoping the second will be just as good.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
by Rae Carson
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Source: NetGalley
Status: Currently Reading

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Vanish (Firelight # 2)
by Sophie Jordan
Release Date: Spetember 6th, 2011
Source: NetGalley
Status: To-read

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

So what books are YOU reading this week?

In My Mailbox (4)

Pottermore (Harry Potter fans!)

I just got my Pottermore account today (MidnightHallow126)! I figured out the answer to the clue quickly so all I really had to do was the math. I wanted to do the clue from yesterday, Day 3, but I fell asleep before I could because the clue was released around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning) I’m so happy I made it today though! I jumped around a couple of times and got a few odd looks from my little brother. For today (Day 4) they changed the timeframe to reveal the clue from 9am- 1pm so I was happy I didn’t have to set my alarm clock at 4am.


For any of you diehard Harry Potter fans who aren't able to make a Pottermore account because you're working during the time that the clues are revealed, and you really really want to an early account you could email me and I can try to get you one during one of the remaining days if they keep the current timeframe (a.k.a when I'm awake).

Pottermore (Harry Potter fans!)