☆ Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop! ☆

This giveaway hop is hosted by Katy at I am a Reader, Not A Writer and Jinky at Jinky is Reading.

What can you win this time around?

A copy of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows and A Million Suns by Beth Revis

GUIDELINES:

- Enter using rafflecopter
(try not to use your real name if you don’t want others to see it)
- Must be 13 years or older to enter (Click to read Contest Policy)
- Contest ends 12:01 am on March 6th
- Open INTERNATIONAL

☆ Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop! ☆

SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins Review!

S W E E T   E V I L

Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 464
Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Pre-order: Amazon | The Book Depository

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns.

    



I'm going to be upfront with you about this book—Sweet Evil tops the books coming out in 2012 easily. There's no way I can tell you how much I utterly adore this book, which is why I took me forever to write a proper review for it. I'll start off with why I love this book so much. Originality—finally someone who gets it right! Among all the books out there about angels and demons Sweet Evil has the most original take on them that I've read. The whole badge concept and the fact that the Nephilim's sole purpose is being bad influences to humans is pure genius!


  The characters. If there's any YA character that is swoon-worthy than Kaidan Rowe is exactly that. Every time he's in a scene of the book I'm practically bouncing up and down with excitement. There isn't a thing I don't like about him. Kaidan is my man. ;) Anna is an amazing female protagonist,  and I felt even the side characters were all very well developed. The plot's pacing is perfect. I never felt bored anywhere or felt the need to stop. There was always something interesting to keep my attention. Which brings me to my 3rd reason for loving this—high stakes. The higher the stakes are in a book the more I want to read it. Sweet Evil does not fail in making that happen.


I am completely enamored with Sweet Evil. It's one of those books you're only expecting to read for about a half hour or so (because you're busy and have other work you should probably be attending to) and end up reading the whole thing in one sitting, forgetting all the things you had to do that day (Spoken from true experience!). So yeah, even though I've already read this I'm going straight to the bookstore in May to get a shiny brand new copy and will probably re-read it several times until the next one comes out. :)

A B O U T  W E N D Y :

After earning a B.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, I taught high school English until becoming a mommy. Writing Young Adult (YA) stories gives me the opportunity to delve into the ambiguities of those pivotal, daunting, and exciting years before adulthood. I live in Northern Virginia with my husband, daughter, and son.Visit Wendy at her Website and Twitter.

SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins Review!

Cover Reveal! WHAT'S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhang

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

See Kat's thoughts on her amazing cover here.

Okay, so I'm really in love with this cover for many reasons. 1) Because I love light colors 2) Because of the way you can see two faces, and one of them is faded 3) Because it's different from the usual HarperTeen covers. 

I, for one, am really excited to read this! If you haven't already, add it to your to-reads list on Goodreads. 

ABOUT KAT:
Kat Zhang loves traveling to places both real and fictional–the former allows for better souvenirs, but the latter allows for dragons, so it’s a tough pick. WHAT’S LEFT OF ME–about a girl with two souls–will be released by HarperCollins 9/18/2012. You can learn all about Kat at her site, or listen to her ramblings on twitter.

Cover Reveal! WHAT'S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhang

☆ YA Paranormal Activity Hop - Giveaway! ☆

The YA Paranormal Activity Hop is hosted by Kathy at I'm A Reader, Not A Writer & Read For Your Future.




What can you win this time around?




One winner will recieve a Hardcover copy of CRYER'S CROSS by Lisa McMann

Another winner will be receiving a copy of WINGS OF THE WICKED by Courtney Allison Moulton.

GUIDELINES:
- Enter using rafflecopter
(try not to use your real name if you don’t want others to see it)
- Must be 13 years or older to enter (Click to read Contest Policy)
- Contest ends 12:01 am on Feb 29th
- Open INTERNATIONAL

☆ YA Paranormal Activity Hop - Giveaway! ☆

Winner Announced!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway of HAVOC by Jeff Sampson!




The winner is:

Stephanie Ward!

Congratulations Stephanie! Please email me with your mailing info and I'll get it out to you asap. Happy Reading!

Winner Announced!

Divergent NEWS!

Okay this is going to be a short post today. I'll get straight to it. 


Go here and watch:

http://www.facebook.com/divergentseriesuk

There's a British boy who's acting out FOUR for Harper Collins UK. He actually talks to you in the first part and I nearly fell off my seat, Lol. Then later he just keeps on repeating "Come on, what are  you afraid of?" If you take the Fear Landscape test he says more things. It's really fun listening to him. Lol, now when I read Insurgent I'm going to imagine Four with an English accent. 


The actor looks kind of familiar....but I can't tell where I've seen him before. Anyways, if you haven't seen it yet go watch it right now! I made the link extra large and clickable.  :)

Divergent NEWS!

Excerpt of INSURGENT by Veronica Roth!

The first exclusive look into the anticipated sequel to Divergent was released today on EW’s shelf life. Click here to read it. Also, check out the pulse-racing quotes posted so far on goodreads. 

INSURGENT (Divergent, #2)

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
 Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

What did you think of the excerpt? Are you looking forward to reading Insurgent this May? 

Excerpt of INSURGENT by Veronica Roth!

On Writing: Story Structure (Repost)

I wrote this article last year and because I posted the second part to it immediately after I think many people missed this one. So here is PART 1 of "On Writing: Story Structure".

Plotting novels has been so much more easy-going for me after I found out what story structure was. Keeping your story’s structure in mind can make a HUGE difference in your writing. It’ll help you stay on course whether you’re an outlining type of person or not.

As an example I’ll be using HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (Part 1) and DIVEREGENT by Veronica Roth (Part 2).

What I use is a simple 8-Point Structure (made by Nigel Watts) but if you want to go into more detail you can. (Click here for more detailed structure. Scroll down to chart. )

The Eight Main Turning Points:

(Use this as a checklist as you’re writing)

1. Stasis

Introduces characters, everyday life, and problem. (Harry Living with the Dursleys)

2. Trigger

Add in a trigger that sparks off the story. (Harry getting picked up by Hagrid & finding out he’s a wizard)

3. The quest

The Trigger results in a quest. (Harry goes to the Wizarding World for the first time and enters Hogwarts, Finds out what really happened to his parents.)

4. Surprise

Surprise takes up the most part of the story. It’s basically the middles. It includes pleasant events, but more often means obstacles, complications, conflict and trouble for the protagonist. (Harry explores life in Hogwarts. Becomes friends with Ron and Hermione. Has skirmishes with Malfoy. Trouble with Professor Snape. Learns more about Voldemort.  Plays Quidditch. Learns more about his family).

5. Critical choice

At some point the character makes a critical choice. It shows what kind of person your character is and determines what the real goal will be for the rest of the story. (Harry learns that Voldemort has been trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone. He decides that he must find the Stone before Voldemort does.)

6. Climax

In the climax basically everything possibly bad that can happen to your character does and he/she faces their worst struggle. The climax is the highest peak of tension in your story. Up until this point your character has been struggling to get better at something and this is the big test where he/she can show us what they can really do and who they really are as a person. Note that this portion is paced really quickly. (Harry finds the Sorcerer’s Stone before Voldemort does. He comes face to face with him through Quirrel, one of Harry’s teachers. But when he touches Harry the contact burns him. He dies. Harry is safe.)

7. Reversal

The reversal is the consequence of the critical choice and the climax, and it should change the status of the characters. (When Harry regains consciousness, he is in the hospital with Dumbledore. Dumbledore explains that he saved Harry from Quirrell just in time. He adds that he and Flamel have decided to destroy the stone.)

8. Resolution

The resolution is when things return back to normal and the main conflict is resolved. The characters should be changed, wiser and enlightened in some way due to the story’s events. You can always leave a few strings open though if you’re planning on continuing with a sequel. You might want to use a different central conflict this time around because the main conflict in the first book has to be resolved. (Harry heads down to the end-of-year banquet, where Slytherin is celebrating its seventh consecutive win of the house championship cup. Dumbledore gets up and awards many last-minute points to Gryffindor for the feats of Harry and his friends, winning the house cup for Gryffindor.)

On Writing: Story Structure (Repost)

This Is Utterly Ridiculous…I Can’t Even.

Before you read this post: I wrote this post based entirely on ethics--so NO, these are not hard facts. I am a teenage blogger with little to no knowledge of what is legal and what is not and have recently learned what "For Hire" is. You'll find many opinions here because this is not a formal article.

I do not appreciate the numerous articles/comments I've read (outside of this site) that have attacked me for using big font, being a fan of L.J's work, and for being a female just to name a few. Not to mention the ugly name calling. I don't see anything written in my post that would deserve any of that. I am mostly giving information--please don't bash me for it. I consider that bullying.

 ~ ~ ~

I’m probably really late with learning about this but I’m extremely outraged because this happened to one of my all time favorite authors. If it wasn’t for her and her incredibly amazing books I probably would never have loved reading YA novels nearly as much as I do today.



Hit TV series The Vampire Diaries


So to put it simply L.J Smith (author of Vampire Diaries, the Night World, and the Secret Circle) got fired by HarperCollins from writing her own books. Everything she’s written now belongs entirely to them and they can do whatever they want with it; while she has no say at all. Instead, from now on a ghostwriter will be continuing the Vampire Diaries series under her name. I mean, how messed up is that? She isn’t allowed to write another word of a series that belongs to her, a series that she has spent years writing and creating and putting her heart into because Harper suddenly decided they don’t want her to write anymore. And now a random ghostwriter (who’s skills and voice could never even remotely live up to L.J’s) is taking over.

Now, let’s consider a few things here:

a) L.J Smith has been working on this series for years (the V.D series was created in the 1990s)

b) She has all the outlines, and knows all the major plot details

c) She knows all the characters inside and out

d) And of course the biggest part in all this—her voice. A writer's voice is unique. It CAN NOT be copied by another person. I don’t know where Harper gets off saying another writer can better do L.J Smith’s voice when he/she is NOT L.J Smith.

I had no idea that these type of things can happen to a published author. So to those of you who are going to be published or hope to be published one day—read everything in the contract and be extra alert. Even if the publisher has a good name/reputation don’t let them fool you into thinking everything’s fine and dandy where legal terms are involved. Stay on top of things and make sure you are informed on everything that's going on. That means keeping close tabs and getting constant updates from your agent.

To get a better idea of what exactly is going on here are parts of a letter from L.J Smith about this issue:

The Secret Circle, also a TV series

 

“To put it briefly, I’ve been fired from writing the Vampire Diaries. And I’ve been fighting and fighting this since last fall, but there is absolutely no recourse. Midnight is the last L. J. Smith book in the Vampire Diaries series….

….It probably sounds completely impossible to say that I am fired from writing my own books. But the truth is that they’re not mine, even though I write every word…

…A book packager sells books, already made with covers and all, to publishers, like HarperCollins—my publisher for The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle. And both these series were written “for hire” which means that the book packager owns the books the author produces. Although I didn’t even understand what “for hire” meant back in 1990, when I agreed to write books for them, I found out eventually, to my horror and dismay. It means that even though I have written the entire series, I don’t own anything about The Vampire Diaries. And from now on, the books will be written by an anonymous ghostwriter, just as Stefan’s Diaries are. It will say “Created by L. J. Smith” on the cover, but I am not allowed even to change a word in the ghostwriter’s book….

…So last fall when I gave them the book Phantom, they didn’t bother to give me edits. Instead, I was given a letter addressed to the ghostwriter by name, telling her to completely rewrite my book. They wouldn’t even listen when I pleaded and promised to do Phantom as they required. The simply took the series and gave it to the ghostwriter . . . to write not only The Hunters trilogy, but whatever comes after that….

…They have always tried to minimize my participation in The Vampire Diaries. On the very first original books in 1990 my name was almost invisible on the cover. And now they have my manuscript of Phantom, and the book the ghostwriter writes from it may even sound like I wrote it in places, because they have the right to use my work as they see fit. But the book after that … that will be pure ghostwriter. I would guess that they think you readers won’t see or care about the difference in writing styles and skills….

….I don’t know how Phantom will turn out, with a blend of my manuscript and the complete rewriting of it by the ghostwriter. But I dread it, and even more do I dread what the next books will be like. I’ve worked so hard to make Vampire Diaries a good series, only to have the unthinkable happen to me…."

>> To read the full letter from L.J Smith or learn more about this go here, google it, or visit her website.

>>To read more about For Hire and contracts scroll down to read the information many of the commentors posted about below.


What are your thoughts on this dillema? Would you be okay if a ghostwriter took your place (without your consent) and continued a series that you wrote? Leave a comment, discussions are welcome.  

This Is Utterly Ridiculous…I Can’t Even.

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren. It features the new books that you've recieved or brought throughout the week.

This week I received:

Destined (WING # 4)

by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and she is working with Klea to conquer and destroy Avalon. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares for a fight she never thought she would have to face.

Filled with heart-pounding action, sweeping romance, and higher stakes at every turn, Destined is the series conclusion that readers have been clamoring for—with a twist that will leave them breathless.

Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to touch her hair behind her ear. He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn't kiss her, just held her face to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.

She hated how much it felt like good-bye.

Thank you so much to HarperTeen for this copy!

 I love this series and I'm so excited to get started on it. :) 

In My Mailbox (11)

~ LJ Design Studio ~

Wondering who made the new template for my blog?

Linna from 21 pages has started a design studio. Her designs so far look amazing, and I couldn't be any happier with the design she made for Parafantasy. :)

Linna creates affordable designs for both blogs and websites. She's really great to work with because she personalizes the design to fit what you want.  

To see her portfolio and find out how you can get one of her amazing designs visit:

http://ljdesignstudio.blogspot.com/

~ LJ Design Studio ~

Something Strange & Deadly ARC Tour

I'm extremely happy to be participating in the Something Strange & Deadly ARC Tour hosted by H. D. Dodson. So I had some fun with photo editing and made the banner for the tour (See above).  Any of the others who are participating are free to use this banner along with their SS&D posts.

If you haven't already added Something Strange & Deadly by Susan Dennard to your to-read list you definetely should! The book will be released by HarperTeen July 24th, 2012.

Something Strange & Deadly ARC Tour

☆ Follower Love Giveaway Hop! ☆



Follower Love Giveaway Hop is Hosted by the lovely Kathy at I am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachel Renee Anderson



What can you win this time around? An ARC of.....
　

HAVOC

by Jeff Sampson

Emily Webb thought life would return to normal after the death of the man who attacked her and her fellow "Deviants." Or as normal as it could be, after discovering that she has nighttime superpowers . . . and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily awakes one night to find an otherworldy Shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun.

So Emily and her pack-mates set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. But as they get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers: The most popular girls in school might just have a secret of their own–and they might just have it out for Emily.

With shadowy beings stalking them, a mysterious company doing all it can to keep the truth hidden, and the secrecy of her new identity in jeopardy, life threatens to spiral out of control for Emily. Soon these dangers will come together in one terrifying confrontation that may force her to make the toughest choice of her life . . . so far.

GUIDELINES:
- Enter using rafflecopter
(try not to use your real name if you don’t want others to see it)
- Must be 13 years or older to enter (Click to read Contest Policy)
- Contest ends 12:01 am on Feb 15th
- Open to the US and CANANDA

☆ Follower Love Giveaway Hop! ☆

~ WINNERS of Young Adult Giveaway Hop! ~

First off, thanks to everyone who entered the contest! Because so many people entered I picked 2 winners instead of 1. If you didn't win this time around there will be more contests like this in the future. Come back Tuesday for a chance to win another YA novel! (I'm keeping the next giveaway prize a secret till then).

~ WINNERS of Young Adult Giveaway Hop! ~

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren. It features the new books that you've recieved or brought throughout the week.

This week I brought:

Wings of the Wicked

by Courtney Allison Moulton

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined. Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned. Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed. Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Fated
by Sarah Alderson

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it.

Article 5

by Kristin Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In My Mailbox (10)