P A R A F A N T A S Y

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

2012-02-24T08:59:00.001-08:00

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.

☆ YA Paranormal Activity Hop - Giveaway! ☆

2012-02-23T00:45:00.000-08:00

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linky Code:

Winner Announced!

2012-02-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

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!

Divergent NEWS!

2012-02-22T15:18:00.000-08:00

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. :)

Excerpt of INSURGENT by Veronica Roth!

2012-02-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

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?

On Writing: Story Structure (Repost)

2012-02-19T04:43:00.000-08:00

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.)

This Is Utterly Ridiculous…I Can’t Even.

2012-02-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

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. And no, I do not like reading vampire books. I lost all my interest in them after Twilight.

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.

In My Mailbox (11)

2012-02-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

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. :)

~ LJ Design Studio ~

2012-02-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

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/

Something Strange & Deadly ARC Tour

2012-02-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

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.

Summary from Goodreads:

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Zombies + Spirit-Hunters + handsome invetors *swoons* = winning. I can't wait to read this!

☆ Follower Love Giveaway Hop! ☆

2012-02-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ WINNERS of Young Adult Giveaway Hop! ~

2012-02-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

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).

SO without furthur ado,

Congratulations.............................

Ana Lucía

and

Oriana!

You two have won a copy of HUNTING LILA by Sarah Alderson.

I will be contacting you both by email shortly.

In My Mailbox (10)

2012-02-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

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.

iPod Apps For Writers REPOST

2012-01-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

(This picture was made by Exceptional-Mind)

Here is a list of useful iPod Touch/ iPhone Applications for Writers that I've found in the App Store. There are a ton more but I'm only listing the ones the are for free.

WriMoDemon

The WriMoDemon was made for Nanowrimo but it can be used ANY time of the year. Use it to keep track of your progress for your WIP (daily word count, percentage of completion, days left). When you're done press the reset button and all setting will go back to zero.

Note: You don't copy and paste your work on it. All you do is write the # of words you have written.

Merriam Webster Dictionary

What is a writer without their tools: words. I use this app all the time to look up new words I don’t know. I try to use as much vocabulary as possible because the more words you have in your noggin the more tools you have at hand while you’re writing.

Note: this app also includes the word of the day, so everyday you can learn a new word.

StoryTracker

The Story Tracker helps you keep track of the submissions you’ve made for the book you’re querying for. It's really only useful for those who are currently submitting to agents.

Note: it's not the full version but it does just about the same thing.

One Word Lite

One word helps writers keep track of their daily progress. It also tells you how many words you should aim for each day in order to reach your target word count.

Note: It's just like WriMoDemon except it has pretty pictures and it doesn't show the percentage of completion. I personally prefer WriMoDemon than this.

The Writer's Hat

The Writer's hat can help you come up with really random ideas for prompts. Some of them are actually pretty interesting.

Note: It can feel really random at times

In My Mailbox (9)

2012-01-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. It features new books you bought or recieved during the week.

This week's IMM reads are:

GODDESS INTERRUPTED by Aimee Carter
Source: Harlequin Teen
Add to Goodreads: Link

I actually ended up reading this all in one sitting yesterday. You can read my review here.

SPELLCASTER by Cara Lynn Shultz
Source: Harlequin Teen
Add to Goodreads: Link

I really loved the last book in this series. Looking forward to reading this one too!

What books have you gotten this week? :)

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter REVIEW

2012-01-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

By: Aimee Carter

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Source: Publisher

Add to Goodreads: Link
Pre-order Goddess Interrupted

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

My thoughts:

I'm not going to lie--for the majority of the time I was reading this book I was angry. Really angry. Not angry as in I didn't like it, but angry as in "How could [insert character] do that to [insert character]?" But if a book managed to make me feel so angry that I wanted to rip a character's head off then that's because I was involved in it enough to do so. Which means despite all the things that happened in Goddess Intterrupted and how predictable some of the plot was, I was really engaged in this book.

Why was I so angry? Henry is infuriating.

Everything he does is like a slap in the face to poor Kate--and yet somehow she manages to put up with it. She tries her best to make it work and he keeps pushing her away. Kate's mother basically uses her for most of the book. The only reason she gave birth to her only to become Persephone's replacement, and to keep Henry alive. And whenever Kate thinks about confronting her mother about it she thinks of her mom dying from cancer. The thing is her mother CAN'T die from cancer and she never could because she was immortal, so I didn’t understand why Kate kept bringing it up all the time. Things get even worse once Persephone comes into the picture, Henry's first love who he spent eons mourning over because she dumped him and ran off with Adonis.

Persephone is described as selfish and mean. I expected that since I read the summary, but I kept wishing that there was at least one redeeming quality about her so that I could understand why Henry (and another character I can't say without giving away a spoiler) loved her so much. But there wasn't. Which leads me to the conclusion that a) Henry is a lot more pitiful than I already thought he was for his unrequited love for someone who abandoned him and b) he should appreciate Kate all the more. Unfortunately that does not happen that way until the very end of the book; and after everything he did and said to Kate I still find it kind of hard to forgive him. He has a reason for the way he treated her, but I felt like it could've been foreshadowed more in the earlier parts of the book.

When Kate wasn't worrying constantly whether Henry loved her or not (which takes up whole chapters of the book), I thought her character was strong and engaging to read about. I loved her courage in this book. And the ending, oh the ending. It's one of the biggest cliffhangers I've read so far this year! It was shocking and completely unexpected. With that said, I will be patiently waiting for book 3! :)

Rating:

☆ Young Adult Giveaway Hop! ☆

2012-01-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

The Young Adult Giveaway Hop is hosted by the lovely Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Amber at Down the Rabbit Hole

What can you win?

A copy of HUNTING LILA by Sarah Alderson! Hunting Lila was just amazing! It's one of those books you sit down to read and don't get back up until you've read the very last page. If you haven't read it yet I highly reccomend that you do. [:

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
- Contest ends 12:01 am on Feb 1st
- INTERNATIONAL

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ COVER REVEAL ~ Renegade by J. A. Souders

2012-01-23T18:32:00.000-08:00

RENEGADE
By: Jessica Souders

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release: Fall 2012

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

Click Here to Enter the Renegade Giveaway.

Jessica is an amazing writer! I'm so so so happy that she's finally getting published. RENEGADE is a book you do not want to miss.

☆ Dreaming Awake Giveaway Winner! ☆

2012-01-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

The Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop is hosted by the lovely Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway! I really enjoyed reading all your comments on the Everneath review. If you didn't win this time around there'll be plenty more chances to in the future.

The winner of a copy of Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes is:

Congratulations, Thais Priscilla!

So apparently BEA is free to book bloggers....

2012-01-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

....and yet again, this year I can't go. *cue sad opera music*

The thing is I would have gone this year because my dad would have definetely driven me to the big apple NYC, but then I went to their website and this happened:

Dates of BEA 2012:

Monday, June 4 - Thursday June 7th

Basically all the days of the week that I can't go because I have to be in school. If any of the dates were on Fri-Sun maybe I could have gone. I mean, there's one event for Sunday but it doesn't have to do with blogging.

But if you are a book blogger, and you live close to NYC, and you don't have school Monday through Thursday (maybe your school gets out earlier than mine), and you dont have to go to work that day click HERE to sign up for a FREE pass to BEA. You won't get in automatically; you have to wait about 2 weeks to be approved first. But still, it's a really great opportunity! :)

Why I'm Staying Away From Goodreads For Awhile...

2012-01-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

There's been way too much drama going around on Goodreads lately between authors and reviewers. I do not appreciate these authors trolling the reviews and then writing mean nasty comments about the reviewer later on twitter and/or other public social media sites. It is a real disgrace to the community. If you're confused follow the links below and it'll explain everything that's been happening since the year began.

This, scroll down to message # 3 (I'm still in complete shock!)

http://www.goodreads.com/user_status/show/10254573

Incidents # 1- 5 Summarized

http://cuddlebuggery.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-five-days-on-goodreads.html

And then finally the one that set me over the edge:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show.html?id=231455953&page=6#comment_43376093

Authors: If you're not able to develop thick skin then you're unprepared for the business. Getting negative reviews is part of the job description. Not everyone is going to like your book. If you're going to say something mean about a reviewer who took the time to write a review for your book then please do it in private via email, and not in public social media sites such as twitter where EVERYONE can see what you're saying.

Rant over. That's all I have to say. -__-

What do YOU think about all the drama that's been happening lately?

☆Giveaway! Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes☆

2012-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

The Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop is hosted by the lovely Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

I decided since I had an extra copy of Dreaming Awake that I'd host another giveaway. I don’t like having extra copies of books lying around when there’s probably someone out there that would really want to read it. I haven't finished it yet, but it's been an amazing read so far! To those of you who don't know, Dreaming Awake is the sequel to Fallen Under, the first book in the Fallen Under series. I first fell in love with the book when I saw its beautiful cover.

I mean look at it:

But let me tell you—it goes above and beyond that. So even if you haven't read Fallen Under yet, maybe you'd want to get this one so you won't have to wait an eternity to get the next one. :)

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
- Contest ends 12:01 am on January 19th
- INTERNATIONAL

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton Review

2012-01-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

EVERNEATH

Author: Brodi Ashton

Release date: January 24, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins / Balzer + Bray

Add to Goodreads: Link

Rating: 4 Stars

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My thoughts on EVERNEATH:

Everneath started off for me as a book that kept me turning the pages mostly because of the amount of things I didn't know. What exactly is the Everneath? Why did Nikki have to stay huddled with Cole for a century & where? Why did that person betray her? What happened in the past that I don't know about that the rest of the characters in the story do? Among many other questions I had running rampant in my head that day.

I sighed and began to think that this was one of those stories where you're kept completely in the dark until the very last few chapters, and until then you're left wandering aimlessly...confused. BUT this was not one of those books. The more I read the more the pieces began to fit together. And I found as the small details began to materialize in front of me that the story got quite addictive. Now, with most of my questions answered I was able to really think in depth about what was going on between Nik, Cole, and Jack and the mystery that was the Everneath. I still feel like the characters haven't really explored the Everneath, but I'm almost 80% sure we'll find out more about the place in the 2nd book. I have a feeling the protag will want to go take a visit there for awhile (just a guess though!)

At first I had a hard time connecting with the protagonist—Nikki—because of how distant she was. But then later I find that there's a reason for that: Living in the Everneath has drained her of her emotions. As the affects of the Everneath fade Nikki's true character begins to show, and I loved seeing the real her with all her emotions intact. I felt like she was a great heroine. Her actions in this book tell me she's not the type to stand in the background and watch things happen. She caring, and adamant in making her vision become a reality (even if she knows the odds are really against her). I loved Jack! He's not an Everliving with super powers. Just an regular human guy with a great personality. And although Cole was the antagonist of this story, I found myself feeling pity for him throughout the whole book. I pictured him constantly as a hurt puppy. (Don't ask me why). You can tell that he's not entirely evil just by reading the dialogue, and he really cares for Nikki....but he's a bit selfish. He will get what he wants at the expense of other people's lives. But then, he's an Everliving so what do you expect? Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am ~~really~~ incredibly excited to read the next one. Hopefully the wait won't be that long.

☆ Winter Giveaway WINNERS Annouced! ☆

2012-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

First off, thank you SO much to everyone who entered the giveaway! There will be another one like this in february. This was my first time using rafflecopter and it's just amazing, and really simple to use. I was especially happy because it picks the winners for you - I seriously could never pick it myself (even if it were a slip of paper pulled out of a hat).

So without further ado the winners of the Winter Giveaway / New Year Giveaway Hop:

...............................................

..............................

...................

Congratulations!

Tiff Pull

Miranda Sherman

Christina Marie Madison

*Winners:

Please contact me with your book choice (Wildfire / Elixir), along with your mailing info. :)

2012 New Year's Resolution!

2012-01-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

☆ Happy New Years! ☆

To those of you who don't know I'm giving away 3 brand new books in my Winter Giveaway! Depending on how things go I'll probably pick a 4th winner so I don't have any extra books lying around. :)

In my post from last year one of the things on my New Year's Resolution for 2011 was to blog more often. And, although it could've been a lot better, I think I really stuck through with my goal. In 2010 I had a total of 49 posts. And in 2011 I had a total of 105 posts. That's a really HUGE improvement for me. But this year I'm raising the # of posts a bit higher. My goal for 2012 is to have at least 150-200 posts on the blog. Wish me luck!

What goals do you have for 2012?

☆WINTER GIVEAWAY! 3 prizes for 3 winners! ☆

2011-12-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

As a way of saying thank you to all my amazing followers I'm giving away 3 copies of ELIXIR (paperback) by Hilary Duff.

I also have 2 copies of WILDFIRE (Hardcover) by Karsten Knight if you'd rather have that book instead. My mom's friend randomly gave me 4 copies of each book today and I had no clue what to do with them. I figured it would be better if the books were read rather than collecting dust on my bookshelf. ;)

RULES:

- Enter using rafflecopter

- Must be 13 years or older to enter

- Must Live in the US or Canada (Shipping is really expensive, sorry!)

Happy Holidays everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest for Aspiring YA Writers

2011-12-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot
Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau
Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust
Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe
Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors
Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,
Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

Good luck to anyone who enters! Seems like a really great opportunity. :)

♪ Romance Plots in Dystopian Novels ♫

2011-12-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

I feel like Rihanna's song "We Found Love" sums up the romance plot of every dystopian novel I've ever read.

Here are some of the lyrics:

Yellow diamonds in the light

And we're standing side by side

As your shadow crosses mine

What it takes to come alive

It's the way I’m feeling I just can't deny

But I've gotta let it go

We found love in a hopeless place ( Repeats 5 times)

Love and life I will divide

Turn away cause I need you more

Feel the heartbeat in my mind

I was particularily thinking of Juliette and Adam from SHATTER ME sitting in that dark prison cell together. They found love in a "hopeless place" and they're sitting "side by side".

"Turn away cause I need you more" could mean that Juliette is afraid of touching Adam because she knows her touch is lethal and she doesn't want to kill him. She tells him to turn away because she might accidently slip and touch him--causing his death--which is a big no no. ;)
What dystopian novel do you think of when you hear this song?

COVER REVEAL! Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

2011-12-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Julie Kagawa has became one of my all time favorite YA authors after I read her Iron Fey Series. Her writing is addictive. Like chocolate, only slightly better. I could honestly open up a book of hers and trust her to give me an engaging read that I'll never forget, and never want to stop reading. All of her books have been one-sitters for me. I'm a little worried about how her new book series Blood of Eden will be like compared to the Iron Fey but I trust Julie to once again blow me away with her addictive and page-turning writing.

Sooo without furthur ado the cover of IMMORTAL RULES (Blood of Eden # 1)

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......

..

　
It's creeptastic and vampiric-looking--but in a good way. I'm really really looking forward to reading this book. :)

What do you think of the cover?

Waiting On Wednesday (4)

2011-12-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.
It spotlights upcoming books that are eargerly being anticipated.

As I am a big huge fan of Aprilynne Pike's Wings series I am eargerly waiting to read:

DESTINED (Wings # 4)
Release: May 1st, 2012

　
Isn't the cover just gorgeous? I may be bias because blue is my favorite color but this might be my favorite cover for the series except for maybe the first one. ;)

Other books from the Wings series:

In My Mailbox (8)

2011-11-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by thestorysiren where she shares the new books she receives in her mailbox each week. I'm so excited to read the books I got this week; all courtesy of HarperCollins! Thanks HC! This week I got:

Under The Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure

Everneath

by Brodi Ashton

Hallowed

by Cythia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

So what new reads have you gotten this week? :) Feel free to link to your post if you've done an IMM as well.

Give Thanks For Good Books: Harry Potter

2011-11-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

Beth Revis, the lovely author of Across the Universe, is hosting a contest in which we are to tell her one book we are grateful for.

The book that I'm most grateful for, of course, is Harry Potter. Without it my childhood would have been a mundane one; lacking in magic, cool broom-flying wizards, a certain lightening-scarred boy, a certain genius, a certain red-head, and a lack of much needed release of escaping into the Wizarding World.

So to sum it up:

HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TRAILER!

2011-11-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

The first official movie trailer for the Hunger Games was finally released! An wow, it was amazing. I haven't been keeping up with the casting so I was surprised to see who they picked for Peeta. I feel excited and nervous about this movie at the same time. What if it's not anything like the book? What if the characters don't give off the same vibe I felt through them in the books? But at the same time I'm excited to revisit the world of Panem and see it on a TV screen. However, after watching the trailer almost 90% of my doubts went away. I love what I've seen so far!

So without furthur ado, the trailer:

What did you think about the trailer?

Mark your calendars for March 23rd when the Hunger Games Movie hits the theaters!

COVER REVEAL: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard!

2011-11-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY

bu Susan Dennard
Release Date: July 24th by HarperTeen

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Cover comments:

Isn't this so beautiful? The dress was handmade by a designer. If you look closely you could see all the details on it. It's simply stunning!

Read Susan's cover reveal post here.

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

2011-11-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

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

EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton

Release Date: Jan. 24. 2012

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

I love the cover for this book, but once I saw the summary for EVERNEATH I knew I had to read it. I haven't even started it yet already and I'm wondering which will she choose. Jack...or Cole? My guess right now is Cole.

SHATTER ME Book Trailer!

2011-11-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

The trailer for SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi was revealed yesterday on MTV's Hollywood Crush. The trailer really heightened my excitement for the release of the book (November 15th). From the looks of this amazing trailer I have the feeling that the book is going to be an engaging read. I can't wait for the release day! :)

So without furthur ado, the TRAILER:

COVER REVEAL: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

2011-11-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

Sweet Evil is a debut novel by Wendy Higgins (Coming May 1^st, 2012). I guarantee that when this book comes out it will be one of your top ten favorite paranormal YA books of 2012. The characters are interesting and dynamic, the plot is highly original, and Wendy's writing is purely addictive.

Add it to your “to read” list on Goodreads pronto. Trust me: you don't want to miss SWEET EVIL.

So what do you think? Isn't this cover just amazing? :)

See Wendy's cover reveal post here.

Week 1: NaNoWriMo Update

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

The first week of NaNo was a toughie (to those of you who don't know what NaNoWriMo is the calendar above explains it all). Between schoolwork, the books on my bookshelves that are tempting me to read them, and a plethora of other things there seems to be very little time to write. When I do find the time I get out about 4k words in one sitting.

So to those of you who are doing NaNo this year how much have you gotten down so far? Did you participate last year? If so, how did that go.

My current word count:
8747 Words

NaNo stats say that by this rate I'll be done by December 4th....
But hey, there's still 24 days left. We can do this thing!

Here's my NaNo page if you want to add me as a buddy.

In My Mailbox (7)

2011-11-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

In my mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I was lucky enough to get four ARCs of books I've been dying to read. Thank you HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Jessie!

Title: INCARNATE
Author: Jodi Meadows
Source: Publisher (HarperCollins)

Title: HAVOC
Author: Jeff Sampson
Source: Publisher (HarperCollins)

Title: DESTINED
Author: Jessie Harrell
Source: Author

Title: THE PLEDGE
Author: Kimberly Derting
Source: GalleyGrab (Simon & Schuster)

What books did YOU get this week? Are there any upcoming releases that you're looking forward to?
　

Happy Halloween and NaNoWriMo Eve!

2011-10-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!

If you're planning on doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) this year then use the candy you got today as your fuel for the rest of the month. Trust me, you're going to need it. ;)

I've only decided to take part just last week. I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with the word count goal because of the overload of schoolwork (and the pressure of Junior year) but I'm optimistic that this year's NaNo will go as well as last year did for me. So is anyone planning on doing NaNo this year? Have you won in previous years? Would you like me to add you as a buddy? Please leave a link to your profile in the comments.

Daughter of Smoke and Bones REVIEW

2011-10-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Release Date: Septer 27, 2011
Pages: 420

The Daughter of Smoke and Bones had two major flaws for me. One was the slow-pacing and the other was the prose. The book was slightly dragging in the beginning and towards the middle I had put it down several times and attempted to pick it up again later. I get it that Karou's lonely, and I get it that her ex boyfriend was a psycho, but why spend the whole entire beginning on just that? And then there's the prose. Sometimes I'd read a sentence of description and by the end of the sentence I'd forget what it was describing. I usually have no problem with prose at all. In fact, it's one of those things that makes a story far more enjoyable for me. But it just didn’t work for me in this book.

So what did I love? Where do I start? The setting of Prague was just beautiful. And Karou—I loved her! She's strong, beautiful, has blue hair and an amazing talent when it comes to drawing. And on top of all that she's not portrayed as a perfect person. She has flaws, she has weaknesses, and she craves love. There's something about her loneliness that makes me ache for her for most of the book. When she said she was lonely I truly believed that she was. Karou and Zuzana—a delightful duo that I enjoyed. Akiva—a delicious swoon-worthy angel with a tortured past. I was fascinated by Karou's family of chimaeras, who gave us small insight into the other world called Elsewhere. And of course the world-building. Wow! The world building. I loved it to bits even though it’s one of the things that kind of slowed down the pace of the story.

I felt like all the elements of a story that I love are in this book and yet something is lacking. Maybe it's due to the high expectations I had prior to reading this book. Maybe it's because I wasn't quite connected with some of the characters. Maybe it's because of the prose that had me re-reading whole paragraphs to find out what it was about. Or maybe it's due to the slow pacing of the text. I mean, I literally sat with bated breath waiting for the huge turning points to take place and.....nothing happened for a really long time. The wait was far longer than I had anticipated: thus the reason why I had put if down a couple times.

Overall I really liked The Daughter of Smoke and Bones but didn't love it like I expected I would. Would I recommend it? Definitely! Despite its flaws it was, to say the least, a magical and fascinating read. Not your everyday read from the YA genre.

3.5 Stars

On Writing: STORY STRUCTURE (Part 2)

2011-10-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of STORY STRUCTURE (Part 1)

The Eight–Point Structure applied to YA Dystopian novel DIVERGENT

*CAUTION-CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Stasis

Normal life of Beatrice/ introduces her society/ the problem

Trigger

Picking Dauntless

Quest

Going to Dauntless/ discovering what it is like to be Dauntless/ Meeting Four

Surprise

Finding out she is divergent/Getting beat up at practices/ Learning to fight/ eventually learns how to win a fight/ Finding out her mother is divergent

Critical choice

Chooses to fight back and win the contest to become a Dauntless

Climax

She's almost killed/ her mother dies/Four loses his mind/she finds out who the antagonist/ fights/witnesses many people dying

Reversal

Things are still bad. Even though her mother is dead she's still moving on. Reversal is basically how the character is like when everything is wrong because right after the climax things aren’t automatically get better.

Resolution

Enemy is deterred (for now), Trice and Four are safe, and she is not at all the same person she was in the beginning of the book. Sets up for the next book.

Question:

Do you ever notice the structure as you're reading a book? If not, try to look for the 8 points the next time you read a book so you have a good idea of how it's done. You can find these structure point in almost every novel you read.

On Writing: STORY STRUCTURE (Part 1)

2011-10-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

After I learned about Story Structure everything fell into place for me. Plotting novels has been so much more easier for me when I have the structure in mind. I’m glad that found out about it when I did otherwise many of my books would still be unfinished. 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

5. Critical choice

6. Climax

7. Reversal

8. Resolution

Click here to read PART 2

In My Mailbox (6)

2011-10-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

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

Source: Bought from bookstore

HUNTING LILA

by Sarah Alderson

Paperback, 320 pages
Published August 4th 2011
　

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them.

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR

by Stephenie Perkins

Hardcover, 338 pages

Published September 29th 2011

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
　
CARRIER OF THE MARK

by Leigh Fallon
Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 4th 2011

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.
But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.
　
　
What books are you currently devouring this week?
What books are you looking forward to?

A Beautiful Dark ARC Review

2011-09-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Release Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Harper Teen
Author: Jocelyn Davies
Source: Netgalley

A Beautiful Dark was a delightful read! I have to say out of all the previous books I’ve read with Angels that this one is the most unique. Unlike the others this book isn’t just about fallen angels—there’s a twist. It starts off with the protagonist, Skye, turning sixteen. Her friends throw her a surprise party and there she meets two strange boys who are polar opposites of each other. Asher is dark and cynical, Devin is stoic and fair and they are constantly fighting or arguing over something.

Skye can’t seem to shake the two boys from her life. From the day of the party they seem to be everywhere she goes. Instead of this story being about fallen angels this is about two very different types of angels who hate each other. And somehow Skye is connected with whatever is going on with the two sides. When Skye learns the secret of her birth everything she’s ever known feels like a lie.

Skye is an awesome protagonist, and the suspense of the novel had me eagerly flipping through the pages. The only character that kind of confused me at some parts was Asher. Sometimes he’s nice and other times he’s not so nice. The ending was a complete cliffhanger! but I felt like it ended in the right place. There are some things I wished had made more sense by the end but overall it was an enjoyable read. I’ll definitely be looking out for the 2^nd book in the series.

Rating:

New Changes to the Blog!

2011-09-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

I will be slowly adding new changes to the blog for the next couple of months. My first change to the blog is the title. Previously it was “Dreamz of a YA Writer”.

Now it’s

P A R A F A N T A S Y

(Can't figure out how to get this to stay at the top of the page :-/)

In case you couldn’t tell Parafantasy is a combination of Paranormal and Fantasy. Because I absolutely love writing in both genres I decided to rename the blog after it.

I will be adding more writing advice posts over the weekends so if you’re a writer feel free to stop by and maybe we can have a discussion on something/ learn some new things.

Question for you: What topic on novel-writing/publishing would you like to discuss? I'll try to construct my future writing posts around those topics.

Have a great weekend everyone!

☆The Secret Circle ★

2011-09-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

I am positively thrilled to tell you that “The Secret Circle”, a series written by L. J Smith, now has its own Television series on the CW. When I was reading the books I actually liked The Secret Circle a lot more than L.J’s other series “The Vampire Diaries”. With that being said I’m really looking forward to watching this!

The author of the bestselling The Vampire Diaries presents a suspenseful new trilogy. Seduced by the Secret Circle, Cassie is initiated into the mysterious "in-crowd,” a coven of young witches whose power has controlled New Salem for 300 years—and risks falling prey to the dark powers in order to have the coven leader's boyfriend.

Trailer:

Anyone else excited to see this? :) The first episode premiered last Thursday. If you’re like me and missed the premiere and haven’t had time to search for re-runs you can watch it here online.

COVER REAVEAL! Insurgent by Veronica Roth

2011-09-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it beautiful? I really like the shades of green and blue and the tree. Oh! And there’s a train going past in the background. I applaud whoever designed this really beautiful cover!

Read Veronica’s thoughts on the cover here.

In My Mailbox (5)

2011-09-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

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

Wanderlove by Kristin Hubbard

Pages: 335 pages

Release Date: March 13th 2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

Eve by Anna Carey

Pages: 336 pages

Release Date: October 4th 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Pages: 316

Release Date: August 30^th 2011

Publisher: Tor Teen

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

What are YOU reading this week?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer WINNER!

2011-09-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. I really wish I had enough copies to give to all of you. On the bright side there will be more contests in the future just like this one so if you didn’t win today maybe you’ll win the next time.

And the winner is…………………………………………

(You probably skipped down to this part didn’t you?)

Regina Linton!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Regina!

You can contact me at ezmirelda (dot) d (at) gmail (dot) com

The Official Hunger Games Movie Trailer

2011-08-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

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?

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa Review

2011-08-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: October 25, 2011
Page: 386

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

My thoughts:

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!

Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Characters: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Writing: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Dialogue: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Cover: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Overall: ★ ★ ★★ ★

You can pre-order The Iron Knight on Amazon here.

☆The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ARC Giveaway ★

2011-08-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

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!

Crossed + Lola + Shatter Me ARC Giveaway!

2011-08-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

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).

AUGUST: Online Resources for Writers

2011-08-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

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 &amp;amp; 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.

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

2011-08-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

"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.

In My Mailbox (4)

2011-08-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

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?

Pottermore (Harry Potter fans!)

2011-08-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

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).

Harry Potter - Blast From the Past!

2011-07-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

So today I FINALY got to see the last Harry Potter movie. It was EPIC in every sense of the word. I watched the movie in 3-D which made the experience even more surreal. Watching a Harry Potter movie always makes me feel nostalgic. I keep on imagining my younger self huddled under the blankets with a flashlight in hand. I’d read away until two in the morning and sleep with the book underneath my face.

The first time I picked up an HP book my 3rd grade teacher said to me "Are you SURE you want to read this? It’ll be way too challenging for you." I felt challenged. He all but told me "put that book down, you're too young to read it. And being young = lack of understanding." I really didn't like it when people made assumptions about my abilities. Plus, I always wondered why people would read books that were SO large. What was the point when you could just watch the movies?

I agreed repeatedly that I would read it until he gave me the book. Within three days I was finished with it. When my teacher asked me what I did when I 'didn't understand something' I replied, "Well, I understood everything that happened. But if you're asking what I did when I didn't understand a word, I just looked it up in the dictionary." He was impressed, and I was really proud of myself for reading a book so large so fast. At that time I didn't like reading. It was something I did when it was required for me to do for school. Harry Potter made me realize how much fun reading can be, which eventually led to my love for writing. I’m so glad I hadn’t let my teacher dissuade me from reading it that day because from that day on reading has been my escape and my all-time favorite hobby.

SO…back to the movie. :)

Did anyone realize that part when Snape told Harry that his eyes were just like his mother's, but then in the memory his mother’s eyes were a completely different color?

Waiting On Wednesday (1)

2011-07-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
So this is my first time doing Waiting on Wednesday. If you do this meme as well feel free to post a link to your Waiting on Wednesday post.

This week’s WoW is:

The Pledge
By Kimberly Derting
Release Date: November 15, 2011

Blurb from Goodreads:

Words are the most dangerous weapon of all.

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

So what do you think? Will you be waiting for The Pledge? I think the whole thing with languages sounds really cool. Plus, I’ve really been addicted to dystopian novels lately. I can’t seem to stop reading them. :)

This. Is. So. Cool! (Fans of Hunger Games)

2011-07-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

Title says it all. (Listen to sound for full affects)

In My Mailbox (3)

2011-07-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

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

Source: Netgalley

The Iron Knight by Julia Kagawa

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

“It seemed so right. Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn’t going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead, not anymore. I didn’t think any further than what it would feel like to kiss him again, to wrap my arms around him and bury my head against his shoulder.

That was my first mistake. It also turned out to be the biggest.”

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned

Release Date: September 20th 2011 ( HarperTeen )

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Skye never questioned the story of her life. Her Aunt Jo adopted her after the death of her parents when she was just a child, and together they flip through memories the way some people flip through photo albums. She never questioned if the stories were true.

Until the night of her 17th birthday, when the arrival of two strangers intrudes on her cozy life. Polar opposites, like fire and ice, Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair, cold, and aloof. Skye has no idea what they want—only that their presence coincides with the beginning of some shockingly strange events. Events that Skye, if she dares to think it, might be responsible for causing.

High up in the mountains of Boulder, Colorado, Skye finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient battle, one that began untold millennia ago. Torn between unpredictable Asher, whom she loves, and the infuriating Devin, who she can’t stay away from, her fate is murky as a starless night. And as the secrets of her true identity are revealed, Skye realizes that her destiny may reside in the Heavens—or somewhere darker

Release Date: September 27th 2011 (HarperTeen ) - Just finished reading this and I really liked it, although some parts were a bit fuzzy...

Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—Sasha is Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx looming, Jax has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

Release Date: September 27th 2011 (EgmontUSA )

What are you currently reading/ waiting to read? :)

Cover Reveal! Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

2011-07-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

Spell Bound is the third book in the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins. If you haven’t read it yet get to it a.s.a.p! Not only does the book have a great plot but it’s also extremely humorous. I remember laughing myself silly every time I read one of these books.

What do you think about the cover?

On Writing: Is It Really a Dystopia?

2011-07-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

Are you writing/reading a dystopian novel? Are you unsure whether it’s really a dystopian and not a post-apocalypse novel? I find that a lot of people are confused when it comes to the difference between dystopian and post-apocalypse. Sometimes I’ll even read a book (such as the Forest of Hands and Teeth) and be told that it’s a dystopian novel when it’s clearly a post-apocalypse. SO how do you tell the difference?

Let’s start by looking at what each one is:

A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian. Dystopian societies feature different kinds of repressive social control systems, various forms of active and passive coercion. Ideas and works about dystopian societies often explore the concept of humans abusing technology and humans individually and collectively coping, or not being able to properly cope with technology that has progressed far more rapidly than humanity's spiritual evolution.

Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world or civilization after such a disaster. The time frame may be immediately after the catastrophe, focusing on the travails or psychology of survivors, or considerably later, often including the theme that the existence of pre-catastrophe civilization has been forgotten (or mythologized). Post-apocalyptic stories often take place in an agrarian, non-technological future world, or a world where only scattered elements of technology remain. There is a considerable degree of blurring between this form of science fiction and that which deals with dystopias.

But see, here’s where things get tricky: yes, it’s possible for it to be both dystopian and post-apocalyptic at the same time. Take The Hunger Games for instance, it’s set in a future apocalyptic world and yet it has enough dystopian qualities for it to be considered part dystopian.

Use this flow-chart made by Erin Bowman to see if what you’re reading/writing is really a dystopian or a post-apocalypse. (Click to see larger)

Is it Dystopia? A flowchart for de-coding the genre by Erin Bowman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at www.embowman.com. Feel free to share it for non-commercial uses.

♪ Music Monday - Treasure ♫

2011-07-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

This week’s Music Monday is Treasure by Flyleaf. This song is about how the lead singer of Flyleaf (Lacey Mosley) felt after being proposed to by her (now) husband. After I heard the cute story about how he proposed to her I understood the songs lyrics and couldn't stop listening to it. It’s an incredibly sweet song. I’ve written a total of 12k words to it so far.

To View Past ♪ Music Mondays ♫ go here.

YA Books Turning Into Movies (Part 2) + Exciting News!

2011-07-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

The producing team behind the hit CW series Gossip Girl is taking on another best-selling young adult novel -- and this one is bound for the big screen.

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of the Paramount-based Fake Empire shingle and Alloy Entertainment’s Leslie Morgenstein and Bob Levy have set up The Luxe at Paramount and have tapped Bess Wohl to pen the screenplay.

A sort of The Age of Innocence meets Gossip Girl, Luxe tracks four teens set in 19th century New York and features conflicts between old money and new money, the upper class and lower class, and star-crossed lovers. Four of the Alloy Entertainment books by Anna Godbersen have been published, all hitting the New York Times best-seller list. (Cited from Hollywoodreporter.com)

In other movie news are any of you going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 this weekend? I can't believe it's going to be the last movie. I'm never going to stop obsessing over the magical world of Hogwarts and the boy with the lightening scar on his forehead. I'll probably keep reading the books over and over again until I've read it so many times that I've got it memorized. But at least we have Pottermore to keep our Harry Potter fandom alive.

And also this little bit of exciting news:

Start all the clocks and plug the telephone back in: JK Rowling has provided a shred of comfort to the millions of mourners lamenting the release of the final Harry Potter movie with the revelation that she has written "quite a lot" of new material and has plans to publish it.

Speaking at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two, Rowling told MTV News that "I'm writing, and I've done quite a lot since finishing Harry Potter". She expanded further to BBC News, saying "I think I always felt I didn't want to publish again until the last film was out because Potter has been such a huge thing in my life. I've been writing hard ever since I finished writing Hallows, so I've got a lot of stuff and I suppose it's a question of deciding which one comes out first. But I will publish again. In a sense it's a beginning for me as well as an end."

The author has previously said that she is working on a political fairytale for slightly younger children, revealing in 2009 that "I think that will probably be the next thing that I finish".

Rowling has also spoken of writing an encyclopedia of the Potter universe, although it seems likely that her new venture, Pottermore, which will feature over 18,000 words of new Potter content penned by the author, will be the location for any further Potter-related material. And the author has mentioned plans for a book aimed at adults, saying in 2007 that "I'm sort of writing two things at the moment – one is for children and the other is not for children", adding that it was unlikely her new venture would be another fantasy series. "I think I've done my fantasy. To go and create another fantasy universe would feel wrong, and I don't know if I'm capable of it."

Working on something new felt like a fresh start, Rowling told MTV at the premiere. "I also felt I wanted the last film out of the way before I made any moves on the publishing front. Harry is so huge and I suppose my involvement with the world has still been quite intense," she said. "This feels like a new beginning to me."

(Cited from guardian.co.uk)

To see "YA Books Turning Into Movie (Part 1)" post click here.

YA Books Turning Into Movies 2012 (Part 1)

2011-07-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a plethora of YA books turning into movies lately. Beastly, I am Number Four, Twilight, etc. and there are A LOT more to come in 2012. Here are the ones I’m currently aware of and a little blurb about the production:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

“The Mortal Instruments series has been optioned for film by Unique Features and Constantin Films. First-time writer Jessica Postigo has been hired to write the screenplay, based on the first book in the series. Also, Lily Collins has been cast as the lead role of Clary Fray, and Harry Potter and Twilight actor Jamie Campbell Bower has been cast opposite her as Jace Wayland.” (Cited from Wiki)

Fan site:
http://www.cityofbonesmovie.com/

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

“The Hunger Games is an upcoming film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. It is scheduled to be released on March 23, 2012. Collins adapted the novel for film herself, and her script was revised by screenwriter Billy Ray.

Shearmur said:

‘The Hunger Games is an incredible property and it is a thrill to bring it home to Lionsgate. This is exactly the kind of movie I came to Lionsgate to make: youthful, exciting, smart and edgy. We are looking forward to working with Nina and Suzanne to create a movie that satisfies audiences' hunger for high-quality entertainment.’ ” (Cited from Wiki)

Fan sites:

http://hungergamesmovie.org/
http://mockingjay.net/category/hunger-games-movie/
http://thehungergamesmovie.org/

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

On June 29th 2010 it was announced that Preger Entertainment had acquired the film rights to Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. The movie is still a very big maybe but with Don Murphy (Transformers) on board as producer things are definitely looking good. Both Preger and Murphy seem very dedicated to the movie and acknowledge the great anticipation of the fanbase.

“The joy of these books is that in the wake of ‘Twilight’ they offer a chance to create a movie franchise that guys will want to see as well as girls,” he said. “Michael and I plan on positioning the films as something both sexes will enjoy together, expanding the genre of sexy young vampires to a whole new audience. We are beginning discussions with studios immediately.” (Cited from Vampire-academy.com)

Fan site:
http://vampire-academy.com/category/movie/

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Mar

Production Studio: Wild West Picture Show Productions
Screen Writer: Caroline Thompson, writer of A Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Edward Scissorhands
Director: Mary Herron. Past directing credits include American Psycho and The Notorious Bettie Page.
Rating: PG-13
Status: The screenplay is in the final stages of completion. (Cited from Wickedlovely.com)

Shiver by Maggie Steifvater

“Unique Features, in association with Warner Bros., optioned Shiver's film rights shortly after Shiver was released. A screenplay has been written by Nick Pustay but casting has not yet begun.” (Cited from Wiki)

Fallen by Lauren Kate

“A Fallen movie is in talks and Disney has optioned the rights to Fallen. Since the Fallen series is a four part series, Disney made sure that they obtained rights to all four of the books in the deal. Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray will produce the movie.” (Cited from Wiki)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

“On July 14, 2009, Variety announced that The Walt Disney Company had optioned the film rights to Wings. Miley Cyrus has been cast as Laurel.” (Cited from Wiki)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

"Adding to its roster of bigscreen rights to young adult novels, Twentieth Century Fox has acquired rights to "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi.

Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark will produce the project through Fox-based Chernin Entertainment.

Emma Watts, Peter Kang and Daria Cercek will oversee the project for the studio.

Set in a dystopian world, "Shatter Me" is the story of a 17-year-old girl imprisoned for possessing a fatal touch. As she watches everything crumble around her, she must choose between relinquishing her power or use it to save the world."(Cited from Variety.com)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

"Summit Entertainment has closed a screen rights deal for Veronica Roth's young adult novel Divergent, which will be published by the HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books. It takes place in a futuristic dystopia where society is divided into factions as kids are categorized based on human traits. A teenage girl and guy rebel against the labels, which is a very dangerous thing to do. The buying community has compared it to The Hunger Games in tone and violent content. Red Wagon's Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher will produce with Pouya Shahbazian." (Cited from Deadline.com)

Fan Site:
http://www.thedivergenttrilogy.com/

The House of Night by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast

“In 2008, Variety reported that a film adaptation of the series was in early planning stages. Film rights were optioned by Empire Pictures and a screenplay for Marked is being written by Kent Dalian, writer-director of Fish in a Barrel.” (Cited from Wiki)

Speaking of the House of Night, was I the only one who didn’t know that the House of Night was a real place in Tulsa? In fact, most of the settings in the book were real. I’m guessing that they’ll do most of the filming there or make a set that looks really similar to it.

Cascia Hall

“The series is set in Tulsa, in a small and reclusive part of Midtown. The House of Night campus is in the real life campus of Cascia Hall, and the climactic scene of the first book in the series takes place in the extensive gardens of the Philbrook Museum.” (Cited from Wiki)

Mayo Hotel (Neferet’s penthouse)

“In Awakened, Neferet rents a penthouse at Tulsa's historic Mayo Hotel. Photo shows the Mayo lobby”(Cited from Wiki)

What YA book-turned-movies are YOU looking forward to?

Click here to see YA Books Turning Into Movies PART 2

Cover Reveal: SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

2011-07-14T01:52:00.000-07:00

Today the stunning cover of Tahereh Mafi's dystopian novel SHATTER ME was revealed on MTV's Hollywood Crush. Isn't it beautiful? I've wanted to read SHATTER ME since I heard about it on Tahereh's blog, and now I can't wait to devour it.

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

SHATTER ME will be released November 15, 2011 (HarperTeen).

What do YOU think of the cover?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Review

2011-07-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Publisher

In The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Hodkin manages to weave a story that’ll leave you pondering it long after you’ve read the last word.

Mara wakes up disoriented in a hospital with no recollection how she got there. She survived the accident, but her friends hadn’t been so lucky. Since that day she’s been having flashbacks and nightmares. In an attempt to stop her from reliving the past Mara and her family move to Miami Florida.

I really loved the fast pace and fluidity of Michelle’s writing. She knew how to set the scene and pull the readers in. Her ability to create tension and suspense became more and more evident as the book progressed, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Noah was completely swoon-worthy! His cocky, bad boy persona had me eagerly turning the pages. I loved Mara’s friend, Jamie—whose funny uplifting personality made me smile. And I loved how Mara and Noah’s relationship developed over time, rather than starting spontaneously like in recent books I have read.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a compelling page-turner that you do not want to miss. The book comes out this September.

To pre-order the book, click here for a link to Amazon.

Ratings:

Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★
Characters: ★ ★ ★ ★
Writing:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Originality: ★ ★ ★
There were some parts of the book that reminded me a lot of The Body Finder.
Cover: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I know they say never to judge a book by its cover but gosh, this cover is beautiful! It really caught my eye. I also want to point of that the cover is kind of misleading. In case any of you guys were wondering; no, this book has nothing to do with a rape victim.

Overall:
★ ★ ★ ★

On Blogging: Mobile

2011-06-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

I recently learned how to install the mobile version of blogger.
It looks sort of like this —>

You won’t be able to see the stuff on the sidebar, but if you want you can scroll down to the end of the page (on the mobile version) and revert back to the web version. The mobile version makes it easier to view web pages on mobile devices.

To get the mobile version for your blog (if you use blogger) go to draft.blogger.com (aka the dashboard)

Then go to settings email & mobile and click “yes…”

Don’t forget the save button at the bottom. :)

P A R A F A N T A S Y

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~ LJ Design Studio ~

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So apparently BEA is free to book bloggers....

Why I'm Staying Away From Goodreads For Awhile...

☆Giveaway! Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes☆

EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton Review

☆ Winter Giveaway WINNERS Annouced! ☆

2012 New Year's Resolution!

☆WINTER GIVEAWAY! 3 prizes for 3 winners! ☆

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*AUGUST: Online Resources for Writers *

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♪ Music Monday - Treasure ♫

YA Books Turning Into Movies (Part 2) + Exciting News!

YA Books Turning Into Movies 2012 (Part 1)

Cover Reveal: SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Review

On Blogging: Mobile

AUGUST: Online Resources for Writers