Friday, 31 August 2012

Bitten by Books » Authors Speak Out with Contest – jj Keller

Bitten by Books » Authors Speak Out with Contest – jj Keller

Bitten by Books » Author Kathleen S. Allen – Interview and $20.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

Bitten by Books » Author Kathleen S. Allen – Interview and $20.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

Win a Nook eReader!



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Though the focus lies on the characters’ emotional journey, at Bliss we like to say our heroes and heroines still jump in the sack…it just then fades to black.

Find your bliss during this amazing launch celebration. Win an eReader from Entangled Publishing using the Rafflecopter entry form below.  




Thursday, 30 August 2012

August New Release Giveaway Hop-Aug 15th-31st

Welcome to Stop #4 of the 
August New Release Giveaway Hop!
The  August New Release Giveaway Hop
  is hosted by 
and 

Take time to visit the other blogs 
on this awesome giveaway!
Winner may choose one (1) of the following!
Be sure and 
comment on any ongoing Book Blast post
for 3 extra entries in this giveaway!





















a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book review: Aya by Margaret Abouet

On occasion I like to read a graphic novel between all the books. I like both adapted graphic novels from books or a completely new story. As I've mentioned before I work at a school library where I luckily enough have a few of these and order in when I find something interesting.. One of my favourites is a series originally written in french but it's translated to both english and norwegian (my language).


Who is Aya?
Aya is a young girl living in Youpogoun in the Ivory Coast in the 1970s. She's like most teenage girls, she's interested in boys, have dreams, her is becoming a doctor, and to hang out with friends. The Ivory Coast was a economic powerhouse in the 60s and 70s due to the production of cocoa and coffee unfortunately followed by an economic crisis in the 80s. The writer of this novel was a teenager herself in the 70s and wanted to tell this story to present Africa in a different way than what is normal, a continent dominated by civil wars, poverty and hunger. Because all over Africa there are teenage girls just like Aya and the the author herself with universal emotions of love and jealousy that sneaks out after dark to secret meetings with boys.

I think Margaret Abouet does a wonderful job telling this story. It is a story about all the things most teenage girls are all about and it's told with a lot of humour, almost like in a sit-com, in an exagerated way. The girls are a bit to hysterical, the boys a bit to stupid and lazy...
The drawings by ClĂ©ment Oubrerie are very lively, beautiful and colourful and really sets the mood. I really enjoyed this and fortunately this is only the first book about Aya and there are so far five more to go.

The book has a preface which tells you more about the backgroun of the story, the Ivory Coast in the 70s, and an Ivorian bonus at the end with someglossary and recipes.

Source:
From the school library


Sunday, 26 August 2012

Lena Sledge's Blog: Sizzling Summer Reads Giveaway

Lena Sledge's Blog: Sizzling Summer Reads Giveaway

~Howling at the Moon Halloween Giveaway Bash Signups~




~Howling at the Moon Halloween Giveaway Bash~

Sign ups are now open for this free blog giveaway event hosted by
Howling at the Moon Halloween Giveaway Bash will begin on October 1st and will end on October 15th. This is a themed event and your prize or prize package should be something for Halloween or Fall. However, anything will work as long as your prize package has a minimum value of $25! (You may also offer gift cards as your prize)
There will be a grand prize for this giveaway event (To Be Announced)
Blogger Sign-up Bonus: Each blogger will receive one link (Facebbok, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.) of their choice in the Grand Prize Rafflecopter form for Signing up for this event and posting about this event on their blog!
We will be in contact with you via email and on our
Howling at the Moon Facebook Page (Please request to join)

Requirements:

  • Host a giveaway package worth $25 on your blog during the dates of the event. If you have more than one prize package during this event, all packages must have a minimum value of $25.
  • Post your giveaway at the required time or your link will be removed. (No later than Oct 2nd)
  • Add your blog to the linky below
  • Fill out the Google Document HERE
  • Once signed up please post about the giveaway or share on a social network. (This is optional but more exposure brings better results) Get HTML Code HERE
  • Send your link to a Google Doc once the giveaway has gone live so we can update the Linky form. (We will send you a link to the Google Doc. when it gets closer to the start of the event)
Deadline for signing up is Sept. 27th
Hashtag: #HowlingMoon

    Friday, 24 August 2012

    September Read Along

    I'm going to try something new in September--a read along with Book Twirps. I've never done this before and it sounds like a great way to interact with others who are reading Beautiful Creatures for the first time or re-reading it. If you would like to join in, go to http://booktwirps.com/read-along/september-read-along-infoforum/ and sign up so you can join in on the fun.  You don't have to be a blogger, just someone who enjoys talking about books.

    {Cover Reveal+G!veaway} Timeless by Michelle Madow | Book Briefs

    {Cover Reveal+G!veaway} Timeless by Michelle Madow | Book Briefs
     www.michellemadow.com

    Book review: Pushing the Limits by Kate McGerry

    What did I expect from Pushing the limits? A lot, love, teenage angst, drama and grief, something in the lines of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. So do check out my review(and my semi-new review format) to find out whether or not author Kate McGerry's debut novel met with my standards.

    Looks like there might be a sizzling romance
    behind this cover, right?

    The good girl

    Name: Echo Emerson
    Age: Soon to be eighteen.
    Looks: Like a siren(according to Noah)
    Family: A bipolar mother, a distant father who married Echo's former nanny, a shallow stepmother and a brother, Ares, who was killed in Afghanistan.
    Life: Struggling to blend in at school. Difficulties coming to terms with her brothers death and trying to cope with the fact that she is scarred for life. All of the above is resulting in nightterrors, so Echo isn't getting much sleep.
    Bad habits: Trying to please everyone but herself. Other than that, she got none. Echo's your typical good girl, well at least she used to be before Noah happened.
    Mission: Trying to figure out what happened the night she got her horrible scars, her brain has suppressed the memory of the entire evening. Fixing Ares care.

    The bad boy 

    Name: Noah Hutchins
    Age: Soon to be eighteen.
    Looks: Omigoshsohandsome
    Family: Two younger brothers(aka his reason for living), parents deceased. Foster parents and a foster brother.
    Life: Spent the past few years in different foster families. Has a history of violence.
    Bad habits: Smoking pot, drinking, doesn't really caring about school anymore.
    Mission: To get custody of his brothers and to make sure non of them will ever forget their real family.


    When Harry met Sally(or you know what I mean)

    Echo and Noah attends the same high school, but they have never been on speaking terms. Now the two of them are forced to work together through an arrangement suggested by the school therapist. It is a classical situation where two very different people are brought together and forced to collaboration. We all know how that ends, for the most part that is.

    Author Kate McGerry's blossoming romance is nicely done, in the pre-relationship stage, but as soon as their relationship starts to evolve from flirtatious to the real deal the magic slowly seeps away. McGerry's real strength, in this story, lies in her portraits of what is broken. Difficulties and tragedies can change a life upside down, some are able to get back on their two feet, others don't. I feel that one important lesson to learn from this story is that one should always remember never to alienate people who have experienced a tragedy of one kind or another. In many situations there is created a gap between others and the victim(in lack of a better vocabulary). Instead of alienating people we should reach out to them, show them that we care and are there for them, no matter what.

    As a bad boy I felt Noah was sweet up until he stared saying things like he wanted to own her and giving her deadlines to follow if she wanted to be with him. He felt a little too controlling, perhaps understandable due to his experience with loss, but not a healthy trait in a relationship.

    Favorite character?
    The therapist, her role felt so genuine. She cared about her patients and helped them bring out the best in themselves.

    All in all I was a bit let down and I felt that perhaps that the story was a bit too moralistic for my taste. My final verdict is a three waning lil' moons.

    /


    Suggested for further reading(as they so nicely put it in textbooks):
    - Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.

    - Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles.

    - USA Today's article in which Kate McGerry describes her first kiss with her husband.

    Source: Review copy from the publisher via Netgalley.

    Wednesday, 22 August 2012

    Last Days of Freedom Giveaway Hop - August 17th to 22nd

    Hosted by The Elliott Review

    Tell me you what you plan 
    to do with your last days of freedom 
    before you or the kids go back to school.
    If  school starting back doesn't effect you
     will you do anything special 
    with the last days of this season?

    Contest will be open internationally.
    I will be giving away 
    a $10 Amazon/Barnes and Noble Gift card 
    or I'll let you chose 
    a book from Book Depository
    up to $10 and as long as they ship
     free to you, you can enter.
    Just make sure they ship to you. 
    If not sure,  check here.
    I love to win Gift Cards and 
    these are the simplest and the best 
    as far as I'm concerned.
    For every 50 brand new followers,
    I'll give away another $10 Gift card or
    book from Book Depository.
    Be sure and check out  Aug New Release Giveaway also for a new release from this month!
     Click HERE for the full list of participating bloggers on the hop. At this time there is over 150 great blogs to visit and enter their giveaway! This is a great way to meet more bloggers, win books, gift cards and more!
    Click on the "Read More" to take you to Rafflecopter--
    If you have any problem getting Rafflecopter to come up,
    generally refreshing the page will fix it.
    Read "Click for Instructions" before answering the question!

    Bitten by Books » Author D.N. Simmons Interview and $25.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest Event LIVE Here

    Bitten by Books » Author D.N. Simmons Interview and $25.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest Event LIVE Here

    Monday, 20 August 2012

    Ivy Book Bindings: 150 Follower Giveaway!

    Ivy Book Bindings: 150 Follower Giveaway!

    Bitten by Books » Author Carrie Vaughn Interview and Contest LIVE Here!

    Bitten by Books » Author Carrie Vaughn Interview and Contest LIVE Here!

    One of my all time favorite Paranormal Romance series writes is at Bitten B Books today.
    Stop by and comment for a chance at her newest books.

    Memorable Monday: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta.


    Provoked by a quote, delighted by a quote or
    perhaps you fell in love with a beautiful quote?
    Share the quote(s) with us in your own Memorable Monday post.

    Our Memorable Monday quote meme is back after a short hiatus. Today I'll be sharing a passage from a young adult contemporary novel written by one heck of a talented Aussie writer. You have all heard of her before, I'm sure, the amazingly talented Melina Marchetta!


    Melina Marchetta, a favorite author?
    Melina Marchetta jumped right to the top of my list of favorite authors after I read Jellicoe Road(click here to check out my review). I feel pretty confident that she will only have strengthened her claim on the throne after I've finished Looking for Alibrandi.


    This passage takes place after the main character, Josie, finds out that her ride home is a bike, not a car as she automatically had assumed.

    'Want to take a taxi? I'll pay,' I volunteered, swallowing hard.
    He unlocked the case at the back and pulled out two helmets.
    'I am wearing a good velvet dress, thank you very much. It's the best thing I own so it'll probably be a family heirloom one day. How could you suggest I sit on that bike with my family heirloom on?'
    'Velvet and bikes? You might start a trend.'
    'My mother will murder me.'
    'Your mother need never know. I'll drop you off around the corner.'
    'She'll find out all right. What do you think will identify me at the morgue?'
    'Get on the bike,' he said pushing the helmet down on my head.
    'Turn around while I get on. It's bad enough that the whole of George Street is going to get a glimpse of my undies.'
    'You're denying me that honor?' he asked, wounded as he turned. around. I pulled up my dress and climbed on to the bike, self-consciously. 'Ready?'
    'Let me check my bag for ID. I don't want to be named something as plain as Jane Doe in the hospital.' 'You are one morbid chick,' he groaned, stepping on the bike to start it. I screamed.
    That Josephine Alibrandi is both witty and smart :) I adore her already. And the guys I hear you say? Swoonworthy from page 1. I might add that Josie grew up without a father and BOOOM, just like that he is in the neighborhood and obviously that is a difficult thing to deal with.

    Have you read anything by Melina Marchetta?
    If so do you enjoy her writing?
    If not, then go do it, NOW.


    Want to know more about this meme?

    Just read this post. The short and easy guide? I started this meme because I was tired of memes telling me what page I should look up a quote from or just picking one from a random page. I wanted to share a quote/quotes that I really enjoyed. Want to join? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

    Sunday, 19 August 2012

    Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green


    The Fault in Our Stars Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

    Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

    Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

    My thoughts:
    Many of you might be skeptical about this book because it's about cancer but I encourage everyone of you to read it anyway. Even though it's a book about something as tragic as a 16 year old with a terminal disease it is such a beautiful and funny story. I think I laughed out loud at least three times before page 25 but of course I shed some tears as well by the end of the book. I also have to admit I briefly regretted starting the book one or two times but sometimes these books are the ones you end up remembering the longest.

    I have seen some reviews of this where the way the young adults, Hazel and Augustus, talk to each other in this book are described as unnatural and too grown up. I don't agree, I think it's perfect for this story and what makes me like it even better. John Green writes beautifully and I can't wait to read more of his books. He tells the story with humour and oddness which makes it bearable for me as I read it and is also how the characters "survive". Our main characters Hazel and Augustus are indeed a bit odd and different from other teenagers. I had to take a few breaks from the book, especially when reading on work when the tears dwelled up. These breaks made me reflect more about the content and some of the thoughts of Hazel and Augustus. So I think it's a good thing to stop and think along the way because this is an easy-read (language- wise) so it's easy to just get carried away.

     I don't want to say too much about this but I hope you read it yourself.

    Source:
    Checked out at the school library


    My rating:


    Silje*