Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Before I Fall was like nothing I’ve read before. I have to admit, it took me like 9 days to read. It was still awesome though. I disliked Before I Fall because it was really repetitive which can get pretty annoying. But, I also had to realize that because of what the book is about, it had to be generally repetitive.
I liked how original the plot was. You don’t see or hear of many movies, books, or shows like that. Before I Fall made it onto the bestsellers list and it totally deserved it. This is a lovely addicting book that many have and will love.

FTC- I received this book awhile ago from Harper Teen publishers.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

This was so very addicting. Even ask Alicia of Shooting Stars Mag. I was texting her non-stop asking what would happen next. Rachel Hawkins wrote an enthralling YA book that will capture the hearts of paranormal lovers everywhere. Sophie is a lovely main character who knows how to hit all your heart-strings.
Rachel Hawkins is a hilarious author* and that totally showed in Hex Hall. Archer was way swoon worthy… so watch out. He will capture your heart like no other. Reading Hex Hall was an emotional roller coaster for me. Multitudes of thoughts were running through my head every minute. From “What next?” to “Need More” to horrendous words that will not be repeated on this blog ever.


FTC- I am borrowing this book from another blogger.
*Rachel Hawkins is also my half-jew buddy…. Along with Josh Berk. *high-five*

Cover!

The cover of The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney was released today. Here is the cover:



Daisy showed me this cover a few months ago when we saw each other at a book signing in San Francisco. I originally didn't like it... which Daisy knows. As I see the cover more and more, it kinda grows on me. I personally don't think it looks like what the book describes The Mockingbirds to be about, but who knows?

Here is the description:

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.


The Mockingbirds comes out November 2nd of this year. I can't wait to read it and I hope you all are looking forward to November 2nd!

Likely Story by David Van Etten

Watch out, daytime soaps, there’s a new kid on the channel! Mallory is a teenage girl living in L.A. and her mother is the oftnominated, never-winning star of a daytime soap; she is, in fact, the ultimate drama queen. After yet another blowout about her mother’s awful plotlines and overacting, Mallory starts blogging about how she wishes soap operas were more like real kids’ lives instead of the ridiculous storylines the shows usually feature. Her mother’s agent reads the blog, offers to show it around, and a star is born! Soon Mallory’s caught up in her own whirlwind drama, both at school and on the lot, as she works to protect the integrity of her original idea, cope with her mother’s jealousy, get through school, and get her best-friend-but-not-the-best-actress a lead role on the show.



Likely Story is an immensely amusing book. It is written by three authors; David Levithan (my favorite author), David Ozanich, and Chris Van Etten. They got the name David Van Etten by combining al their names. Likely Story isn’t a book you would expect to come out of the minds of three boys. It is about a teenage girl who’s mom is a soap opera star. Mallory, the teenage girl, decides to write a soap opera that goes against what normal soap opera’s show.
Likely Story is the first book in a series. Though the characters were a little too bubbly for my personal taste, this book was beautifully written. The relationship between Mallory and her mother was like many present-day relationships between parents and their children. Mallory thought her mothers job was vapid and Mallory’s mom thinks that her daughter doesn’t know what she is doing.
By the end of the book, not much had happened. The book wasn’t really productive, the characters were relatable, and the writing was fabulous. You should read it if you get a chance.

Controversy: Posting Bad Reviews

I came home from school today and saw a few posts in my reader about a topic in book blogging thats been coming up lately. This topic is posting bad reviews. There are two wonderful posts that I found. The first one is written by The Story Siren, which you can find here. The other one is written by Wastepaper Prose, and you can find it here.


These two posts explain whats going on with the whole thing. I agree whole-heartedly with both of them. There are plenty of books that I've read and not liked, and not reviewed. There are however, books that I've reviewed and disliked. It honestly depends on the books.

Most positive reviews that I post are posted because the books have made some impact on me. There are also a lot of books I have yet to read and review. But, let's be straight forward here... the books that I'm most interested in I read first. It's a force of habit. If there is a book that comes out in two months that Im really excited about and a book that comes out in one month that I'm on edge about... I'm going to read the one that I'm most excited about. I know it's not right, but I'm human.


Currently reading- Likely Story *series* by David Van Etten

Currently listening to- Owl City

Winners!

I have 4 winners to announce!


So, the winner of The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting is....


Carol!


The three winners of Numbers are...

Erica H.

Stevie S.

Julie S.



Congrats everyone!

A Guest Post by Kimberly Derting

EARNING MY PhD IN TEEN STUDIES???


One of the questions I get asked A LOT is why I write YA. Or in other words, why I write for teens?

I think it would be easy to say that maybe it’s because, in my head at least, I’m still that same uncertain 16-year-old girl I’ve always been…a little immature, a little cocky, a little…you know, ridiculous.

But, really, I think it has less to do with me, and more to do with my surroundings. As in, I have teenagers around me…All. Of. The. Time! I have for years. And, to be honest, there is No. End. In. Sight!

Let’s do some math here. Yeah, yeah, math sucks, I get it! But bear with me for just a minute…

My oldest daughter is 23 (Okay, don’t do too much math, you don’t need to be playing the guess-the-author’s-age game!), and that means I’ve had a teen in the house for 7 of those past 10 past ten years. Oh yeah, and she’s a girl, which meant I always had T-E-E-N-S (with a capital “S”) in the house. They travel in packs, you know.

And guess what? Teens, especially girls, like to talk. All it took on my part was a little eavesdropping…err, I mean, “research” to find out more than I ever wanted to know about teens and teen lifestyle.

But she’s not a teen anymore, so what about now, you ask?

You’re right, she’s not, but here’s the deal, she has a younger brother…16 years old, to be exact. So for three years now I’ve had teen boys to study, and trust me when I say, they are an entirely different kind of research project. I’ve learned more about bodily functions than anyone ever should…eww! Oh, and by the way, my son brings teen girls over (with strict parent supervision, of course) so there's that to consider!

Now maybe you’re thinking my YA days are coming to an end, three maybe four years tops, right? Wrong! Cause there’s still one more, and she’s turning nine this month. And by the time the boy is out of his teen years, she’ll be just starting them.

So, here’s where the math comes in:

7 years of teen girls + 3 (so far) with the boy + 4 more until he’s officially no longer a teenager + and then my youngest is a teen and I have another 7. That equals TWENTY ONE years of teenagers!!!!!!

Seriously, after that many years, I’ll be like a Pro, a Master, a Doctor of Teen Studies. Maybe even a Black Belt.

Or a Ninja.

You’ll never even see me coming…

Author Appreciation Week- Day 6

Though there are many authors that I appreciate great amounts that I haven't shared on the blog this week, this is my last Author Appreciation Week post. Today, I am appreciating two tenners who are AWESOME. Those tenners are:
Heidi R. Kling

and
Daisy Whitney


Heidi is one of the sweetest authors I have ever met *online*. Though... we do need to actually finally meet, Heidi *April!!!!* Her book Sea comes out in June. It is one of the best books I have read so far this year, and I can't wait to be one of the fangirls at the launch. Heidi is the person who is running this Author Appreciation Week shindig *oh yeah... I went there... all Western on you*. She is a prominent member in the YA community, and an all around awesome person.



Daisy is just pure amazing. *My mom and I both agree* As far as I know, she is really really busy... like... often. And she still responds to all my crazy emails. I haven't read Daisy's book. I can't wait to read it, it sounds amazing and comes out in November. It's called The Mockingbirds and when it comes out you should totally get it.

An Interview with Jay of The Body Finer

1. When did you first start becoming "interested" in Violet?

I think my crush on Violet started in the 1st grade when she promised to be my best friend forever if I kissed Chelsea Morrison. Even though Chelsea pushed me down afterwards, it was worth it because Violet and I have been inseparable ever since.

2. What do you think about Violet's powers?

I think it’s awesome! When we were kids, we would scour the woods looking for dead animals so we could re-bury them in Violet’s graveyard. What kid wouldn’t love doing that? Of course when we got older and Violet started finding dead bodies and chasing serial killers, that’s when her ability started to create problems. I just want to keep Violet safe because I couldn’t imagine losing her.

3. Is there any deep, dark secrets you can tell us about Violet that we don't already know?

I think I’ll continue keeping her secrets close to my heart.

4. What’s next?

Actually, I’m pretty interested in the scenes Violet has in mind in her answer. I guess we just have to wait and see what Kimberly Derting has in mind for us in Desires of the Dead in 2011.

Author Appreciation Week- Day 5

So for today, I appreciate J.K.Rowling. Who you all know is the amazing author of the Harry Potter books.

I appreciate J.K. because she was the person who really got me "into" reading. It was because of reading the Harry Potter books that I wanted to explore books more. Honestly, if I hadn't read those books, I would be a totally different person. This blog wouldn't exhist. I wouldn't be where I am now.
The Harry Potter books are-let's just say it- brilliant. They are written magnificently. This author has pure talent.

An Interview with Kimberly Derting

1. How did you come up with the idea of The Body Finder?

We were driving one day, when my husband came up with the idea of a boy who could find dead bodies. Since I’m always trying to be difficult, I immediately changed the main character to a teenage girl and created Violet’s ability to find the dead. Around our house, my husband still refers to himself as my “co-author.”

2. Who is your favorite character in The Body Finder?

Violet and Jay are by far my favorites, but Chelsea has been a lot of fun too! There’s just something really great about a girl who doesn’t have that inner-voice telling her what NOT to say. I probably like writing her because my inner-voice tends to stay silent a lot of times. :)

3. Any advice for aspiring authors?

Write as often as you can and read as much as possible. And, of course, never ever give up!

4. What’s next for you *book speaking*?

I have another project that I’m working on but I’m crazy-superstitious and afraid to jinx it. So that’s all I’ll say ;)

5. Who are some of your favorite authors?

There are WAY too many to list but you can find most of them at the following sites:

The Tenners (www.thetenners.com)
The Debutantes (www.feastofawesome.com)
Smart Chicks Kick It Tour (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jackson-Pearce/324549258692?v=wall#!/SmartChicksKickIt?ref=ts)

6. What are 5 things you couldn't live without?

Oxygen (this was way funnier in my head)

Family

Writing

Books

Vacations

7. Is there anything you would like to add?

To question 6? Yes, Skittles! :)

Thank you so much for having me today. It was so fun! Also, I absolutely adore you and your blog and recommend that everyone in the world start following you immediately!

So tomorrow morning, Im leaving to go somewhere for the weekend. I was planning on doing Author Appreciation Week all this week, but I could only schedule to today. If I don't get the next 3 days posted, I'll post them a little later. I'm going to try and post at night on my trip, but I don't know. My week for The Body Finder will still be posted, I hope you are all enjoying it so far!

On the other hand....

I JUST got Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles in the mail. And by JUST I mean that I literally just took it out of the package and squeeled. I think Im going to read it while on my way to the place I'll be staying this weekend. It is gorgeous. Jus' Sayin.


I'm off to finish packing. Adios!


xoxo,
Zoe

Author Appreciation Week- Day 4

This week is author appreciation week. This week was created by Heidi R. Kling. You can read the post about it here. Along with posting about the authors I appreciate this week, I am also having a week-long feature for The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.


I have two authors to talk about today. They are both super fantastic and amazing. The first author is:

Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak isn't online much *or at all...* but he is an amazing writer. He has written numerous books, the most famous of those being The Book Thief and I Am The Messenger. The Book Thief is one of the only books I have read that I have actually heard parents of kids in my class talk about. I even have given my teacher my copy to read. It is beautifully written. I Am The Messenger is just... wow. I loved this book so much, it was really thrilling.
Another reason Markus Zusak is awesome is because he is Australian... which means he has an accent. Yay!


Courtney Summers

Yay! Courtney Summers is so sweet! I haven't read both of her books, sadly. I have only read Some Girls Are, which is so addicting! Courtney is another one of those authors that tweet, which is always an added bonus. Though Courtney hates Werewolves *sigh*, I can forgive her for that. Guess what? I am also in her Zombie Apocalypse Survival Posse. EVIDENCE-

courtney_s @khyrinthia omg I am trying to wrap my head around this. YOU GUYS ARE IN MY ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVING POSSE. @Sarahbear9789 @zoealea I don't like to brag but survival is GUARANTEED with me. Unless you like werewolves and then I guarantee nothing.



---- She doesn't need to know I am team werewolf. Shhhh. Actually, I am Team Werewolf when it comes to Twilight and Harry Potter. But generally, Vamps are pretty darn cool.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

Kimberly Derting wrote a heartfelt novel that will be sure to capture readers. I have re-read The Body Finder countless amounts of times. I love the world that Kimberly created. She wrote the characters very well, and what they said guided the story along really smoothly. Since first reading it, my copy of The Body Finder has been passed through about half of my class. Everyone who read it, loved it. Nobody even disliked one thing about the book, if that isn't enough evidence of why you should read it, I don't know what is. I can't wait for the second Body Finder book. This book is one of the best books I read last year. I strongly recommend The Body Finder. It's is simply addicting and lovely.

Author Appreciation Week- Day 3

This week is author appreciation week. This week was created by Heidi R. Kling. You can read the post about it here. Along with posting about the authors I appreciate this week, I am also having a week-long feature for The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.


Today's Author that I appreciate is the lovely Maureen Johnson. Maureen is one of the funniest YA writers that is on my bookshelf. All of her books are amazing. A lot of her books involve traveling, which isn't found in a lot of YA books.
Maureen also is on twitter a lot. Which is awesome, because I am a big tweeter. And she responds to the people that tweet to her, which is hard to find when the author is known by many people.*

*There are a lot of well known authors that are super nice and respond to twitter.

Interview with Violet of The Body Finder

1. What was it like thinking that you were the only person that could stop the serial killer?

It was pretty overwhelming, but fortunately I had Jay to lean on. Also, for the first time in my life, I thought my ability could actually do some good.


2. Who do you like better, new Jay or old Jay?

Definitely old Jay! I thought new Jay (I hate even calling him that) was a good friend until the night of the party. Hopefully, I’ll be able to forgive him someday.

3. How is Jay doing?

He’s doing great! I just hope he doesn’t get any better looking in the next book because the “Jay Fan Club” at my school—and apparently out in the real world too—is getting a little too big! And you know me; I’m not a big sharer.

4. What’s next?

I have no idea. I guess that’s up to Kimberly Derting, although I’m sure I could come up with a few suggestions for Jay and me. ;)

Author Appreciation Week- Day 2

This week is author appreciation week. This week was created by Heidi R. Kling. You can read the post about it here. Along with posting about the authors I appreciate this week, I am also having a week-long feature for The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.

John Green is my second favorite author. He has written/co-written 5 books so far *including Will Grayson, Will Grayson* John was one of the authors that got me interested in YA. I haven’t met him yet. But, I will be in about a month and a half… I will try not to be a fainting fan girl. I love the fact that he went from being an author where barely anybody knew about his book to an author that everyone was looking to read. I also love John’s puff. For those of you who don’t watch Vlogbrothers on you tube, John’s puff is his hair. It can reach great heights…. Which is pretty awesometastic.

The Body Finder Giveaway

This week I am having a bunch of features about The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. You will also have a chance to win a signed final copy of The Body Finder and a Body Finder tote bag. To enter fill out the form that is at the bottom of this post. Here is a summary of the book:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

+3 if you are an old follower
+2 if you are a new follower

Author Appreciation Week- Day 1

This week is author appreciation week. This week was created by Heidi R. Kling. You can read the post about it here. Along with posting about the authors I appreciate this week, I am also having a week-long feature for The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.


Anybody who has read my blog for more than about 5 days knows that I love David Levithan. He is my favorite author in the world ever. He has written/co-written more books than you can count on your fingers. David is the head editor at Scholastic, he is a best-selling author, and is teaching creative writing at a University. Even though he is doing all of that work, he still has time to tour and he is really down to earth. He is one of the nicest authors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He happily signed 7 of his books for me… which is a lot of books!
I appreciate David Levithan for all he does in the YA Community. He sets up a bunch of events in NY and is an all around great person. He’s novels are pure gold and every time I read them, I am automatically in a good mood.
Another thing I like about Mr. Levithan’s writing is that he has so many different writing styles. He has re-told a classic, he has written in poetry form, and he has written something where he never capitalized. Also, I have heard that he takes a picture every day. That’s awesome, yes? I have tried doing that in the past…. But never got away with it.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

This is the first book I have read by Carrie Ryan, and I’m not sure if it’s hew first book, but it sure was good. You can’t find many books in the world about the Zombie Apocalypse, so The Forest of Hands and Teeth was definitely original. I put off reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth for months, practically a year. So when I asked one of my blogger friends what book I should read and she said this one, I was very reluctant. Oddly enough, I ended up devouring this. I finished reading it ...more In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?



This is the first book I have read by Carrie Ryan, and I’m not sure if it’s hew first book, but it sure was good. You can’t find many books in the world about the Zombie Apocalypse, so The Forest of Hands and Teeth was definitely original. I put off reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth for months, practically a year. So when I asked one of my blogger friends what book I should read and she said this one, I was very reluctant. Oddly enough, I ended up devouring this. I finished reading it in less than twenty-four hours.
This book was an emotional roller coaster. One minute I would be laughing and the next I would practically in tears. Carrie sure knows how to write something action-packed though! Nearly nothing is more interesting to read than a book about Zombie’s.
Another thing I liked about this book was the character development throughout the whole thing. Nearly all the characters had made a drastic change in their attitudes. Mary (the main character) goes from being extremely opinionated to extraordinarily self centered to the point where she is willing to sacrifice herself to save the person she loves.


FTC- I received my ARC from an indie bookstore

Winners of The Dark Divine Nail Polish

So.... the 3 winners of The Dark Divine Nail Polish are....



AMANDA

ALLISON

LENORE


Congratulations! I'll have these mailed out to you as soon as I can.

The Cover of Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

This cover was just released-


I personally don't like it.... at all. The previous covers in this series were kick butt and totally amazing. This one seems girly and frankly.... very not what the series seems to be about. The first two covers are....
















So... what do You think of these covers?

Toast Says It All

*Erica requested I post this.... despite the lazy.*


A Few Awesome Reviews

Erica posted a review of The Sky is Everywhere
Tirzah posted a review of Betrayals
Yan posted a review of Soulless


A Few Awesome Interviews/Guest Posts

Mitali had Amy Brecount White on her blog.
Hope posted an interview with Rhonda Stapleton.
The Book Chic posted an interview with Kimberly Derting.

In Other News

Chelsea of The Page Flipper released the cover of her memoir.


Books Read This Week

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Beautiful Dead: Jonas #1 by Eden Maguire

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances. Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina,Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head! And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina. Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' - a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth.Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?


I was seriously expecting this book to be one of my favorites. Sadly, that didn’t happen here. Beautiful Dead; as many of you can see, has a gorgeous cover. It is beautiful right? I know.
This book was really good. I have it 3 stars on goodreads, but I think most of me disliking this book came from how disappointed I was. I was expecting it to be mind blowing, but it was just good.
Eden Maguire wrote a wonderful book, it fell short of my expectations but it hopefully will meet yours!

Other stops on the blog tour-

Hope's Bookshelf	22-Feb
Café of Dreams	23-Feb
Today's Adventure	23-Feb
YA Insider	23-Feb
Ramblings Of A Teenage Bookworm	24-Feb
Young Adult Book Bloggers	24-Feb
Debbie's World of Books	25-Feb
The Neverending Shelf	25-Feb
Galley Smith	27-Feb
Jenn's Bookshelves	1-Mar
The Bhrain Lair	1-Mar
Books, Movies, and Chinese Food	2-Mar
S. Krishna's Books	2-Mar
A Book Blogger's Diary	3-Mar
Shooting Star Mag	3-Mar
The Book Journal	3-Mar
One Persones Journey Through A World Of Books	4-Mar
Write for a Reader	4-Mar
Cindy's Love Of Book	5-Mar
The Book Scout	5-Mar
Bloody Bad	5-Mar
I Heart Monster	7-Mar
Dark Faerie Tales	8-Mar
The Compulsive Reader	8-Mar
Tales of a Capricious Reader	9-Mar
The Book Obsession	10-Mar
Booking Mama	11-Mar
Sarah's Random Musings	11-Mar
Pick of The Literate	12-Mar
Chick Loves It	12-Mar
Zoe's Book Reviews	12-Mar
The Book Cellar	13-Mar
The Book Owl	14-Mar
Beth Fish Reads	15-Mar
Always Riddikulus	16-Mar
The Children's Book Review	17-Mar
A Bibliophile's Reverie	17-Mar
So Many Books, So Little Time	18-Mar
Devourer Of Books	18-Mar
Portland Books Examiner	19-Mar
Bookalicio.us	19-Mar
Edward Cullen Net	20-Mar
Park Avenue Princess	21-Mar
My Ever Expanding Library	22-Mar
Book Loons	22-Mar
The Book Lush	23-Mar
Bran Hambric Fan Blog	24-Mar
Red Headed Book Child	24-Mar
Book Blather	25-Mar
Inside The Mind	25-Mar
One Book At A Time	26-Mar
Babbling About Books, and More	26-Mar
Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf	26-Mar

Zombies: A Short Tale of Why I Love Them

Some people prefer *cough* unicorns over the more superior *and my preference* Zombie's. For all of you Unicorn lovers, I have compiled a list on why you all should like Zombie's. So, here we go:

1. They are dead. So... I mean... if you like Vampires, then you MUST like Zombie's. They are practically siblings.

2. Aren't the just fascinating? Like... what do you think compels them to want brains?

3.You should just like them over Unicorns. Unicorns have horns. What do zombies have? Almost-eternal life.

4. They have their own movie. Zombieland is a pretty darn epic movie. Yes, it is promoting the killing of Zombie's but it is amazing.

5. They have invaded my mind. No joke, the other night I had a dream about Zombies.


*Sorry to all you Unicorn lovers, I just had to do this.
** It's a joke, though I totally believe in Zombie's more than Unicorns. Jus' sayin'.

Merlin's Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake and apprentice to Merlin the mage. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and avarice of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even Avalon's peace, and Merlin needs his apprentice to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. And so Niviene must use her special talents to help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love. A mystical love story, now back in print, sure to become a modern teen classic.


I honestly couldn’t get through this book. I tried, it just didn’t happen. It was a really good concept! It really was. Anne Eliot Crompton really did write a wonderful book, it just wasn’t my sort of book. It was really cool that this book was inspired by a poem. I recommend this book to people who find King Arthur and books about Fey interesting. It just wasn’t my thing though.

The cover for this book is fantastic though. It is incredibly gorgeous.

Other stops on the tour include-

http://litbites.blogspot.com/ 20-Feb
http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/ 22-Feb
http://fayeflamereviews.blogspot.com/ 23-Feb
http://www.devourerofbooks.com/ 23-Feb
http://yainsider.blogspot.com/ 24-Feb
http://bfishreads.blogspot.com/ 1-Mar
http://booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com/ 2-Mar
http://ultimatebookhound.blogspot.com/ 2-Mar
http://bookrevues.blogspot.com/ 3-Mar
http://bookworm0440.blogspot.com/ 3-Mar
www.thebookjournal.com 3-Mar
http://www.howlinggooddbooks.com 5-Mar
http://thebookowl.blogspot.com/ 7-Mar
http://www.jenrothschild.com/ 8-Mar
http://alwaysriddikulus.blogspot.com/ 9-Mar
http://stephsureads.blogspot.com 10-Mar
http://bookalicio.us/ 11-Mar
http://neverendingshelf.blogspot.com 12-Mar
http://www.galleysmith.com/ 13-Mar
http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/ 15-Mar
http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/ 15-Mar
http://www.jennsbookshelves.com 15-Mar
http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com 16-Mar
http://reveriemedia.blogspot.com/ 17-Mar
http://www.thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/ 18-Mar
http://darkfaerietales.com 19-Mar
http://edward-cullen.net 20-Mar
http://redheadedbookchild.blogspot.com 22-Mar
http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com 23-Mar
http://dolcebellezza.blogspot.com/ 23-Mar
http://www.capriciousreader.com/ 24-Mar
http://examiner.com (Portland) 25-Mar
http://www.theveronicaproject.blogspot.com/ 26-Mar

Numbers by Rachel Ward Giveaway

I am back with another giveaway for you all. Three people will win a hardcover copy of Numbers by Rachel Ward.


Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they’re waiting to ride the Eye Ferris
wheel, Jem notices that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!



You can find the books website here.

Here is the book trailer-






+1 if you are a new follower
+2 if you are an old follower

If you would like to be one of three winners of "Numbers" please fill out the form below.

Hilary Duff is Writing A Book?!

This was released today. The face of the matter is that Hilary Duff (singer, clothing designer, and actress) is writing a YA Book that will be published by Simon and Schuster. The first book will be called Elixir. And it is going to be out in October.
Elixir has been described as
"Duff's Elixir combines the overpowering allure of a dangerous love triangle with thrilling international adventure. Clea Raymond is a talented young photojournalist who has spent her entire life in the spotlight as the daughter of a Washington politician and a renowned surgeon. Haunted by the strange appearance of a mysterious young man in her photographs, Clea travels the globe with her best friends, Rayna and Ben, in a race against time to unravel a centuries-old mystery that could unlock the key to her soulmate's true identity and the secret of her father's disappearance--and ultimately save all their lives."

Wanderlust by Lucy Silag

Will they save their lost friend before it’s too late?

Angst and betrayal abound as teens search the French countryside for their missing classmate in this exciting sequel to Beautiful Americans.

The book opens with PJ on a train, racing toward Rouen to meet her sister, Annabel. But Annabel’s life may be fraught with troubles far worse than her own.

Alex persuades Jay and Zack to hunt for PJ at one of her absentee father’s ritzy estates in the country. But a painful encounter with her dad leaves Alex weeping—on Jay’s shoulder. Three’s a crowd for Zack; he heads to Amsterdam seeking an old friend, and a place to belong.

Back in Paris, Olivia’s escapades with Thomas are interrupted when they discover reason to believe PJ is in more peril than she knows. Will the crew find PJ in time? Have they lost themselves along the way?

This book was really addicting! Lucy Silag wrote a thrilling sequel. It was really amusing to read about the characters even further. I found myself happy to start reading about the lives of these characters again. I am impatiently awaiting the next installment in this series. This book was shocking and thrilling and totally worth reading. I loved everything that Wanderlust was about. Lucy Silag is definitely a writer you all must read.

Winner of Forget-Her-Nots Contest

So, Random Number Generator has chosen the number of the winner. And the winner of an ARC of Forget-Her-Nots and some swag is...


CHELSEA SWIGGETT


I will ship your package a little later in the week, Chelsea. Congrats!

An Interview with Amy Brecount White

1.This is a really original idea for a book, what made you come up with it?

I used to write a lot of articles for newspapers and magazines -- mostly lifestyle and travel pieces – so I was always on the lookout for cool, new ideas. I found out about the language of flowers from a book about tussie-mussies, which is the Victorian name for symbolic flower bouquets that send messages. Once I knew about it, I started seeing the language everywhere. I also gave some good friends symbolic bouquets using the flowers from my own garden. My friends love the “tussies,” and I definitely wished that the messages I was sending through the flowers came true. So for me, it was an easy jump from wishing to imagining real magic in the blooms. It was great fun to create the blooming world of Avondale and play around with flower magic. And I definitely believe a special magic is released into the world any time anyone gives flowers!


2. Are there any other flower-related books that you are writing?

Not currently, but I hope I will revisit the world of Forget-Her-Nots in a companion novel. (I have it all plotted out!) My WIP, String Theories, does have an eco component to it, but it’s more about streams than plants this time.



3. What’s next?

More novels, I hope! I’ll be on the YA panel at the Virginia Festival of the Book on 3/20 with some awesome writers. Then, I’ll take a little time off to work on my own garden this spring and let my ideas gestate. After this winter (I live in the DC area), we deserve an amazing spring! I also miss my freelance writing a bit, although I’ve been doing tons of writing for my blog and others. I’ve been in touch with bookstores, several gardens, and conservatories around the country, so I hope to make appearances there and at bookstores. Conservatories can be a real life saver for flower lovers during a winter like this one!


4. Do you have any suggestions for aspiring authors?

Read as much as possible. I try to find writers whose style I admire and want to emulate and read all their stuff. Then I’ll read my favorite novel several times. Plots and storylines take a lot of time and thought to work well, so spend time not just reading the novels, but seeing how they are put together chapter by chapter and scene by scene.




5. Who is your favorite character in Forget-Her-Nots?

I love them all. I think an author has to love all her characters – even the mean girls or villains -- in order to do a good job telling their story, although it’s not the main story. I do have a special place in my heart for Rose, Laurel’s smart and sassy cousin. She was lots of fun to hang out with. J


6. Is there anything you would like to add?

I’d love to thank everyone at YA Roundup for inviting me and being such an awesome force for YA in the world. I’d love to send white bellflowers, sage, and sweet basil to the entire YA blogger community. I’ve been amazed at how hard you all work and how many hours you put creating awesome blogs! I am so grateful.

An Interview with Laurel of Forget-Het-Nots

1. How have flowers affected your life?

They have always been around me. My mom spent a ton of time in her garden, which no longer exists. (Don’t get me started….) And she always said these little rhymes about flowers. It took me awhile to realize that no other moms said them, just mine. I used to deliver flowers from my mom to people on our block for special occasions and stuff, too. Everyone ADORED her flowers. Flowers were how she related to the world.

Now I get this fizzy, tingly feeling whenever I’m around flowers. And -- has anyone else noticed? -- that their scents seem amazingly stronger these days. It’s like I feel a surge of something – energy or power – when I hold them, but the feeling is slightly different with different blooms. My mom was always talking about using your gifts, so maybe flowers are mine. I’m just not exactly sure how to use them.



2. Have you ever thought of writing your own flower book?

I feel like I could write a book just to translate the flower books I already have. Some of the words are pretty archaic, like cape jasmine, or we don’t use the same botanical names they used to, so it can be confusing. I’d really love for my grandma or Ms. Suarez to write that translation actually. They know so much more about the language than me.

If I wrote a book, it would probably be a picture book. My mom used to read me this book called Miss Rumphius all the time. Miss Rumphius makes the world a better place by scattering lupine seeds all over, so her hometown just blooms in pastels the next year. It’d be cool to write a book that makes you want to go out and make the world more beautiful.


3. What was it like having so many requests for your bouquets?

Awesome and overwhelming. When I first got to Avondale, I was practically invisible and now everyone – even the seniors -- knows my name. The hard part is now they kind of think I can just hand them some flowers and makeover their lives. It’s just not that easy, and I keep thinking I’ve got it figured out and then something bizarre happens, like with Tara and Everett. But I don’t want to let anyone down, and everyone’s so hopeful when they come to see me.


4. What’s in store for your future?

Avondale feels like home now, but I don’t really trust the truce with Tara. Not completely. And I’m not sure that Ms. Suarez has told me about all the flowerspeakers here or at Willowlawn. Some of the younger girls must not know yet. And you won’t believe what happened the other day: Rose asked me for a tussie! I think Rose is in love. And Justin still rocks, btw.

Here, Have a Flower

So, since I'm apart of the Forget-Her-Nots blog tour. I am here today, to give you all a virtual flower. If you have collected this weeks flowers, you will be entered to win Beautiful Creatures, Forget Her Nots swag, The Secret Year, and Candor. "Each stop on the tour will be posting a flower in their post, and it's your job to collect all the flowers that week and email them to Amy so you can enter the contest."*
You can find the tour schedule here.

My flower for you all is the Stargazer Lily
Isn't is lovely?
I don't know the exact meaning of this Lily. But, while searching online I found a few things. The sources I found said that it meant wealth, prosperity, and aspiration.


My review is here.
You can enter to win a copy of Forget Her Nots and some swag from me, here.
Here is a guest post from Amy Brecount White.

*Taken from Khy's post. Cuz she explained it well.

Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White

When someone leaves three mystery flowers outside her dorm door, Laurel thinks that maybe the Avondale School isn't so awful after all — until her own body starts to freak out. In the middle of her English presentation on the Victorian Language of Flowers, strange words pop into her head, and her body seems to tingle and hum. Impulsively, Laurel gives the love bouquet she made to demonstrate the language to her spinster English teacher. When that teacher unexpectedly and immediately finds romance, Laurel suspects that something — something magical — is up. With her new friend, Kate, she sets out to discover the origins and breadth of her powers by experimenting on herself and others. But she can’t seem to find any living experts in the field of flower powers to guide her. And her bouquets don't always do her bidding, especially when it comes to her own crush, Justin. Rumors about Laurel and her flowers fly across campus, and she's soon besieged by requests from girls — both friends and enemies — who want their lives magically transformed — just in time for prom.



This book is really sweet! First of all, I think the cover is gorgeous! The cover is a bit girly and pink, but I still really love it. I think it depicts the book really well.
Amy Brecount White wrote a really beautiful book. It made me really conscious of all the different flowers that there are.
I absolutely devoured this book. I started reading it the day I got it and finished reading it within 24 hours. This book was written really well, and very gracefully. I heavily recommend this book.


You can enter to win a copy of Forget Her Nots here.