tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25131695263642361092024-03-13T23:58:18.119-06:00Deborah's BooksDeborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04840333359558365074noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-27397505328227009552013-09-17T09:00:00.000-06:002013-09-17T09:00:00.382-06:00Release Day Review: This Song Will Save Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales</i> </b><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up <br />
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<b>Hardcover:</b> 288 pages<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (September 17, 2013)<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Young Adult contemporary<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Publisher via NetGalley (thank you!)<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 3 of 5 stars <br />
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<h4>
About the Book:</h4>
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Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All <br />
throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider <br />
in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise <br />
nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she <br />
meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet <br />
mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most <br />
importantly, a love for DJing. <br />
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Told in a refreshingly genuine and<br />
laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an <br />
exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to <br />
bring people together.</blockquote>
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About the Author:</h4>
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor3390621">Leila Sales grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeTextContainerauthor3390621"><a href="http://leilasales.com/">Website</a></span></b></span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor3390621">My Thoughts:</span></h4>
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<i><span id="freeTextContainerauthor3390621">I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. </span></i><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor3390621">This is a tough review for me to write. First, let me say what I loved about the book. It was well written, interesting, and addictive. I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with Elise and her story and I just had to see how things turned out for her. I felt like she was a very believable character and I became very invested in her. I loved, loved, loved her interest in DJing and the way it affected her emotionally and socially.<br /><br />
I really enjoyed the way she tries to make herself over to fit in with everyone else, only to have it backfire. Then she remakes herself over again, but the time, as herself. She discovers who she is and realizes that she's known it all along. The writing, the plot, and the characters are all fantastic. <br /><br />
I love the cover. Brilliant, gorgeous cover. I want to make a poster out of it and hang it on my wall so I can look at it every day.<br /><br />
So why 3 stars? Language. I was shocked at how many F-words (among other words) were in these pages. I kept thinking, good grief, this is a teen novel? The other reason was the sexual content. It's not overly detailed, and "it" doesn't technically happen, but I don't have a better word for what does happen. I think that sometimes authors forget how young their audience really is.<br /><br />
While I loved this book for many reasons, I still have to say that it contains too much adult content for me to recommend it to a teen audience. I would have doled out a whole-hearted 5 star rating if it hadn't been for the language and sexual content.<br /><br />
Content: graphic language and sexual situations. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374351384/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0374351384&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0374351384" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15777621-this-song-will-save-your-life?ac=1">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-45535659276728971392013-09-16T10:30:00.000-06:002013-09-16T10:30:01.047-06:00Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg</i><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up <br />
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<b>Grade Level:</b> 7 and up<br />
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<b>Hardcover:</b> 272 pages<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> Scholastic, Inc (March 1, 2013)<br />
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<b>Series:</b> None<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Contemporary<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Publisher via NetGalley <br />
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About the Book:</h4>
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A hilarious new novel from Elizabeth Eulberg about taking the wall out of the wallflower so she can bloom.<br />
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Don't mess with a girl with a Great Personality.<br />
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Everybody loves Lexi. She's popular, smart, funny...but she's never been one of those girls, the pretty ones who get all the attention from guys. And on top of that, her seven-year-old sister, Mackenzie, is a terror in a tiara, and part of a pageant scene where she gets praised for her beauty (with the help of fake hair and tons of makeup). <br />
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Lexi's sick of it. She's sick of being the girl who hears about kisses instead of getting them. She's sick of being ignored by her longtime crush, Logan. She's sick of being taken for granted by her pageant-obsessed mom. And she's sick of having all her family's money wasted on a phony pursuit of perfection.<br />
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The time has come for Lexi to step out from the sidelines. Girls without great personalities aren't going to know what hit them. Because Lexi's going to play the beauty game - and she's in it to win it.<br />
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</span></b> <b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545476992/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545476992&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0545476992" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15703337-revenge-of-the-girl-with-the-great-personality?ac=1">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revenge-of-the-girl-with-the-great-personality-elizabeth-eulberg/1112220586?ean=9780545476997">Barnes & Noble</a></span></b></blockquote>
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About the Author:</h4>
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Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the author of <i>The Lonely Hearts Club</i>, <i>Prom & Prejudice</i>, <i>Take a Bow</i>, and <i>Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality</i>. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/index.html">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ElizEulberg">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethEulberg">Facebook</a> </span></b><br />
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My Thoughts:</h4>
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I thought this book was going to be funny, so I picked it up while I was in the mood for something humorous. Initially I was disappointed that it wasn't a laugh out loud type of book, especially since the blurb claims it is "hilarious", but it was still very entertaining.<br />
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Lexi is a sweet girl with a great personality, but she is tired of being stuck in the friend zone. Eventually, she accepts a friend's challenge to put more effort into her appearance. She then has to start navigating the tricky world of boys, jealous baby sisters, and insecure popular girls. The story itself is interesting, and the inclusion of beauty pageants and the behind-the-scenes look at the pageant families adds something fresh to an otherwise formulaic plot.<br />
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My biggest gripe with the story is Logan. This is a bit of a spoiler, so don't read this if you don't want to know anything. All through the book, Logan comes across as sweet, caring, and sincere. He is desperately clinging on to the last shreds of his relationship with his girlfriend, and he is super nice to Lexi. As soon as he and Lexi go out, he suddenly turns into a jerk. I just didn't find the way that whole thing played out to be very believable. I did love Taylor and I thought he was a great addition to the story. He was a good example of how a boy should treat a girl. I am interested to see if this will turn into a series.</blockquote>
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3 STARS </h4>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-56886116807080169362013-07-08T06:00:00.000-06:002013-07-08T06:00:06.950-06:00YA Review: The look by Sophia Bennett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>The Look by Sophia Bennett</b></i><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up<br />
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<b>Series:</b> None<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Contemporary <br />
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<span itemprop="numberOfPages"><b>Publisher:</b> Scholastic/Chicken House (March 1, 2013)</span></div>
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<span itemprop="numberOfPages"><b>Source: </b>Publisher via NetGalley (thank you!)</span></div>
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Can she be a supermodel and a super-sister? She finds her answer in just one look.<br />
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Two sisters, both beautiful in different ways: Fifteen-year-old Ted has got "The Look." That's what the scout for the modeling agency tells her, and she can't believe her luck. But just as Ted's jet-setting off on her new career, Ava is diagnosed with cancer. Can Ted be a supermodel and a super-sister? Or will she have to choose between family and fame? With their worlds turned upside down, the girls have to look past appearances, look deep inside, to figure out what really matters.</blockquote>
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Sophia Bennett won first place in the second annual LONDON TIMES/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition with her debut, SEQUINS, SECRETS, AND SILVER LININGS, a novel that combines her long-standing obsession with fashion with her keen desire to write for young readers. Sophia lives with her husband and children in cosmopolitan London, England. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://sophiabennett.com/">Website </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/sophiabennett">Twitter </a></b></span></div>
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My Thoughts:</h4>
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This book is NOT what I was prepared for. I expected a light, fluffy, humorous story about a girl stumbling into becoming a model. And for the first few pages, that's exactly what it is. But there is so much more to the story. Even though cancer is mentioned in the synopsis, I was not prepared for it when it showed up. As a result, I spent a couple of really late nights bawling my eyes out.<br />
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The characters are wonderful. I love them all. Ted is such a sweetheart and she develops such a wonderful relationship with her sister, Ava. I love the journey that Ted goes on, how she finds herself, and how she refuses to compromise her standards.<br />
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The book is well researched and it's obvious that the author has done her homework. I haven't read many cancer books, but modeling seems to be a very popular topic right now. Combining the two creates this amazing, tension filled world that Ted and her sister must learn to navigate. The sisterhood in this story is simply beautiful.<br />
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I loved it. I loved it. I loved it!</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545464382/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545464382&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0545464382" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14830774-the-look">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0545464382" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> </div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. </i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-22927632684232547492013-07-04T06:00:00.000-06:002013-07-04T06:00:10.807-06:00Review: The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison</b></i><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up<br />
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<b>Series:</b> The Rose Throne #1<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Fantasy<br />
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<b>Hardcover: </b>400 pages<br />
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<b>Publisher: </b>Egmont USA (May 14, 2013)<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Publisher via NetGalley (thank you!)<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 4 of 5 stars<br />
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<i>Richly-imagined fantasy romance from the author of Princess and the Hound, a tale of two princesses--one with magic, one with none--who dare seek love in a world where real choice can never be theirs. For fans of Megan Whalen Turner, Catherine Fisher, and Cassandra Clare. </i><br />
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Ailsbet loves nothing more than music; tall and red-haired, she's impatient with the artifice and ceremony of her father's court. Marissa adores the world of her island home and feels she has much to offer when she finally inherits the throne from her wise, good-tempered father. The trouble is that neither princess has the power--or the magic--to rule alone, and if the kingdoms can be united, which princess will end up ruling the joint land? For both, the only goal would seem to be a strategic marriage to a man who can bring his own brand of power to the throne. But will either girl be able to marry for love? And can either of these two princesses, rivals though they have never met, afford to let the other live?</blockquote>
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About the Author:</h4>
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My name is pronounced "Metty" like my mother's "Betty." It is Danish, and we were all named after ancestors. I guess by the time they got to number nine (out of eleven), it was getting tricky. So I got the funny Danish name no one knew how to prounounce. In Denmark, it should be "meta" like "metaphysical." It's from the Greek for "pearl." And no, it's not short for anything. Not even Mediterannean.<br />
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My first book, THE MONSTER IN ME was accepted for publication in 1999 and was published in 2002. My second book, MIRA, MIRROR was published in 2004. The latest book, THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND , was published in 2007. A sequel, THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAR, came out in April of 2009. <br />
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I now live in Utah with my husband and 5 children, ages 5 to 14. I write during nap time, or at 4 in the morning, or while the broccoli for dinner is burning. Whenever I get a chance. I love to write the kind of books that I love to read. And I love to discover what is going to happen next, just like a reader would. I also do some racing in triathlon.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://metteivieharrison.com/">Website</a></b></span></blockquote>
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This is such an interesting book. There are many characters that hold a lot of sway in how the story turns out. It is a well developed fantasy with feminist undertones. It surprised me that I didn't get irritated by this. But the author weaves it into the story in such a way that it doesn't feel preachy or awkward. In fact, many of those aspects make the book more interesting and give the characters life.<br />
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The characters are diverse in their personalities, desires, and abilities. There are many different levels of danger, ambition, and motivation for each of them. Generally, they are likable, with the exception of the ones you are supposed to dislike. While Ailsbet's self-pity party does get annoying, she grows into herself and learns to control her own destiny as much as she can.<br />
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The ending hints that this will become a series, and I can't wait to see where the story goes after this.</blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606843656/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1606843656&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1606843656" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15841929-the-rose-throne?ac=1">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1606843656" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> </div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. </i></blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-83497049326220223202013-07-03T09:00:00.000-06:002013-07-03T09:00:01.002-06:00Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>Geek Girl by Holly Smale</b></i><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up<br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Contemporary<br />
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<b>Series or Stand Alone:</b> Stand Alone<br />
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<b>Paperback:</b> 378 pages<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> HarperCollins Children's Books (February 28th 2013)<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Publisher via NetGalley (thank you!)<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 4.5 of 5 stars!<br />
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“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.”</div>
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Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” <br />
lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per <br />
day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that <br />
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But she doesn’t know why nobody at school seems to like her.<br />
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So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to <br />
reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, <br />
incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating <br />
herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means <br />
lying to the people she loves.<br />
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Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly <br />
enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realize that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than<br />
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As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything? </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0007489447/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0007489447&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0007489447" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13621089-geek-girl?ac=1">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeekGirlSeries?fref=ts">Facebook</a></b></span></blockquote>
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About the Author:</h4>
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Holly fell in love with writing at five years old, when she realized that books didn't grow on trees like apples. A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes <br />
has since led her all over the world: she has visited 20 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of ear-plugs stolen in Australia, Indonesia and India.<br />
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As a teenager, she also did a little modelling in the hope that eventually she would be sent somewhere exciting.<br />
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She wasn't.<br />
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Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and currently lives either in London or @holsmale.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://holsmale.wix.com/the-write-girl2">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/holsmale">Twitter</a></b></span></blockquote>
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This is what a young adult novel should be. It's laugh out loud funny<br />
with a quirky, totally adorable and geeky heroine that sees the world <br />
differently. Oh my goodness, I just love this book!<br />
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Harriet is a wonderful character to read about and she has some <br />
fantastic light-bulb moments throughout the course of the story. She <br />
learns to accept and love herself the way she is, no excuses and no <br />
apologies. The other characters are fun and quirky in their own way and<br />
add to the humor and insight of the book.<br />
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There are a couple of mild expletives, but everything else is very <br />
clean. If you like clean young adult humor, then this is a good choice.</blockquote>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. </i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-74874538678138594962013-06-26T09:00:00.000-06:002013-06-26T09:00:08.551-06:00Review: Fallen Angel by Molly Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Fallen Angel by Molly Snow</i></b><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> Breezy Reads (May 17, 2013) <br />
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<b>Publisher Website: </b><a href="http://www.breezyreads.com/">http://www.breezyreads.com/ </a><b><br />
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<b>Genre:</b> Young Adult romance<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Copy from author for review<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 4 of 5 stars<br />
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<h4>
About the Book:</h4>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Teen angel, Persephone, is the only one in all of Heaven who can’t sing. In fact, her name literally means “Voice of Destruction.” So diving down one of Heaven’s portals, straight into singer Taylor Hamilton’s bedroom, seems like a good idea at the time. Maybe, just maybe, he can help. Plus, he is sooo cute!<br />
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While it can be fun swooning over a mortal, it can also be frustrating. Angels aren’t supposed to fall for mortals. Then there’s Taylor’s guardian angel, who is ready to sabotage the budding romance at every turn. Will Persephone learn to sing before Heaven calls her back? And, most importantly, can love prevail for an angel who has fallen head-over-wings for a mortal?</blockquote>
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<h4>
About Molly Snow:</h4>
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Molly Snow is a Top 10 Idaho Fiction Author, awarded by The Idaho Book Extravaganza. Her works include quirky teen romances BeSwitched and Fallen Angel. Also a speaker on writing, her school assemblies have been featured in The Contra Costa Times and The Brentwood Press. Snow is married to her high school crush, has a set of silly twin boys and a bobtail cat named Meow-Meow.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://mollysnowfiction.blogspot.com/">Blog</a></b></span></blockquote>
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My Thoughts:</h4>
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<i>I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. </i><br />
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This book is precisely what it looks like. It is a light, clean romance about a teenage angel falling to earth to be with a mortal boy. The romance is sweet and perfectly clean. There are a couple of very chaste kisses that happen. The characters are a bit shallow, but generally likeable. The plot is predictable yet still enjoyable.<br />
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I would have liked to see the writing and the characters a little more developed. While the feel of the book was very light and breezy, it almost felt under-developed. Almost. I still enjoyed the story quite a bit and I plan on reading more of Molly's work.<br />
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If you are looking for something light, clean, and fun, this is a good choice. This is a good book to read on an afternoon when you just want a feel-good story. This book will appeal to tween and teen readers.<br />
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Content: clean.<br />
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The Cover: So adorable! I love the colors and the placement of the girl. The title design is perfect for the book, too.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CV3A3WE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CV3A3WE&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CV3A3WE" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17933004-fallen-angel">Goodreads</a></b></span> </div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B00CV3A3WE" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-34835240665228143392013-06-03T07:00:00.000-06:002013-06-03T07:00:02.005-06:00Review: The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau</b><br />
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<b>Age Range:</b> 12 and up <br />
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<b>Hardcover:</b> 352 pages<br />
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<b>Publisher:</b> Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (June 4, 2013)<br />
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<b>Source:</b> NetGalley (Thank you!)<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 3 of 5 stars <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span><br />
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Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? <br />
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The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. <br />
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Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one. <br />
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But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Praise:</b></span></h4>
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"There is nothing standardized about this Testing. Charbonneau's imagination will surprise readers at every turn."<br />
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<b>—Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness</b><br />
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"Action-packed and full of twists, <i>The Testing</i> will keep you guessing until the very last page—and desperate for the next book!" <br />
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<b>—Erica O'Rourke, author of the Torn Trilogy</b><br />
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"The rising tension, skillfully executed scenarios, and rich characterizations all contribute to an exciting story bound to capture readers' imaginations. . . . Charbonneau works action, romance, intrigue, and a plausible dystopian premise into a near-flawless <br />
narrative."<br />
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<b>—<i>Publishers Weekly,</i></b> <b>starred review</b><br />
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"Charbonneau jumps into the packed dystopia field with a mashup of Veronica Roth's <i>Divergent</i> (2011) and Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, but she successfully makes her story her own."<br />
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<b>—<i>Kirkus</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
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I am a storyteller at heart. I have performed in a variety of operas, musical theatre and children's theatre productions across the Chicagoland area. <br />
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While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeTextContainerauthor4027380"><a href="http://www.joellecharbonneau.com/">Website</a></span></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>y Thoughts:</b></span></h4>
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I've never been a huge fan of dystopian novels, but there are some good ones out there. The Testing is okay. It's nothing new, and most of it is very generic. While the plot and premise are both interesting, the characters aren't developed very well. The writing lacks a distinctive voice, and most character interactions feel forced. I am not in love with the book, but I don't hate it either. It falls right in the middle for me. That being said, it is still a well planned novel that most dystopian fans will enjoy.<br />
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Content: violence and disturbing scenes.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LQ1VGC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008LQ1VGC&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008LQ1VGC" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13326831-the-testing?ac=1">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B008LQ1VGC" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-29823631148795049092013-05-16T08:30:00.000-06:002013-05-16T08:30:00.782-06:00Cover Reveal: Fallen Angel by Molly Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DxrA9_3FQP4/UZPzhpoYvPI/AAAAAAAABBI/NUOYv10BJL0/s1600/FallenAngel_CoverReveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DxrA9_3FQP4/UZPzhpoYvPI/AAAAAAAABBI/NUOYv10BJL0/s1600/FallenAngel_CoverReveal.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<h4><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fallen Angel by Molly Snow </b></span></h4><blockquote class="tr_bq">Teen angel, Persephone, is the only one in all of Heaven who can't sing. In fact, her name literally means "Voice of Destruction." So diving down one of Heaven's portals, straight into singer Taylor Hamilton’s bedroom, seems like a good idea at the time. Maybe, just maybe, he can help. Plus, he is sooo cute!<br />
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<div></div>While it can be fun swooning over a mortal, it can also be frustrating. Angels aren't supposed to fall for mortals. Then there's Taylor's guardian angel, who is ready to sabotage the budding romance at every turn. Will Persephone learn to sing before Heaven calls her back? And, most importantly, can love prevail for an angel who has fallen head-over-wings for a mortal?</blockquote><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About Molly Snow: </b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVBi4N1059s/UZPzhngMAJI/AAAAAAAABBM/9LzuQari3Uw/s1600/mollysnowBIOpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVBi4N1059s/UZPzhngMAJI/AAAAAAAABBM/9LzuQari3Uw/s200/mollysnowBIOpic.jpg" width="150" /></a>Molly Snow is a <i>Top 10 Idaho Fiction Author</i>, awarded by The Idaho Book Extravaganza. Her works include quirky teen romances <i>BeSwitched </i>and <i>Fallen Angel</i>. Also a speaker on writing, her school assemblies have been featured in <i>The Contra Costa Times</i> and <i>The Brentwood Press</i>. Snow is married to her high school crush, has a set of silly twin boys and a bobtail cat named Meow-Meow. <br />
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<b>Author's Blog:</b> <a href="http://www.mollysnowfiction.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.mollysnowfiction.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a></blockquote><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-8790075650443167112013-03-29T08:18:00.002-06:002013-03-30T08:05:54.829-06:00Official Release Day<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-spY8_B5nwTU/UVWikLohXDI/AAAAAAAAAL4/yuAk4JTo8xI/s1600/BetrayedBookcover+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-spY8_B5nwTU/UVWikLohXDI/AAAAAAAAAL4/yuAk4JTo8xI/s640/BetrayedBookcover+front.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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The Betrayed is now available for sale at these online retailers:<br />
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<a href="https://www.createspace.com/4183201" target="_blank">CreateSpace</a> (print)<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/300706" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> (ebook version for every reading device)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betrayed-Gifted-2/dp/1482615924/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364564006&sr=1-3&keywords=deborah+andreasen" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (print)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Betrayed-Gifted-ebook/dp/B00C3AJPO2/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364563809&sr=1-4&keywords=deborah+andreasen" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (Kindle) <br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-betrayed-deborah-andreasen/1114959428?ean=2940016658520" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a> (Nook) <br />
<br />Deborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13615163320419003278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-15214160888280502512013-03-13T14:57:00.002-06:002013-03-13T14:59:09.641-06:00The Betrayed by Deborah AndreasenThe nice thing about having my own blog is that I can post about my <i>own </i>books. :)<br />
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The publication of The Betrayed is a little over two weeks away. That's coming right up! And here is the official cover of The Betrayed:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKwRRnvIhuc/UUDmZbKa8_I/AAAAAAAAALQ/NKfSjMEIMJc/s1600/BetrayedBookcover+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKwRRnvIhuc/UUDmZbKa8_I/AAAAAAAAALQ/NKfSjMEIMJc/s640/BetrayedBookcover+front.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
Am I in love with this cover? Absolutely! I'm thrilled with the way it turned out. My poor designer sent me like six versions and I kept saying, "I like it, but..." Ultimately, I didn't love any of the drafts she sent me. The night before we were supposed to wrap it up, she texted and said she had one more draft and she thought I was really going to like it.<br />
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I was so nervous! What if I didn't? We were pushing up against a deadline and I <i>needed </i>that cover! But, one look and I went, "That's it. That's the one." What a relief!<br />
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Here's the back cover with the synopsis:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--yO6NC-DyWw/UUDnekggw6I/AAAAAAAAALY/5H7fYh4ttwI/s1600/BetrayedBookcover+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--yO6NC-DyWw/UUDnekggw6I/AAAAAAAAALY/5H7fYh4ttwI/s640/BetrayedBookcover+back.jpg" width="438" /> </a></div>
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Is that amazing, or what? Sounds like a great book to me. I can't wait until it's released. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's now on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17610731-the-betrayed" target="_blank">Goodreads!</a> </span>Go, add it to your shelves and make me feel awesome. ;)</div>
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Starting this Friday, I'll post one quote a day from the book on my website: http://www.deborahandreasen.com</div>
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<br />Deborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13615163320419003278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-21440136173379813202013-03-09T05:30:00.000-07:002013-03-09T05:30:02.351-07:00Book Review and Tour and Giveaway!: Shadow Eyes by Dusty Crabtree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nh03lRY2KBM/UQtMqK2ZnGI/AAAAAAAAAJU/oVVFzqMt7cU/s1600/Shadow+Eyes+official+cover+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nh03lRY2KBM/UQtMqK2ZnGI/AAAAAAAAAJU/oVVFzqMt7cU/s400/Shadow+Eyes+official+cover+art.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.<br />
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Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.<br />
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As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.<br />
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Shadow Eyes was ultimately a good read. For the first 3/4ths of the book, I just took my time. Reading it here or there, whenever I felt like it. It was an interesting but slow read.<br />
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For the last quarter of the book, I had to sit down and read it in one sitting. I felt like I was finally getting to the good stuff. Pieces started to click, mysteries were revealed. At one point, I even felt my heart racing a bit. That's always a good sign.<br />
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The story was interesting and strong. Iris was pretty likeable, if somewhat a little lacking in confidence. There were a few times when I wanted to say, "Really? You just walked away from that?" She has the unique ability to help people and she completely avoids the situation rather than even contemplating how she can help at all. I would have liked to have seen her ease into it, even if she only did one or two good deeds through the whole book.<br />
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Patrick, the off limits love interest, was a gem. He was suspicious, and I had my preconceptions about him being a bad guy. But by the end of the book I was hoping there was some way he and Iris could be together. <br />
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There were a few things I didn't love. The dialogue between Iris and her friends sometimes felt forced, possibly fake. Occasionally, the similes left me scratching my head. <br />
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I liked that the characters were put in believable situations; things that young adults today actually face. There was no swearing and a few scenes of intense romance, though nothing explicit.<br />
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The ending was a pleasant cliffhanger that makes me anxious to find out the rest of the story.<br />
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**Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a print
copy of Shadow Eyes, your full name in the sequel, and a KINDLE FIRE!** <br />
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<b>Author Bio:</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slTSWXGmVag/UTi8FjdDejI/AAAAAAAAAKM/BOMTpdiRyB8/s1600/Author+Picture.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slTSWXGmVag/UTi8FjdDejI/AAAAAAAAAKM/BOMTpdiRyB8/s200/Author+Picture.jpeg" width="160" /></a></div>
Dusty Crabtree has been a high school English teacher at Yukon High School in Oklahoma since 2006, a challenge she thoroughly enjoys. She is also a youth sponsor at Cherokee Hills Christian Church in Oklahoma City and feels very blessed with the amazing opportunities she has to develop meaningful relationships with teens on a daily basis. Her passion for teens has poured into her writing as well. She is the author of the young adult urban fantasy, Shadow Eyes, through Musa Publishing, which she wrote in order to give teens an intriguing and provocative book series that promotes moral messages. She lives with her husband, Clayton, in Yukon, Oklahoma, where they often serve their community as foster parents.<br />
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Check out Dusty’s blog at <a href="http://dustycrabtree.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://dustycrabtree.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</a><br />
Find her on facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dusty.crabtree.1" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>dusty.crabtree.1</a><br />
Follow her on twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/dustycrabtree" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>dustycrabtree</a><br />
Buy Shadow Eyes at <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=176" target="_blank">http://musapublishing.com/<wbr></wbr>index.php?main_page=product_<wbr></wbr>info&products_id=176</a> (also available at all major online bookstores)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v7UP9A0Fm78" width="560"></iframe><br />
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*The author provided me with a copy of Shadow Eyes in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for my review.<br />
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And now for the Giveaway!<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/aa7efb0/" id="rc-aa7efb0" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Deborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13615163320419003278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-9707401161374452082013-03-08T22:31:00.001-07:002013-03-12T20:01:44.560-06:00Book Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold, by Jane Nickerson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Strands of Bronze and Gold, by Jane Nickerson</b></span><br />
<span id="freeText17228169434162996064"><i>The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .</i><br />
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When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.<br />
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Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.<br />
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Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.</span><br />
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<b>Reading level:</b> Ages 14 and up<br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 352 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Knopf Books for Young Readers (March 12, 2013)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">Praise:</span></b></span><br />
<span id="freeText17228169434162996064"><u><b>SLJ Teen</b></u><b>, February 5, 2013:<br />
"</b>Jane Nickerson adroitly weaves the threads of the 'Bluebeard' story into <i>Strands of Bronze and Gold</i> to create a spellbinding tapestry of mystery, romance, and suspense...A grippingly gothic tale, with a lavishly described and lushly atmospheric setting and likable heroine." </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">About the Author:</span></b></span><br />
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<span id="freeText17228169434162996064">For many years, JANE NICKERSON and her family lived in a big old house in Aberdeen, Mississippi, where she worked as the children's librarian at the local public library. She has always loved the South, "the olden days," gothic tales, houses, kids, writing, and interesting villains. She and her husband now make their home in Ontario, Canada. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.jane-nickerson.com/" target="_blank"><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">Website</span></a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/jane_nickerson" target="_blank"><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">Twitter</span></a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jane.nickerson.author" target="_blank"><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">Facebook</span></a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText17228169434162996064"><a href="http://www.jane-nickerson.com/index.php/blog" target="_blank">Blog</a></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText17228169434162996064">My Thoughts:</span></b></span><br />
<span id="freeText17228169434162996064">If I was given only one word to describe this book, this would be it: <i>captivating</i>. From the moment I picked this book up, I could not set it down. I dragged it around with me for an entire day, reading while I cooked dinner and pretended to vacuum. I must admit that I didn't get much sleep in that 24 hours because I was glued to the page. </span><br />
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I loved this book! It was beautiful and mysterious and dark and thrilling all at the same time. Bernard is so seductive and so creepy. He was fantastic. I found Sophia to be a very believable teenage girl. She chose to ignore the signs and feelings she had as she continued to make excuses for Bernard's wacky behavior.<br />
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I'm giving this book 4 stars. The only drawback for me was that some of the descriptions got a little too long. Seriously though, if you are looking for a good young adult novel, I would recommend this!<br />
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<b>Parents:</b> Some innuendo throughout the book, a bit of kissing, and one instance of attempted rape. It is pretty dark, but not over the top.<br />
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<b>The Cover:</b> Love this cover! It caught my eye immediately and I was instantly intrigued. I have to admit that I am a sucker for a pretty cover.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307975983/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307975983&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307975983" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13721341-strands-of-bronze-and-gold?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-25216769653075890602013-03-04T06:00:00.000-07:002013-03-04T06:00:00.621-07:00Book Review: Wish, by Michael Tolkien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wish, by Michael Tolkien</b></span><br />
Farmers in their alpine valley are haunted by Fængler, a cunning old enchanter, who ruins their lives by using an ancient wishing chain of powerful stones to spoil crops and steal children, cows and goats.<br />
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Young Berwald and his sister Clara set out, without their parents knowing, to climb into the next valley, seize the chain, free their neighbourhood of fear, and wish for whatever they want. But they soon learn that the wild world beyond their home is full of strange forces – some good, some dark and twisted – and almost every wish they make adds new complications and disagreements.<br />
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Who can rescue them from this fearful and dangerous adventure? Before Adam, their angry and worried father, can reach them, he must learn to follow seemingly useless leads, and to listen carefully to the tale that lies behind the villain’s bitterness.<br />
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A timeless fantasy tale given new life and enchantment in this vivid retelling in verse.<br />
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<b>Age Level: </b>9 and up<b> </b><br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 124 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Thames River Press (March 1, 2013)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<i>Wish</i> is similar in many ways to Michael Tolkien's other book, <i>Rainbow</i>. The children can speak to flowers, birds, and insects <span style="font-size: small;">through</span> a language they forget as they grow up. It is also similar to Tolkien's grandfather's series, <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> in a few ways. The children embark on a journey to recover a magical piece of jewelry (in this case, a necklace) that will give the owner power and wealth. This necklace was discovered at the bottom of a pond by Faengler, a miserable, ugly old man. It reminds me of Gollum and the Ring.<br />
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In spite of these similarities, <i>Wish</i> is a unique fairy tale of the heart. Through the children's journey, we learn that only true kindness and selfless desires will bring about the <span style="font-size: small;">defeat</span> of their enemy. Their father eventually comes after them and learns this lesson quickly. He must relearn the language of the forest and follow the guidance given to him by seemingly less than reliable sources.<br />
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Since I read both <i>Rainbow</i> and <i>Wish</i>, I can't help but compare the two a little bit. They are both retellings of Florence Bone's old stories and both written in narrative verse, but I must admit that I enjoyed <i>Wish</i> a bit more. There is more adventure and action, and Tolkien's writing shines through. While <i>Rainbow</i> seemed to be directed at an older audience, I think <i>Wish</i> appeals to a broader audience.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
Born in Birmingham in 1943, Michael Tolkien grew up in South Oxfordshire and North Yorkshire. He studied classics and English at St Andrews and Oxford. He has lived in Rutland since 1968 and was a secondary school teacher until early retirement in 1994. Since 1998 his verse has been published in two booklets and five full collections, most recently in 2012. His work has been widely and favourably reviewed. Two of his major themes are deceptive appearances and the conflict of active and contemplative approaches to life. This is also apparent in his recent narrative verse adaptations of Florence Bone’s now largely forgotten fantasy fiction for children.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFGCKHU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AFGCKHU&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AFGCKHU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15864681-wish" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-14904591298607604222013-02-27T00:00:00.000-07:002013-02-27T00:00:07.371-07:00Blog Tour and Giveaway! The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, by Sariah Wilson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, by Sariah Wilson</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeText2622952689104314820">Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.<br />
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But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?<br />
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Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.<br />
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Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.<br />
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Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.<br />
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And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.</span><br />
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<b>Print Length:</b> 194 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Fire & Ice Books (August 15, 2012)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*</span></span>Purchase*</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText2622952689104314820">My Review:</span></b></span><br />
<span id="freeText2622952689104314820">This book is hilarious. It is a contemporary teen romance told from the viewpoint of the "ugly" stepsister. </span><br />
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</span> <span id="freeText2622952689104314820">Mattie is your very not-so-typical teenage heroine. She wears heavy black eye makeup, has fuchsia hair, and likes to draw manga. She is surly, irritable, and has a long List of Grievances against her oh-so-perfect stepsister, Ella. Mattie's voice is very fun to read. She is full of wit and sarcasm that will make you laugh.</span><br />
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</span> <span id="freeText2622952689104314820">One of the things that I like the most about this book is that even though she has self esteem issues, Mattie won't allow Jake to use her. She refuses to lie for him, even though he makes her knees buckle. She doesn't let him get away with skipping out on detention or not doing their project, even when he flashes his dazzling smile at her. I love the way she sticks to her guns and does what she knows is right even if it means she loses her chance with the boy she adores.</span><br />
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</span> <span id="freeText2622952689104314820">I love the way her relationship with Ella evolves over the course of the story. She starts off being bitter and jealous of her perfect stepsister to being appreciative and understanding. The charactes are all well developed with strengths and weaknesses that make them believable and fun to read about.</span><br />
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</span> <span id="freeText2622952689104314820">Given the title, I had expected this to be a modern fairy tale, but there is no magic in this book (other than flying sparks and a few makeup brushes). It is an adorable and humorous story of two stepsisters trying to figure out their place in the world. And it is a love story. A very funny and sweet love story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText2622952689104314820">Tens List:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><b><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><br />
What are ten things your readers probably don't know about you?</span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">10. That until recently I was really into World of Warcraft and was a raid tank.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">9. I watch a lot of television. A </span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">Lot</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">. My DVR is my friend.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">8. My husband is the first guy I Seriously Kissed (which means not a spin-the-bottle type way). What? I was picky.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">7. I used to write fanfic.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">6. I skipped first grade, which meant I was always the youngest person in my class.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">5. Until a couple of years ago, I had never gone out of the country.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">4. I met Stephenie Meyer in person once and took a picture of her with my plastic frog, who was my blog mascot at the time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">3. I am deathly afraid of eels and crocodiles. They freak me the freak out.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">2. That my favorite actor of all time once called me on the phone and we had an actual conversation until my husband picked up the extension and ruined the whole thing. I’m still a little bitter over that one.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="color: #2a2a2a;">1. That I am the most introverted introvert who ever introverted, but I love giving speeches and talks and teaching class. Yes, I am aware of how weird this is.</span></span></span><span id="freeText2622952689104314820"> </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Praise</span></b><br />
“My <b>top pick of 2012 YA</b>… This book is just. plain. fun.”<br />
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~<a href="http://jordanmccollum.com/2012/12/tbr-tuesday-top-reads-of-2012/">Jordan McCollum</a>, author of <i>Saints & Spies</i> and <i>I, Spy</i></div>
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“Sariah Wilson's new book, <i>The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back</i>, is hilarious…What follows is a story of fun and romance with some good non-preachy life lessons thrown in. The voice in the main character, Mattie, makes the whole thing. I thought it was definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone with teenagers or who just want to read a good teen romance.”</div>
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~<a href="http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-of-castle-hawaii-five-o-and-book.html">Julie Coulter Bellon</a>, author of <i>All Fall Down</i> and <i>All’s Fair</i></div>
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“Sariah [Wilson] has written one of the funniest stories I've read in such a long, long time. I literally couldn't put it down. Yes, my poor Kindle's battery died and I was attached to a short power cord, contorted in a very uncomfortable position while I read to the end…. Sariah Wilson captured the back-biting, insecure, hormone-driven, clique-riddled high school atmosphere so perfectly you'd think she never grew up. I dare you not to laugh as you read this witty and oh, so, romantic story.”</div>
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~<a href="http://debraerfert.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-ugly-stepsister-strikes-back.html">Debra Erfert</a> of Windows into Writing</div>
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<span style="font-family: "inherit","serif";">“Sariah Wilson writes like the best of/most popular YA teen fiction/teen romance authors - Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols, Susanne Collins, Cassandra Clare. She sucks you in and never lets you go. I finished the ~194 novel in <i>one night</i> because I just couldn't go to sleep without knowing the ending! I hope that Sariah comes out with more novels, I know I'll be re-reading this one all the time! She's extremely talented and needs to be talked about. I highly recommend The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back! to <i>anyone</i> (over the age of 12) who wants a YA novel that's a real modern-day fairy tale.”</span><br />
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~<a href="http://noveldtales.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-day-ugly-stepsister-strikes-back.html">Hilary</a> at Novel d’Tales</div>
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“This was such an entertaining story! I shouldn't have started reading it so late in the evening, because I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep…This is a book I can see myself reading several times. It's a fast, clean read with great characters, and I highly recommend it.”</div>
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~<a href="http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-ugly-stepsister-strikes-back-by.html">Andrea</a> of Literary Time Out</div>
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The book is wonderful. It’s quirky and fun. The story makes you laugh and you fall in love with the characters right from the beginning…This is a well-written book. It is one that will make you smile and sigh as you remember your first love. And it has a moral…be yourself, believe in yourself and maybe, just maybe, your fairytale will come true. Pick up this book.”</div>
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<span style="font-family: "inherit","serif";">~<a href="http://thebookhookup.com/2012/10/31/the-ugly-stepsister-strikes-back-by-sariah-wilson/">Ana</a> of The Book Hookup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ky2MUBB7Vfc/URcwMJRlMhI/AAAAAAAAe74/bjzZljuzlSM/s1600/sariah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ky2MUBB7Vfc/URcwMJRlMhI/AAAAAAAAe74/bjzZljuzlSM/s1600/sariah.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Author Sariah Wilson</span></b><br />
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Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is her fourth happily ever after novel. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children. She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with three tiger barb fish, a cat named Tiger, and a recently departed hamster that is buried in the backyard (and has nothing at all to do with tigers). <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.sariahwilson.com/">Website</a> * <a href="http://twitter.com/sariahwilson">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sariahwilsonauthor">Facebook</a></b></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-41778364609818873602013-02-22T00:00:00.000-07:002013-02-22T00:00:01.346-07:00Blog Tour: Writing Scary Scenes, by Rayne Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh501/myreadingaddiction/2013/banner-162_zpsaff88c12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://i1249.photobucket.com/albums/hh501/myreadingaddiction/2013/banner-162_zpsaff88c12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writing Scary Scenes, by Rayne Hall</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeText12346512906561278017">Are your frightening scenes scary enough? Learn practical tricks to turn up the suspense. Make your readers' hearts hammer with suspense, their breaths quicken with excitement, and their skins tingle with goosebumps of delicious fright. <br />
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This book contains practical suggestions how to structure a scary scene, increase the suspense, make the climax more terrifying, make the reader feel the character's fear. It includes techniques for manipulating the readers' subconscious and creating powerful emotional effects. <br />
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Use this book to write a new scene, or to add tension and excitement to a draft.<br />
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You will learn tricks of the trade for "black moment" and "climax" scenes, describing monsters and villains, writing harrowing captivity sections and breathtaking escapes, as well as how to make sure that your hero doesn't come across as a wimp... and much more.<br />
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This book is recommended for writers of all genres, especially thriller, horror, paranormal romance and urban fantasy. It is aimed at advanced-level and professional authors and may not be suitable for beginners. </span><br />
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<b>File Size:</b> 292 KB<br />
<b>Print Length:</b> 143 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Scimitar Press (July 6, 2012)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Exerpt:</b></span><br />
CONTENTS<br />
<br />
Introduction<br />
1. Flavours of Fear<br />
2. Instant Hooks<br />
3. What Lurks Behind That Door?<br />
4. Dark and Dangerous<br />
5. Sounds Build Suspense<br />
6. Total Isolation<br />
7. Strip to Tease<br />
8. Keep the Clock Ticking<br />
9. Feel the Fear<br />
10. Pacing<br />
11. Euphonics<br />
12. Peaks and Troughs<br />
13. Structuring a Scary Scene<br />
14. Choosing the Location<br />
15. Using the Senses<br />
16. Cliffhangers<br />
17. Villains and Monsters<br />
18. Captivity<br />
19. Chases and Escapes<br />
20. Violence And Gore<br />
21. Humour<br />
22. Backloading<br />
23. The Story's First and Final Scenes<br />
24. Black Moment And Climax Scenes<br />
25. Genres<br />
26. The Wimp Effect<br />
Sample Story: Druid Stones<br />
Sample Story: Through The Tunnel<br />
Sample Story: Only A Fool<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Book Trailor:</b></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZyIfuXiUPOg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText12346512906561278017">My Review:</span></b></span><br />
Who knew there could be so much information on how to create a scary scene? Apparently Rayne Hall does, and she spills it all in this writing guide. <br />
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Whether you are writing thrillers, mysteries, romance, or children's books, there is good information in here for you. Hall breaks down the different types of fear and goes into detail on how to achieve each emotion. She shares excellent information on the use of euphonics, senses, and sentence structure and how to temper your descriptions to match the genre you are writing for.<br />
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I had never heard of most of the issues she talks about, and I eagerly gobbled up every word. She clearly explains each concept and provides helpful examples. I can easily see how best selling writers utilize these tools to manipulate the emotions of their readers. It also made me rethink some of my own writing and wonder if I had unknowingly made one (or many) of the mistakes she points out.<br />
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I would recommend this book to anyone writing a novel, middle grade on up. The information in this book is mostly universal and can be applied to any writing style and genre.<br />
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* Side note: Hall writes in British English, so some of her spellings and vocabulary are slightly different than what you may be used to.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guest Post:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br />WRITING CRAFT: CHASES AND ESCAPES</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">Does your novel-in-progress contain a scene
where the heroine escapes from danger, with the villain chasing after her?
Excellent. Readers love the these scenes.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Here are some techniques to make your
escape scene exciting.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">1. Point of View</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Stay in deep Point of View. If possible,
write the scene from the fleeing person's point of view. This means showing
only what this person sees, hears and feels. If the PoV character runs for her
life, she won't pause to watch her pursuer, so don't describe what the pursuer
looks like, or how the distance between gradually closes. However, you can
describe the sounds the pursuer makes: boots thudding on the asphalt, clanking
armour, yells, curses.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">2. Pacing</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Chases are fast-paced, so use fast-pace
writing techniques: short paragraphs, short sentences, short words. But if the
chase or escape spreads over more than a few paragraphs, try to vary the pace.
This will make it more exciting. When she runs fast, use very short sentences -
even sentence fragments - and mostly single-syllabic words. They create a sense
of breathlessness and fear. When she's hiding, when she's struggling to climb
up a facade inch by inch, when the pursuers have trapped her and when the
policeman handcuffs her, use medium-length sentences and words. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">3. Reader Sympathy</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The reader's sympathy always lies with the
fleeing person. You can increase this effect if several people are hounding the
refugee. Nothing stirs reader emotion more than a situation of many against
one. If possible, build tension by introducing the other pursuers gradually. At
first, she runs only from one foe. Just when she thinks she may get away, one
of the villain's henchmen comes from another alley. And then a third. In
addition, you can give the pursuer advantages over the refugee: physical
health, weapons, technology. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">4. Danger from the Surroundings</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Increase the tension by shifting the action
to increasingly dangerous ground. As your heroine flees from the evil villain,
she moves towards quicksand, a crumbling bridge, a cliff edge or a ravine. Now
she must decide rapidly which poses the greater danger – pursuer or location –
and take the risk. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">5. Stumbling</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">When a person runs from danger, a cocktail
of chemicals gets released in the brain. It includes adrenalin and other
substances which dull pain and give stamina but also impair motor skills. Your
heroine's movements won't be as coordinated as they usually are, so she may
miss her footing, stumble or slip. This is all the more likely because in her
hurry, she won't examine the ground where she's treading.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">6. Physical Symptoms</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The running person is probably out of
breath, struggling to get enough oxygen. Her chest may feel like it's about to
burst. Her heart thuds loudly, not only in her chest but in her head. This
thudding continues even when she stops running, and while she's hiding, the
heartbeat in her head may be the loudest noise she hears.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">7. Put up a Fight</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When the pursuer catches up with her, she
puts up a fight. She does not need to win, but readers will respect her if she
manages to inflict some hurt on him before he overpowers her. This is better
than if she surrenders meekly, or if she faints and comes to again in the
dungeon. </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Questions?</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">If you're a writer and planning or revising
a scene in which your protagonist flees from danger and want to discuss your
ideas, please leave a comment. I'll be around for a week and will respond. I
love answering questions.</span></div>
</span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To Buy:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Kobo:</b> <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Writing-Scary-Scenes/book-r47obySnr0uGXL9C8OTcLA/page1.html?s=kXLWOl4EN0CJJOcLRi3feA&r=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Writing-Scary-Scenes/book-r47obySnr0uGXL9C8OTcLA/page1.html?s=kXLWOl4EN0CJJOcLRi3feA&r=1</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Amazon com:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://amazon.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><br />
<b>Amazon.co.uk</b></a>: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355789422&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355789422&sr=1-1</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Barnes&Noble:</b> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/writing-scary-scenes-rayne-hall/1112219888" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/writing-scary-scenes-rayne-hall/1112219888</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>iTunes:</b> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/writing-scary-scenes/id546105761?mt=11" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/writing-scary-scenes/id546105761?mt=11</a></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Smashwords:</b> <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/179899" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/179899</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008IEJTSE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008IEJTSE">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008IEJTSE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15741217-writing-scary-scenes" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/writingworkshopswithraynehall/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText12346512906561278017">About the Author:</span></b></span><span id="freeTextauthor4451266"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/myaddictionisreading.com/winter-tours/_/rsrc/1355844341663/rayne-hall/RayneHallWithSkullAndHair%20by%20Fawnheart.jpg?height=313&width=320" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://sites.google.com/a/myaddictionisreading.com/winter-tours/_/rsrc/1355844341663/rayne-hall/RayneHallWithSkullAndHair%20by%20Fawnheart.jpg?height=313&width=320" width="200" /></a></div>
<span id="freeTextauthor4451266">Rayne Hall writes subtle horror and outrageous fantasy fiction. Currently, she tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books. <br />
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She is the author of thirty books in different genres and under different pen names, published by twelve publishers in six countries, translated into several languages. Her short stories have been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies. <br />
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After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled on the coast of southern England in a small dilapidated seaside town of former Regency grandeur. <br />
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Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, worked as a museum guide, apple picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.<br />
<br />
She edits a series of themed short story anthologies and teaches online classes for writers ('Writing Fight Scenes', Writing Scary Scenes', 'Writing about Magic', 'Edit your Writing' and more). </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-87635822874625934842013-02-13T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-13T07:00:07.235-07:00New Facebook PageWith The Betrayed set to release in six weeks and the 3rd book
already in the works, I realized something. I have a Facebook page, but
it's called, "The Gifted, a Novel by Deborah Andreasen." <br />
<br />
Right
now, The Gifted is my only novel, but I already have three additional
books in the works. The Betrayed, the sequel to The Betrayed, and
another book that is not part of The Gifted series. Someday, very soon,
I'll have more than one novel published. What then? Will I make a FB
page for every book?<br />
<br />
Nope.<br />
<br />
A few nights ago, I
sat down and made another Facebook page, this time for me as an author.
This is really exciting because it means my "brand" is growing. I'm
continuing to write and publish. It's great.<br />
<br />
The bad part is, all my awesome fans that follow my current FB page now have to do a little bit of work and migrate over to my <i>new </i>page.<br />
<br />
So. If you are one of my AMAZING fans, <i>please </i>take just a quick moment to go to my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/authordeborahandreasen" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>
and Like me. I've got some great stuff coming up soon, including some
giveaways and exclusive The Betrayed info that I'll post there and not
on The Gifted's page. <br />
<br />
And please spread the word. You are my most valuable tool in writing success.Deborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13615163320419003278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-51082659832409402412013-02-10T00:00:00.000-07:002013-02-10T00:00:03.140-07:00Blog Tour and Giveaway: Showstoppers, by Helen Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B0gZYGe-YI/UQoD1k44CUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9CXCDAw0NSY/s1600/Showstopper+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B0gZYGe-YI/UQoD1k44CUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9CXCDAw0NSY/s320/Showstopper+tour.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Showstoppers, by Helen Smith</b></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">“Helen Smith is a master story-teller." Socrates Book Reviews<br />
<br />
When twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles helps out at a local stage school, she’s soon mixed up in murder. She teams up with eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to solve the case.<br />
<br />
This 75-page comic mystery novella will appeal to fans of M C Beaton and Alexander McCall Smith.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Print Length:</b> 48 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Tyger Books (December 5, 2011)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Praise for the Emily Castles Mystery Series</b></span><br />
Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious... Helen Smith is a master story-teller.<br />
~Socrates Book Reviews<br />
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It grips you from the very beginning.<br />
~Babs Books Bistro<br />
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Bright, colorful and full of surprises.<br />
~Amazon Vine Reviewer<br />
<br />
Fast-paced and unusual, I highly recommend this one.<br />
~Eva’s Sanctuary<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Praise for Helen Smith</b></span><br />
Smith is gin-and-tonic funny.<br />
~The Booklist<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">My Review:</span></b></span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">This is the second Emily Castles mystery book. <i>Three Sisters </i>was the first.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">First off, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than I did the first one. I think the reason for that is because the mystery start<b>s</b> right from the beginning in this story, where as it took a while for it to get going in the first book. I also liked the characters a little more, too. Victoria is funny, self-absorbed, and a little flaky. She makes me laugh. </span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">I enjoyed the overlap of some of the characters. Dr. Muriel returns as a very helpful and amusing sidekick for Emily. The mention of characters and places from the first book was fun, too. </span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">I liked the mystery in this book. It took me a lot longer to guess who the culprit is than in the first book. I still managed to guess correctly long before the guilty party revealed themselves, but it was fun to have suspicions and doubts about their identity.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer10744292015298118926">There were some typos and spelling mistakes, and those always drive me a bit crazy, but the content was clean, humorous, and fun. This would definitely be classified as a "light" mystery. I would read the first book before reading this one, just so you have the background about all the characters. They aren't very long, so it makes for a nice afternoon read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5HK0M/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004M5HK0M">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004M5HK0M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10387567-three-sisters" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1921578/Helen-Smith/" target="_blank">Shelfari</a> | <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/smithhelen-1" target="_blank">Library<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hing</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor2833648">Helen Smith is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and English PEN. She travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel which was published by Gollancz (part of the Hachette Group). <br />
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She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays and is the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. She's a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories. She likes knitting but she doesn't like driving. She likes dancing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorhelensmith" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/emperorsclothes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | </b><b><a href="http://www.emperorsclothes.co.uk/" target="_blank">Website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway!</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tour Schedule</span></b><br />
<br />
February 7th<br />
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Interview<br />
<a href="http://fuonlyknew.wordpress.com/">FUONLYKNEW</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://takingtimeformommy.com/">Taking Time for Mommy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://cabingoddess.com/">Cabin Goddess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.qualityreadsuk.com/">UK Quality Reads</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 8th<br />
<a href="http://wall-to-wall-books.blogspot.com/">Wall-to-Wall Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/">Pieces of Whimsy</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.readyourwrites.blogspot.com/">Read Your Writes</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://deborahandreasenbooks.blogspot.com/">Deborah's Books</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://yellowhatwriter.blogspot.com/">Yellow Hat Writer</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 9th<br />
<a href="http://takingtimeformommy.com/">Taking Time for Mommy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com/">Books, Books the Magical Fruit</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://craftyzoowithmonkeys.blogspot.com/">Crafty Zoo</a> - Guest Post<br />
<a href="http://www.qualityreadsuk.com/">UK Quality Reads</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/">Martha's Bookshelf</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 10th<br />
<a href="http://turnersantics.blogspot.com/">Turner's Antics</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/">Bookhounds</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://bookwormbrandy.blogspot.com/">Book Worm Brandy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://deborahandreasenbooks.blogspot.com/">Deborah's Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/">Impressions of a Princess</a> - Interview<br />
<br />
February 11th<br />
<a href="http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/">Getting Your Read On</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://bookladysbooknotes.wordpress.com/">Booklady's Booknotes</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://kellysluckyyou.com/">Kelly's Lucky You</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://hookofabook.wordpress.com/">Oh, for the Hook of a Book!</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://something2offer.com/">Something to Offer</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 12th<br />
<a href="http://literarilyspeaking.net/">Literarily Speaking</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://storeybookreviews.com/">StoreyBook Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://thoughtsnsuch.com/">Thoughts n' Such</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.justfantasybooksadis.blogspot.com/">Fantasy Books</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/">Between the Pages</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 13th<br />
<a href="http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/">Must Read Faster</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/">Every Free Chance Book Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://frankieblooding.wordpress.com/">Blooding Book Reviews</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/">Cover2CoverBlog</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 14th<br />
<a href="http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/">Lori's Reading Corner</a> - Tens List<br />
<a href="http://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/">Musings by Maureen</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://ellsey.blogspot.com/">A Casual Reader's Blog</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/">Deal Sharing Aunt</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 15th<br />
<a href="http://storeybookreviews.com/">StoreyBook Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/">The Busy Mom's Daily</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://tammyannbooks.blogspot.com/">Oh, The Books You'll Read!</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://brookeblogs.com/">Brooke Blogs</a> - Review & Guest Post<br />
<br />
February 16th<br />
<a href="http://cuzinlogic.com/">Cuzinlogic</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://ellsey.blogspot.com/">A Casual Reader's Blog</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/">Deal Sharing Aunt</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://indieauthor-howto.blogspot.com/">Indie Author How-to</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 17th<br />
<a href="http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/">My Devotional Thoughts</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://insaneaboutbooks.blogspot.com/">Insane About Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://christyscozycorners.blogspot.com/">Christy's Cozy Corners</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://brookeblogs.com/">Brooke Blogs</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 18th<br />
<a href="http://kareywhite.blogspot.com/">Karey White</a> - Tens List<br />
<a href="http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/">Bookworm Lisa</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 19th<br />
<a href="http://reviewingshelf.wordpress.com/">Reviewing Shelf</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<a href="http://thoughtsnsuch.com/">Thoughts n' Such</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://christyscozycorners.blogspot.com/">Christy's Cozy Corners</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.lauriehere.blogspot.com/">Laurie Here</a> - Review & Guest Post<br />
<br />
February 20th<br />
<a href="http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/">The Busy Mom's Daily</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/">My Devotional Thoughts</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://fangirlhostess.blogspot.com/">Fangirl Hostess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://3psinapod.org/">3Ps in a Pod</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<br />
February 21st<br />
<a href="http://vonniesreadingcorner.blogspot.com/">Vonnie's Reading Corner</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.mochasmysteriesandmore.blogspot.com/">Mochas, Mysteries and More</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://polliwogblog.blogspot.com/">The Polliwog Blog</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 22nd<br />
<a href="http://www.whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/">Why Not? Because I Said So?</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<a href="http://fangirlhostess.blogspot.com/">Fangirl Hostess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://3psinapod.org/">3Ps in a Pod</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.lauriehere.blogspot.com/">Laurie Here</a> - Review <br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-28258089032811176802013-02-08T00:00:00.000-07:002013-02-08T00:00:06.232-07:00Blog Tour and Giveaway: Three Sisters, by Helen Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B0gZYGe-YI/UQoD1k44CUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9CXCDAw0NSY/s1600/Showstopper+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B0gZYGe-YI/UQoD1k44CUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/9CXCDAw0NSY/s320/Showstopper+tour.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Three Sisters, by Helen Smith</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeText15610456592060505426">Twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles has been invited to a party in the big house at the end of her street. How could she know, as she left her house that evening, that she was making an appointment with death?<br />
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This 70-page comic mystery novella will appeal to fans of M C Beaton and Alexander McCall Smith.</span><br />
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<b>Print Length:</b> 44 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Tyger Books (February 5, 2011)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Praise for the Emily Castles Mystery Series</b></span><br />
Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious... Helen Smith is a master story-teller.<br />
~Socrates Book Reviews<br />
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It grips you from the very beginning.<br />
~Babs Books Bistro<br />
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Bright, colorful and full of surprises.<br />
~Amazon Vine Reviewer<br />
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Fast-paced and unusual, I highly recommend this one.<br />
~Eva’s Sanctuary<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Praise for Helen Smith</b></span><br />
Smith is gin-and-tonic funny.<br />
~The Booklist<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText15610456592060505426">My Review:</span></b></span><br />
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<span id="freeText15610456592060505426">While murder mysteries have never been my favorite genre, I did enjoy this short novella. It was pretty slow in the beginning, but things picked up quickly about half way through. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText15610456592060505426">I felt like the mystery was a little bit rushed, and a little too obvious (I knew who dunnit right from the start), but I still found it very entertaining. I appreciated Emily's heartbreak over her dog's passing and laughed at how many times she had to mention it to everyone she met. The different acts going on at the party were fun<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> and a little comical. </span></span></span><span id="freeText15610456592060505426">I look forward to reading more of Helen Smith's work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M5HK0M/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004M5HK0M">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004M5HK0M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10387567-three-sisters" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1921578/Helen-Smith/" target="_blank">Shelfari</a> | <a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/smithhelen-1" target="_blank">Library<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hing</a></span><a href="http://www.emperorsclothes.co.uk/" target="_blank"></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor2833648">Helen Smith is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and English PEN. She travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel which was published by Gollancz (part of the Hachette Group). <br />
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She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays and is the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. She's a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories. She likes knitting but she doesn't like driving. She likes dancing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorhelensmith" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/emperorsclothes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | </b><b><a href="http://www.emperorsclothes.co.uk/" target="_blank">Website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span id="freeTextContainerauthor2833648">Interview With Helen Smith:</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>1. What inspired you to write murder mysteries?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I love reading mysteries and so I decided to write a murder mystery series set in present-day London, where I live. I’m really enjoying writing the stories and the characters, and I hope the sense of fun comes through in the book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>2. Where do you get your ideas from?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I often find inspiration in everyday things around me, or in news stories. A lot of ideas start with “what if?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>3. Do you have plans for more Emily mysteries?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes. The first full-length Emily Castles mystery, Invitation to Die, will be published by Thomas & Mercer later this year. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>4. What are your current projects?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Invitation to Die will be followed by more full-length mysteries in the Emily Castles series, so I’m working on them at the moment. I’m really enjoying writing the books and hope readers will enjoy reading them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>5. Is there anything that you find particularly challenging in your writing?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I don’t really like plotting. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>6. How do you respond to a bad review?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have never had a bad review from a critic but a few people have left nasty reviews on my books on Amazon. I never respond. I try not to look at the 1* and 2* reviews but it’s hard to ignore them if I look at the book’s description page to check the book’s rank or to look at a nice review if someone has left one. I’m always really delighted when a reader leaves a good review for one of my books on Amazon, so I try to concentrate on the positives and think about all the nice people who have told me they have enjoyed my books, and get on with writing the next one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>7. Which authors and writers from history do you admire most?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Charles Dickens, Graham Greene, Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Evelyn Waugh, Muriel Spark.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>8. Which contemporary authors do you admire most?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Peter Carey, Haruki Murakami, David Mitchell, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>9. When did you first become interesting in writing?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I loved reading as a child and used to write poetry and stories. I didn’t start writing in earnest as an adult until I was in my late twenties. I won a prize for a short play that was broadcast on the radio. I had sent it off to the playwriting contest somewhat on a whim, the night before the deadline, so I was surprised when they contacted me to tell me I was one of the winners. By then I had started writing my first novel, and I kept on with that until I finished it and got it published.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>10. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just keep at it. You’ll get there. Good luck!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway!</b></span><br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0a0096745/" id="rc-0a0096745" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tour Schedule</span></b><br />
<br />
February 7th<br />
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Interview<br />
<a href="http://fuonlyknew.wordpress.com/">FUONLYKNEW</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://takingtimeformommy.com/">Taking Time for Mommy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://cabingoddess.com/">Cabin Goddess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.qualityreadsuk.com/">UK Quality Reads</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 8th<br />
<a href="http://wall-to-wall-books.blogspot.com/">Wall-to-Wall Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/">Pieces of Whimsy</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.readyourwrites.blogspot.com/">Read Your Writes</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://deborahandreasenbooks.blogspot.com/">Deborah's Books</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://yellowhatwriter.blogspot.com/">Yellow Hat Writer</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 9th<br />
<a href="http://takingtimeformommy.com/">Taking Time for Mommy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://booksbooksthemagicalfruit.blogspot.com/">Books, Books the Magical Fruit</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://craftyzoowithmonkeys.blogspot.com/">Crafty Zoo</a> - Guest Post<br />
<a href="http://www.qualityreadsuk.com/">UK Quality Reads</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/">Martha's Bookshelf</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 10th<br />
<a href="http://turnersantics.blogspot.com/">Turner's Antics</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/">Bookhounds</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://bookwormbrandy.blogspot.com/">Book Worm Brandy</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://deborahandreasenbooks.blogspot.com/">Deborah's Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/">Impressions of a Princess</a> - Interview<br />
<br />
February 11th<br />
<a href="http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/">Getting Your Read On</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://bookladysbooknotes.wordpress.com/">Booklady's Booknotes</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://kellysluckyyou.com/">Kelly's Lucky You</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://hookofabook.wordpress.com/">Oh, for the Hook of a Book!</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://something2offer.com/">Something to Offer</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 12th<br />
<a href="http://literarilyspeaking.net/">Literarily Speaking</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://storeybookreviews.com/">StoreyBook Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://thoughtsnsuch.com/">Thoughts n' Such</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.justfantasybooksadis.blogspot.com/">Fantasy Books</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/">Between the Pages</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 13th<br />
<a href="http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/">Must Read Faster</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blogspot.com/">Every Free Chance Book Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://frankieblooding.wordpress.com/">Blooding Book Reviews</a> - Interview<br />
<a href="http://www.cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/">Cover2CoverBlog</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 14th<br />
<a href="http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/">Lori's Reading Corner</a> - Tens List<br />
<a href="http://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/">Musings by Maureen</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://ellsey.blogspot.com/">A Casual Reader's Blog</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/">Deal Sharing Aunt</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 15th<br />
<a href="http://storeybookreviews.com/">StoreyBook Reviews</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/">The Busy Mom's Daily</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://tammyannbooks.blogspot.com/">Oh, The Books You'll Read!</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://brookeblogs.com/">Brooke Blogs</a> - Review & Guest Post<br />
<br />
February 16th<br />
<a href="http://cuzinlogic.com/">Cuzinlogic</a> - Review & Interview<br />
<a href="http://ellsey.blogspot.com/">A Casual Reader's Blog</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/">Deal Sharing Aunt</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://indieauthor-howto.blogspot.com/">Indie Author How-to</a> - Tens List<br />
<br />
February 17th<br />
<a href="http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/">My Devotional Thoughts</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://insaneaboutbooks.blogspot.com/">Insane About Books</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://christyscozycorners.blogspot.com/">Christy's Cozy Corners</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://brookeblogs.com/">Brooke Blogs</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 18th<br />
<a href="http://kareywhite.blogspot.com/">Karey White</a> - Tens List<br />
<a href="http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/">Bookworm Lisa</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 19th<br />
<a href="http://reviewingshelf.wordpress.com/">Reviewing Shelf</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<a href="http://thoughtsnsuch.com/">Thoughts n' Such</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://christyscozycorners.blogspot.com/">Christy's Cozy Corners</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.lauriehere.blogspot.com/">Laurie Here</a> - Review & Guest Post<br />
<br />
February 20th<br />
<a href="http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/">The Busy Mom's Daily</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/">My Devotional Thoughts</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://fangirlhostess.blogspot.com/">Fangirl Hostess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://3psinapod.org/">3Ps in a Pod</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<br />
February 21st<br />
<a href="http://vonniesreadingcorner.blogspot.com/">Vonnie's Reading Corner</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.mochasmysteriesandmore.blogspot.com/">Mochas, Mysteries and More</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://polliwogblog.blogspot.com/">The Polliwog Blog</a> - Review<br />
<br />
February 22nd<br />
<a href="http://www.whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/">Why Not? Because I Said So?</a> - Review & Tens List<br />
<a href="http://fangirlhostess.blogspot.com/">Fangirl Hostess</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://3psinapod.org/">3Ps in a Pod</a> - Review<br />
<a href="http://www.lauriehere.blogspot.com/">Laurie Here</a> - Review</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-20718875437201095972013-02-02T20:08:00.002-07:002013-02-02T20:17:56.639-07:00In case you didn't know, I'm actually an author. Hola. I just wanted to take a break from ALL the reviewing I've been doing to give you an update on what's going on with my writing.<br />
<br />
I say "all" because I mean "all." I haven't posted a review in like six months, no joke. Dena has doing all the reviews, and she's doing an amazing job. Be sure to leave a comment on her reviews to let her know. I also have some reviews coming from a guest reviewers. Stay tuned for those as well.<br />
<br />
So. It has officially been nearly two years since I published The Gifted. I took some time off from writing to figure out the business side of being an author, and then I had a baby. Then I had to figure out how on earth to raise two children instead of one. When I felt like I had a sort of idea of what I was doing, it was finally time to write a sequel to The Gifted.<br />
<br />
It's "only" taken me about 8 months to bang out the rough draft, but I've done it! The Betrayed is now in the editing process. I don't have a cover to reveal quite yet, but I will soon. We finally found a picture of Hunter (as he's the main character of The Betrayed) after sifting through literally thousands of pictures. <br />
<br />
At the moment I'm just waiting for the revisions to come back from my editors. I felt so excited about The Betrayed, I started work on the third and final book in the series while I wait. That's good news because it won't take another two years to publish the next installment.<br />
<br />
After that? I already have another book in the works. That makes three, count 'em, three books I'm working on at the same time. This third book is going to be totally different than anything I've done, and I feel like I have an original idea here. Mainly because I did a bit of research and found nothing on the type of character I want. I had to create his race of beings as well as the background legends that accompany him. That was pretty fun.<br />
<br />
Anyway. I just wanted you all to know that while Dena works hard reviewing books, I'm working hard to write them. I actually have a few book reviews in the works, and Dena has been writing as well. So I guess we both wear a few hats. The difference is she's a world renowned artist, and I'm...not. ;)<br />
<br />
Happy reading! Come back soon. Deborah A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13615163320419003278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-34964529673246118592013-01-28T23:10:00.000-07:002013-01-28T23:10:00.600-07:00Book Review: Winter White (Belles #2), by Jen Calonita<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Winter White (Belles #2), by Jen Calonita</b></span><br />
<span id="freeText6340504938406395518"> Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are still reeling from the revelation that they share more than just the roof over their heads. The media has pounced on their story and the girls are caught up in a flurry of talk-show appearances and newspaper interviews. They've put on a happy public face, but someone is leaking their true feelings to the press, and while it seems like the world is watching their every move, at least they have each other. <br />
</span><br />
<span id="freeText6340504938406395518">But with cotillion season right around the corner, Izzie and Mira have barely had time to process their newfound sisterhood. Mira has dreamed of making her debut in a gorgeous white gown forever-now, if only she could find an escort. Izzie, meanwhile, is still struggling to find her place in Emerald Cove and it's seeming ever more impossible with EC mean-girls, young and old, doing their best to keep her down. As cotillion preparations heat up, though, there are dance steps to learn, manners to perfect... and secret initiations to complete? As if sophomore year wasn't hard enough! <br />
</span><br />
<span id="freeText6340504938406395518">It's time for the gowns to go on and the gloves to come off. </span><br />
<br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 368 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Poppy; 1 edition (October 9, 2012)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Review:</b></span> <br />
Secrets.<br />
<br />
Scandal.<br />
<br />
Sisterhood.<br />
<br />
I absolutely love this series. I can't wait for the next book to come out. If you are a fan of <i>Pretty Little Liars</i>, you will probably like the <i>Belles</i> series as well. Calonita writes a delicious drama full of betrayal, lies, and loyalty.<br />
<br />
Izzie and Mira are back in this charming southern drama series. The scandal from the first book has made the girls put aside their differences and seek comfort in their new found camaraderie. I love the relationship between the two girls, and the way they balance each other out. They need each other to weather the storms that this book holds!<br />
<br />
There is a little bit of romance in these books, but only a tiny bit and it is very clean. The cotillion initiation and the ups and downs that come with it are fantastic fun. The books are mostly about the two girls and their relationships with each other and the people around them. High society is always fun to read about, especially when one of the main characters is a newbie to that life.<br />
<br />
This is a sweet, contemporary coming of age story.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316091162/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316091162&linkCode=as2&tag=booforkid02-20">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316091162" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455465-winter-white" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.jencalonitaonline.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></b></span></div>
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0316091162" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=031609112X" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jen Calonita has always loved writing. Her first published piece was in
the sixth grade newspaper where she wrote about an attack snake who
bothered her canoe on a class field trip. These days she writes about
teen drama, relationships and romance.<br /><br />An entertainment
journalist for ten years, Jen interviewed everyone from Reese
Witherspoon to Zac Efron. It was her work in the entertainment world
that inspired her first series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life. The
six-book series is about a teen starlet named Kaitlin Burke who grows
weary of the fame game, but loves being an actress. The series has been
published in Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Japan and Russia.<br /><br />Jen has
also published two stand-alone novels. Booklist called Sleepaway Girls:
"The picture-perfect setting, the sweet little kids, the seductive
freedom from parents, and the lure of adult-like responsibility make
this the perfect read-alike to suggest to fans of Ann Brashares'
Traveling Pants series."<br />Reality Check is about best friends who get
their own reality TV show. Booklist said: "Fans of Meg Cabot's Airhead
series and Calonita's Secrets of My Hollywood Life will eat this fun,
timely, cautionary tale right up."<br /><br />Her latest series is Belles.
The series is about two Southern girls and one life-changing secret. The
second book in the series, Winter White, will be out in October 2012.<br /><br />When
the self-professed entertainment junkie is not working, she can be
found doing one of three things: scrapbooking, watching Glee, or going
to the movies. Jen resides in Merrick, New York with her husband Mike,
sons Tyler and Dylan, and their Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow. <br /><br />For
more about Jen, check out her website: www.jencalonitaonline.com,
follow her on Twitter at: www.twitter.com as JenCalonita, Pinterest as
Jen Calonita or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jen.calonita
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-35215124672361226182013-01-23T07:30:00.000-07:002013-01-23T20:13:04.434-07:00Book Review: The Tall Tale of Tommy Twice, by Nathan Leslie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover18840-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover18840-medium.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Tall Tale of Tommy Twice, by Nathan Leslie</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Tommy’s parents abandon him as baby, his grandmother Gaga takes him to her reclusive house near the top of Pike’s Peak. When Gaga casts him out, Tommy’s journey takes him to the countryside homestead of Aunt Tess—who hides surprising objects in her fizzy, voluminous hair—to Aunt Penny’s four enormous city houses and her preferred communication by ESP. In the cave-like desert home of Aunt Chelsea, Tommy learns how to hunt coyotes and the proper method of delivering newspapers. Shocked by a secret hidden beneath Aunt Chelsea’s house, Tommy runs off with a mysterious woman he meets on a bus, all while searching for a place to call home. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
THE TALE TALL OF TOMMY TWICE captures the innocence of youth and the complexities of contemporary life. It’s a fanciful debut about the wonderment of adventure and the profound effect of family in the increasingly rootless American experience.<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 204 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Atticus Books (October 30, 2012)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Review:</b></span><br />
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was well written, imaginative, thought provoking, and more than a little crazy. On the other hand, it was not a kid's book, even though it is classified as one. It contains language, violence, and sexual situations (non-explicit). It is an adult book about a child. <br />
<br />
Tommy is passed from relative to relative, each one unique in their craziness. They are passionate, violent, dysfunctional, angry, bitter, sweet, stoic, silent, and the list goes on. Tommy learns different things from his experiences with each relative and their families. He even spends some time with a mother figure that has no relation to him.<br />
<br />
The story was written in a matter of fact way, that made me wonder if Tommy had any personality at all or if he was just content to float along and do what he was told. He didn't really seem to have strong emotions about anything. If he was told to listen, he did. If he was told to clean, to shovel, to learn, to fight, to eat, to sleep...he did.<br />
<br />
In some ways, I absolutely loved the crazy story of this little boy and my heart went out to him. He never had a home with parents that loved him, but was passed around from relative to relative until there was nobody left to take care of him. In other ways, the book irked me beyond belief. So I'm going right down the middle on this one and giving it three stars. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0984040501/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0984040501">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0984040501" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15767093-the-tall-tale-of-tommy-twice" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.nathanleslie.com/index.php" target="_blank">Author Website</a></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0984040501" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-557788035826318002013-01-21T07:00:00.000-07:002013-01-21T07:00:16.167-07:00Book Review: How I Got Rich Writing 'C' Papers, by Andy Hueller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>How I Got Rich Writing 'C' Papers, by Andy Hueller</b></span><br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708">High school senior Charles Remington Dremmel* wants to graduate with a legacy of two things: 1. winning his senior class's Nerf War and 2. not getting caught writing essays for his classmates (while making enough money to pay his way through college). Now that graduation is swiftly approaching, he decides to share the secrets of his success through this writing guide, which author Andy Hueller has cleverly disguised as a novel.<br />
<br />
*Not his real name</span><br />
<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 128 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Cedar Fort, Inc. (January 8, 2013)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText15337471736947095708">My Review:</span></b></span><br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708">It took me a little while to decide to read this book simply because I couldn't decide if it was fiction or non-fiction. As soon as I started reading, however, I discovered that it was a little bit of both!</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708">In spite of the title, I discovered that this book is not about making money (unless you decide to follow Charles' horrendously unethical business plan idea). Rather, it is a novel about a boy who has made large donations to his own college fund by charging his classmates to write their essays. Frequently, Charles interrupts his story about the all important Nerf War going on at school to dissect and give examples of the different grade levels of essays. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708">In addition to showing us how to properly write D, C, B, and A letter grade essays, Charles also infuses his story with bits of writing wisdom. Like the comma splice. He hates it, and he tells you so repeatedly. If you don't know what a comma splice is, then I would suggest you read the book. :)</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708">I loved this book. I loved the silly story about Charles managing his business and the Nerf War and I loved the writing advice. Andy Hueller gives wonderful advice for anyone interested in writing, but keep in mind that it is intended to be a writing guide for teenagers. It is </span><span id="freeText15337471736947095708">not an advanced or professional writer's guide. </span><br />
<span id="freeText15337471736947095708"><br />
</span> <span id="freeText15337471736947095708">I gave this book four stars. I didn't give it the final star because there were a couple of instances where the protagonist's "voice" made some of his instruction confusing. But for the most part, Hueller delivers a nice breakdown of good essay writing technique that is easy to understand and implement.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1462110584/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1462110584">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1462110584" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15769632-how-i-got-rich-writing-c-papers" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.andrewhueller.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></b></span></div>
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=booforkid02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1462110584" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1312164714p8/4792318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1312164714p8/4792318.jpg" /></a></div>
<span id="freeTextContainerauthor4792318">Andy Hueller is the author of Dizzy Fantastic and Her Flying Bicycle (Cedar Fort, 2010), as well as the upcoming Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth (Cedar Fort, TBD). He writes every day--sometimes the work is a thrilling adventure, and other times it's a slog. He always feels better, however, after he's given it a go. Mr. Hueller teaches at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. He lives in Minneapolis, MN with his wife and their dog.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-32141739934044015062013-01-16T07:00:00.000-07:002013-01-16T17:49:05.125-07:00Book Review: Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand</b></span><br />
<span id="freeText4437268702224172337">In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . . </span><br />
<br />
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a <i>purpose</i>, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy. <br />
<br />
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. <br />
<br />
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? <br />
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<i>Unearthly</i> is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.<br />
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<b>Print Length:</b> 464 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> HarperTeen; Reprint edition (April 19, 2011)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Review:</b></span><br />
This is the first time I've truly enjoyed a book in the angel genre. I have read quite a few angel books, but most of the time I find them tacky and cliche. <i>Unearthly</i> had it's fair share of cliche's, but I enjoyed the characters so much that I almost didn't even notice the things that would normally bother me.<br />
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I loved Cynthia Hand's writing. Especially in the first few chapters, I thought her writing was beautiful. As the story moves further along it loses a bit of the eloquence, but by that point I was so wrapped up in everything that I didn't care.<br />
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I found the concept of a Purpose very interesting, especially since Clara has such diluted angel blood. She is only a quarter part angel. The way her Purpose is communicated to her was fascinating, coming in a dreamlike vision while she is wide awake. The love triangle was different than in most YA novels, and I liked the way Clara navigated her love life. I felt like she fell in love with the right guy. ;)<br />
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Christian is a typical, overly gorgeous hero that most people seem to love and I never do. Not that there is really anything to dislike, but I just like Tucker more. Tucker is awesome. He is 100% adorable. His reaction to Clara was perfectly normal and I was happy to finally see that in a paranormal romance. <br />
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I was left with a lot of questions about the story, which was probably intentional so that I will read the next books in the series. I couldn't help but wonder what Clara's brother was involved in, and why she didn't really seem too concerned about it. I also wondered what was the deal with the dark angel and why did he pop up in the story? Why was he even there?<br />
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There were a few things that irritated me about the book, but I really enjoyed reading it. It was an intriguing book and I have to admit that I am hooked and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.<br />
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The Cover: It's a nice representation of the actual story. It is similar to other books in the genre while still having a unique aspect about it. I LOVE the title design. I want to find that font...<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VIWNKS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003VIWNKS">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003VIWNKS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7488244-unearthly" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.cynthiahand.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaHand" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About the Author:</b></span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor3290920">Cynthia Hand grew up in southeast Idaho (very near the Wyoming border). Currently she lives in southern California with her husband and two small children. She teaches courses in creative writing at Pepperdine University. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Unearthly series with HarperTeen: UNEARTHLY, published in 2011, HALLOWED published January 17, 2012, and BOUNDLESS, due out in January 2013.</span> <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-8316969570615094332013-01-15T00:00:00.000-07:002013-01-15T00:00:02.572-07:00Book Blast and Giveaway: Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Starflower</span></b><br />
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When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.<br />
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But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Starflower-Tales-Goldstone-Elisabeth-Stengl/dp/0764210262/">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starflower-anne-elisabeth-stengl/1108818627">Barnes & Noble</a> * <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/new-4-starflower-anne-stengl/9780764210266/pd/210269?item_code=WW&netp_id=991432&event=ESRCG&view=details">Christian Book</a></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt</span></b></div>
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<b>The Kiss by the River:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The girl did not stir when Eanrin lifted her into his arms; her sleep was profound indeed. Her head lolled over his arm, and he was obliged to part her thick hair to uncover her face. It was an uncommonly beautiful face for a mortal.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, this girl’s beauty was different from any he had ever before seen. For one thing, her skin was rich dark brown, and her hair glossy black. For another, she was imperfect. Her teeth, visible between gently parted lips, were a little crooked. Mud stained her skin, making it darker still, and her brow, even in sleep, was puckered with anxiety or fear. Her dreams must be wicked indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eanrin grimaced at the sight and almost put her down again. After all, a princess with dreams like those probably had a tale of woe to match. She would certainly wake with expectations of a handsome hero to aid her. As far as Eanrin was concerned, a dash of heroism was one thing, but commitment to a cause? Never. Rushing off to the rescue of Lady Gleamdren was different, for he had determined that she must be his wife and the sole inspiration to his life’s work. Besides, he loved her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This creature meant nothing to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But blood oozed from the abrasions on her wrists. And her body, mortal and vulnerable, lay in his arms. Eanrin rolled his eyes heavenward as though to seek some holy aid. Then he braced himself and wiped the mud off her lips with the edge of his cloak. She frowned in her sleep and stirred, but did not wake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Nothing for it,” he muttered.<br />
Closing his eyes and trying not to smell her any more than he must, he leaned in and kissed her . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Author Anne Elisabeth Stengl</span></b><br />
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Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, and STARFLOWER, with DRAGONWITCH due to release in 2013. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anne-Elisabeth-Stengl/120543861335559?fref=ts">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/AEStengl">Twitter</a> * <a href="http://anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com/">Website</a> * <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3145809.Anne_Elisabeth_Stengl?auto_login_attempted=true">Goodreads</a></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iamareader.com/2012/11/starflower-blog-tour-january-2013.html">Blog Tour Schedule</a></td></tr>
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$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash<br />
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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.<br />
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<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242093737449452993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513169526364236109.post-26352293897483762112013-01-14T07:00:00.000-07:002013-01-14T07:00:14.015-07:00Book Review: Beautiful Beast, by Cindy C. Bennett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Beautiful Beast, by Cindy C. Bennett</b></span><br />
Calli is cursed by her beauty.<br />
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Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. When she hears him for the first time, her heart is wrenched by the anguish she hears in the sound. <br />
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Facing trespassing charges for her folly, Calli is forced to move into Monster House where she is to befriend the beast. Using the bribery offered by his father to gain some desperately needed money for her father, Calli accepts his terms. Horrified but trapped by her circumstance, Calli steps inside the doors of the great house to face the unknown.<br />
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Alex is cursed by his beastliness.<br />
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Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.<br />
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Alex allows Calli into his inner sanctum, sharing with her the most private parts of his heart. But when he finds out the truth, will her love be enough to convince him of her true feelings, or will she lose him forever?<br />
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<b>Ages: </b>13 and up<b> </b><br />
<b>File Size:</b> 243 KB<br />
<b>Print Length:</b> 94 pages<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Review:</b></span><br />
Generally I'm not that fond of self published titles, but I've read some of Cindy Bennett's traditionally published work before and so I figured this was a pretty safe bet. I really enjoyed the contemporary take on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. It was very short and I read it in one sitting.<br />
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There were some elements to the story that I didn't find believable, but chose to overlook them. There were some grammatical issues that drove me a bit crazy, like using the wrong spelling for <span style="color: #0000ee;">the same </span>word over and over. But other than the little things like that, I really enjoyed the book. It was a fun, romantic teen read that stayed nice and clean throughout.<br />
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The characters were fun and I enjoyed their teasing and bantering. Callie has a bright personality and she is able to win over just about everyone she come in contact with. Alex is complex, and carries a lot of weight emotionally and physically. Callie quickly looks past Alex's appearance to uncover the beautiful person underneath the skin.<br />
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This book is only $0.99 for the Kindle version.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XCDR6C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=booforkid02-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007XCDR6C">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=booforkid02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007XCDR6C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13618622-beautiful-beast" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.cindycbennett.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></b></span></div>
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