Tuesday, August 31, 2010

[Review] Shug by Jenny Han


Title: Shug
Author: Jenny Han
Publication: 2006
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Review Copy: Paperback (UK), bought
Pages: 248
My Rating:

Blurb:  
Annemarie 'Shug' Wilcox is beginning to think there's nothing worse than being twelve. Her friends are growing up all around her, and she's just not ready.
She's been best mates with Mark for as long as she can remember, and now, for no particular reason, she's fallen in love with him. But Mark's much more interested in gawping at Shug's curvaceous elder sister.

 My thoughts: Shug is charming, funny, unique yet familiar; and just all-round a worth-while read. Remember any worries you had when you were in that awkward stage: growing up and having to let go of your childhood, losing friends.

The characters, as a whole, are enjoyable to read about and follow through the story.  The 'love' story and arc are so so so adorable. It brought back memories to when I had to go through all those tribulations, myself. I found the end was satisfying, and left me on a good note. I kind of wish there was some sort of sequel, though...

Just, read it!


This is such a short review because, well, I've already expressed all I wanted to... and this isn't completely fresh on my mind as I type this review. (I've already read the next book, Girl Parts; you can read my review on Saturday!)


Similar reads: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli


Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Shug and read more reviews at Goodreads!
Shug is Jenny Han's debut novel.

[Question] About Blogger... & Upcoming contest news!!

It's late at night here, and I'm on my laptop (hooray! the internet is fast on this little thing :)), so I'll make this quick. Answer these questions, blogging buddies, and you get a cookie. Metaphorical cookies- they're the best kind! I dunno, I like knowing random stuff about other bloggers.

The Questions:
  1. Auto-posting. Yay or meh?
  2. How long have you been blogging? (your current blog)
  3. Is your blog 1, 2 or 3-sided? (~bars-wise that is!)
  4. You receive a comment. How do you reply to them?
  5. Contest time! Entry through: comments, email and/or form?
  6. You're on holiday! Oh no! What about the blog?
  7. What is your blog name and why did you pick it?
All right. I'll leave it at that, for now. Go on, post your answers! They don't even need to be all that long. I, myself, like answering stupid questions like these, so I'm hoping that some of you may like doing that too. :P Blogger should be auto-posting my review for Shug by JENNY HAN, which was prepared a few days ago, while I'm sleeping. 

My answers:
  1. Complete win! When life gets in the way, I can still get some posts in here. :)
  2. 2 months and a week~! It'll be a while for Words on Paper's One Year Blogoversary, hoping I get that far!
  3. Look to your right and you shall see I am ONE-SIDED! :D More due to the fact that I have no idea how to have 2-sides without sacrificing all that content space... and I don't have the time to be fiddling with HTML. (yes, I know my HTML. I'm a true nerd!)
  4. I recently implemented the comment moderation (no spam yet!), and then I receive an email with each comment. I will try to comment back to the commenter's blog, if they have one; or else I'll either reply via my blog or the email.
  5. Comments, only because I don't know how the form is CREATED. I'd love some guidance on that one. ;) Maybe later. Hehe.
  6. Depends on the length of away-time, and if there will be any internet-access involved. I'll probably try and chuck in reviews and auto-post them.
  7. Words on Paper. Dunno. It was meant to be temporary, but eventually I just got used to it. Plus there was one person who said they liked the name, so I was like Okay then, I'll stick to Words on Paper!
Anyway, onto the upcoming contest/s!

Stay tuned for the 4th of September, because you will NOT want to miss out on an ARC of ________ by _____, giveaway as part of Squeaky Books' Enna's Birthday Bash. I'm trying to be subtle. Have I intrigued you? :P Okay, hint. It's a paranormal (2010) YA debut novel. And it has a beautiful cover. Did that narrow it down much? Ha ha.

Also, in mid/late-October I will be hosting a SWAGGERIFIC contest! (and I may take the liberty of calling it as such) I'd like for it to be sooner, but since my book fairy in the US is sending  *hallelujah* THE BOX, I'll wait for that to reach me. Can't wait for that! And to explain that to my parents. It'll be SO much fun!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

In My Mailbox (6)

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

I really didn't get much this week, but I thought I'd post up an IMM, anyway. It's been slow lately... and I can't complain too much since I've been on exams. For the past 5 days though, I've had free time. I spent it reading 5 books! I have already posted up 3 reviews, so I have a weeks' worth to review about. :) I won't be able to keep up, so soon it'll be reduced to 1 review a week, since it's less than 2 months now, until D-Day...

Sorry, on top of  having no photos, I can't get any pictures up. My internet is capped, my windows are phasing out every few seconds, and I can't get a decent page to load. So, I can't even get damn Goodreads links up! This is a sign to do some work... :\


For Review {0}

Won {3}
Matched by Ally Condie (UK ARC, my copy is WHITE, not black, with quotes)
{Thanks to Between the Lines (Penguin Group)}

Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera (eBook)

Killer Cows by D.M. Anderson (eBook)

Bought {0}

Bookmooch {0}

Library {0}

Swag {1}
The Hunger Games pin/badge

Note: eBooks will only be counted in here if they are for review, sent by publishers. Netgalley is NOT included in this.

Packages (2)


What did you get in your mailbox?

NEWS: 

Friday, August 27, 2010

[Review] Manifest by Artist Arthur

Title: Manifest
Author: Artist Arthur [debut novel!]
Publication: August 2010 -- out now!
Publisher: Kimani Press
Review Copy: ARC
Pages: 248
My Rating:

Blurb on ARC:  
KRYSTAL JUST MET THE PERFECT BOY.
TROUBLE IS, HE'S DEAD.

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener--and everything she'd ever want--except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door--Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?
 My thoughts: So yeah, Krystal has it BAD, so she says. No one seems to get her, but really, the way she talks about her whole life situation, it's apparent that she hasn't really taken the steps to get to a point where she can allow others to understand her. I think though, because of this, many teens will be able to connect to her situation on some level. But as this novel dictates, everyone has their problems, just different circumstances.

Arthur introduced me to the beginning of what I can only hope to be an exciting, interesting and stimulating series. There were a few parts that didn't bode too well with me, but overall I found myself enjoying the story that unfolded as the pages were turned. The premise is not entirely new, it's what I believe to be some wicked DISTANT spin-off of The Fantastic Four. I mean, there is the medium (Krystal), the all-rounder guy (Jake) and Invisible Girl (Sasha). Well, it's halfway to TFF anyway. :P But anyway, with the Power that the three have been bestowed with since birth, the focus is (surprisingly) turned towards Krystal and her ability to speak to ghosts. More importantly, the novel and the series is shaped around her Power and the decisions she makes in regards to her Power.

Speaking of Krystal, the character development is inspiring and done with good taste. [I mean, at the beginning she comes off obnoxious, but in the last pages you see how she has changed, and really appreciate that. Hopefully in the next book she'll be like that, too.] It didn't come off as cheesy or abrupt. It was necessary and drove the plot to its climax, and satisfying ending. Speaking of which, I actually did NOT expect the “twist” near the end when the mystery draws to a close. I liked most of the characters, though I think I could have done without the repetition of Krystal’s descriptions of how cute/hot Ricky was. But, yeah. That’s paranormal YA for you, I think. I dunno. This was actually my first paranormal book, though I guess Bad Girls Don’t Die is a paranormal book too… Hmm, it’s of a completely different kind though.

Anyway, this book is definitely worth a shot. It’s pretty short, took less than a day to finish this one. I’ll be buying my own copy in paperback, and once I have my own copy I’ll be giving away this ARC. :) I’ll be waiting to see what happens in the next instalment of this exciting and heart-racing series.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Manifest and read more reviews at Goodreads!

Manifest is book 1 of the Mystyx series.


 

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Hey everyone! So, I've worked out a schedule, that I hope to adhere to. I will be posting 2 reviews a week, Tuesday and Saturday. On Wednesdays I will be having Waiting on Wednesday, and on Sundays I will have In My Mailbox. For now, this is as much as I will posting, other than the odd contest, interview or bite of news. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays will be my break days, since I'll need them so as not to burn out. This schedule will change when November comes and high school is OVER!!

Anyway...

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

For this week, I am swooning over Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer, which is due for release Feb 2011!

Why I'm Waiting on Rival:
Other than the eye-catching and unique (to me) book cover, the story sounds interesting. 
Plus, I love "contemporary" YA, and music is just an added bonus. Ooh, and 2011 DEBUT NOVEL!


Blurb (from Goodreads):
Meet Brooke: Popular, powerful and hating every minute of it, she’s the “It” girl at Douglas High in Lake Champion, Minnesota. Her real ambition? Using her operatic mezzo as a ticket back to NYC, where her family lived before her dad ran off with an up and coming male movie star.

Now meet Kathryn: An overachieving soprano with an underachieving savings account, she’s been a leper ever since Brooke punched her at a party junior year. For Kath, music is the key to a much-needed college scholarship.

The stage is set for a high-stakes duet between the two seniors as they prepare for the prestigious Blackmore competition. Brooke and Kathryn work toward the Blackmore with eyes not just on first prize but on one another, each still stinging from a past that started with friendship and ended in betrayal. With competition day nearing, Brooke dreams of escaping the in-crowd for life as a professional singer, but her scheming BFF Chloe has other plans. And when Kathryn gets an unlikely invitation to Homecoming, she suspects Brooke of trying to sabotage her with one last public humiliation.  

As pressures mount, Brooke starts to sense that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had. But Kathryn has a decision to make. Can she forgive? Or are some rivalries for life?
Thanks for visiting my weekly WoW post.


What are you waiting on this week?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Top 10 Tuesday (1) & Where She Went Cover Reveal!!

 This is the first time I'm doing this, but since the topic this week is interesting, I'll take a crack at it. :) There may be some *gasping* on your part as I uncover the BIG titles that I haven't even taken a peek at. So anyway this meme for this week is Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read! Let's begin, shall we?
  1. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
  2. Any of the Penguin Five (The Replacement, Sapphique, The Eternal Ones, Nightshade and Matched)
  3. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
  4. The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong
  5. Anything by Sarah Dessen - So give me a helping hand and send me some YA chick-lit! :P
  6. Anything by Shannon Hale - Though, I have most of her books over with my book fairy in the US. This preposterous disposition will be absolved by the end of the year, I promise!
  7. Lisa Schroeder's verse novels - 'nuff said.
  8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
  9. Millennium series by Stieg Larsson
  10. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - Okay, this is only half true. I read like half of Twilight but gave up on it. Won't go there, please don't unfollow me. Respect my opinions... I'm just not a vampire person. Which is why I've been reviewing pretty much only contemporary novels.


ALSO, news on Where She Went, the sequel to Gayle Forman's If I Stay... The cover is revealed! [link] Also, here's what Gayle had to say about the unexpected unveiling... (Twitter)

What do you think about the cover for the sequel? I have the hardcover edition, so I'm hoping there will be another cover for the hardcover up soon! This one seems to be a good companion for the paperback, and IMO it's super pretty!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

[Review] Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender


Title: Bad Girls Don't Die
Author: Katie Alender [debut novel!]
Publication: April 2009
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Copy: Hardcover, bought
Pages: 350
My Rating:

Goodreads description:  
Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?
 My thoughts: What can I say about Bad Girls Don't Die? Okay, I'll begun with the easy things. The cover is brilliantly designed, the photo intricate, different, spooky and very very suiting for this story. The title is also interesting and definitely drew me in. Also, out of all of my The Book Depository orders, this one came to me in the best condition. The book is very durable, and even after reading it, it looks like it has barely been touched. So that's a plus on Hyperion's part, I guess.

About the actual story, now. I came in thinking that the whole thing would be just one big ghost story, but that wasn't even the case until about half-way in. In the beginning, we are introduced to Alexis, the main character, and her life in high school, as well as her relationship with her family and her totally-spinning-out-of-control little sister Kasey. As is expressed in the description, Alexis is something of a loner, preferring to hide away in her darkroom and take photos than have to spend an afternoon with her "fellow students". I'll say it was kind of slow-going for me for the beginning, but I knew that great things were coming, so I pushed forward, flicking the pages rather quickly (since the font size is pretty big and spaced out-- easy to read!).

When I really got into the heart of the story, and creepy things were happening (subtlety, you know you love it) and little bits of information began clicking together; from that moment onwards I just devoured page after page after page. (excuse the vampiric imagery) The story flowed beautifully, to its eventful and stimulating climax and then to its semi-confusing but intriguing almost-conclusion... You can tell that Katie intended for this one to be a standalone- but I'm not complaining that there will be more, as the story ends on a good note. (possible spoiler, I'm not sure)

About the characters, I like the voice that Alender equips Alexis with: narcissistic and sarcastic. For me, it wasn't so much the characters as it was the plot and premise that made me enjoy Bad Girls. Although, I did like a certain guy. While I would have preferred a slightly more 3D approach to him rather than just a family disaster story (more subtlety) to cling onto and claim as depth of character, I'm sure in the next novel Alender will give more depth and evoke more sympathy and emotion out of each character as we see them again.

Would I recommend this to others? Definitely. Looking for something slightly creepy that will blow your mind out of the water? Then perhaps Bad Girls Don't Die is one book you should pick up now!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Borders

Learn more about Bad Girls Don't Die and read more reviews at Goodreads!


 

SUZANNE COLLINS LOVE, in giveaway fashion & A new book challenge!


Part 1: Suzanne Collins Love (contest!)
Okay, so I'm extremely slow in the way of reading great big books. I have not read any of The Hunger Games just yet. However, lucky me (maybe lucky you), Note to  Shelf is hosting a massive Suzanne Collins giveaway! 1 winner will win the whole series in HARDBACK. 2 winners will receive a brand spankin' new copy of Mockingjay. That is one great giveaway!



Part 2: New book challenge, 5 books in a month!
The season of SPRING is among us, or at least, us who live in Australia. I couldn't be happier. Winter has been nothing but cold weather and I'm truly sick of it, to be honest. Anyway, to welcome the month of September, I have decided to accept a book challenge. :D
ss

This is a book challenge hosted at The Thought of a Book Junky, while the spelling of "junky" urks me (haha), the sound of the book challenge sounds great!

  • It is from September 1st all through to September 30th.
  • 5 books ("one book a week") -- ANY you want! At the end of that week you will post your review on your blog and add your link to the Mr. Linky at the page.
  • There will be a giveaway at the end of each week. Extra entries apply when posting the button on your sidebar!
  • These giveaways are open internationally!
    Okay, so this challenge is sounding like a done deal, right? Here are the five books I vow to read for September, and hopefully I'll be able to get through some more than this.

      
     

    Enter too!

    In other news: I will have a review up later today, for Bad Girls Don't Die. I'm moving on to Manifest by Artist Arthur, which released early this month.



    Sunday, August 22, 2010

    [Review] Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

    Title: Glimmerglass
    Author: Jenna Black
    Publication: May 2010
    Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
    Review Copy: eBook, Paperback
    Pages: 300~
    My Rating:

    Goodreads description:    
    Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she’s had it with being her mother’s keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

    Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go . . .

    My thoughts: Glimmerglass promised a story of faeries, of magic, of adventure, love, betrayal, friendship, and more betrayal, family and what family represents... did it deliver? Yes, in this way, it did. I was not entirely satisfied, or WOWed, however, and that's what brings me to my final decision on the rating. It had the right premise, the overlapping of the human world and an alternate, faery universe. I was slightly disappointed that it didn't live up to my high hopes. I'll give you one thing, though. The novel ends nicely, and left me wanting to read more. I may have had several qualms about it, but I want to know what happens next!

    The writing was fairly substandard. Some of the description wasn't well done, there were a few instances where it was done beautifully. {example} I know that the story was written with the intention of the fact that this is Dana's voice, Dana's words, her story. But there was a WHOLE LOT of telling, rather than showing, which I alarmed myself to by the middle of the novel... "My throat and nasal passages burned from expelling all that water from my lungs. My chest ached from taking all that water in. And all my joints throbbed from being a tug-of-war toy between Ethan and the moat monster. I was also soaked through and chilled to the bone, my whole body shivering violently." I felt that there were just TOO MANY WORDS!! Maybe some people like all this, but to me, it just seemed like Jenna was trying to chuck in some more words, and then some more, and a bit more just for the heck of it. It doesn't push the story along, and that's also part of why I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd have liked to. If it's going to be fantasy, there needs to be more action, less description over and over again.

    Sometimes the grammar was clunky, or the word choice was awkward. Also, it felt like the pages were dragging me along, rather than me being genuinely interested to "turn the pages". There was a good interweaving between the beginning and end of the novel. Not giving anything away, so I'll remain subtle. The characters evoked some emotion from me, but sometimes I felt like they could have been fleshed out just a bit more. I liked Keane (Brownie points if you can tell me why :P), but most of the others gave me mixed emotions. Maybe that's how Black wanted me to think of them. However, perhaps the next installment will bring upon more reasons for me to really CARE about these characters.

    Yes, the cover is pretty. To be honest, that is what compelled me to read Glimmerglass. I'm actually surprised I didn't enjoy this one as much as I should've. I tried to, I really did. Perhaps I was caught reading this at the worst time possible, in between my trial exams, AND I'm reading this one on computer... Perhaps I should give this book another try. Let me know what you thought of it. Maybe I read it all wrong. If you're going to suggest I read it again, you're going to have to send me an actual copy of it, because no way am I going to read this on computer again! >_< Oh, the agony! 
     

    [Breakin' News] #7 BOOK TRAILER - Delcroix Academy, The Candidates

    I'm hoping this is official, since it pretty darn well looks it! I've been anticipating this book for a while... Many of you have probably already seen the cool cover, info and synopsis, but here they are anyway.

    Title: The Candidates (#1, Delcroix Academy)
    Author: Inara Scott
    Release Date: August 24th 2010 (2 days!!)
    Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
    Synopsis: (From Goodreads)
    Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

    But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

    And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

    Behold... the trailer!


    Saturday, August 21, 2010

    In My Mailbox (5)

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

    So it's been a few weeks since my last IMM post. My camera is still screwing around on me, so I'll have to make do with what I've got. Anyway, although at 3 weeks, this is NOTHING... I can't complain. I have complet faith that many more things will be arriving over the coming week...including an ARC of ANOTHER highly-anticipated 2010 YA release, later this year. Psyched!



    For Review {0}

    Won {1}
    Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (ARC)
    {Thanks to Steph at Steph Su Reads!}

    Bought {1}
    The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti (Chick-lit for teens! It sounds great!!)

    Bookmooch {1}
    The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Trade Paperback, all the way from Ireland!)

    Library {0}

    Swag {1}

    7 bookmarks:
    - Signed The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
    - Signed Nevermore by Kelly Creagh 
    - The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
    - Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund
    - The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
    - Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

    Note: eBooks will only be counted in here if they are for review, sent by publishers. Netgalley is NOT included in this.

    Packages (3)


    What did you get in your mailbox?

    NEWS: This is pretty big. I'm almost finished reading Glimmerglass!!! After like 3 weeks of no reading, I'll finally be able to lay this book aside and tell myself that after putting it aside 3-4 times, I finished reading it! Like I said before, my copy is an ebook, which I can only read on my computer. :\

    Friday, August 20, 2010

    [Breakin' News] #5 More contests & News!! + an award

    Okay, so most of my trial exams are over. I don't think I've done all that well, but after a whole year of this, I'm kind of sick of learning. I just want to read all day, to be honest. (I now have over 20 books in my TBR pile, and that's not including the books that are coming) I'll stop talking and give you the giveaways & links...

    GIVEAWAYS
    • 4 books to be won! 3 are highly-anticipated YA ARCs!! {} @ Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf | August 24th
    • Virgin Territory, a 2010 YA release. The cover looks pretty cool! @ Roots in Myth | August 27th 
    • Win $100 in books! @ Grab a Pen | August 22nd 
    • Infinite Days audiobook MAKE A COVER CONTEST {} @ Rebecca Maizel's (author) blog | August 31st
    • Guess the Cover contest! @ Page Turners | August 31st 
    • Choose one of three titles! @ The Eclectic Reader | August 31st
    • Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready review + contest @ The Book Butterfly | September 4th
    • MASSIVE ARCs giveaway @ Carol's Prints | September 6th {if you found out about this from my blog, please refer me! "Cass - Words on Paper", and you'll receive +1 entry}

    NEWS
    •  Mockingjay, #3 of the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins is due for release in the US in 5 days!
    • (AU) Kevin Rudd's (ex-PM) daughter, Jessica, has released her first novel, Campaign Ruby! A stunning, prophetic debut, "chick-lit". I'm interested to read it! {link}
    • Totally hilarious, and I'm hoping a sarcastic take on Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins + ARC contest {link}
    • UK vs. US book cover wars continue... Another edition, The Soul Screamers series {link}
    • Book sharing: "to share or not to share..." Candace's thoughts on the topic. {link}
    • Top 10: Favorite contemporary/YA novels @ A Good Addiction {link}
    AWARD
    I got my second award! Thanks, Brandi at Blkosiner's Book Blog for the great award. Here is how this award works:

    1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
    2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
    3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
    OK so here are the 15 lovely blogs I am awarding this to:
    I tried not to add those who have received the award before. :) I also want to say I love visiting each and every one of these blogs. :) There's a combination of new & pretty well-established blogs I've listed. Thanks once again, Brandi, for the award!

    Thursday, August 19, 2010

    [Breakin' News] #4 Contests & Awesome news!

    Celebrate realistic YA with The Contemps! the contemps.
    I'm sure all of you have already found out about "The Contemps", but if you haven't already, basically they're a group of cool YA lit authors who like to keep it real, kicking it off with contemporary REALISTIC fiction! No paranormal romances here.

    Who?
    21 YA authors, some with many books released, others are debut authors! {members}

    Why?
    "Our goal is to help teens, booksellers, and librarians connect with and celebrate books that feature true-to-life settings, characters, and situations, and to let publishers know about the ongoing demand for contemporary stories." {source}

    How?
    You can support this budding group by... if you're a blogger, make a blog post and inform your own readers about THE CONTEMPS! Make sure to include buttons, and you can win a swag pack! :) Readers can also join in, by accepting the CONTEMPS CHALLENGE! {get involved!} Short story, read 18 of their books, and you can win ALL 21!!! :D Great deal? I think so!


    arcs! arcs! arcs!
    I'm such a nice person for mentioning this. :) Well, okay, so I'm doing this for the +5 entries. Go ahead and judge me! But seriously? Wonderful, wonderful ARCs up for grabs, and this one is INTERNATIONAL!!! {} That's right, everyone can enter!

     What you can win!
    • A set of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (hardcover) and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS (ARC)! BOTH are signed by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!!
    • An ARC of NIGHTSHADE, by Andrea Cremer.
    • An ARC of ROT & RUIN, by Jonathan Maberry.
    • An ARC of THE UNIDENTIFIED, by Rae Mariz.
    • An ARC of HALT'S PERIL, by John Flanagan.
    • An ARC of THE GOBLIN GATE, by Hilari Bell.
    • An ARC of JANE, by April Lindner.
    • An ARC of THE WINDS OF HEAVEN, by Judith Clarke. 
    When is it until?
    "The contest runs from August 18 - September 8!"

    What do you have to do?
    All you have to do to enter is be a follower. But there are SO many extra entries that you're going to want to do some extras, since I sure went the mile. Come on! ARCs! For free! International! That's "flippin' brilliant"!

    Dude! Where's the link?
    Click!

    LASTLY...and this is kinda important,
    If you found out about this contest through my post, say so in "If you're a new follower, who referred you?". You'll get an extra entry! I don't think I get another entry, but it'd be nice to be mentioned. :)



    More Tell Me a Secret news!


    The serialised audiobook chapters 1 and 2 are now out! I listened to them last night, and it is amazing! I'm looking forward to reading the rest. If you want to know how many chapters there are, there are *checks* 45 chapters, so if they continue releasing 2-3 chapters every week, then we're looking at 4-5 months~ HOWEVER, you can purchase the whole lot of it and read it RIGHT NOW. I wish I could...

    Wednesday, August 18, 2010

    [Breakin' News] #3 Top 100 YA Novels (2010)

    Over at Persnickety Snark, the people have spoken and the results are in! The top YA novel for 2010 is THE HUNGER Games, by Suzanne Collins! (Who is surprised?) Speaking of which, I won a The Hunger Games button from Nayu's Reading Corner! I didn't manage to snag the cool t-shirt, but a button is pretty cool, too!

    There are lots of statistics which I find quite interesting. I'm also psyched that I've won Graceling by Kristin Cashore-- which got placed #23, so I'm expecting to be blown away. :) 

    Just mentioning a few books that I've read so far, and how they went...

    If I Stay, my favourite novel thus far, ranked #70, narrowly beating Wintergirls which is #72. Unfortunately, Tell Me a Secret didn't make it in the list, but I predict it will be in for the 2011 list!! Also, it has been noted that most of Sarah Dessen's books made it on the list, 'cept her first release. Great effort...and this kind of goes with J.K. Rowling too.


    Also, many of you may be aware of my love for Gayle Forman's If I Stay, as is evident even in this post. Well, Gayle Forman's teaser tour for her sequel Where She Went is hitting off tomorrow! Click here for more info, and let others know too! 


    I realised since I pronounced my break, that many things are still going on around the blogosphere, and so here's where "Breakin' News" comes in. Just a brief update every day or so... this is alerting myself, as well as all of you. :)

    Tuesday, August 17, 2010

    [Breakin' News] #2 Tell Me a Secret *FREE* audiobook!

    Tell Me a Secret - Free Audiobook Podcast
    Great news!!!

    So some of you may remember how much I adored Holly Cupala's YA debut novel Tell Me a Secret ... Well, now Holly's book is back on my blog with MORE NEWS!!!

    Holly is launching a free serialised podcast on Wednesday (8/18) at http://tellmeasecretnovel.com—the entire novel is read by award-winning actress Jenna Lamia (The Adoration of Jenna Fox, The Chosen One). There'll be 2-3 chapters released per week, which roughly follows the timeline of the novel. These chapters will be available for a LIMITED time, so bookmark it & don't forget! This novel is awesome (5 stars from me!), so if you haven't read it yet, now is your chance-- for free! Also, for those who can't wait, there will be a special edition available, with the full audiobook. :)

    Own a blog?
    "We have a little fancy graphic for it right here ..."

    But wait, there's more!
    "... on Wednesday, I’ll be chatting with readergirlz on Twitter 6pm PST/9pm EST (look for the #rgz hashtag). I hope to see you!" 

    Oh, and since I've been talking about Holly Cupala so much, I've added a new label, just for her! :) She's totally awesome, so you better go check out her site!


    Monday, August 16, 2010

    [Breakin' News] Update #1

    A lot of things have been happening in the blogging community with me lately, so I thought I might update you guys. I'm not MIA just yet, I still go to Blogger everyday and visit those I follow. :)

    Exciting stuff! I'm hosting a contest for Enna Isilee @ Squeaky Books for her huge birthday bash! 12 contests, 15 guest posts and tons of author interviews! It's gonna get pretty funky over there, so you better go follow her so as not to miss any of it!



    What I'm giving away is a SECRET! No doubt though, you're going to want to enter, because it's a HOT YA (hint: paranormal) title. I'm being featured & my giveaway is launching on the 4th of September.

    Other than that, I've been winning some (none of which have arrived) great books! Hopefully when I come back out of my break (though not completely out), I'll be able to show you photos! :D Also, keeping quiet on specific titles.

    I'll leave you with a question:

    What got you into reading and/or book blogging?

    Friday, August 13, 2010

    TWO MONTHS WITHOUT INTERNET!!!

    ...Or rather, two months without the ability to go on the internet. Granted, please take into account that my huge exams are in like 2 months, so I will most likely not be posting much from now until November. Please stick by me, I'll be holding some swag contests, and maybe another The Book Depository contest, once my exams are over! Also, from November-March, I hope to get a whole lot of reading done! I imagine my TBR pile will have at least doubled in two months' time!

    I haven't been reading anything, unless you want me to discuss my texts for English for you. Sadly this means Glimmerglass will remain my "currently reading" for a while. This is terrible...not the book, the book is fine, it's just caught me at a really bad time. :\

    Anyway, yeah, this also means that my weekly giveaways newsletter will not be in effect for until after exams too, since I will not be online as much, and not be entering/visiting many giveaways.

    I'll be skipping this week's IMM, especially since I only received one book, and will be posting on in 2 weeks time-- I hope that at least 10 books will have reached me. :)

    Question:
    What's your average book intake for one week? (how much you read & how much you receive/buy/borrow)

    Wednesday, August 11, 2010

    Wednesday Wanderings (2)

    It's already Wednesday and I've only received one book. It's a slow week for me, it seems.

    Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly meme, hosted here at Words on Paper. I'll decide on a topic to focus on each week, ask a few questions for you to answer, as well as give my own opinion.

    This weeks topic: ARCs

    For your information, an ARC is short for Advance Readers Copy, which some publishers call ARE, Advance Readers Edition.
    You receive an ARC. Now what?
    It's become typical of book bloggers to post up reviews around its release date. Do publishers, readers prefer it this way? I wonder. I haven't yet read an ARC, though I have a few sitting there, waiting to be read. Just two-three more months...I'd like to hear some more publisher opinions on the matter of receiving & reviewing ARCs.

    What's the fascination with ARCs?
    For me, ARCs just have that special-ness to them. I personally have no idea what I'm going to do with them after I've read and reviewed them. My fascination towards ARCs, is the fact that there are limited copies available. Once I (hopefully, somewhere along the track) receive ARCs from publishers and authors, I think a new feature is added to them. That they're not just something that I've won, but it's something that I've earned. And that, compared to when I used to think that authors were along the same line as celebrities (though really, authors are much nicer and more approachable!), is cool.


    What do you do with ARCs, storage-wise?
    I've kept a section of sorts in my bookshelf. I mean, I group my ARCs up, so they're together, and have tried to order them according to their release date, in hopes that I'll get to reading them quicker that way.

    Giveaways before book release date? Yay or nay?
    I don't have issues with giveaways of ARCs after their release date...but before, then it's a bit iffy. I think it depends on who will be receiving the ARC. What intentions do they have, what are they planning to do with the ARC? Hopefully, read it and review it, which is the sole purpose of an ARC. Or rather, to gain publicity, which is achieved through early reviews (as well as other promotional activity).
    Actually, giveaways I'm not too worried about. I mean, at least they worked toward receiving that copy. Many giveaways require hoop-jumping, so if one is determined to read an early copy of their anticipated books, then I believe that is fine. Rather, it is a good thing.

    So long as people continue to buy the books when it releases, I have no problem with that.

    What do you do if you see a listing on eBay for a book not yet released, ARC?
    Last night I was going through eBay, and saw two different sellers selling huge portions of ARCs. And for quite cheap, I'd say. I reported them, but whether anything can really be done about it isn't up to me. I really wish people would adhere to the "Not for resale" sign that is plastered on most, if not all, Advance Readers Copies. I've read that many people who work in book publishing companies are the major culprits-- they know their actions are wrong, but they don't care as long as they can get a quick buck. It's terrible, and I'm sure authors wouldn't be too happy that their books are being thrown around.

    For that matter, what do authors & publishers think of ARC giveaways/ trading & selling?

    Thanks for reading, and please comment, let me know what you think! :) Also, if you have any other questions you want to ask on the topic of ARCs, just type it up. For much more information, you can go visit Kristi at The Story Siren.

    Tuesday, August 10, 2010

    Teaser Tuesday (4) Glimmerglass


    Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
    Grab the book you are currently reading and randomly post a couple sentences.
    I haven't done one in a while, and I figure I could do for a bit of filler fun.

    Here is a teaser for "Glimmerglass" by Jenna Black (eBook)

    “What do you see?” he asked.
    I shook my head, still staring out into the mist, trying not to believe what was right before my eyes. I blinked, and the forest was still there. Oh, crap. I shifted my focus to the afterimage of English countryside, and as I stared at it, it solidified once more, the forest fading into the background, but not disappearing.
    “What the hell…?” I mumbled.

    Glimmerglass was released May 25th 2010, and I've been reading it on and off for a week or two. I mean, it's picked up speed, but I just keep on piling on other books to read on the side. It's a fantasy fairy YA novel. Needless to say, this isn't a bad book. It's just me, and the fact that I'm reading this one not as a physical copy, but on computer/mp4 player, since it's an ebook.

    Hope you enjoy this week's
    Teaser Tuesday! What are you reading?

    Glimmerglass by Jenna Black
    Pages: 304
    Release date: May 2010
    Genre: fantasy, romance, action
    Ages: YA, 14+
    Amazon | Goodreads

    ALSO, I received another The Versatile Blogger Award, thanks to Once Upon a Twilight! I'm not too sure if I'm meant to list another 7 things about me and tag 15 more people. Just wanted to say thanks! :)
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