The Eye of Incarceron

Who here has read the Incarceron series by Catherine Fisher?

This is what I picture every time they mention the eyes of Incarceron.

I either see GLaDOS' cameras from Portal:




OR the Droid eye that pops up when you turn on the phone:



What about you?

Thoughts On: Love Triangles

There are many trends in the young adult publishing world recently.

We have the entire paranormal genre.
We have the dark covers.
We have people on the covers.
And most annoyingly, we have love triangles.

Don't get me wrong; I like some love triangles well enough. One love triangle in every hundred books is nice, so long as they're well written and creative and whathaveyou.

But that's the problem - they should only be one in a hundred. Wherever you look, you have an LOL LOVE TRIANGLE, especially in paranormal romance!

I was talking to a friend yesterday; it always seems to go like this:
- Ordinary girl wanders around.
- One EXTRAORDINARY boy has shown an interest in her for a while.
- Another EXTRAORDINARY boy shows up and also is unusually interested in her.
- DILEMMA OMIGOD LOL.

It's not just a Twilight thing, though that may be what set off all of the (paranormal) love triangles. It happens in books I like and don't like, in all genres now.


For paranormal, Firelight by Sophie Jordan, which I love, has a love triangle. The love triangle in Nightshade by Andrea Cremer was the only part of the book I didn't like.

In dystopians, we have the love triangle set up in The Hunger Games, which added even more drama to an already dramatic series, but at the heart of the series was irrelevant. In Enclave by Ann Aguirre, the love triangle was so unnecessarily set up that it made me dislike the book as a whole. Even Lauren deStefano's Wither sets up the hint of a love triangle.


In fantasy, The Iron King - which I consider fantasy, not paranormal, though I'm not sure why - has a massive love triangle, of which I take the losing side. I'm invested in it, and I do enjoy it, but at the same time, logically, it doesn't make much sense - Ash, who she chooses to fall for, is the same man who starts the book trying to kill her. If somebody is trying to murder you, do you really decide, "Oh, hmm. I'm going to fall in love with them!"?*

*Note: If your name is Bella Swann, you are exempt from this rule.


I asked Twitter for suggestions for love triangles and got dozens with in minutes. The Summer I Turned Pretty. Looking for Alaska. The Sky Is Everywhere. Flawless. Forget You. Prom and Prejudice. Shade. Deadly Little Lies. Beautiful Disaster. The Truth About Forever. Wicked Lovely. Perfect Chemistry.


Part of my dislike of love triangles is that, more often than not, and especially in paranormal, they're unrealistic. You have ridiculously amazing people falling for ordinary people. Yes, sure, that's nice in ideal, but I've never been able to relate to that; you'd never feel equal with somebody who is so PERFECT! while you are so ORDINARY!

And more often than not, and especially in paranormal, one of the people you're interested in is "elusive" or "mysterious" which, in the context of the story, translates to "he tried to kill me, but I forgave him." What the hell!? I know very few people in real life who would get back together with somebody who tried to kill them, if any at all.

And that brings up another unrealistic point - look at your group of friends. (Your REAL friends, not your Facebook friends.) How many of them are involved with in a love triangle? Not crushing on a guy who has a girlfriend, but genuinely involved in a love triangle? If you can come up with one, I applaud you. It's rare.





I think the thing I hate most about love triangles is that they're not just two people falling in love.

Yes, I said it. The problem with love triangles is that they are, in fact, love triangles.

What happened to just two people falling in love? Why do you have to have the selection all of a sudden? The beauty, the amazingness, the sheer euphoria of two people falling in love is amazing. And more often than not, you can have enough problems in that relationship, or adjusting to that relationship, or within the plot that causes stress in the relationship, that you don't need to stick another guy in to cause the drama.

Look at Harry Potter. Is there the hint of a love triangle? No. Yes, Harry does date Cho before finding Ginny, but that's normal. Yes, Ron dates Lavendar; Hermione dates Krum; they're teenagers, it's okay to date outside of the one person you'll be with forever.

But you know who loves who. The characters aren't running around in love triangles or whathaveyou. Even in Pride and Prejudice, which is arguably the most romantic story of most time, there is no love triangle. Is Wickham interested in Lizzie for a bit? Yes! But there was never any real interest on Lizzie's part, not really; she defended him because she thought him friendly and already disliked Darcy. But there's never a triangle. The two guys don't spend the entire book fighting over her; she's not madly in love with both and has to choose.

Or take My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite, which I just finished recently. I loved it. And it's about two people falling in love. They have their problems and their stresses and she doesn't need to be in love with somebody else to do it.

Maybe that's the reason I love the historical romance genre; more often than not, it's not a love triangle. It's two people who try not to fall in love and then do. I love that.

Is it just me? Or do you guys feel the same way?

Feature Friday: Bookcases (42)

Who said storage had to be boring?






Pair THIS with THIS and you'd have an epic set of shelves.

Friday Fronts: Born Wicked

Though I'm quickly losing my love of covers-with-people, I do appreciate this one.

First off, the girl is stunningly gorgeous, and I love the look she's giving the camera. They do a great job at catching the witchy-attitude that the series is supposed to give. (I suppose, as the series is about witches...)

I absolutely adore the font! It's very simple and clean with juuuuuust the right amount of decoration.

The only thing I really don't like about this is the flowers the girl is wearing. I think they're fantastic, they're just really... weird... compared to the rest of the image. (Photoshopped in?) I love them, and at first glance, they're fantastic. I was just staring at this cover for, like, ten minutes, so it threw me off. Tehe.

Interview: Jennifer Estep (& Giveaway!)

This giveaway is over.
Swinging by today is Jennifer Estep, a lovely debut YA author! Her new book Touch of Frost, the first in a new series, looks absolutely ah-mazing!

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

Nicole: Welcome to WORD, Jennifer! What was the inspiration for Mythos Academy?
Jennifer Estep: I’ve always loved mythology, fairy tales, and superhero stories – basically, any story with a lot of action and magic where characters go on these epic quests to find the Golden Fleece, save the prince/princess, or stop the villain from taking over the world.

In school, I remember watching Clash of the Titans when we would have movie days. The movie made mythology seem so cool, with all these gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, and more fighting with and against each other. Over the years, I read all kinds of mythology stories and books for fun and for class assignments, things like The Iliad and The Odyssey, and I watched TV shows and movies like Xena: Warrior Princess and 300.

One day, I just thought it would be cool to write my own mythology story with my own
characters, myths, magic, and monsters. I thought what if I had a Gypsy girl with psychometry magic, or the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. What if she had an accident with her magic and got sent to a boarding school for the descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Valkyries, and Amazons? What if there was an evil god who was trying to take over the world? All of those things came together to form Touch of Frost and the rest of the Mythos Academy series.

N: You can never go wrong with Spartans! Do you have a favorite character, setting, and or magical artifact?

JE: I really like Vic, a character who appears in the latter half of Touch of Frost. Vic is really bloodthirsty and wants to kill Reapers of Chaos (my bad guys) more than anything else. He’s also full of opinions and attitude, and he was just a lot of fun for me to write. I hope readers like Vic as much as I do.

N: How was writing this different than writing your adult series?
JE: You always want to stretch and grow as a writer, and it was definitely a challenge to write something geared toward a younger audience and to write with a YA voice. My Elemental Assassin books for adults are very dark, gritty, and violent, so it was interesting to try writing something a little lighter in terms of the sex, language, and violence like the Mythos Academy series, but still have the books have a lot of magic, action, and fight scenes in them. It was a tough balancing act, but hopefully, readers will like my take on the YA genre. Fingers crossed, anyway.

N: When you were in college, you majored in English and Journalism. (Sounds like me.) What was your favorite class?
JE: The cool thing about college is that so many of the classes are actually fun – especially some of the English classes.

One of my favorite classes was mystery/detective fiction. We went through the various eras/genres, and we basically just read mysteries all semester long, everything from the Sherlock Holmes stories to Dashiell Hammett to modern-day writers. I discovered one of my favorite authors – Donald Westlake – through that class. He wrote a great series of comic crime capers about a thief named Dortmunder.

I also took a class on J.R.R. Tolkien one summer, where we talked about the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And I took a creative writing class where we focused on poetry. I’m not very good at writing poetry, but I still had fun trying something new.

N: I wanna take a class on Tolkien! What are some of the best books you've read recently?
JE: I really enjoyed The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal. I thought it was a cool twist on a princess story. I’ve also enjoyed The Iron King by Julie Kagawa and Heist Society by Ally Carter. I’m looking forward to reading more books in those series.

N: I love The Iron Fey series, and my sister is a HUGE Ally Carter fangirl! If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you have?
JE: I would say an otter. They always seem like such fun, playful creatures whenever I see them on nature programs.

N: What is your favorite song?
JE: You’re So Vain by Carly Simon. I think it’s just a great song that’s full of attitude, and it’s fun to sing along to.

N: If you had to escape being chased by an ostrich, how would you do it?
JE: Hmm. I would probably try to distract it with food or something like that, then make a run for the nearest car or house – and hope that the ostrich couldn’t outrun me. Then, when I was safely inside, I would make silly faces at the ostrich from behind the windows – and hope that it couldn’t peck through the glass to get to me!


And thanks to Jennifer, one of you lucky people get to win a copy of Touch of Frost! There's only one winner in the United States or Canada only, and y'all have until August 4 to enter! All you have to do is fill out the form below.

Quick Recap:
[1] copy of Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep up for grabs
[1] winner in the U.S. or Canada only
ends August 4

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below
[+2] comment on this interview

Waiting on Wednesday: Magic Under Stone

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore
For star-crossed lovers Nimira and Erris, there can be no happily ever after until Erris is freed from the clockwork form in which his soul is trapped. And so they go in search of the sorcerer Ordoria Valdana, hoping he will know how to grant Erris real life again. When they learn that Valdana has mysteriously vanished, it’s not long before Nimira decides to take matters into her own hands—and begins to study the sorcerer’s spell books in secret. Yet even as she begins to understand the power and limitations of sorcery, it becomes clear that freeing Erris will bring danger—if not out-and-out war—as factions within the faerie world are prepared to stop at nothing to prevent him from regaining the throne.

Series: Magic Under (#2)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: April 10, 2012

I liked the first book in the series, and I'm excited to see what happens next!

Liz's Corner: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games (#1)
Publisher: Scholastic
How Received: bought

Click here to see Nicole's review.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Wow. That was pretty amazing.

Before reading this, all I've ever heard about this book is that it's the most amazing thing ever and that I'm despicable for not having read it yet. I've had SO many friends pressuring me to read this book that it's quite insane. I think that by having the hyped up reviews and suggestions a book usually falls short of the fame when I finishing reading it. The Hunger Games nearly was the same until about three quarters of the way through.

I felt for most of the beginning that it was pretty slow and bland. I also didn't want Katniss getting too close to Peeta because I loved Gale. They seemed to be well suited together. However, I soon found myself angry at Katniss for being mean to Peeta. Gale simply became an annoying obstacle in her mind after that.

[SPOILER ALERT]

The only thing predictable about the whole plot was that I could from way before they entered the arena, that Peeta and Katniss both would somehow win. The whole berry idea was brilliant. It's like a secret way of shaking your fist at the Capitol and telling them to shove it. (I'm sure, if I lived in Panem, I'd have been dead long ago. I have too big of a mouth to keep quite about things of that magnitude.)

The whole romance part of the story absolutely killed me. I wanted Katniss to shake off the whole 'It's for the audience' crap and realize that Peeta's not faking it. C'mon, Katniss is made to be this really observant and sharp girl. She realized Peeta's motives of giving her the bread ages ago. You think she'd figure it out! (And you'd think she'd fall in love too, because he's just downright awesome.)

The only thing that bothered me through out the book was how Katniss would go off on tangents in her mind. Sometimes it seemed pointless.

[/SPOILER ALERT]

ANYWHO. Needless to say, I love it. I stayed up past midnight reading it and I didn't even get out of my bed in the morning until I finished it. I'm am so hungry for the second book that I might throw a fit if I don't reach a bookstore in time. (No pun intended.) Five ( or more) stars worthy and definitely recommendable.

Giveaway: Love Story

This giveaway is over.
I have a great giveaway for you guys today - you guys have a chance to win a copy of Jennifer Echols' Love Story, which I start reading this week. Doesn't it look fantastic!?

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

Am I the only one who finds this story fantastic? I do love writing...


All you have to do to enter to win a copy is fill out the form below. There will be two winners in the U.S. or Canada, yadayada, you know the drill. This giveaway ends on August 1.

Quick Recap:
[2] copies of Love Story by Jennifer Echols up for grabs
[2] winners in the U.S./Canada
ends August 1

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below

Guest Post: Jane Kirkpatrick

Swinging by today is Jane Kirkpatrick, author of The Daughter's Walk!

In 1896 Norwegian American Helga Estby accepted a wager from the fashion industry to walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City within seven months in an effort to earn $10,000. Bringing along her nineteen year-old daughter Clara, the two made their way on the 3500-mile trek by following the railroad tracks and motivated by the money they needed to save the family farm. After returning home to the Estby farm more than a year later, Clara chose to walk on alone by leaving the family and changing her name. Her decisions initiated a more than 20-year separation from the only life she had known.

The Story Behind The Story Of The Daughter's Walk
Eighteen year old Clara didn't want to go but who would? It was 1896 and Clara had qualified for college, somewhat unusual for a working class girl from a Norwegian family. But there wasn't any money for school and there was this problem with the family farm going into foreclosure. Clara's mother though, had a plan: she'd arranged a contract with the fashion industry in New York City that if Clara and her mother could walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City in seven months, earning their way across the country following the railroad tracks, they'd earn $10,000. That was a lot of money in 1896 and worth about $200,000 in today's dollars.

So Clara succumbed to spending the next seven months with her mother, walking. They began with five dollars each in their carpet bags along with maps, a compass, a lantern, two pistols and Clara carried a curling iron as well. ( I like that detail! She must have had hair like mine, without any body and she wanted to look good even on a 3500 mile trek.) They trudged through rain, sweltering heat, dealt with would-be robbers and slept out under the stars if they had to. When they reached Salt Lake City, they gave up their Victorian dresses that swept the ground and covered their ankles and they tossed aside their corsets something very risqué indeed.

In 1896 modesty required women to cover their ankles and wear corsets daily so their stepping into reform clothes was a politically courageous thing to do. They earned money by washing dishes in fine hotels or doing laundry for prominent suffragettes in big cities like Denver or Lincoln. Eventually they figured out that if they had photographs made of themselves they could sell for a nickel, they could earn more and not have to lose so much time working in hotels. Making up time became important when they suffered from food poisonings, got caught in flash floods or when Clara sprained her ankle.

I won't tell you how it all turned out in New York City, but I will say that when they returned home, Clara changed her last name and separated herself from her family for more than twenty years so something happened on that journey. Those last two historical facts were part of the reason I wanted to research and write this story of such amazing women who accomplished such an incredible walk and then had a schism that took years to bridge.

Sometimes at my books signings, people ask me why the fashion industry would have suggested such a wager. I remind them that fashion -- the things we wear and how we adorn ourselves -- has always been about power and relationship. My parents didn't like the short skirts I wore in school; getting tattoos are controversial in some families; and when the feminist movement began in the 1960s, it was a piece of foundation - the bra - that many burned to protest the constriction of laws binding women's chances to be all that they could be.

In 1896, women often got sick from the germs they picked up on those long skirts worn to hide their ankles. The corsets were so tight women's organs were actually damaged and more than one story is told in newspapers of women fainting from the inability to get their breath because of their tight foundations. Fashion kept women confined and suggested they were weak, in need of protection. Some wags went so far as to suggest women's brains couldn't handle education and that a woman who went to college risked "brain sickness" from trying to take in too much new information.

The fashion industry wanted to promote the reform dress that was a little shorter, but not much. They suggested belts instead of corsets so women could move more freely. Bicycles had just become available and the fashion industry saw looser garments as a way to encourage women to do more in the great outdoors beside gardening or farming. They could participate in leisure activities, something new in the late 1800s. And fashion changes would perhaps lead to more freedom for women and eventually for her to get the right to vote.

In an interview in June of 1897, Clara was asked by a reporter in Minneapolis what she thought of the trip walking to New York City. Her answer: "It was as good as a college education."

I guess she found a way to make a trip she hadn't wanted to take a worthy experience. Clara didn't get to go on to that new college in eastern Washington but later in life, she did attend a business school. She became somewhat of an entrepreneur, too. And she didn't forget her ties to the fashion world, either. Researching this story made me think about the clothes I wear and opportunities I have because women like Clara and Helga Estby opened doors on their unusual cross-country trek.

PS. A descendant of Helga and Clara, Carole Estby Dagg, has written a book for Young Adults called The Year We Were Famous. It's a great read and suggests how creativity with the same facts can take authors on very different paths. If you discover The Daughter's Walk I hope you'll also look for The Year We Were Famous.

Falling for Hamlet

Falling for Hamlet
Author: Michelle Ray
Series: ---
Publisher: Poppy
How Received: review copy

Meet Ophelia: a blonde, beautiful high-school senior and long-time girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Her life is dominated not only by her boyfriend's fame and his overbearing family, but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go. As the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals into madness after the mysterious death of his father, the King, Ophelia rides out his crazy roller coaster life, and lives to tell about it. In live television interviews, of course.

It's no secret that I adore Shakespeare. (I'm doing the Shakespeare Reading Challenge for fun.) Hamlet happens to be my favorite Shakespeare play, so when I saw that there was a modern adaption of it, I jumped on it - and when I saw that it starred Ophelia, I was more than intrigued.

Thankfully, I don't have to disown anybody for not doing the Bard justice. Michelle Ray weaves a fantastic tale, staying true to the original story while fleshing out the characters and bringing the plot into a much more relatable story.

One of my favorite bits about this book is how strong a character Ophelia is. Does she go back to Hamlet time and time again? Yes. I mean, he is the prince of Denmark, and she is an impressionable teenage girl, and she is in love with him. But she always tries to do what she thinks is right, even if it means pissing off the Queen and (newly crowned) King.

I loved the development of Horatio as Hamlet and Ophelia's best friend; I think it made a lot of sense, especially with the modern story. Hamlet was as whiny as ever, but watching his progression through the contemporary story and knowing how the classic story was a lot of fun.

I think what I'm impressed most with is how smoothly it managed to translate over to a contemporary story - lots of factors could have hindered it, but Michelle handled it really smoothly while moving it over and I couldn't find a problem with how it was written. I loved how she incorporated the police and talk shows and everything that accompanies modern life - and the scene at the end and how it played out made me laugh and gasp simultaneously.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. Loved it as a Shakespeare fan and a fantastic story for people who even only kind of like Shakespeare - and maybe people who don't like it at all.
Cover Comments: I LOVE covers that tie directly into the book, and this one does! Mad props!

Feature Friday: Bookcases (41)

Who said storage had to be boring?





I found this on Tumblr. Um, awesome much!?

Friday Fronts: Wanderlove

This cover has been getting a LOT of love lately.

I don't understand why. It is, at best, an average cover.

I mean, the top half of the cover is absolutley fantastic. I'm usually not a fan of quotes on the covers, but in this case, it works, and the title!? Absolutely FANTASTIC. I want to read the book based on that alone.

But then you look down at the girl and at first glance, it looks really cool. And then you stare at her for a few seconds and her facial expression doesn't look quite right and the hand seems too large and at such a weird angle...

Dragon's Tooth

Dragon's Tooth
Author: N.D. Wilson
Series: Ashtown Burials (#1)
Publisher: Random House Childrens Books
How Received: BookExpo America 2011

Comes out August 23.

For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room.

Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.

Fast paced and exciting, Dragon's Tooth offers a whirlwind of adventure for any age. And I'm not saying that just because the title involves dragons - there are, in fact, no dragons in the story.

Sad face.

However, Dragon's Tooth does deliver one helluva fantastic story. Though the ages of the protagonists designate the book as middle grade, there's no reason at all for us YA lovers not to take a peek. The world that Wilson's created is fantastic - I love the way everything works and I can't wait to learn more. From the lighting bug right at the beginning to the challenges that the kids had to deal with as they arrived at the "lost civilization" - I don't want to give away more than the summary describes! - was just fantastic. I think I've abused the word fantastic. I'm going to stop using it now.

I liked the characters a lot - though some of the things they said and did occasionally got on my nerves, it just made them seem all the more real to me. (If they behaved perfectly, they wouldn't be realistic, now would they?) My favorite character is the (minor spoiler) boy they meet when they end up in the crypt. I kind of wanted to be him, and then I found out his backstory and just ADORED him. I do hope we get to see more of him in the next book.

The only thing I really didn't like was the end part - I kept expecting Cyrus to use a certain... living... thing... that had been given to him and I wasn't really pleased with how the villain had his powers. I need to see more of that in the next book before I'll really like that, I think.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 9/10. I'm trying not to spoil anything for you, so all I'll say is that it's well written, the world is fantastic (damn it! There I go, using it again) and the characters are likable and interesting.

Waiting on Wednesday: Born Wicked

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers. When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself?

Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles (#1)
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Son's Books
Release Date: February 7 2012


High society + witches? I'm in! I love stories of witches trying to find out how to handle their powers. Add in a Austen-ian society, and you couldn't keep me away. Plus the cover's awesome and - again - it appears as if there is no love triangle! Yahoo!

Giveaway: Shamra Chronicles & Writing Journal

This giveaway is over.

Cover of the most recently
released book in the trilogy.

I have a real treat of a giveaway for you guys today! I have the entire Shamra Chronicles series up for grabs along with a spiffy writing journal!

When the peaceful and isolated land of the Shamra is invaded and its people enslaved, a young Shamra girl named Dara must lead a ragtag resistance to defeat the enemy. But even as she fights the invaders, Dara grapples with self-doubt and is criticized by her own people for being outspoken and different.

Venturing into uncharted territory to seek allies, Dara encounters unusual creatures and dangerous lands. But is her rebellious spirit enough to help her overcome the patriarchal and oppressive rules of her own people and convince them that she is the only hope the Shamra have to regain their freedom?

All you have to do to win a copy is fill out the form below by July 26. There will be one winner in the U.S. or Canada only!

Quick Recap:
[1] set of the Shamra Chronicles up for grabs
[1] writing journal up for grabs
[1] winner in the U.S. or Canada only
ends July 26

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below

Book Trailers (3)

Ohai book trailers.

This first one is for Withering Tights by Louise Rennison, author of Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging. I like this trailer, though I usually hate ones that don't have any narration and only use text - probably because it made me giggle.



I don't plan on reading the next two books, but I did enjoy the trailers.

Melina from Reading Vacation just finished Lost Voices by Sarah Porter, which is how I found the trailer. I 'm not impressed by the plot of the story or anything, but I do love how it was filmed.



The Domino Effect trailer uses a combination of video and pictures, which normally I hate, but they somehow make it work...



Have you seen any good book trailers recently?

Sapphique

Sapphique
Author: Catherine Fisher
Series: Incarceron (#2)
Publisher: Dial
How Received: BEA '10

Read my review of Incarceron.

Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique.

I just reread my review of the first one and, for the first book, I still agree with everything I said - but I have to say, for the first time in a while, a sequel has outshined it's original counterpart.

Where I hated the characters in Incarceron (well, not really; I just didn't really like them all that much), I grew to really like them here. Finn was uber depressing but understandably so and Claudia was kind of awesome and everybody was just much more interesting to me.

The plot seemed MUCH better here for some reason, even though it's the same plot carried over from Incarceron. I think part of that is because I absolutely adore anything having to do with a royal court, so when they have Finn fighting for his throne, I was completely content.

I loved the development of the world as well and how it works and everything that happens to it; I thought it was absolutely fantastic. This is one of those worlds that is going to stick with me long after I forget the plot and the characters - I'll remember the details of this world. It's that good.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 8/10. I liked it much better than the first book, and the series is definitely worth a read.

My Ridiculous Romantic Book Obsessions

Sometime last week I reviewed Becca Wilhite's My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions, a story about a girl who just can't help but look for her ideal Mr. Darcy - because, let's face it, what girl doesn't have a ridiculous romantic obsession?

It got me thinking about who my ridiculous romantic book obsessions were - who, for me, were the ideal boys in the books I've read. I managed to narrow it down to one... or two... or several.

Matthew MacFayden as Darcy
in the 2005 movie adaption

Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

"I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."

He's just... there's a REASON that he's the ideal for so many women and the reason Pride and Prejudice is considered the most romantic book of all time.

Richard Armitage as Thornton
in BBC's 2004 adaption

Mr. Thornton from North and South

He could not forget the touch of her arms around his neck, impatiently felt as it had been at the time; but now the recollection of her clinging defence of him, seemed to thrill him through and through,—to melt away every resolution, all power of self-control, as if it were wax before a fire.

I'm only actually partway into the novel version of North and South, but I think that, thanks to the mini-series, I shall always love John Thornton.

Michael Fassbender as Rochester
in the 2011 adaption

Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre

"Because, I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you- especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land some broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, - you'd forget me."

Rochester! How can I count the ways I love thee! He was my first introduction to classic literature (and the men in them) and though he broods and keeps his wife locked in an attic there's something fantastic about him.


James Fletcher from Bloody Jack

"Perhaps I am a bit of a stuffed shirt."

"I love you, anyway. Now come here, Captain, and give your ladyship a kiss before she does something really crude."

He really is the most magnificent boy.

I think the only reason I so adore James Fletcher is the fact that Jacky so adores James - and come on. He was the captain of a ship, does look fetching in a uniform, and is undoubtedly loyal to one Miss Jacky Faber.

Richard Armitage as Thornton in BBC's
2004 adaption of North and South -
and my ideal Maccon!

Lord Connall Maccon from Soulless

"I may be a werewolf and Scottish, but despite what you may have read about both, we are not cads!"

I can't explain this one without going to reread the books and fangirl squealing again. Just read them yourselves.




What are your ridiculous romantic book obsessions?

The Hunchback Assignments

The Hunchback Assignments
Author: Arthur Slade
Series: The Hunchback Assignments (#1)
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
How Received: gift

The mysterious Mr. Socrates rescues Modo, a child in a traveling freak show. Modo is a hunchback with an amazing ability to transform his appearance, and Mr. Socrates raises him in isolation as an agent for the Permanent Association, a spy agency behind Brittania’s efforts to rule the empire. At 14, Modo is left on the streets of London to fend for himself. When he encounters Octavia Milkweed, another Association agent, the two uncover a plot by the Clockword Guild behind the murders of important men. Furthermore, a mad scientist is turning orphan children into automatons to further the goals of the Guild. Modo and Octavia journey deep into the tunnels under London and discover a terrifying plot against the British government. It’s up to them to save their country.

I love Victorian London. Set a book there, be it in the courts or in the slums, and there's a good chance I'll want to pick it up. (I blame the Parasol Protectorate series for this.) So when I saw this, combined with a new version of Quasimodo, I thought, hey, why not?

I liked the plot and the mechanics used in this story a lot; that, at least, was fun to read and see what would happen. I wasn't really sure what they were building and what would happen next and it was fun to find out when it was time for that. I wouldn't say I was kept on the edge of my seat, but I can blame the characters for that.

Did I find them interesting? Sure. Mr. Socrates and Modo were quite interesting. (And the girl who comes in later, I adored.) But as the story is told through Modo, I couldn't help but find him rather... boring. I mean, sure, he's a horribly disfigured teenage boy with amazing superstrength and the ability to shapeshift his face, but his personality was nothing special to me. I've been done wit the story for a few days upon writing this review and that's all I can tell you about his character. I could prattle on about the girl, but she's not the main character.

And that was what kept me from really liking this book, I think - Modo's lack of personality. Yes, he's supposed to camouflage and be generally dull, but we're in his head! Gimme some spark or something!

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 7/10. Good plot, semi-interesting characters, but nothing sticks out.

Feature Friday: Bookcases (40)

Who said storage had to be boring?





This is the caption that goes with it:

i found a unique little book store in downtown claremore a few months ago, and in one room they had a claw foot tub filled with books on sale! i thought it was pretty cute/different

For a place for books on sale, it's adorable! For actual storage? I feel like it'd be annoying.

Friday Fronts: The Princess Curse

As time goes on, I'm less and less interested in covers with real people on them - they have to be ridiculously eye catching to catch my attention. There are just so many of them today.

I love things like this - the image is gorgeous and manages to capture my attention. The light coming from behind the girl is fantastic. The fact that she's in the shadows and the light is coming from behind her really intrigues me for some reason.

And the font rocks. It suits the cover really well.