Interview: Miranda Kenneally

Miranda Kenneally, debut author of the upcoming Catching Jordan is swinging by today for an interview!

And by "upcoming" I mean "this comes out tomorrow."

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though—she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there’s a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team…and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Now, this is a tour post - and as part of the tour, Miranda only gets to answer the questions with lines from the book. Why, yes, I DID have fun with this.

Nicole: Welcome to WORD, Miranda! Since the tour rules dictate that you can only answer these questions using lines from the book, this shall be fun. Let's start with an easy one: how are you feeling right now.
Miranda Kenneally: I feel like I could simultaneously fly and barf.

N: ... ew. What is your favorite line from the book? (Haha!)
MK: Our first kiss explodes like mixing soda and pop rocks.


N: I like that. Can you describe the book for us?
MK: Who ever knew throwing a perfect spiral would be simple compared to dealing with guys?

N: I assume you've read Harry Potter. A hippogriff is attacking you. What do you do?
MK: I’m still running at full speed, so I crash into him, catapulting him into a ditch.

N: You're told your book is banned in libraries. How do you react?
MK: “Damn it!” I say, standing and marching out of the locker room.

N: This is way too much fun. Batman appears at your door. What do you say to him?
MK: I’m thinking of getting a Chinese character tattooed, like right above my butt.

N: I am dying to read this book now. Okay, hmm... let's wrap this up. Which one of your characters is your favorite? (Hmm. You may have to be creative with this one.)
MK: With his tan skin and emerald eyes, Henry is an extremely cute guy, and it occurs to me how many girls at school would love to find themselves in a potting shed with him.



Are you as excited to read this as I am? You can read an excerpt here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Bitterblue

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Bitterblue
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: The Seven Kingdoms (#3)
Release Date: 1 May 2012

Bitterblue is a companion book to both Gracelingand Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms eight years after Graceling. This third book will tie all three books together in some way. Bitterblue is the sixteen-year-old protagonist, and Katsa, Po, Giddon, Helda, and other characters from Graceling will be part of the fabric of the book.

I loved loved loved Graceling. I haven't had a chance to read Fire yet, but I've been dying to find out what happens to Bitterblue!

Also, gorgeous cover.

Anybody else dying to read this?

Death Sentence

Death Sentence
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Series: Escape from Furnace (#3)
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
How Received: review copy

Click here to read Nicole's thoughts on Lockdown.

Alex's second attempt to break out of Furnace Penetentiary has failed. This time his punishment will be much worse than before. Because in the hidden, bloodstained laboratories beneath the prison, he will be made into a monster. As the warden pumps something evil into his veins--a sinisterly dark nectar--Alex becomes what he most fears... a superhuman minion of Furnace. How can he escape when the darkness is inside him? How can he lead the way to freedom if he is lost to himself?

I am curious to see what happens in this series.

I just... I think it's being milked for all it's worth.

I love the concept of this series; it's entertaining, it makes your heart race. And the characters are fun to read about: you can't relate to their situation, or what they've done, but that's what makes it fun. You're getting into the head of somebody who you don't understand and caring about them and it's kind of awesome.

And the book was good. It wasn't too long; it had everything in it; it did exactly what it should in terms of writing and plotting and everything. I just felt like it could have been merged with the previous book. I'm assuming this will be a 4 or 5 book series, and I feel like they could have... I don't know... made each book thicker?

I don't know. Something is putting me off about the length. I can't put my finger on it.

The series is definitley worth reading, though; it's one of the most original concepts I've read in a while, and I do love the plot and the characters.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 6/10. Still good, not as strong as the first one in the series, and something about the length makes me cringe. But the plot is fantastic.
Cover Comments: SO MUCH LOVE FOR THESE COVERS. They fit the books PERFECTLY.

Why Fantasy?

Delving into foreign terrenes within mystical worlds is so much fun for me. It's no doubt my Austrian, imagrant mother's folklore and fairytale telling was what triggered my first love for fantasy. She sure had a way of comunicating those Grimms-like tales to me that would take my imagination traveling right along with the characters she brought to life. Later, in my preteens, the tables turned, and I read fantasy novels to her, our favorites being, The Chronicles of Narnia. I can remember that special time when I was around twelve years old; my mother would cook dinner while I sat at the kitchen table and read to her.

Now that I'm an adult I love to write as well as read fantasy. Why, you may ask? There are no set rules in the genre, imagination is limitless. I can create my own world or enter someone else world where anything can happen. For me, writing fantasy is a way of escaping the everyday grind in life. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm not complaining about my life. I actually love my life and know that I've been very blessed with a wonderful family to boot. But God also gave me the ability to create and that to me is very exciting. Escaping into my story gives me such a sense of freedom. I see myself tagging along, like a reporter, with my characters; they of course can't see me, I can only see them.

My love for reading fantasy has inspired me to write my novel, The Magic Warble, a story geared toward middle grade readers, though I have been told by many adults, that they, too, have enjoyed it, just as much as they would have if they were still a child.

Along with the adventure, intrigue and suspense, I have weaved a message of hope, perseverance, friendship and loyalty into my story. My personal hope is that you will want to join my main character, Kristina along her journey as she travels with a fellowship of characters such as gnomes, dwarfs, fairies, talking animals, and a prince, to fulfill a crucial task that will change the destiny of a magical land.

---

Victoria Simcox was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now lives in Western Washington with her husband, Russ and their three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Her other family members are a Chihuahua, named Pipsy, and two cats, named Frodo and Fritz. Besides being an author, Victoria is a home-schooling mother of twelve years and an elementary school art teacher of eleven years. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys managing her two older children's Celtic band. She also loves reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and just simply hanging out with her family and friends.

The second book in Victoria's series, The Black Shard is out now!

In The Black Shard, Kristina goes back to Bernovem and partakes in another great adventure with her Bernovian friends, and best of all she is invited to travel with Werrien to his homeland, Tezerel.

Bloomsbury E-book Sale

Kate Lied from Bloomsbury wanted me to tell you all about a fantastic e-book sale Bloomsbury is having for the holidays! ALL of their titles are discounted up until January 6. Just click the image to get a full list and information on how to get the titles!

Liz's Corner: Bloody Jack

Bloody Jack
Author: L.A. Meyer
Series: Bloody Jack (#1)
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
How Received: bought

See Nicole's review here.

Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life--if only she doesn't get caught. . . .

I was pressured for a long time by a very good friends of mine to read the Bloody Jack series. I remember picking them up and putting them back. I remember turning my nose up at them, because every pirate story I tried always fell flat.

This was the rare exception.

Bloody Jack is a book that will satisfy your inner adventurer...or pirate. Not only is the plot amazing, but the technical aspects of the book are spot on. I love it when an author actually does their research on what they're writing about. L.A. Meyer made sure he knew the types of jobs for men on a ship, and what each job entailed, and all the terms used by sailors. (No, I'm not talking about the cheesy phrases used in old pirate movies.)

Character wise, Bloody Jack (Mary) was amazing! There really are no words to describe her, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book with her as the main character. The other characters were diverse and interesting though not nearly as awesome as Bloody Jack.

There is a little romance of sorts in the book, and that too was awesome. It wasn't overdone and it fit the characters nicely.

Would I recommend this book? Most definitely. It's a great adventure book and it's sure to entertain readers of all ages.

Feature Friday: Bookcases (57)

Who said storage had to be boring?



It's like a hamster wheel. With books.

Friday Fronts: Hemlock

I think one of the reasons I'm such a fan of artwork on covers lately is I'm so tired of seeing Photoshopped covers. Are most of the population going to catch onto the lack of photoshoot or original work for the cover? Probably not.

But it's little things on this cover - the awkward lighting, the too-perfect cut out of her hair - that make me dislike this. I love the flower vines and the play with the words (I've been in love with covers that do that since The Iron King, but I would have loved to see a cover where they actually took a photo rather than piecing it together.

So as pretty as it is, I don't really like it.

That, and it follows the whole PRETTY SAD GIRL IN DARK COLORS paranormal cover trend. Yuck.

The A-Zs of Nicole (aka A Little Bit of Me)

Donna over at Bites did this and I thought, why the hell not? After all, some of you people who have just started following and haven't been with me since the beginning don't know me that well.

I even included a photo of me - though as I plan on cutting most of my hair off sometime this weekend, so that's bound to change.

Age: 19 as of November 26.

Bed Size: Twin long. Stupid college.

Chore that you hate: Um... I actually can't think of one. I don't really hate any of them.

Dogs: I wish.

Essential start to your day: Breakfast!

Favorite colors: "Ooo! Pink goes good with green!" Actually, I don't have one. Probably green and yellow right now.

Gold or silver: Silver!

Height: 5'6? 5'7? I don't remember.

Instruments you play: I can smash keys on a computer, does that count?

Job title: Student of Awesome

Kids: My roommate consumes babies on Wednesdays.

Live: In a hippie town two hours away from NYC.

Overnight hospital stays: I hate hospitals.

Pet peeves: Morons, liars, conspiracy theorists, confusing "lose" with "loose", forgetting a parenthesis, grammar fails.

Quote from a movie: "Bring me that horizon."

Right or left-handed: Right.

Siblings: Two younger ones. One is a monkey boy who plays over 20 different instruments, and the other is a feminist Tumblr addict who I flail over frequently.

Time you wake up: No later than 10 am.

Underwear: Always, except when I shower.

Vegetable you hate: Spinach. Blech.

What makes you run late: The Internet.

X-Rays you've had: Teeth!

Yummy food that you make: MAKE ALL THE DESSERTS!

Zoo animal: Unicorns.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Waiting on Wednesday: Survive

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Survive
Author: Alex Morel
Series: ---
Release Date: August 2, 2012

Jane runs away from Life House, a facility for kids with mental health disorders and addictions. She boards a plane to Montclair, New Jersey, though her destination does not matter—she doesn’t plan to be alive when the plane lands. Jane has planned the perfect suicide: she’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. As she’s reaching for her pills in the cabin’s bathroom, the plane hits turbulence. Another jolt, and the engine’s down. The plane crashes into the mountains of Montana, and Jane and a boy named Paul are the only two survivors.

What starts out as a death mission quickly becomes a fight for life.

Doesn't this sound fabulous!? It's like Hatchet meets Cracked. I'm super excited to see what happens - I'm a sucker for survival stories!

What about you guys?

Why I'll Be Reading A Dragon Book Tonight: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey

Anne McCaffrey isn't a young adult author. I've mentioned her a few times on the blog when I talk about my favorite books, but besides that, I've usually tiptoed around my love for her.

I can't do that tonight.

Earlier today, Anne McCaffrey passed away. She wasn't a young spring chicken - she was 85 - and she had had heart problems, so it's not exactly a shock. It hasn't stopped me from crying hysterically for the past two hours.

Anne is the author of dozens of science fiction novels. This includes the DragonRiders of Pern series, the Petaybee series, and the Tower and the Hive series, just to name a few.

I grew up on these books.

I didn't just grew up with these books; they shaped my life. I found The White Dragon when I was 9 and didn't really understand what I was reading at the time. I found a box of them in my garage a few years later and fell in love with them.

I don't know if I read them because of my natural love of dragons or because they were my dad's favorite novels. My dad passed away when I was 7 and I never really had a connection with him through anything until I read these books. I understood him, then, in a way I never had before. What he loved, how he saw the world through the things he read. I held the same copies he did, loved the same world he did.

Loved the same world created by Anne McCaffrey.

Anne knew that my father loved her books; my mom had contacted her a year or so before he died requesting her autograph as a birthday present to him. She wrote back and asked how many books he owned. At that time, he owned every one she had ever written - over 40.

She sent back autographed bookplates for every one.

So maybe I'm sobbing because one of the connections I had to my father has passed on and joined him in whatever there might be after death. Maybe I'm sobbing because her and my father are now having a conversation about dragons and how awesome they are and how they're so glad that I grew up loving them.

Or maybe I'm sobbing because a genuinely nice person died; a woman who made an effort to connect to her fans.

Maybe I'm sobbing because the first women to ever win a Hugo award and the first woman to ever win a Nebula award and a fantastic sci-fi author died. A brilliant author of a dozen different series that were each equally fantastic and amazing and wonderful has passed on, and we shall never see another work come from her.

Maybe I'm crying because the mind that invented the worlds I've wanted to live on since I was a child has disappeared, and I'll never find a sci-fi author who connects to my mind the same way again.


Rest in peace, Anne McCaffrey. Tell my dad I said hi, and know that you will be missed.

"Oh, Tongue, give sound to joy and sing/ Of hope and promise on dragonwing."

Little Women and Me

Little Women and Me
Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Series: ---
Publisher: Bloomsbury
How Received: ARC

Emily is sick and tired of being a middle sister. So when she gets an assignment to describe what she'd change about a classic novel, Emily pounces on Little Women. After all, if she can't change things in her own family, maybe she can bring a little justice to the March sisters. (Kill off Beth? Have cute Laurie wind up with Amy instead of Jo? What was Louisa May Alcott thinking?!) But when Emily gets mysteriously transported into the world of the book, she discovers that righting fictional wrongs won't be easy. And after being immersed in a time and place so different from her own, it may be Emily-not the four March sisters-who undergoes the most surprising change of all.

I love Lauren Baratz-Logsted. I love her writing style, and I love her plots, and the same goes for this book: I loved Little Women and Me's writing. I loved the plot. (Hell, I was NOT expecting the plot twist at the end.)

However, I will warn you now: If you cannot stand boy obsessed characters, this is NOT the book for you.

Don't get me wrong; on every other level, I liked Emily a lot. I liked that she has to discover herself and learn things and I like her sass and I like that she loves to write.

But the thing that made me struggle so much through this book was her constant obsession with boys. I have a few friends who are like this and they make me want to strangle them when they find a new object for their affections; in a book character, I can't stand the trait at all.

It's not like Emily doesn't redeem herself. [SPOILERS] In the last few chapters, she does stand up for herself and grow up and realize that she doesn't need a guy. (Though, I have to admit, the change is rather sudden.) But until that happens, she's absolutely insufferable. EVERYTHING is about changing the story so she can get Laurie, even as she is telling herself that Jo and Laurie should be together. [/SPOILERS] When that's all a character can think about, I just - gah.

But besides that - and this a HUGE besides that, as I kept having to put this down for long periods of time to go strangle pillows - I did enjoy it. The plot was interesting and the other characters were portrayed wonderfully.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 6/10. I liked the plot and the writing and it was all very interesting. But I was going to strangle Emily if she didn't get over her obsessive tendencies.

An Analysis of the Hunger Games Trailer

Everybody's had a week to watch it and oogle it and pick it apart bit by bit. We've flailed and watched it dozens of times.

Here are my comments. Let's see if you agree.



It had just the right amount of all of the characters.
This story isn't about Peeta or Gale or Prim or Haymitch or Effie or Rue or President Snow or Cinna. It's about Katniss. And we got a good taste of what all of those characters are like - but we saw our main character, we saw our Mockingjay. That's what the trailer should have been about.

I like the linear trailer.
Normally, I like kind of flashes of everything going on in the story. But in this case, they gave us a summary of probably what is the first half hour of the movie - which, let's face it, anybody who hasn't read the books needs in order to figure out what the hell is going on.

I'm digging Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.
This section comes to you in several parts.

One, her appearance. Let's take a look at her when she's leaping to volunteer to save Prim.



Gif set courtesy of melchiors.

Jennifer oozes frantic desperation for her sister. I love it. But that's not what I'm noticing.

Look at her collarbone, neck and shoulders in the second gif. She's skinny. They made her as skinny as she's supposed to be - doesn't matter if it's with clothes and makeup and Jennifer being generally awesome. The worry that Katniss was going to be this gorgeous curvy girl? It didn't happen, guys. She's this average looking (okay, pretty) twig thing. I LOVE IT.

And she's able to show emotion so subtly, just like Katniss. It's perfect.



Gifs courtesy of foxyfoxy.


Effie Trinket looks awesome.
Well, yeah. Effie looks almost as she's supposed to (I always pictured her with pink hair, but that would be hard, visually, with all the other pink she has on her). She's now also my worst nightmare. For some reason she scares the living crap out of me, which I suppose is a good thing in a weird kind of way.



Gif courtesy of heyiamwhatiam.

I don't care what you say, I like Lenny Kravitz as Cinna.
In that one scene I have a nagging suspicion that he's about to blow everybody out of the water with some amazing ability to be Cinna. I don't know why. But I sense it.

I like that they don't focus on Rue.
I like that you only get a little tidbit of Rue. Barely a moment. It's going to make it so much more epic when people who haven't read the books see that develop on screen; I hope they keep that consistant with future trailers.



Gif courtesy of blaineandersons.



What do you guys think? Any other comments on the trailer?

The Shattering

The Shattering
Author: Karen Healey
Series: ---
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
How Received: publisher ARC

Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

This is one of those things I got randomly and went, "Hey, this looks kind of interesting. I'll pack it and bring it with me to college." And then I started reading it and got sucked into a whirlwind of sheer awesome.

The entire novel is just absolutely fantastic. I've been sitting here for an hour trying to find the words for it, and I'm actually left speechless. Not because it's so fantastic that I expect it to become a classic or that it's the best thing since sliced bread - it's simply so good, and so unexpectedly good, that I'm not sure what to say.

I absolutely love how normal the characters are. I mean, yes, they're original and weird and awesome. But they're also decidedly normal. They aren't going around lusting after some dark mysterious boy or contemplating how they're going to save the world. They have a goal, and when they're not working on that goal they're normal people with normal dreams.

I love the slight paranormal twist on the story - not enough that I would call it a full out paranormal, but it reminds me of some of the old mystery novels I used to read, where magic was involved but the mystery was still solved. I loved it.

Everything about this book was just great. Partly because I didn't expect it to be. Partly because it's just a good book.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. Raw characters, realistic writing and fantastic plot. Definitely gonna be rereading this one in the future.
Cover Comments: It fits the book so well, from the model to the symbolism. Love it.

Feature Friday: Bookcases (56)

Who said storage had to be boring?



IT'S A TARDIS. AND IT'S A BOOKSHELF. Well, it's holding VHS tapes and DVDs, but still.

Anybody who reads and watches Doctor Who knows that the bookcase is bigger on the inside. It has an INFINITE amount of books.

Friday Fronts: Wide Open

Commence flailing in three... two... one...

FJDLKFJDSKFJDSLKFJDKFJDSLKFJDKFJDLKSJFMDKMFK.

So much love for this cover. I want it as a poster. The colors are goooorgeous, and the fonts are fantastic, and I love the artwork, and though I'm generally not a fan of quotes this one somehow even makes the cover look better. Don't ask me how that's possible. It just is.

Thoughts On: "Clean" YA

The other day, I received a review request. It was for an adult crossover. Here's the direct quote that sent me raging to my roommate for a good ten minutes.

It it is "clean" and suitable for teens.

First of all, let's define clean.

Does clean mean no curse words? If so, that's great. Sometimes curse words are an unnecessary way to get across anger or other intense emotions that could be better described. Sometimes, they suit a character. However, just because it has curse words in it doesn't mean it's not suitable for teens. Maybe not in a middle grade book, where some of the innocence of youth is still preserved, and definitley not in children's books (unless, of course, it's Go The Fuck To Sleep) but teens curse all the time.

Does clean mean no abuse of illegal substances? Is there no drinking, no drugs, no doing anything against the law? Awesome! But, you know, teens drink. Not all teens - I don't; most of my friends don't. But some do. So it's not necessary to completely eliminate that if it doesn't make sense to.

Does clean mean no hanky panky? Yes, I used the phrase hanky panky. And if there's no sex, that's cool. Heck, if there's nothing beyond kissing, that's great. A lot - and I mean a LOT - of teens don't actually have sex. Or do anything beyond kiss. And some go all the way and some get pregnant and some get dumped and some do weird things. Teens are strange folk.

I'm going to use Glee as an example of these. I used to be a Gleek; I don't watch the show anymore because Ryan Murphy and his clowns don't know how to plot or develop characters if their lives depended on it.

However, they do manage to showcase something: that teens aren't these pure clean little things. Do some of the characters follow the "clean" pattern? Sure. But there are characters who curse, characters who have sex, characters who drink. They're teenagers. It's what they do.

If a book is clean, it's great. But it doesn't necessarily mean that it's for teens for that reason, or that it has to be clean to be for teens.

Sometimes, it's more realistic for it not to be.

Waiting on Wednesday: Insignia

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Insignia
Author: S.J. Kincaid
Series: ---
Release Date: July 10, 2012

IT'S WORLD WAR III.
THE ENEMY IS WINNING.
WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT'S SECRET WEAPON IS YOU?

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

I was hooked at the tagline.

Frankly, this sounds FANTASTIC. Like, really bloody brilliant. And the cover is gorgeous.

What do you guys think?

Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read

Yes, I'm doing a Top Ten Tuesday! Mainly because I like this one... and also because this reflects how REALLY BAD I am at reading some of the things I get.

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm really sad I haven't gotten to this yet. I've had it for more than two years now - I got it in early 2009 - and I just keep procrastinating reading it. Which is sad, considering how much I love her writing. Perhaps I'll read it over Thanksgiving break. Or maybe not. It sounds so good, too! Killer fairies!? Love!



The Wings of Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey

I've had this book for years and I love Anne McCaffrey... I just haven't felt any inclination to read it. All of McCaffrey's other books I adore! To be fair, this series is my least favorite of hers, which may explain why I've put off reading this part of the series for so long, but come on. I can power through and finish it.

Though, at this point, I'd have to reread the first two books in the series to really understand this one, which may be another reason I keep putting it off...

The Thief's Mistress by Gayle Feyrer

During my Robin Hood phase, I went NUTS trying to find this book. It sounded cute and fluffy and just what I needed to add to my love of Maid Marian and Robin Hood. I spent so much time tracking it down. And then I found it. And I ordered it.

And by the time it got to my house two weeks later, I was so busy fangirling over BBC's Merlin that I put it on my shelf with every intention of reading it later... and never got around to it.

Grania by Morgan Llywelyn
I've had for two years and have brought with me to college multiple times to read in my spare time... and I haven't yet. One of my favorite musicals ever - The Pirate Queen - is based off this book, and Grace O'Malley is my favorite historical figure, and I love historical fiction. I think the size of the book keeps putting me off, though. In a world where I have little time to read, I keep divebombing for the smaller books.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
I'm a horrible horrible fangirl.

Originally I put this off because I didn't have it on me - I was at school when it arrived at my house - and then I put it off because I had other review books, and then I was busy, and then I just didn't want my time with the potential for Team Puck winning to end. (I mean, I know he won't. Meghan likes Ash. But Puck, though. ... maybe Puck can come hang with me?)

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

I really have no excuse for this one.

I'm dying to read it. It has one of my favorite covers ever. And yet I keep ignoring it when it's on my shelf. I'm horrible.





The Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe

I bought this, and when I realized it was the third in the series I ran out and devoured the first two. And they were so good. Dracons and romance and feisty women and everything I love in a story. And then I just kept pushing reading this one off. No good reason.

Looking for Alaska by John Green


Yeah yeah, shut up, I'll get to it.


I'll probably read The Fault In Our Stars before I read this one, though. Not because this doesn't sound good. Just because I'm really excited for The Fault In Our Stars.



Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

I was SO stoked to get this at BEA and I got it signed by Richelle and I planned on reading it on the ride home and then I didn't and then it's still unread. I've been super good at avoiding spoilers and not knowing how it ends and I do want to read it, I do! I just - I don't want it to end. And I like knowing that it's on my shelf, waiting to be read.


Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill
I technically AM reading this. I'm twenty or so pages in. I'm using a dollar bill as a bookmark. I bring it with me whenever I see a doctor. Once a year. Which probably explains why I started reading it and then never finished... but I want to! I will! I've had it for four years! It'll get finished!






What about you guys? What do you have on your shelf for a long time but that you haven't read?

ABC's Once Upon A Time

Has anybody else been watching Once Upon A Time?



I saw the previews for it and was more excited for it than I was for Grimm - which I saw the premier of and thought was quite good as well; I just haven't had a chance to catch up on it.

But I was stoked to watch Once Upon A Time. Fairy tale characters trapped in our world? Flashbacks to the fantasy realm? A really hot Prince Charming? Count me in!

It's clear that I'm a sucker for fairy tales and all their retellings. I love them. They make up a good chunk of my wishlist at the moment.

Once Upon A Time is meeting my expectations for it as a show. Though the preimier was a little too poorly acted for me - and I still have no idea what is up with this creepy all-knowing monk child! - I'm now four episodes in and (I'll admit it) I'm hooked. The characters are highly entertaining. I love this badass version of Snow White and I do hope we see more of Malificent! I'm really interested in seeing how the plot unfolds as well.

Anybody else watching it? And any fairy tale book recommendations?

ABC's Once Upon A Time or BBC's Merlin?: Well, to be fair, I'm four seasons into BBC's Merlin and my inner fangirl comes out whenever I watch it. (Also, Colin Morgan. Yum.) But I think people who like one will like the other (and Doctor Who).

Giveaway Update: Secrets of the Magic Ring

Karen McQuestion, being the awesome person she is, decided to throw her two YA books into the giveaway - and yes, they WILL be personalized!

Five years have passed since Angie Favorite’s mother, Laura, disappeared without a trace, and Angie still hasn’t recovered. Sure, things look normal on the surface—she goes to school, works her summer job, and argues with her older brother Jason—but she can’t shake the feeling that Laura didn’t leave by choice.

I adore the cover of Favorite a little too much.

Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox’s mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. But when they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae’s tentative happiness is jeopardized. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives’ homes. When a sleepover at Rae’s house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison—and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about—unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.

Click here to enter!

Giveaway: Secrets of the Magic Ring

This giveaway is over.

Guess what? I have a giveaway for you guys!

When nine-year-old Paul explores the hole dug for his backyard swimming pool, he discovers a box containing a ring—a ring that turns out to be magical. Moments later, a mysterious boy shows up demanding the ring; luckily, Paul’s trusty dog Clem scares him away. To keep the ring safe, Paul hides it in his pillow case, where, to his horror, it’s discovered by his mother, who loans it to his Aunt Vicky. Things get even stranger when Vicky, a non-swimmer, falls into the now-finished pool and discovers that her greatest secret wish has been granted—she can swim! As the ring gets passed around and wishes are made, a wild series of talents and circumstances threaten to turn their lives upside down…forever. But Jasmine, a fairy of the woods, has an idea, and if everyone cooperates, she just might be able to put an end to the shenanigans and return their lives to normal.

Yup! I have one copy of Secrets of the Magic Ring up for grabs - not exactly YA, but a cute sounding book nonetheless! Perhaps you should try to win it for a younger brother and sister, hmm? (Holiday time IS just around the corner!)

Karen McQuestion also added in her two YA books, Favorite and Life on Hold for the winner! And yes - the two YA ones WILL be personalized!

Five years have passed since Angie Favorite’s mother, Laura, disappeared without a trace, and Angie still hasn’t recovered. Sure, things look normal on the surface—she goes to school, works her summer job, and argues with her older brother Jason—but she can’t shake the feeling that Laura didn’t leave by choice.

I adore the cover of Favorite a little too much.

Fifteen-year-old Rae Maddox’s mom, Gina, is a big fan of fresh starts. Gina thinks of them as an adventure, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. But when they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with fellow newbie Allison Daly, Rae’s tentative happiness is jeopardized. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives’ homes. When a sleepover at Rae’s house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison—and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about—unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.

Quick Recap:
[1] copy of Secrets of the Magic Ring by Karen McQuestion up for grabs
[1] personalized copy of Favorite by Karen McQuestion up for grabs
[1] personalized copy of Life on Hold by Karen McQuestion up for grabs
[1] winner in the U.S. only
ends November 19

How To Win:
[mandatory] follow me here on Blogger or on Twitter
[mandatory] fill out the form below

Feature Friday: Bookcases (55)

Who said storage had to be boring?



I posted a photoshopped secret room with bookcases when I started, but this is the real deal. Um, I can have one, right? And it will lead to my SECRET LAIR - I mean, my bedroom. Totally my bedroom.

... you didn't see ANYTHING.