RCC [Challenge 5]: Love Will Find a Way

This is the fifth and final challenge for the  Review Copy Clean-up Challenge that I'm participating in for the month of March.This challenge is being hosted by Nyx Book Reviews and Books, Biscuits & Tea.

For this challenge, we get to list the books that we would  take with us if we were stranded on an island or something. So here is my list:

I would take all of these series. I would also probably take my Kobo because it is packed with so many great books that I need to get around to reading! 

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

'Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly even hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

   

The Raven Boys
By Maggie Stiefvater
Expected publication: September 18th, 2012

Goodreads Synopsis: Filled with mystery, romance, and the supernatural, The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard 'Dick' Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all - family money, good looks, devoted friends - but he's looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh King. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish - either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart.


Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there - known as Raven Boys- can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But she was wrong.

I really love Maggie Stiefvater's writing and I can't wait for this new series to start! I am sure it will be amazing =D

What are you 'Waiting On'?

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset
(Steampunk Chronicles #1)

Author: Kady Cross

Publication Date: May 24th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Steampunk / Paranormal

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Synopsis:

In 1897 England, 16-year-old Finley Jayne is convinced she's a freak. No normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch. Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special . . . that she's one of "them."

My Thoughts: I had a lot of fun reading this book. I haven't really read much steampunk, but I'm going to have to say it's something that I'm so far really enjoying. The story is told in a third person point of view and mostly tends to revolve around the actions of Finley Jayne, Griffin King and Samuel Morgan. Basically, there is a bad person out there who is preforming random crimes. Griffin is convinced they are related and are being preformed by someone refered to as The Machinist. Griffin's team (which consists of Finley, Sam, Emily and Jasper) sets out to discover The Machinist's plot and save the country. This story takes place in a Victorian London setting (of course!) and was a quick, fun read. It was full of mystery, romance and some great paranormal aspects.

I really enjoyed the characters in this novel. Finley would have to be my favorite and is a kick butt girl, with two personalities. Literally! She is fighting to keep control of her dark side constantly. But Griffin is trying to her learn to control that side better. Griffin has some pretty mysterious powers of his own, and is a duke to boot. He can basically get away with most things. One of my other favorite characters was Emily. She is absolutely brilliant! She has an understanding of machines and I might be a little biased in liking her because she is a red head and Irish! Sam is a bit of a grumpy character. He despises Finley and is repeatedly trying to get Griffin to give her the boot. He's a bit stubborn and is basically indestructible (for the most part). Jasper is an American cowboy, he's a pretty sharp shooter and is great guy, very honourable. One character I haven't mentioned yet is Jack Dandy. He is pretty much a crime lord in London, but can be pretty helpful in his own ways. Still a great character.

So with lots of characters there has to be some romance right? Of course! We actually are treated to TWO love triangles in this book. No, they aren't over bearing and in your face, screaming at you to acknowledge them. They are actually worked into the story very well.  The main one isn't even a love triangle at first. It's between Finley, Griffin and Jack. But it seems Finley's good side is attracted to Griffin and her darkside is attracted to Jack. So technically there are four people in the love triangle at first because Finley's two personalities are very different people. So who knows who she will pick after the personalities are joined as one. Thus Love Triangle #1 is created. The second love triangle is between Emily, Sam and Jasper. Sam has always been there for Emily, but he's a bit cranky. So insert the polite and flirty Jasper and who knows who Emily will choose. She has feelings for both guys, but it's definitely going to be a hard descision for her.

Overall this is a great read and I really, really liked it. I would recommend it to readers who like steampunk with a mix of paranormal and mystery. I would probably compare this to the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. So if you liked that, you will probably enjoy this as well. If' you've never read steampunk and are looking for a book to venture into the genre, this would be a great place to start!

 

Hunger Games Movie Review

So I finally got to go see the Hunger Games last night! My husband had been on night shift for the week so I had to wait in tortuous anticipation for his first night off. So, how did the movie compare? I'm always nervous when a movie comes out for a book that I really love. I hate to see a treasured story butchered. That was not the case for this one though :). I was very pleased with the movie! Of course, when you turn a book into a movie, a lot of details do get left out, but at a running time of 2.5 hours, they couldn't really squeeze any more in without  making it to long. Not that I wouldn't watch it if it was like 5 hours long, but of course, that's not a really great idea. So some stuff gets left out or skimmed over but even still, a lot of important events are captured very well. I will admit I was a little disappointed in the Rue scene, but that's most likely just because that was a major plot point for me when reading the story, it was still done well, I just expected it to be more heartbreaking. Reading it made me cry more than watching it =P. I think they did an excellent job for all of the casting! The most perfect castings, in my opinion, were Jennifer Lawrence for Katniss, Woody Harrelson for Haymitch, and Lenny Kravitz for Cinna. They were so spot on and just perfect! I think the acting over all was really well done! All of the characters were captured and portrayed really well! And it held pretty true to the story line from the book. Suzanne Collins herself had a lot to do with the making of the movie, so you know it should be good. I really like when the writer takes a huge part in their movie, or show productions. So to summarize, it's definitely worth going to see! I'll be watching it again for sure when it's released on DVD/BluRay, and most likely buying. And I usually don't buy movies. I think you will enjoy it whether you have read the book or not.  I know I already can't wait for movie #2!

The movie's success is pretty good proof of how good it is! It made it to #3 of all time for most money made on an opening weekend. It was succeeded by Deathly Hallows Pt2 and  The Dark Knight. Both of which were movies part of a pre-existing series, making The Hunger Games #1 for the first in a series! Woo! They pulled in 155$ Million! Which is more than double what Twilight's first movie made. It was also #1 for movies released out of the busy summer months. It was 40$ Million ahead of the last March record holder, Alice in Wonderland. If all of that is proof of it's awesomeness, than I don't know what is! You should probably go see it, if you haven't already :).

I have a funny little story about the night me and a few of my friends went to see it. We decided to all go to the bookstore and buy Mockingjay pins to wear to the movie. When we arrived we couldn't find any so we approached someone and asked if they had any more. He sadly informed us that they didn't. At this point I noticed he had to be a fan. He was wearing a pin, which I threatened (jokingly) to steal, and he has his beard shaved to look exactly like Seneca Crane's from the movie. I of course complimented him on his awesome beard and he was very thankful and said he worked very hard on it :). So anyway, he offered to call another bookstore and see if they had any they would hold for us. He asked us all our last names, and when he got to me and I said Gale, he looks at me and goes "ha..ha.. very funny.." I replied "No, seriously! That's my last name!" He totally didn't believe me and thought I was just  some crazy fan girl. Which I am a little, but not over the male roles, just the story haha. I had a good laugh over it and I thought I would share it with you. Hope I didn't bore you haha :) And yes, I did get my pin :D I love it!

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme by MizB at Should be Reading.

To participate you:

- Grab your current read.

-Open to a random page

-Share two 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page.

-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS

-Share the Title and Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR if they like your teaser :)

This week's teaser comes from:

Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell

'Camaban had gone to Cathallo to learn. He had been alone for years, scavenging a thin living beyond Ratharryn's embankment, and in those years he had listened to the voices in his head and he had thought about what they told him. Now he wanted to test that knowledge against the world's other wisdom, and no one was wiser than Sannas, sorceress of Cathallo, and so Camaban listened.'

I'm roughly halfway through the book at this point, and I am really enjoying it so far! It's taking me longer to read because the font is very small and there's lots of words on one page, but I don't mind when the story is good. I think if you are a fan of historical fiction that you will enjoy this one! :D 

Giveaway!! Slide by Jill Hathaway

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

---------------

So a few weeks ago I won some signed bookmarks from Jill Hathaway, I got them this past week, just in time for the release of Slide! So what better way to celebrate than to have a giveaway!! There will be two winners, and it's going to be open internationally (as long as TBD ships free to you!) This giveaway will be ending on April 1st at midnight. Also, you must be 13+ to enter.

All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below. 

Good luck to everyone!

Here is the trailer for Slide to get you excited!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox is a weekly internet meme hosted by The Story Siren to share new books that bloggers have bought, won, received, been gifted, or borrowed.

Jenn's Mailbox:
I had a pretty slow week for books, only getting one book off of NetGalley, but I'm very exicted to read it!

Review:

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross
Thank you to NetGalley and HarlequinTeen for the review copy!!

Won:

Signed Slide bookmarks, won from Jill Hathaway's blog.

Remember Slide is coming out on Tuesday the 27th!!

So yes!! This means I will be having a giveaway up later today! Watch out for it!!

Meghan's Mailbox:

Bought:

Crave

by Melissa Darnell

Won:

Signed Destined Bookmark by Jessie Harrell

I won this beautiful bookmark from megancurd.com, Thank You!!

The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty

I won this book from a GoodReads giveaway :) Thank You!

What's in your Mailbox this week?

Giveaway: Going Under by Georgia Cates!

Hey guys! I am so very happy to be bringing to you another fantastic  giveaway! Georgia would love for one of you lucky people to win an e-copy of her book Going Under!

If you'd like to learn more about this book you can find the GoodReads summary as well as my review Here :)

This is a fantastic, super fun, edge of your seat YA romance that you will love! You don't want to miss out on this giveaway :) This giveaway is open to all, as long as you accept Smashwords Coupons :)

It's Copter time! 

RCC [Challenge 4]: Mysterious Meetup

This is the fourth challenge for the  Review Copy Clean-up Challenge that I'm participating in for the month of March.This challenge is being hosted by Nyx Book Reviews and Books, Biscuits & Tea.

For this challenge you get to have a meetup with your favorite book character(s)! Who would I want to meet and what would I want to ask them?

Harry, Hermione and Ron

Yup, I would love to meet these three. Why? Because I love their world and would want to ask them all about it. They are a pretty awesome group of friends!

Frodo Baggins

I love Frodo, always have. I even named my dog after him. So yes, I would love to a sit down and talk about his adventures. Maybe ask him why he never settled down with a nice hobbit girl and had a family. Or as him how it felt to have saved the world from evil.


Well, there are the characters that I would love to meet! I'm loving the Review Copy Cleanup and it's challenges. I think I might have even finished all of the books I had planned to read for it. Which is great because now I'm almost caught up and will be starting to resquest a few books again.. lol

What character(s) would you like to meet and what would you ask them?

Review: Interrupted by Rachel Coker

Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words

Author: Rachel Coker

Publication Date: February 14th, 2012

Publisher: Zondervan

Genre: Historical Fiction / Christian Fiction

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Synopsis:

Can love really heal all things? If Sam Carroll hadn't shown up, she might have been able to get to her mother in time. Instead, Allie Everly finds herself at a funeral, mourning the loss of her beloved mother. She is dealt another blow when, a few hours later, she is sent from Tennessee to Maine to become the daughter of Miss Beatrice Lovell, a prim woman with a faith Allie cannot accept. Poetry and letters written to her mother become the only things keeping Allie's heart from hardening completely. But then Sam arrives for the summer, and with him comes many confusing emotions, both toward him and the people around her. As World War II looms, Allie will be forced to decide whether hanging on to the past is worth losing her chance to be loved.

My Thoughts: I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It was a quick read, I felt like I was breezing my way through it. I enjoyed that it was historical fiction and it is well written, but maybe I somehow missed the hint that it was a religious book? It actually didn't seem very religious until the end, so that was ok. But it made it seem like you can't be happy without being religious. Well, I'm happy enough in my life I think, but I'm not a Christian, I'm not an Atheist either though. So I just read it and didn't put much thought into the religion.

I guess what I disliked the most about the story was Alcyone (Allie). I just didn't like her character. I realize now that it was purposely written that way so that she could find God, but she just really made me mad sometimes. Yes, her mother died. That's sad, she had no one else but was lucky enough to get adopted. I'm not sure if there were orphanages in the 40s, but good luck finding someone who will adopt a teenage daughter in this day and age. And yet she was completely ungrateful and spiteful toward everyone who wanted to give her love. So she brought all her misery on herself because she didn't want another mother, or any one to love her. She was this way until 75% into the book, then you see some emotion, only for her to clam up for another 10-15%. So even when she opened up, I still didn't really like her because of how she hurt everyone throughout the book.

Then there was Sam. Sam, who I honestly thought was too good for Allie, but you can't choose who you fall in love with. Sam was my favorite character because he was so nice and did his best not to let others get him down. I was sad for him, and then happy for him in the end.

Overall it was an ok read. I enjoyed the storyline, if not Allie. Would I recommend it? Probably not, unless you are someone who really enjoys coming to age stories with a religious tone. The writing style is great, but I just couldn't like Allie, and since the story revolved around her.. But still, I didn't hate it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zondervan for the review copy

Review: Going Under by Georgia Cates

Going Under

Author: Georgia Cates

Publication Date: March 10th, 2012

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Romance/YA/Contemporary/Drama

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Synopsis:

Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly. In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too. Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?

My Thoughts:  I want to start by saying a big thank you to Georgia Cates for offering me the chance to review this book! It was such a great read and had me completely captivated! So thanks to you Georgia for the wonderful read :).


This book starts as the perfect high school drama but quickly turns into an intense love story that will completely encompass you. We've got our bad boy from a bad background who's willing to do anything to get the spot he wants on the school sports team. That spot just happens to be held by Mr. Rich & Popular and he has the the most beautiful and sought after girl as his girlfriend. Jessie decides to use Forbes perfect girlfriend as the perfect weapon to drive him crazy.  Jessie devises a plan to try to steal Claire away as an act of revenge. Jessie however finds himself surprised when his attempts become real because he discovers Claire is actually the girl he really wants. She's perfect and he's completely in love. But Claire comes from a rich perfect family and Jessie is the opposite, he feels he doesn't have a chance in the world. Even more surprised is Claire, when she finds herself just  as attracted to Jessie as he is to her.  But the expectations for her are really high, can she abandon this perfect world she's created for herself on a whim?

They play cat and mouse for a while until they can't hide the truth and their feelings any longer. For a while everything seems to be going smoothly, and then some major unexpected events occur that completely compromise their relationship. Everything they struggled to achieve now hangs in the balance. Jessie wants to protect Claire, and that means not being with her. Claire is not ready to let go without a fight.

Jessie is supposed to be this big bad boy, but I really don't think he is. He has this big bad facade to keep people out. Based on what he has had to endure growing up, I can't say I blame him for doing so.  He feels the need to lie constantly so no one knows the truth about his life, I feel in doing so he sets himself up to have his own dreams crushed.  This is more than a story about love, it's a story about knowing when to let someone in, that it's OK to ask for help and yes there are actually people out there who will accept you for who you really are...if you let them that is.

The love connection between Claire and Jessie is intense! I was biting my nails and I had butterflies and I read this book in one sitting from 10% to finish. Once their emotional tirade begins it's impossible to put it down! I had to see how it all played out, I wanted so badly for them to be able to be together. I didn't like Claire at first, but as events played out I came to respect her. I liked Jessie from the beginning however. It started as pity, but then turned to adoration. He is just wonderful, completely selfless, surprisingly gentle and caring,  and incredibly smart. He has had to grow up way to fast, and sometimes that can ruin a person, but I think it brought out the best in Jessie.   I respect and admire him. And while I was skeptical of Claire at first, she definitely grew on me as well. She has a determination I envy and she feels so deeply it can be overwhelming.

Third Sentence Thursday - Interrupted

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Proud Book Nerd.

The Rules:

1. Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn’t a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.
2. Share your thoughts, if any, on the sentence.
3. Post a link to your blog post in the link list below. Don’t forget to link back here, too! (There is a button in the sidebar to the right.) If you don’t have a blog, just leave it in the comments here.
4. Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentence(s).

 Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words by Rachel Coker

 "I'd never seen him before." -pg. 90

 I'm not really sure who she's talking about, but I guess she doesn' know him! lol

This book is a fairly easy read so far, I should have a review up in a day or two!

What is your third sentence today?

Author Interview & Giveaway!! (John Zunski)

I recently read and reviewed a really spectacular book called Cemetery Street by John Zunksi. You can find my review Here. Lucky for all of us, John wants to offer a chance for you to win a e-copy of his book! We will be giving away 2(two) copies of Cemetery Street! Two very lucky people will get to read this wonderful book, and it could be you!

Before we get to the giveaway, John was again so nice and gave us some of his time to answer some questions. Below you will find a really great interview where you'll learn more about John and his book Cemetery Street. Beneath the interview will be the Rafflecopter where you can enter to win your very own e-copy! Happy reading and best of luck to all of you :D

1. First and foremost, we always ask to know some more about the Author. Tell us a little about yourself :)

Hello, my name is John, and I’m a  word-o-holic. I particularly love them in stories. You know, a bunch of words thrown together that can lead a person anywhere. Did I mention my love for words,  more specifically, the power they possess, has lingered since childhood? Even when words were confusing and I had to attend remedial reading classes and failed 7^th grade English. It took that long to figure out that a red octagon with the letters: Spto   meant stop and ighnt was bedtime. 

Since, I spent an unspectacular youth conjuring dreams to chase through my adult life, until at the ripe old age of thirty-nine, I pulled up stakes from suburban Philadelphia, sailed across the prairie in  a U-haul and settled in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. Since I’ve managed to partake in many adventures including buying a small town bar. Oh, the stories I have to tell.

Meghan: Wow! I think that's the best 'about you' answer I've ever gotten :) Thank you for the awesome glimpse of yourself. Owning a bar would indeed provide you with numerous, interesting stories I am sure!

  

2. What is your favorite part in Cemetery Street? 

Because the story begins with James visiting Shannie’s grave, (Heck, Shannie’s tombstone is on paperback’s cover) it wouldn’t be a spoiler to say Shannie’s funeral and beyond. As a reader I enjoy how everything comes together and that we see the emergence of a more mature, seasoned James. I also enjoy the introduction of Indian Point subplot in which we learn Russell’s backstory. 

I'm also proud of the Gulf War segment. A ton of research went into getting it right. 
Meghan: The Gulf War segment was really well done! Usually those things tend to bore me, but because I felt so invested in the characters, and the manner in which it was told, I found it interesting and exciting.


My favorite part has to be the night in the hotel room. It seemed so climatic, and played a huge part in both of the lives of the characters involved. Plus, it was just so well written :).

3. Where did you find the inspiration to write this book?

I’ve been blessed with incredible voyeuristic opportunities which have led to the creation of intriguing characters.  I feel if I didn’t parlay this advantage onto the page I would be wasting an incredible gift.  That being said, I’ve always had the urge to tell stories, and Cemetery Street found its genesis from the two.  Cemetery Street really began to take shape after reading John Irving’s “A Prayer For Owen Meany.”  A reader may even notice two references to “Owen Meany” within Cemetery Street. Bonus points for anyone who e-mails me the references. (Jzunski@yahoo.com)

Meghan: I recently purchased a Prayer for Owen Meany by the recommendation of a friend, I will be searching for the references within now when I read it :).


4. For those reading this who haven't read your book, why would you recommend that they do?

Cemetery Street is an old fashion tear-jerker. It lays raw emotion and the character’s vulnerability upon the reader’s lap. If the reader is willing to engage, the book promises a wild emotional ride. Cemetery Street, like my other books, isn't for the faint of heart. Each title explores the gritty side of life. Collectively they pull back the folds of the mind and explore the depth of the human psyche. In each book there are themes working behind the narrative that are designed to engage and challenge the reader’s mores. If you don’t mind a story that isn’t Disney, my work is for you.

Meghan: you described your book so perfectly! Your story is one I still think about, even after I've finished reading it.

5. Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

I’m on Goodreads.com @ http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4846217.John_Zunski

and my blog @ http://johnzunski.wordpress.com/    My blog is an eclectic place, you just never know what you may find; recently, I’ve been focusing on The Barroom Chronicles, a  nonsensical series of essays entailing the stories of owning a small town bar.  

6. Are you currently working on anything new? 

I’m putting the final touches on a ghost story entitled Nightwatching and I’ve started the first draft of Cemetery Street’s sequel: Montana Rural.  It follows James as he moves past Cemetery Street into the next stage of life.

Also, Shangri-La Trailer Park is currently available as an ebook and will be published in paperback in 2013.

Meghan: I love ghost stories! And I would absolutely love to read Montana Rural! I hope you will think of me when they are released ;).

7. If you could pick one character from Cemetery Street to spend the day with, who would it be?

Do you mind if I do a little thinking out loud?  The choice would be between Shannie and Russell. That I own a bar and that I experience his habits as a course of life and outside of his riveting experiences and sagely wisdom, I think he would be a bit tedious day to day. That leaves me to spend an afternoon with Shannie on Indian Point. I have a weird sense of paternal pride with her and would love to peer deeper into her experiences and thoughts. It would be fun to share a beer with Shannie.

Meghan: I would absolutely pick Shannie <3 I just fell in love with her.

8. Shannie is such an amazingly developed character who literally leaps off the pages at you, is she based on someone you know personally? It seems like you put so much work into her!

Thanks for the compliment. You’re right, a lot of effort went into her development; the same holds true with all the main characters. You may enjoy this anecdote, towards the end of the first draft, I was at a crossroad with Shannie and spent an Indian Summer’s afternoon hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail ‘talking’ with her -  working out the details of her decisions. Crazy I know, but you know us writers.

Is she based on someone I know? Yes and no – how’s that for being annoyingly vague? No in as much as Shannie isn’t based on one person.  She began as an amalgam of girls/women I have known.  A personality trait from this one, a physical attribute from that one. But as the story progressed, she broke free of those influences and became her own unique personality.

Meghan: You are most welcome! I think your thought and development process is just great :). To treat your characters like they are living and existing makes them seem as such when reading the book. Your efforts definitely paid off.

9. At what point did you realize that you wanted to put your books out there for other people to enjoy?

I’ve always wanted to publish my work, but I just didn’t have the skill set.  Heck, the first draft of Cemetery Street waited patiently on the shelf for eight years as I developed my craft enough to tear back into it and provide the TLC it needed.

10. What has been your most rewarding experience since being published?

Hearing the impact Cemetery Street has had on individuals. Reader’s comments have provided an incredible source of external validation while paradoxically being very humbling. I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.

11. Do you have an all time favorite book? Or  a top few that you would recommend?

My all-time favorite is “A Prayer For Owen Meany.” It’s getting time for me to pry apart the pages and delve into the story again and see if it is still provides the same wallop. Other favorites are: Peter Straub’s  “If You Could See Me Now”  and John Kennedy Toole’s:  “Confederacy of Dunces”

12. Who is your favorite Author?

The author that I’m reading, whomever he/she is at the moment. I root for them to knock my socks off.   Now if you were to ask me who are my influences, I’d have to say John Irving, Stephen King and Carl Hiaasen, with honorable mentions to Mario Puzo and Truman Capote.

Meghan: I enjoy your attitude towards the Authors of your current read :) I have to say I feel much the same when I'm reading. Also, the fact you listed Stephen King as an influence made me smile the biggest smile! I am a MASSIVE Stephen King fan <3 He is my absolute favorite! I just love every world he's ever created.

13. If you could live inside the world of any book, which one would you choose?

Would it be cheating to say Cemetery Street?  It’s a world that I’m most familiar. Plus, it’s of my own creation and I feel it would be much easier to get around than another author’s world.

Meghan: Ha, not cheating at all, I think it's a great choice.

14. What genre do you read the most?

I am schizophrenic when it comes to reading. I will read any genre anytime. Though I have a tendency to favor contemporary lit.

Meghan: I am also up for delving into any genre, and I have yet to find one that disappointed me. So I am kinda all over the map as well :)

15. What advice would you offer to an aspiring  writer?

Be flippin’ tenacious. Don’t let anyone, I mean anyone stand between you and your dreams. When you start getting rejection slips, use them to fuel your fire.  The other important element, never, ever, rest on your laurels when it comes to developing your craft.

Meghan: Thank you for the fantastic advice! And for taking the time to answer all my questions! It has been really great working with you and I sincerely look forward to hearing from you again in the future :)


And now for the part I know you're all waiting for! The Giveaway! Hopefully the above interview made you want to read this book even more!

You know the drill, fill out the copter (click on the read more button) for your chance to win 1 of  2 e-copies of Cemetery Street by John Zunski :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting.

 

The Immortal Rules

by Julie Kagawa

Expected Publication:  April 24th, 2012

Goodreads Synopsis: Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Why do I want to read this? Umm, vampires plus dystopian? How can I NOT read it!! The synopsis  sounds really good as well! Plus, it's Julie Kagawa! Who, while I have not yet read one of her books (Iron King is on my to read list this month!), I've heard is a great author :) So definitely looking forward to this book.

What are you "Waiting On"? 

Review: Shadow Moon by Marilee Brothers

Shadow Moon
(Unbidden Magic #4)

Author: Marilee Brothers

Publication Date: November 2011

Publisher: Bell Bridge Books

Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Synopsis:

Allie Emerson is hoping for a few quiet months to catch her breath after a summer that included the discovery she is not only a twin and of faery blood, but also destined to play a pivotal role in faery world. School has barely begun when Allie must kiss her hope of a normal year goodbye. She can't escape her unfinished business with the fae, the Trimarks, or Junior Alvarez, who is making it clear he plans to win her back. Signs, portents and whispers are pushing Allie to "find the girl" before it's too late. Hoping her twin can help her solve the riddle of their destiny, Allie uncovers old secrets and begins a cross-country journey that puts her in more danger than ever before. If she succeeds, she may just find the answers that can save everyone she loves.

My Thoughts: Well, now I have to go cry in the corner because this was my last Unbidden Magic book that is published. This book was just too awesome! I had so much fun reading it. There is just so much that happens in Shadow Moon that I couldn't stop reading it. When I had to stop for a bit, I was thinking about it. My husband thinks I'm crazy because I can't stop talking about how much I love this series. It's really going to be hard waiting for the next book. I need to know what happens!!!

At the end of Moon Spun we are left with a cliffhanger, right from the beginning of Shadow Moon we learn that Allie does indeed have a twin, her name is Anna Starr Emerson. Allie also finds out that the Trimarks and Dark Fae are planning something awful and two girls are needed to stop them, Allie and someone else. She can only assume it's her long lost twin, so she really needs to find her. Will she be able to find her? So far her connection with the FBI has brought up nothing. If she finds her, will Anna Starr even want to help her? It's possible she might not be able to accept what she is. So off Allie goes, searching for her twin. There is lots of action and drama that happens along the way.

For our love intrests, we are basically back down to Junior and Ryker (kind of). Mostly Junior though. Beck is in the "friend zone". Ryker isn't really around much, he does make an apperance and help Allie out a bit, but hey, he just has to bide his time since she has to go back to Boundless in 8 years anyways. So she will kiss the hunky Junior for now. 

I just cannot get over how much I love this series, it's going to be a long wait for the next book. I just can't wait to find out what happens next! I loved the ending of this book, it made me so happy! So I want to find out what happens next. If you still haven't checked out this series, you really should. It really is a great, exciting read! Thank you Marilee for writing such and amazing and awesome series! Seriously, go read this now!

 Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!