Sunday Ramblings....

It is HOT HOT HOT! But you already know that so I will stop whining and get right to the wrap up!

Reviews:
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (Guest review)
Supernaturally by Keirsten White
My summer movie & TV ramblings

My WoW pick

Giveaway!

Today is the last day to enter to win Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. US Only.

The Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge Starts tomorrow!! Don't forget to sign up HERE and start linking those reviews tomorrow!

Also if you want to be a featured Better Know a Blogger - read the post above and email me! Friday 8/5 is the last day to sign up for that.

For non-bloggers and international my followers Monday starts the Summer Giveaway Hop! So be sure to check back tomorrow to enter!

Have a great day, stay cool and you can find me lurking at these places:

Follow me:
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Summer Movie/Television ramblings...

I am so far behind in my movie and TV watching! My hubby and I decided to concentrate on clearing out that DVR and watch that final Netflix movie so we could dump them due to that rate hike. (PS Netflix - if you got newer movies to stream I would switch to that plan but I don't want to pay to watch movies that are over a decade old! that is all.)

So here's a quick glimpse at what I've watched - I apologize ahead of time for the randomness. Kids movies to very violent adult fare....

Movies:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One & Two.

Part One - I had to catch up to see part two so this was my final Netflix movie. Have to be honest and say I was bored through most of it. Sorry HP fans.

Part Two - Loved it! I think aside from the first movie, it was my favorite. The acting has improved and the pacing was excellent. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I felt tension and anxiety throughout the movie. I teared up several times - mostly involving Snape...*sniff* *sniff*
My one complaint. Ginnie Weasly. Nope, not buying her and Harry together one bit. Didn't believe it in the books and I believe it even less in the movie. I also wasn't a fan of the epilogue. They didn't really look old enough to have kids that age and some actual information would have been nice. Where do they work....etc? But still- an excellent movie.

The Road.

Holy crap is this a depressing movie. But very, very good. I love Viggo. The acting and cinematography are amazing. The Road is unrelenting in it's bleakness. I was biting my nails and covering my eyes I was so afraid of what was going to happen next. This is a rough movie to watch but ends with a glimmer of hope. Right? Was that hopeful? I don't even know....

Flipped.
On a lighter note..... Super cute movie if you're looking for a little coming of age nostalgia or loved the series The Wonder Years. The same story is told from the POV's of both the boy and the girl. The results are adorable and funny. While Bryce is obviously tying to get away from Juli she only sees his love in his eyes. then the story *flips* and Bryce really does have love in his eyes but it may be too late. Young actress Madeline Carroll is amazing as juli and such a good example for young girls. She stand by her beliefs - always. I just wish it was a little longer with an epilogue. (I know I complained about HP's epilogue but I wanted one here!)

TV:

Wilfred.
FX Thursdays at 10PM
This is one bizarre show. If you're into a pot smoking, passive aggressive dog that only Ryan (Elijah Woods) can see as a man in a dog suit and converse with then this may be the show for you. Warning: it's pretty crude but I love it. Not sure how long the premise will work but it's been funny so far.

Breaking Bad.
AMC Sundays at 10PM
Absolutely freaking brilliant story telling. My favorite thing about this show is the lack of overbearing music to tell me how I feel. The silence brings an intensity to the scenes and makes the characters actions that much more shocking. This is a brutal, dark show about the descent of a decent man headed down a very very dark road from which there will be no redemption.
Season 4 started a few weeks ago but you really need to watch it from season one.

True Blood.
HBO Sundays at 9PM
Last year was so outrageous and over the top that I wasn't sure how much more I could handle. This year has fixed that and now I would like to take a nap during most of the episodes. I'm bored. Eric & Sookie - yes. Almost everything else - no. I'm not sure how I feel about King Bill. At least it gives him something to do. (including banging your great, great, great, great Granddaughter - EWW) Please oh please get rid of Tara, Jesus and Tommy. Zzzzz whenever they hit the screen.
More Pam, Sookie and Eric.
I might give up after this season. It was never a favorite of mine but I gave it one more shot. I think I'm done after this year.

Still hope to see Winnie the Pooh, Captain America maybe Cowboys and Aliens (for Daniel Craig) and a few of my favorite TV shows should be coming back soon. Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Sons of Anarchy, Archer.

What are you guys watching this summer?

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy For Books.

Q. Highlight one book you got this week that you can't wait to dig into.


A. I just got Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman for review. Everyone is going crazy for this one on Twitter so I'm looking forward to reading it. Also Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick - I'm so in love with that title!

Feature and Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q. What t-shirt slogan best describes you?
A. Wow, that is a really difficult, random question. I don't know - it would probably be something rude that I couldn't wear in public like "excuse me - do I look like someone who cares?", since I'm pretty anti-social when I 'm out shopping. I hate when strangers talk to me. What I usually wear are t-shirts from Life is Good with happy little sayings and animals on the front.

While your here check out The Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge. I'll be co-hosting the event during the month of August. Link your reviews for a chance to win awesome YA prize packs!

If you want to be a participate in the Better Know a Blogger feature read the post and email me!

If you are in the US - Enter my giveaway for Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Thanks for stopping by! I hop back!

Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be... kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.
But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself. (YA)

Review:

*No spoilers for Supernaturally but some for Paranormalcy (book # 1) - you really need to read that one first.

Supernaturally is the sequel to one of my favorite books from last year, Paranormalcy.

Having left IPAC, Evie is now a normal girl in high school with a boring job while boyfriend Lend is away at college. Even though a normal life is what Evie wanted most, she's finding that "normal" isn't all it's cracked up to be. When Raquel makes a job offer that Evie can't refuse she's back in the paranormal world and back in danger. None of this sits too well with Lend which leads Evie to do a lot of lying.

I understand most of Evie's motivations for lying. She's lost a lot of people in her life and she's afraid of losing Lend next. She knows a pretty big secret about him and his future that could effect whether he will choose to stay with her for the long haul. Add in Jack, an off the wall sort that is always jumping around (literally) and popping up at the most inopportune moments with inappropriate comments around her boyfriend and well….Evie has got a lot on her plate.

The writing is still fun and in White's unique writing style complete with quirky phrases and smart dialogue.

But….I seem to be suffering from a case of sequel-itis this year because I keep finding myself let down by my favorite series when we get to book two.

Almost everyone is back in Supernaturally but there is so much going on that the appearances seem brief and don't carry a lot of weight. I do understand that there do need to be complications in developing relationships but after all the build up to Lend and Evie in Paranormalcy, there wasn't a whole lot going on with them in Supernaturally. I know Evie loves Lend and he loves her back because I'm told that, but I would rather see them together even if it's fighting. I would like to get to know Lend a little better too. He just sort of comes in at the end of things to kiss/rescue/ reprimand her then he's off again. They're cute together but I don't know….I'm not all that invested in their relationship.

Reth is back also and am I the only one who's sort of creeped out by him in relation to Evie? I kind of like him as the bad guy but when she keeps referring to him as her ex it seems off to me. I know he's described as beautiful but I always picture him much older and I keep wondering exactly what their relationship was like. Were they happy? Sad? Still, I like Reth as a character and he always manages to ratchet up the tension and keep me guessing as to his motives when it comes to Evie.

I also think it would have been fun to see a little more of Evie trying to make her way as a normal girl in high school. There are a few scenes but she still has mostly supernatural friends and she's back in the mix with IPAC so quickly that we didn't get to experience Evie as a fish out of water for very long.

There is a BIG revelation in Supernaturally that is pretty cool and I look forward to book # 3 Endlessly to see where that will go.

Rating: 3 out 4 It was nice to see everyone again and spend time with Evie but some of that spark was missing this go around for me. And OMG - that cover! Gorgeous!

Find Kiersten White:

On her AWESOME Blog

Twitter
Facebook

Buy the book! Supernaturally (Paranormalcy)
Publisher: Harper Teen 7/26/2011

Waiting on Wednesday pick

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine as a way of spotlighting the titles we are most anticipating.

Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar was one of my favorite books of 2010 so when I saw the cover reveal at BEA for The Rift Walker: Book 2 in the Vampire Empire trilogy at the PYR booth I was drooling in anticipation.

If you haven't read it yet, The Greyfriar is described as vampire steampunk but I just call it great storytelling. Discover a world of truly evil vampires hellbent on world domination, fantastical flying machines, alternate history, unrequited love and secret identities.

So without further ado - check out this awesome cover & this week's WoW pick!

The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, Book 2)

Clay and Susan Griffith

PYR Publishing - September 6, 2011

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, senator Clark. With the human alliance in disarrray, Prince Cesare, lord of the British vampire clan, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.

As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar.

The Rift Walkeris the second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternative history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic politcal themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.

*If you need to catch up read The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) and then pre-order The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, Book 2)

Find the authors:
Susan & Clay Griffith's Blog
Twitter

Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I Am Number Four is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.
I AM NEXT.
(YA)

*Note: Guest review by Alex. You can follow Alex on Twitter @AlexConno

Review:
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is a Sci-Fi/Urban Fantasy which is very good, provided you like the concept.
The story in I am Number Four is rather engaging. I have to admit that I’d seen the film first so I knew generally what would happen. The plot was straightforward, understandable and all that jazz so I don’t have much to say. I kept reading (until 2 in the morning) but I wouldn’t say this is a book ‘you couldn’t put down’; rather, it’s one you’d prefer not to put down.
The romance in this book was, for me, unbelievable- not in the good way. The writers (Pittacus Lore is a figure in the story and the pseudonym of collaborating writers of the series) tried to explain the spontaneity of the relationship by saying the Loric, the alien race our protagonist is a part of, are completely monogamous and so when he falls in love, he does so completely. I think this is poor reason and though I think John cares for Sarah, I don’t believe it’s love. Hopefully, this will become truer in the next book but, for the time being, it’s exhaustively obsessive.
The other issue I had was the way it was written. For most of the story, I felt slightly detached and more like an observer than one involved. And, if I was to put this down to anything, I would say that the story was told to me, rather than shown. If you don’t read writer blogs, you won’t know what I mean so I’ll use and example: Lisa was angry with Luke as opposed to Lisa glared at Luke. It’s a matter of being a little implicit rather than just relaying a story. It wasn’t like this all the way through, but some parts felt particularly told to me so my eyes glossed over a little.
Another thing that bothered me as well was the lack of a strong female character until the last hundred or so pages. Six was adequate when she finally got there but Sarah just seemed like a love-struck fool half the time. She had a backbone, but it liked its vacations. I mean, give me a break (no pun intended).
Onto the good points though, of which there are a few.
The history of Lorien is interesting to read and I like the idea of the planet being a living entity capable of giving powers. The Loric are more advanced than us, giving the writers some creative license, and their way of life is shown to be pleasant and meant endear us to them and want John to succeed. As a bit of an environmentalist, I probably found it interesting more so in the vein that I’d LOVE if I got powers for saving the planet.
The Powers themselves are also believable, as far as powers go. It isn’t like they become some super charged superheroes - they gradually get powers and even then they have to practice to make them stronger. And the powers sap their strength which is many times more believable than inexhaustible reserves of power. I’ve read too many books where our heroes and heroines fling balls of energy around like they mean nothing.
The enemies are also more than match for them. The enemies are a combination of sci-fi and fantasy bad guys with no motive so I like and dislike them. I like that they are strong and scare the characters, but I dislike that their sole motive is annihilation, and that they are so numerous. They’ll do, but I’m hoping some bigger antagonist comes along to give them a better motive.
Despite some qualms, the characters themselves are quite good. I liked John (when he wasn’t being romantic) and Henri’s understandable overbearing-ness. I always think that I would consider American YA differently if I’d went to an American school. They function differently to English schools, or so it seems. Out of interest, could any and all Americans tell me, generically, whether American schools are actually like how books portray them or they sound odd to you too?
So I liked the book and I think if you’re into fantasy (because, despite the Science Fiction-y elements, it’s mostly an urban fantasy) then you’ll enjoy it but not love it. All in all, the story and premise and solid but the execution is lacking. I intend to read the sequel, out this August, so maybe I’ll tell you how that is.

3 out of 4 stars; 3.5 if you’re into fantasy.

Buy the Book! I Am Number Four Movie Tie-in Edition (Lorien Legacies)
I Am Number Four official blog
Harper Collins Pittacus Lore page

Sunday Ramblings...

Yum Yum Yum! This was my breakfast yesterday at this great little restaurant Sister's that we go to after the farmer's market. Belgian waffle with chocolate ganache, bananas and huge toasted marshmallow. Wipe off your drool and move on to the wrap up!

I didn't get to it last weekend so this week will include links for two weeks.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Sign ups have begun for the Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge which begins on August 1st. There are more prizes this year and don't forget to contact me to be a featured Better Know A Blogger!

Reviews:

The Happiness Project (note - the giveaway has ended)
When Colors Bleed by Estevan Vega
Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Guest review by Tiger & my two cents)
ARC Review: The Unforgiven by Joy Nash

Blog Tour and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway:

Ted Saves the World by Bryan Cohen

My WoW Picks

Follow me:
Twitter
Google+
Goodreads

That's all folks!

Have a great Sunday!

ARC Review: The Unforgiven by Joy Nash

Seven thousand years ago, angels descended from heaven to guide a fledgling human race. Known as the Watchers, they were forbidden to partake in carnal pleasures. But they could not resist the temptation, and as a result their descendants have been cursed—unnatural magical beings that belong neither to heaven nor fully to earth.

Cade was ordered to claim her for his clan. She was becoming one of them— a Watcher, so to reach her full power—and she didn't even realize it. Yet the moment he saw her, he knew he could never share her. No matter what demons lurk in her past, no matter how much she tries to deny her body's burning need for his, he will claim her for himself. And together they will face the battle that is brewing...

Review:
I'm still looking for that perfect Angel story. Unfortunately, The Unforgiven, although steeped in angel mythology wasn't quite what I was looking for.

There is a coming war between the Nephilum clans (the cursed offspring of forbidden Angel/human matings) also known as The Watchers. Each Watcher holds a magical gift and obviously the clan with the stronger collective magic is at an advantage.

Cade is part of the Clan Azazel. It is learned that there is woman, Maddie, who is a dormant Watcher ready to go through her transition. As a human she is unaware of the existence of demons & angels but feels a pull to an archeological site in Israel. Maddie is no ordinary Watcher however, she is also a descendant from the rival clan Samyaza. To master her powers and bring her into the Clan Azael would be a turning point in the clans battle for dominance.

Cade is sent by his clan leader Artur to "anchor" Maddie through her transition. It is very similar to J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series when the males go through their transition or the females through their needings. Basically there will be hot sex that our hero *must* provide. The downside of this process, for Maddie anyway, is that Cade will absorb all her memories and those of her ancestors as well as her powers and enslave her both physically and mentally to him for life. She will be powerless to resist him.

Cade has bad memories from his own transition in which he was found and anchored by Cybele, former bond mate of Artur. Cade is on love with Cybele but she has never returned his affections since the transition because of her love for Artur….who is still mad at both of them. This is where I was kind of turned off. Cade pines for Cybele, Artur is cruel to Cybele, Cybele pines for Artur. I actually wanted Cade and Cybele to get together which is not the couple I was supposed to be rooting for.

I pretty much new were everything was headed. I new the sex was going to be so awesome that Cade would feel guilty about enslaving Maddie. He is a pretty great hero but I feel like I've read this all before. And I'm not sure I bought into Maddie and Cade's love. I get the bond, I get how they would cling to each other but love? Nah. I don't think he would have given her a second glance in another situation. Maddie seemed more shocked that a hunky stud could want a plain Jane like herself more her than any thing else. I can't say I disagree. They also seemed to have the longest transition sex evah. They had whole conversations and flashbacks while in the throws of passion. It was steamy but kind of weird.

There is quite a bit of world building pertaining to the Clan wars and the larger Angel/Nephilum conflict which was fairly interesting but we bounced around to various POV's too much so that we could be introduced to other characters. I'm assuming this was to set up future books in the series. It felt like a lot of detail to invest in the background to then have it just be the typical meet my mate/bond story.

Despite the overall predictability of the plot regarding Cade and Maddie there were a few twists and turns with Maddie coming into her powers that were unique. The transition doesn't go exactly as planned because Cade gives into his love for Maddie rather than doing what's right for his clan. Maddie takes advantage of that one mistake and all hell breaks lose. It was nice to see the heroine go a little crazy for once with the hero having to reel her back in rather than the other way around.

I also have to mention Maddie's past memories of her ancestor Lilith and her father Azazel. Squick times 1000. Yeah - I don't want to read about consensual incest. It is very important to the story but….

The Unforgiven didn't quite work for me but fans of Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld or Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed's series might want to check it out. This book is very similar but with a new twist on angel mythology.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4

Source: e-ARC thanks to Netgalley

Buy the book! The Unforgiven
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Release date: August 6, 2011

Find Joy Nash:
Website
Facebook

Happy Follow Friday, Book Blogger Hop Day!

Feature & Follow friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. This week's featured bloggers are We Fancy Books and A Novella's tale

Q. Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from? Well I have met and talked to Jeri Smith-Ready but I would like to do it again. She's very funny and smart and always get more insight into her stories and writing. Ann Aguirre would be another. I love her writing - I might scare her though since I would mostly bug her for Outpost spoilers (the sequel to Enclave) My third would be Suzanne Collins and it would not be an enjoyable dinner because Iw ould have to ask her what the hell was she thinking while writing Mockingjay?? The style is so different, I don't get it, it drives me crazy and I'm dying to know.

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy for Books

Q. What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t? I would have to say fantasy. I love the IDEA of it and sometimes like portions of a book but it's very difficult for me to get into a high fantasy book for very long without glazing over. The worlds are often too descriptive at the expense of action and moving the plot forward. Perhaps I haven't found the right one yet.

Thanks for hopping by!

I have a $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway right now thanks to author Bryan Cohen and his Ted Saves the World Blog Tour (Link is under my header)

Sign up for the Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge while your here! A month long event just for bloggers where you get to link your reviews for a chance to win one of three awesome prize packs!

Ted Saves the World Blog Tour and $25 Amazon gift card Giveaway!

A possessed cheerleader. A cursed gang of criminals. Mysterious telekinetic powers. An angry ex-girlfriend in gym class? One second, sophomore in high school Ted endures his first breakup in his favorite place in town. The next, a mysterious blue light turns him into a worldwide superhero sensation for taking down a posse of grisly murderers. As his views on YouTube increase and his friend Dhiraj tries to capitalize on the marketing potential, his dangers increase as well when a presumed-dead cheerleader begins taking a personal interest. Can Ted survive his first week as a superhero in the public eye? This novella is the first taste in a series of full-length novels about the adventures of Ted Finley and Erica LaPlante. 


Available for just $0.99 on:
Amazon 
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

I'm happy to welcome Ted Saves the World author Bryan Cohen here today with a guest post as part of the Ted Saves the World Blog Tour.

Writing in the Shadow
By Bryan Cohen

As an avid reader in my youth, it made sense for me to become an English major in college. I loved the classics and I gobbled them up, especially over the summer. I once won a reading challenge at my local library and I think the gap between first and second place was something like 30 books. I was a machine. But I was also brought up to think these books I read were extremely complex and difficult to write. This is one of the reasons I never really considered being a writer because I believed I'd never reach the heights of an F. Scott Fitzgerald or even an R.L. Stein (loved Goosebumps as a kid).

Early on in college, I discovered a love for the theatre as well and added a Dramatic Art major to my degree plan. Possibly a result of not having been exposed to as many famous playwrights as I had classic writers, I quickly found enjoyment writing scenes and sketches in my spare time. During my sophomore year, I held a small reading for a short play I wrote about a couple visiting the grave of one of their deceased former spouses. It didn't win a Tony or anything, but the fact that I put it up and it wasn't a complete disaster made me think this play writing thing wasn't so hard.

I wrote plays and scripts for nearly a decade before I attempted to publish any fiction. I'm not sure what finally clued me in that fiction writing had a major thing in common with playwriting: by writing it and putting it out there, you are already far ahead of all the people who are too afraid to show their writing to a single soul.

Personally, I think that a lot of people might like or love my first fiction book, Ted Saves the World: A Novella, but it's a fact that more people will like it than if I'd never let it leave my computer. All writers are writing in the shadows of the amazing authors that came and published before us. We can't help but be compared to these authors, it's just a way of life. But if we let the fear of "potentially not being as good as them" stop us from writing, then we may never get to reach our full potential as creative artists.
I'm pleased to have kicked fear's butt long enough to get Ted Saves the World out to all of you. Whether or not you love it, I'm proud of my work and I hope to bring you similarly entertaining fare for the rest of my writing career. Who knows, maybe I'll even be successful enough to cast my own shadow.

--
Thanks Bryan!

Giveaway:


Bryan Cohen is giving away four $25 Amazon gift cards, one for each week of his month long blog tour. To enter, simply comment with your e-mail address (feel free to substitute @ with (at) or other tricks to stop spammers from getting it). Bryan will draw the four names at the end of the tour, picking one entrant at random from each week’s set of blog posts. Entries will be counted through Monday, August 15th, 2011. Enter on as many sites as you want, follow the tour at Build Creative Writing Ideas. If Ted reaches the Top 100 on Amazon at any point during the tour, a fifth $25 card will be added to the giveaway.

Biography:
Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written seven books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More and 500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade.


Contact Bryan through:
http://bryancohen.com
Build Creative Writing Ideas site
Twitter

*Be sure to stop by YA Book Lover Blog tomorrow for the next stop on the Ted Saves the World Blog Tour
*Ted Saves the World Tour Schedule

My WoW Pick

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking The Spine

I have not one but TWO picks this week!

Both have gorgeous covers and great titles - don't you think?

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Available: Septmeber 13, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

**Sparkly unicorns? Vampires? Cute guys? I'm in!

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

Available: October 2011

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Ferris Bueller meets La Femme Nikita in this funny, action-packed young adult novel.

It’s prom night—and Perry just wants to stick to his own plan and finally play a much anticipated gig with his band in the Big Apple. But when his mother makes him take Gobija Zaksauskas—their quiet, geeky Lithuanian exchange student—to the prom, he never expects that his ordinary high school guy life will soon turn on its head. Perry finds that Gobi is on a mission, and Perry has no other choice but to go along for a reckless ride through Manhattan’s concrete grid with a trained assassin in Dad’s red Jag.

Infused with capers, car chases, heists, hits, henchmen, and even a bear fight, this story mixes romance, comedy, and tragedy in a true teen coming-of-age adventure—and it’s not over until it’s “au revoir.”

**Does it sound like Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick would make a great movie? Paramount seems to think so too since this they have already snapped up the movie rights.
This sounds like a fun one.

What are your WoW picks this week?

Review: Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

There can only be one alpha.

Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.

But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone.

Bryn faces both the costs, and the rewards, of love and loyalty, in this thrilling sequel to Raised by Wolves. (YA Paranormal)

*Note: This is a Guest review by Tiger from All-Consuming Books

Review:
Brynn is the Alpha of a wolf pack, but she’s kind of an oddball leader because she’s human, not a were (not aware!). But she has a mental pack-bond with the others and feels their need to run and be free as strongly as if she changed forms herself. It’s Thanksgiving break and the Cedar Ridge pack is healthy and happy, plus things between Brynn and her werewolf boyfriend Chase are going good. But then a tiny new girl at Brynn’s school seems unnaturally threatening (you can never trust a girl who wears elbow-length gloves to school!), Brynn starts having violent nightmares, the pack politics between her and the Stone River pack are strained, and she’s getting weird gifts from Callum, her former alpha and father figure. Add to that, a tortured wolf from another pack who shows up in her territory, begging for protection. Looks like life is never going to be too easy for this human girl who was raised by wolves.
I love Brynn’s pack. They’re a little unusual because they have a bunch of female werewolves, which are super-rare, and they also have a ton of young kids. In the previous book, Brynn saved everybody from a Rabid wolf and as a result, almost all of her pack-mates are human children-turned-wolves who only survived because of their qualities of Resilience. There are older teens like Brynn’s friend Lake, a model-gorgeous girl with plenty of attitude, and gentle Maddy. Brynn’s young foster mother Ali takes care of the little ones, and an older wolf named Mitch acting as a dad/mentor of sorts, so they’ve formed a makeshift uber-protective family.
The big drama of the book comes from the arrival of Lucas, who is a wolf belonging to Shay, a mean alpha who happens to be the brother of Devon (Brynn’s BFF and Beta). Everybody wants to break up Brynn’s pack and divide the girls among themselves, but nobody wants to see Brynn’s downfall as badly as Shay does. So we’ve got a few different nasty villains, some new mythology, a big moral dilemma, and tons of inter-pack drama.
The romance isn’t overplayed, though Chase is just an “okay” boy in my view. Chase is just a little too much of the standard paranormal YA guy―he’s handsome, strong, protective, and a teensy bit mysterious. He’s not as possessive or aggressive as some guys, but still there’s nothing about him that stands out in my mind except his quiet strength and protectiveness for Brynn, which are nice characteristics, but they’re not enough to make a character memorable. On the other hand, I adore Devon Macalister, Brynn’s best friend. He’s a huge, muscled-up werewolf but he’s also a class clown who’s very fond of showtunes. He cracks me up. When Brynn tries to sing with them and they sound awful, he announces, “We shall never speak of this moment again”. You’ve got to respect a guy who’s not afraid to sing some ABBA from time to time, and I wish he were the love interest of this book, because it would just shake things up so much, but sadly, he is not.
Regarding the main character, I love that Brynn doesn’t toss orders around and abuse her authority, but it’s a little disconcerting that she almost can’t enforce her authority when needed. However, I think Brynn has grown up a lot since the first book. I seem to recall Brynn being rebellious for no good reason in Raised by Wolves (a quote from my RBW review from last year: “Brynn often knows perfectly well that a certain course of action is going to end badly and painfully, and she'll do it anyway.”). That attitude is gone, here, and Brynn is acting like a real alpha.
Trial by Fire features some nice subtle humor, good characterization, and the worldbuilding’s mighty fine. I believe these characters and their connections and environment. But the stress and strain of Brynn’s problems never let up. This is still a great series―if you like werewolves, you can’t afford not to read this―but the story itself is angsty, with trouble piled on top of trouble with virtually no lighter scenes to balance the darkness out. It’s a bit of a paranormal downer.

Rating: 3 stars out of 4.

Thanks Tiger!

Karen here with my take - I have to agree with Tiger. Trial by Fire didn't quite match the intensity of Raised by Wolves for me. I love every single character and how this is a story more about pack and family bonds than romance. Even though I KNOW there are strong bonds and feelings within the pack there is very little time for any of the relationships to deepen or become more complex. There are almost non stop problems. For every moment Brynn and Chase get to be alone they are quickly interrupted. Brynn's awesome kick ass best friend Lake is woefully underused. Devon absolutely steals the show and although I'm sure there is a Brynn/Chase/Devon love triangle looming in our future I would really love to see Devon and Lake together.
This is an absolute must read for werewolf fans. Barnes writes were pack dynamics better than any author out there right now with the exception of maybe Kelley Armstrong but I wasn't too emotionally invested this go around.

Buy the book: Trial by Fire: A Raised by Wolves Novel
Find Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Website Blog Twitter
Publisher: Egmont USA June 14, 2011

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

Before everyone goes off yelling at me....I did not BUY any books. (OK - I bought one - but it was pre-ordered from long ago) These were all sent to me by very generous people who are in no way helping with my problem of not being able to shrink my TBR pile.

Sigh....it only gets bigger. But you'll get no complaints from me because look how great this IMM is!!

From the awesome Lena at Addicted to Novels:

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - Read it and I can't even express how happy this book made me! Hands down my favorite book of the year so far. It made my cold....cold...cynical YA heart sing with utter joy.

(Thank you thank you thank you Lena!!)

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - I didn't even know there was a sequel to Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side so this was a happy surprise!

Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories

From Brooke at Brooke Reports: Are you following her yet?? If not - why not?? LOL

Divergent by Veronica Roth - signed....with tattoos! LOVED this book too.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

***HUGS***

From Pam at Midnyte Reader - I finally got to meet Pam at BEA in NYC this year! Super nice and she sent me the only book on my BEA list that I did not get. Thanks Pam!

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Bought:

I bought both of these books awhile ago so I can't be yelled at for buying more books. Kelley's was pre-ordered long ago and The Charles Dickens is part of a read a long.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would but it's a BIIIIG book.....lol

Becoming graphic novel by Kelley Armstrong - Absolutely gorgeous.

From author Robin DeJarnett - really pretty Kindle bling from her debut novel Whirlwind! Thanks Robin!

BlogFest 2011

Welcome to BlogFest 2011 Hosted by A Journey Of Books.

What is a BlogFest 2011?

BlogFest is a blog run with over 200 participating blogs each offering an awesome giveaway! Each blog will link to another, pulling readers through the fantastic party we'll have set up for them!

For my stop the prize is either a $20 Amazon Gift Card (US winner) 

or $20 worth of books from The Book Depository (International winner)!

Just fill out the FORM below.

Winner will be announced on Monday 7/18

Follow the next 5 blogs for BlogFest 2011 below:

Free & Frugal Mommy of One

Frequent Reader Blog
From the Shadows
From the TBR Pile

Girls Just Reading

and they will have the next 5 links to follow and so on.

**Master List

*To be entered for an additional prize from A Journey of Books go to the BlogFest 2011 Tracking Site and enter each site you visit.

This giveaway has closed.

the winner is Lydia P.

Review: When Colors Bleed by Estevan Vega

WHEN COLORS BLEED is a collection of short stories by the author of ARSON. This collection features three unique stories with universal themes of love, loss, and regret. Watch the colors bleed.

BABY BLUE:
Casey never had any luck with men, even though she was employed by one of the finest clothing stores in New England and saw attractive, “sure kinds” strolling through her section every day like clockwork. At twenty-three years old, she has given up on her dreams of the spotlight, of finding love, and of ever getting out of the small town she reluctantly calls home. But one rainy afternoon, Thomas Rayford, a very unusual and kind stranger, stumbles into her life looking for an odd, baby blue suit. One thing is certain: Casey, the twenty-three-year-old dreamer stuck in a line, will never be the same.

VANILLA RED:
From his cold hell in Block C, a nameless man unfolds this twisted tale. This is the story of a man who becomes something else. A man who had a father once. A man who loved once. “They want to know why. They want a reason,” he confesses. “But nobody likes the reasons. They’re like unwanted children or cancers with no cure. A reason is a justification, an excuse so we can’t be blamed. But I know what it is I’ve done, and there is no reason that can take it back.” So begins Vanilla Red, a confession, a story, a prayer, or perhaps a drip of dark truth in the batter of humanity. Take a look inside and tell me what color you see.

THE MAN IN THE COLORED ROOM:
Colin awakens in a room, jittery, afraid, and confused. He knows not how he got here, who brought him, or why. And the only thing waiting for him is a hot cup of coffee and a seemingly flawless room that bleeds colors. As an architect, he understands that no room is perfect, but somehow this anomaly has crawled through the cracks and pushed the limits of perfection. No seams. No lines. No windows. Enter a bald man in a suit. Once he steps through the door, he makes the colors disappear with the push of button. His name is Jack, and he claims to be a friend. Still unsure of anything, Colin wages war with his mind, with a dark truth he isn’t ready to accept, and with Jack. In the moments that follow, Jack asks Colin a series of questions, questions that will reveal the where, the how, and the why of his arrival.

Review:

This is the second Estevan Vega book I have read. The first being Arson (read my review here). This author has such a unique writing style; it's very dark and intense, often tapping into the disillusioned, disenfranchised soul. This collection of short stories is no exception.

Baby Blue tells the story of two people reaching out to each other forming a connection but for very different reasons. It is a touching story, both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Vanilla Red is a dark tale. Very dark, but just as fascinating. The reader is immersed into the psyche of a troubled man coming to grips with his childhood, his crimes and his punishment.

The Man in the Colored Room had a much lighter feel* but as always with Vega's stories it explores the human condition as a man struggles to find his reality, answers, forgiveness and peace. (*I say "a lighter feel" but this is Estevan Vega so lighter still equals a dark tale)

These are very short stories, it took me less than 2 hours to finish the book, so I deliberately didn't go into much detail. I hadn't read anything about them myself before diving in and I think that's the best way. With each story I thought I knew where the story was going and how it would end. Each time I was surprised at where Vega took me. 

Baby Blue had me thinking about the random people I meet everyday, realizing there is more going on in people's lives than meets the eye. Vanilla Red had me going "whoa". It made me uncomfortable, and a little scared. The Man in the Colored Room felt a bit incomplete to me but it is still very good. There is a very Edgar Allen Poe/Twilight Zone quality to each tale.

If your a fan of darker fare and can handle tougher subject matter then give this collection a try. Estevan Vega is an author to watch.

Rating: 3 out 4

Find Estevan Vega:
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Buy the Book! When Colors Bleed

Source: Copy provided by the author for my honest review

Review & Giveaway! The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project. In this lively and compelling account of that year, Rubin carves out her place alongside the authors of bestselling memoirs such as Julie and Julia, The Year of Living Biblically, and Eat, Pray, Love. With humor and insight, she chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier.

Rubin didn't have the option to uproot herself, nor did she really want to; instead she focused on improving her life as it was. Each month she tackled a new set of resolutions: give proofs of love, ask for help, find more fun, keep a gratitude notebook, forget about results. She immersed herself in principles set forth by all manner of experts, from Epicurus to Thoreau to Oprah to Martin Seligman to the Dalai Lama to see what worked for her—and what didn't.

Her conclusions are sometimes surprising—she finds that money can buy happiness, when spent wisely; that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that "treating" yourself can make you feel worse; that venting bad feelings doesn't relieve them; that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference—and they range from the practical to the profound.

Written with charm and wit, The Happiness Project is illuminating yet entertaining, thought-provoking yet compulsively readable. Gretchen Rubin's passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading just a few chapters of this book will inspire you to start your own happiness project. (Non Fiction)

Review:
I bought this book on impulse while browsing in the bookstore one day. I'm not sure why, but I thought it was going to be a lighthearted, humorous take on what it takes to be happy. I based this assumption on the this tag line on the front cover:

The Happiness Project - Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.

What I found was something akin to a chart, graph and bullet list approach to being happy. Which kind of seems like the sort of thing that would take loads of time and make me the opposite of happy.

I have to admire the author for recognizing and tackling the issue but I was completely turned off by the approach. She makes charts, compiles studies, quotes, makes resolutions with a kind of wacky zeal. When she discusses her happiness project with her husband and he asks her if she is unhappy….her response is to launch into a lengthy explanation of a 2006 study that reveals how people rank themselves on the happiness scale, complete with percentages and her personal questionnaire results (Out of a range of 1 to 5 she scored a 3.92). She feels the results show she's happy - but not as happy as she should be.

I'm not knocking the approach. I do realize that most people like that type of organization and are highly goal motivated. I'm not, so I guess the whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. If I approached being happy with such fervor I might end up in the loony bin. To me happiness is attained when we stop running around like chickens with our heads cut off and learn to live in the moment. Again- I understand that this is just my way of thinking. Rubin's approach could work wonders for someone else.

That's not to say there isn't loads of useful informations in The Happiness Project. Each chapter is focused on a month and goal such as January/Boost Energy- Vitality - go to sleep earlier, exercise more etc, February/Remember Love - Marriage - fight right, quit nagging. Other chapters include leisure, friendships, money, books.

There are loads of great tips about organizing & excellent motivational quotes. And you can't argue about eating better, keeping a gratitude journal or being a better friend, wife & mother. I'm just not sure that you need to approach the topic of happiness in the same way that you may prepare for war.

The results speak for themselves though. Rubin was indeed happier at the end of her project. Her marriage had improved, she felt like a better mother and friend. I love this line from the closing chapter:

"I found that the ruby slippers had been on my feet all along; the bluebird was singing outside my kitchen window"

Rubin's approach may not be the right one for me but I say follow whatever you need to to find your Happiness.

Rating 2 out of 4

Where to find Gretchen Rubin:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube

Buy the Book! The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

Publisher: Harper (January 1, 2009)

Let's get you happy!
Now for a giveaway!

*Fill out the FORM below*

*Must be 18 years old to enter
*+2 if you follow this blog (not required)
*Giveaway ends Sunday 7/24/2011 11:59 pm ET
*US ONLY

This giveaway has closed.


The winner is The Girl on Fire

Review(s) & a Giveaway!

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (Scoundrels #3)
Publisher: Avon
January 1995
Buy the book! Amazon (only .99!! for the Kindle)

They call him many names, but Angelic isn't one of them . . .

Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain, is big, bad, and dangerous to know. No respectable woman would have anything to do with the "Bane and Blight of the Ballisters"—and he wants nothing to do with respectable women. He's determined to continue doing what he does best—sin and sin again—and all that's going swimmingly, thank you . . . until the day a shop door opens and she walks in.
She's too intelligent to fall for the worst man in the world . . .
Jessica Trent is a determined young woman, and she's going to drag her imbecile brother off the road to ruin, no matter what it takes. If saving him—and with him, her family and future—means taking on the devil himself, she won't back down. The trouble is, the devil in question is so shockingly irresistible, and the person who needs the most saving is—herself!

When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
Source: Free copy from BEA
Publisher: Avon
February 1, 2011
Buy the book! When Beauty Tamed the Beast

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty . . . Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast. Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.
Linnet is not just any woman.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love—in just two weeks.

Yet Linnet has no idea of the danger posed to her own heart by a man who may never love her in return.

If she decides to be very wicked indeed . . . what price will she pay for taming his wild heart?

Review:
I recently read these two books back to back and they were so similar (in a good way) that I decided to review them as one.

Both Lord of Scoundrels and When Beauty Tamed the Beast are historical romances and are inspired by the classic Beauty and Beast faery tale. Both men are considered beastly although I would venture to say most of it is in their own minds. Both Dain (LoS) and Piers (WBTtB) have very minor physical flaws, its more their personalities that make them seem beastly. Of course a beautiful woman comes into both of their lives.

It's the heroines that made both these books stand out for me. Most recent stories of this nature feature spunky, witty, intelligent female characters that can go toe to toe with their alpha male which culminates in steamy sex but not much more. It's all about the witty banter and one upsmanship. That is present in both tales but Jessica (LoS) and Linnet (WBTtB) are so much more than the beauty that makes the former Scoundrel/Mr. Cranky Pants make declarations of true love. They both believe in their men - Dain (LoS) & Piers (WBTtB). They love them no matter what BUT they expect their love and loyalty to be justified. Both women expect the men to respect them and step up to the plate and be good human beings, not just good lovers - Piers as a Doctor and Dain as a ….(can't say - spoiler - :-)) I love how Jessica and Linnet stood up for what they believed in while still giving unwavering support to Dain and Piers.

Dain and Piers are good tortured alpha heroes, although both border on whiny at times which would be the only thing keeping me from a perfect 4 rating for either book. The sex scenes are fairly steamy without being overly explicit. I'm not a huge historical romance fan yet I did enjoy these two books.

Rating: 3.5 for both Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase & When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James.

Giveaway time!

FILL OUT THE FORM below to win a SIGNED copy of When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James.

RULES:
*Must be 18 years old to enter
*US only
*+2 if you follow but not required

Giveaway ends Sunday July 17th 11:59pm ET

This giveaway has closed.

The winner is Elisa J