Friday, September 30, 2011

Blog Hop (29) & Follow Friday (29)

Book Blogger Hop
The Book Blogger Hop is a meme sponsored by Jennifer at Crazy For Books.

This week's question is: 
In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book?"
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler is one challenged book I really like. Everyone should go read it! :P


 

HI! Welcome to my blog! I am participating in Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View.
Hop on please leave comment, link your blog, and follow, and I will follow you as well.
This week's question is:   

"What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character? "
You know, I've been reading the Vampire Academy series and I actually think it would be cool if it were turned into a movie. Dimitri is probably my favorite character and when I imagine him I imagine Ben Barnes so I definitely wouldn't mind if he played Dimitri. :P

If you are interested and have the time, come help me with the Author Weekend Feature going on in this blog: HERE

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Link Your Reviews

We all want to promote our reviews, don't we? This is a way of letting other people know about them. Just leave a link to your review below.

Go visit the other reviews and let people know what you think about them!


This will is weekly feature posted on Thursdays. :)


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

My Book Boyfriend



My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. It is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out the My Book Boyfriend Introduction Page over at Missie's blog The Unread Reader.


This week my book boyfriend is:


Jace Wayland/Herondale from The Mortal Instuments Series by Cassandra Clare




Stats

Status:  Jace is a Shadowhunter. He's part nephilim and part human. He's also Clary's love interest.

Age: 17

Height:About 5´11´

Eyes: Gold

Hair: Blonde

More info: Jace is extremely good at hunting and killing demons. He tends to keep to himself and hide behind his sarcasm and though exterior. 








"I was born amazing."













"Do you remember back at the hotel when you promised thatt if we lived, you'd get dressed up in a nurse's outfit and give me a sponge bath?" asked Jace
"It was Simon who promised you the sponge bath."
"As soon as I'm back on my feet, handsome." said Simon.
"I knew we should have left you a rat."

"Don't." Clary raised a warning hand. "I'm not really in the mood right now."
"That's got to be the first time a girl's ever said that to me." Jace mused

"And now I'm looking at you." he said "and you're asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has. I never dares give much of myself to anyone before - bits of myself to the Lightwoods, to Isabelle and Alec, but it took years to do it - but, Clary, since the first time I saw you, I have belonged to you completely. I still do. If you want me."

"There is no pretending." Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll you then."

Actor Alex Pettyfer


I know we already have a Jace for the movies but I think I'll always imagine Jace as looking like Alex Pettyfer.

What about you? Who's your Jace?

Review - Intoxication by Tim Kizer

Title and Author: Intoxication by Tim Kizer
Publisher:
Publication Date:March 30th, 2011
Paperback/Hardcover: 31
Genre: Mystery

Summary:
For the fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz...
How do you force a confession out of a coworker trying to poison you? Do you kill those who dismiss your fears and believe you are paranoid? What do you do if you start questioning your own suspicions--and sanity--as you take the law into your hands?
In this disturbing tale of derangement, a young psychopathic woman is slipping into madness as she fights an enemy that may exist only in her imagination. She has to resort to desperate measures when she realizes that a gun, security cameras in her apartment, and constant vigilance will not be enough to survive.

Bonus: "Hitchhiker" by Tim Kizer, the first entry in the As the Darkness Falls series.
From description:
When a serial killer hitches a ride one sunny day in a beautiful California valley, he does not suspect that he may have met his match, who is dead set to take another life. The battle of wits begins and only the most devious mind will survive

Review:
I received Intoxication from Kim Kizer in exchange of an honest review.
Intoxication is a short novella that explores the psychological stability of Leslie who is sure one of her co-workers is trying to poison her coffee and that her boyfriend has drank that same coffee and ended up with indigestion. Leslie then decides she needs to find out who wants to kill her and why.
I really liked the novella and thought it accomplished its goal as a suspense thriller. It’s not easy to guess who the poisoner is and what the reason is for poisoning Leslie.
Leslie is a very good main character and you can almost feel her starting to go mad as she becomes less and less rational.
There’s a lot of plot in Intoxication considering it is a short story, which I really appreciate.
Hitchhiker was an interesting story as well. The plot was good and so was the mystery, suspense and horror in it.
Intoxication is a very unique story and fast that was able to keep me entertained and surprised.
If you like mystery and thriller I think you’ll definitely be able to enjoy this book.

Rating: Worth Your Time (4 Stars)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Teaser Tuesday


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 
This week I m reading:


Blood Promise by Richelle Mead


"After wetting a washcloth, I gently cleaned his face. He continued protesting at first but finally fell quiet. The bathroom was small, and we were just a few inches from each other. I could smell his clean, intoxicating scent and studied every detail of his face and strong body. My heart raced in my chest, but we were supposed to be on good behavior, so I tried to appear cool and collected. He was eerily calm too, but when I brushed his
hair back behind his ears to clean the rest of his face, he flinched. My fingertips touching his skin had sent shock waves through me, and he’d felt them too. He caught hold of my hand and pulled it away."


"But as I lay in that delirium and moved in and out of consciousness, his comforting face would occasionally take on those terrible red eyes and fangs. I’d whimper, fighting hard to push that sight away. Other times, he didn’t look like Dimitri at all. He’d turn into a man I didn’t know, an older Moroi with dark hair and cunning eyes, gold jewelry glinting on his neck and ears. I’d cry out for Dimitri again, and eventually, his face would
return, safe and wonderful."

What about you? What are you reading right now?

Monday, September 26, 2011

Cover Smackdown - Kiss Giveaway Winner

Hello! So, do you want to know who the winner of the Cover Smackdown - Kiss is?


According to random.org:

The winner of a  pair of earrings from ValerieOriginals is:

Entry #1023: Small Review



Congrats! I'll contact you soon!

Cover Smackdown - Embrace

It's time for another Cover Smackdown!


This time I’ll show you 18 covers with people embracing on them. I want you to fill in the form below and vote for your top 5 covers. You can vote for those covers until Friday.
I’ll post the results on Saturday along with a little giveaway. Once the feature is over there will be another big feature giveaway!

Like before every time you fill one of the forms, and let me know which covers you prefer, you’re immediately entering the surprise giveaway! You can get a lot of entries if you participate every week.

Now, the covers:
01 02 03

04 05 06

07 08 09 

10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18


So, Remember this is about the covers and not the books themselves!
So, if you want to participate, fill in this week’s form. Vote for your favorite covers. It is open until Friday (Septmeber 30th).

You’ll notice in the form that you need to tell me which your 5 favorite covers are of the ones pictured above. That will count as one entry. Extra entries can be won by spreading the word about this feature and giveaway.


Good luck and thank you for participating! This is International!


It's Monday, What are you Reading?


 
This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.
 
Read this past week:
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Frostibite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Currently Reading: 
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

 
Upcoming:
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Calleti


Yes, I'm finally reading the Vampire Academy series! :P

What about you? What are you reading and are you enjoying it?

Author Weekend Giveaway Winners

So, I have winners for the Lauren DeStefano and Sarah Ockler Author Weekend Giveaways.


  • Chosen by random.org, the winner of a pair of earrings from ValerieOriginals is:

Entry #37: Diana
 
  •  Chosen by random.org, the winner of a sea glass necklace from Sammy's Beadworks is:
 
Entry #02: Leigh Ann


Thanks for participating!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Author Weekend Giveaway

Author Weekend Giveaway! Here are the details


One winner will win:

The following earrings from ValerieOriginals.
All you have to do to enter this giveaway is fill in the form below.

Extra entries:
- Be a GFC follower and leave a comment on this post letting me know you follow the blog.
- Be a Twitter follower. (@c_cass189)
- Follow J.K. Rowling on Twitter (@jk_rowling)
- Comment on Sonia's post about J.K. Rowling - HERE 
- Go to ValerieOriginals.and heart the shop
This giveaway is open until Saturday,October 1st.
This giveaway is open Internationaly.

J.K, Rowling

Sonia from The Story Queen was great enough to write this post about J.K. Rowling. I hope you like it! :)


 J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is something of a hero for me. The world that she paints with her words is stunning in its vibrancy and the storylines she creates are so very intricate. The Harry Potter novels have made me cry and laugh, sometimes in the same sentence. I've held my breath, both mesmerized and horrified. I'm not exaggerating in the slighest when I say that J.K. Rowling's novels have changed my life.

There are so many things that I could talk about, so many reasons I love these books. They are entrancing and captivating, with real characters that grow and leap off the pages. The places JKR invents are so amazing - I can imagine exactly what Hogwarts would be like, how the Ministry would appear. One of my favourite things about the books though is all of the messages scattered within their pages. It's more than the typical good versus evil; it's about hope, bravery, respect, equality. It's about how love conquers all and that everyone has the potential to be good, to make a difference. J.K. Rowling's works have valuable lessons, no doubt, but I would never consider them preachy if someone just wanted a fun, inventive story. After all, there are plenty of other amazing things about the novels to enjoy ;)

The Harry Potter world is so vast. I don't know if you could get everything just reading through the series once. Personally, I've read the series dozens of times, but that sounds a little obsessive so I'll stop right there ;) Another thing that I really liked about it is how involved you can become in the series - I've spent so much time daydreaming about getting my Hogwarts acceptance letter and being sorted into the house that fits me best (HUFFLEPUFF, I hope!). I want to taste a Chocolate Frog and roam the streets of Diagon Alley where my wand will pick me and sparks will fly from its tip.

So, thank you, J.K. Rowling. Thank you for creating a universe that grabbed me from the start and that refuses to let go even now. You rock.



Thank you, Sonia! :)

J.K. Rowling

This weekend is dedicated to J.K. Rowling! I hope you like it.


Author's Profile:

Author. Born Joanne Kathleen Rowling, on July 31, 1965, in Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol, England. A single mother living in Edinburgh, Scotland, Rowling became an international literary sensation in 1999, when the first three installments of her Harry Potter children's book series took over the top three slots of The New York Times best-seller list after achieving similar success in her native United Kingdom. The phenomenal response to Rowling's books culminated in July 2000, when the fourth volume in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, became the fastest-selling book in history.
A graduate of Exeter University, Rowling moved to Portugal in 1990 to teach English. There, she met and married the Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes. The couple's daughter, Jessica, was born in 1993. After her marriage ended in divorce, Rowling moved to Edinburgh with her daughter to live near her younger sister, Di. While struggling to support Jessica and herself on welfare, Rowling worked on a book, the idea for which had reportedly occurred to her while she was traveling on a train from Manchester to London in 1990. After a number of rejections, she finally sold the book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the word "Philosopher" was changed to "Sorcerer" for its publication in America), for the equivalent of about $4,000. The book, and its subseqent series, chronicled the life of Harry Potter, a young wizard, and his motley band of cohorts at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
By the summer of 2000, the first three Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban earned approximately $480 million in three years, with over 35 million copies in print in 35 languages. In July 2000, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire saw a first printing of 5.3 million copies and advance orders of over 1.8 million. After a postponed release date, the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, hit book stores in June 2003. The sixth installment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, sold 6.9 million copies in the United States in its first 24 hours, the biggest opening in publishing history. Prior to its July 2007 release, the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the largest ever pre-ordered book at chain stores Barnes & Noble and Border's, and at Amazon.com.
Rowling, now Britain's 13th wealthiest woman—wealthier than even the Queen—does not plan to write any more books in the series, but has not entirely ruled out the possibility.
A film version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, directed by Chris Columbus was released in November 2001. In its opening weekend in the U.S., the film debuted on a record 8,200 screens and smashed the previous box office record, earning an estimated $93.5 million ($20 million more than the previous recordholder, 1999's The Lost World: Jurassic Park). It ended the year as the top-grossing movie of 2001" 


J.K. Rowling's Books: 

I'm sure you know these but I'll leave pictures of the Harry Potter series anyway. :)




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Cover Smackdown - Kiss Giveawa

Here's this week's Cover Smackdown Giveway:

  • One winner will win the following earrings from Valerie Originals


All you have to do to win is participate in the Cover Smackdown feature going on this blog.
So, if you already filled any of the past weeks forms you have already entered this giveaway.

Extra entries:
- Be a GFC follower and leave a comment on this post letting me know you follow the blog.
- Be a Twitter follower. (@c_cass189)
- Go to ValerieOriginals and heart the shop
This giveaway is open until Sunday, September 25th.
This giveaway is open Internationaly.
 

Cover Smackdown - Kiss Results

Are you curious to know which covers won the Cover Smackdown - Kiss?

Here are the results. According to your votes, your five favorite covers with people kissing  are:
(Click on the image to go to goodreads)


5 - Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson





I haven't read this book yet but it has a lovely cover, simple and very pretty and it seems to fit the story.






4 - Paradise by Jill S. Alexander





This is another book I haven't read yet but like the cover. I like the fact it is black and white. It works, I think.






3 - Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles




I'm glad this cover is on the list because I really like it. The cover only makes me want to read the book and find out if the relationship between the two characters is as intense as the cover suggests. :)






2 - One Day by David Nichols




A great cover for a great book. This definitely makes me want to see the movie as well! :)
I'm glad this cover for One Day is number two.






1 - Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles





This cover definitely deserves first place, doesn't it? I think it's beatiful and it couldn't make me want to read the book any more than it does. :)






So, what do you think? Do you agree with the list?