Pick Your A Thon- The Book Monsters UPDATE!

Thanks again to The Book Monsters for hosting this Read A Thon!

TGIF at GReads! (8)

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!

This week's question is:
First & Last: What was the first book you read in 2011 and the last you finished in 2011? How do you feel about these books? Would you recommend them to other readers?

Pick Your A Thon!- The Book Monsters

Presented by The Book Monsters!
If you haven't checked out their blog, or their group on Goodreads, I recommend you do! It's fantastic fun!Starting today and running till January 3rd! 

Romance Report: The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

Title: The Demon Lover

Author: Juliet Dark

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: December 2011

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One

Shelf Candy! (9)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday! 

My Saturdays are a lot more fun because of it!

This week my Shelf Candy is:

Book Review: Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

Title: Wherever You Go

Author: Heather Davis

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books

Publication Date: November 2011

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Welcome to the Midwinter's Eve Hop!

Thanks to I Am Reader, Not A Writer and Oasis For YA blogs for hosting!

You could win:













Stardust by Neil Gamain!

Winter Wishlist- Week Three!

Thanks to Read Now Sleep Later for hosting!

Week Three:
Write about a charity/nonprofit/community group that works with books and/or literacy!

Author Interview & Book Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Title: The Faerie Ring

Author: Kiki Hamilton

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: September 2011

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One


Synopsis can be found here.

Review:

In 1871 London, our world and the Otherworld blur. Queen Victoria's ring is lost, setting off a chain of events that may lead to an all out war with the Fey. The thief is a young girl named Tiki, an orphan who lives on the streets of London. Little did she know what she was going to start!

Trying to care for her family of orphans, Tiki is now being watched, and followed by humans and Fey alike. One of them is a fellow thief Rieker, but can he be trusted? And which side is he on, anyway?

The Faerie Ring blew me away. We start in the dirty, grimy streets of London where our heroine and her family are scraping by with what they can. Life is hard and while Tiki has a good heart, sometimes we all do things we can regret. (Like stealing Queen Victoria's ring for instance!)

The darkness of London is the perfect setting for the Fey, who hover in shadows, preying on innocent people. The two worlds blend so well, it was easy to be completely lost in the story. The twists and turns in the book are unexpected, reminding me of running through the narrow streets of London. In fact, one particular twist at the end is so surprising, I had to read the passage twice!

Tiki is a very likeable character, sometimes making wrong decisions but always with good intentions. Rieker, another thief, is mysterious, handsome and a little bit dangerous. The attraction between these two is obvious as the banter goes back and forth easily. Do we trust Rieker? Should we? 

Overall, The Faerie Ring is a wonderful mix of fantasy, rebellion and mystery. I loved reading every moment of this book! 

Rating: 10, One of the Best

Author Interview with Kiki Hamilton!

Kimberly- Thank you so much for stopping by Kiki!

Kiki- Thanks so much for inviting me over to your blog!

What inspired you to become a writer? 

I’ve always loved to write but I was so busy with work and my family and life that I didn’t make the time to write. Then I read Harry Potter. (I didn’t actually start Harry Potter until the Goblet of Fire came out… I read books 1-4 in a week.) I’d forgotten the magic of a well-told story. The magic of becoming the characters in a book and experiencing their adventures. I loved Harry Potter so much that I decided I’d write a little story for my daughter and that’s when the madness all started…

What was the last book you read?  

I read REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly recently and enjoyed that.

What sparked the idea of your book? 

I’ve always loved the idea of things not being what they seem. That other dimensions or worlds exist side by side with our own, just beyond our ken; that the scope of our world is more than just the three dimensions that we are able to easily comprehend.

At the same time, I'm intrigued by the past, by our history, by what may have occurred that might not have been formally documented for future generations. The untold story, if you will. And I am particularly fascinated with those untold stories that have a thread of documented fact woven through them, hich makes the reader question whether they are reading fiction or nonfiction. A story that makes the reader say... "What if..."

How did you choose the setting and time for your novel, which takes place in London 1871? (Do you have a time machine?) 

Victorian London is a mysterious and magical time in history.  It is an era of great change, great technological advances, yet at the same time, beliefs in the occult remained strong.  Additionally, the era offers a startling dichotomy between the classes and the way people lived, providing a great gap of motivations. 

What are your favorite things about Tiki? 

I like how loyal Tiki is – that she will stand up for and take care of people even when it’s frightening or difficult.

I’m a little in love with Rieker. Is he real?  

LOL, don’t we wish? That’s the fun of being a writer – you can create exactly what you want. But no, Rieker is not based on a real person.

Are you sure? 

LOL – You never know. I’ll let you know if I run into him in crowded railway station one day. J

What was the biggest challenge writing your novel? 

Actually, there wasn’t any great challenge. I wrote the story I wanted to read and it just fell out of my head onto the page.  I wrote THE FAERIE RING in 30 days.  Editorial revisions, however, took a bit longer. ;-}

How do you like your potato? 

Boiled, mushed with lots of butter

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? 

I’ve been in business for many years.  Right now, I also work at a financial advisory firm.

Do you have a favorite literary character? 

I LOVED Eugenides in Megan Whalen Turner’s THE THIEF series. And of course, I love Harry Potter and the Weasley twins…

What do you do when you’re not writing? 

Clean the house, mow, walk the dog, grocery shop, cook dinner, laundry, haul the kid around….you know – the usual. But I also like to play the guitar, ski, play tennis, I paint occasionally and stuff like that.

What is one thing you would tell aspiring writers? 

Never, EVER give up.

What is your next book about and when is it coming out? 

Stay tuned!

Thank you again Kiki for stopping by! 

You can visit Kiki Hamilton here and follow her on twitter @kikihamilton

Shelf Candy Saturday!!! (8)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday! 
My Saturdays are a lot more fun because of it!

This week, my Shelf Candy is:

Book Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Title: Going Too Far

Author: Jennifer Echols

Publisher: Pocket Books/MTV Books

Publication Date: March 2009

Genre: Young Adult Realistic Romance

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Winter Wishlist- Week Two!

It's the Winter Wishlist!
Hosted by Read Now Sleep Later!

This week: Write about Books or Bookish Things that you would love to give!

Book Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Title: Perfect Chemistry

Author: Simone Elkeles

Publisher:Walker & Company

Publication Date: December 2008

Genre: Young Adult Realitic Fiction/Romance

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One

TGIF at G Reads! (6)

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!
This week's question is: Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

There are so many wonderful and awful adaptations of books to film. How to choose?!

***Romance Report*** Book Review: How To Knit A Love Song by Rachael Herron

Title: How To Knit A Love Song (Cypress Hollow Yarn #1)

Author: Rachael Herron

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: March 2010

Genre: Romance/Knit Lit

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One

Winter Wishlist- Week One!

It's the Winter Wishlist!
Hosted by Read Now Sleep Later!
This week: write about Books or Bookish Things that you would love to get.

Book Review: The Postmortal by Drew Magery

Title: The Postmortal

Author: Drew Magery

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: August 2011

Genre: Adult Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Shelf Candy Saturday!!! (7)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!


This week, my Shelf Candy is:

TGIF at G Reads! (5)

 

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!

The question this week: Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

Book Review: Dead Kid Detective Agency by Evan Munday

Title: The Dead Kid Detective Agency

Author: Evan Munday

Publisher: Ecw Press

Published: September 2011

Genre: Young Reader Mystery

Series or Stand Alone: Series

Book Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Title: This Lullaby

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Puffin

Publication Date: May 2002

Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Shelf Candy Saturday!!! (6)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

My Shelf Candy for this Saturday is:

TGIF at G Reads! (4)

Thanks to GReads for hosting!


The question this week:
When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

Book Review: Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Sometimes It Happens

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: July 2011

Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Debut Author Reading Challenge! 2012

And so 2011 draws to a close and 2012 is around the corner! 

Thank you to The Story Siren for hosting and be sure to visit her website to find other participating bloggers!

TBR Pile Reading Challenge! 2012

Like many of you, I have waaaay too many books. I buy them, excited and anxious to read them, but oh! I should really finish this one first. And I bought this earlier this week so this is first in line. And there's this library book that's due...


After a while, my new purchase sits in my "I'm going to get to it someday" pile.
But this coming year will be different!

 

My goal will be level- A Sweet Kiss- 21 to 30.
Click on the button above to check out other bloggers participating in this challenge

Shelf Candy Saturday! (5)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

My Shelf Candy for this Saturday is:

TGIF at GReads! (3)

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!

The question this week is: Giving Thanks: Which books are you most thankful for receiving from other bloggers, friends, family members, or publishers?

Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

Hello dear Readers and tis the season!

Thank you to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and All-Consuming Books for hosting this hop!

Book Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harrington

Publisher: Harlequinn

Publication Date: November 29, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Shelf Candy Saturday! (4)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

TGIF at G Reads! (2)

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!

The question this week is:
Love-Hate Relationship: Which characters from a book do you love to hate?

In no particular order-

Book Review: Portrait in Death by J. D. Robb

Title: Portrait In Death

Author: J. D. Robb

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: March 2003

Genre: Adult Mystery

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book Sixteen

Book Review and Thanks for The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey

This post was done for Beth Revis's website and a contest to win 19 books! Visit Beth Revis for your chance to win and post which book you're most thankful for reading.

Title: The Mermaids Singing

Author: Lisa Carey

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 1998

Genre: Young Adult/Adult

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Shelf Candy Saturday! (3)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

So, my Shelf Candy this Saturday is....

TGIF at G Reads! (1)

Thanks to G Reads! for hosting! And TGIF!

The question this week:
Gateway Books: Which particular books opened you up to a new genre? 

Book Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: October 2011

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

YA Author Signing- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Happy Halloween everyone!
Hope you have a wonderful, safe and candy filled holiday.
Now, here's my treat I wanted to share with you!


On October 21st, I snuck out of work early (yes, again) and drove (like the wind I tell you!) to Montrose, CA.
Once Upon A Time Bookstore was my destination! Because they were hosting Maggie Stiefvater on "The Scorpio Races" book tour!

Once Upon A Time's window display

Shelf Candy (2)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

Book Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Title: Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot

Publisher: Point

Publication Date: April 2011

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Retelling

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One

Spooktacular Giveaway!!

Muah-Ah AH!!
Don't be scared!
No, really. It's ok! :)


Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer  for hosting!

And in closing: Wonderfully Wicked Read-A-Thon ends

Shelf Candy! (1)

Thanks to Five Alarm Book Reviews for hosting Shelf Candy every Saturday!

Updated!! The Wonderfully Wicked Read-A-Thon! October 21-23rd

It's my first Read-A-Thon!

That's right!

I'm going to be reading as much as I can during these three days! 

Thanks to hosts: Bex @ Kindle Fever and April @ My Shelf Confessions!

And check back here for updates!

Please feel free to leave comments or advice! :) I'm not sure how I'll do, but it seems like an amazing challenge!

YA Author Signing!- Montrose, CA

On October 6th, I tip-toed out of work early (a whole hour I tell you!) and drove over to Montrose, CA where a charming childrens bookstore named Once Upon A Time lives.


There, after a beautiful dinner of gourmet pizza and a glass of wine, I met some friends for...

The Succubus series Giveaway Begins!

Hello there happy readers!

The Succubus series Giveaway Begins!

One lucky winner will win the first book in the series, Succubus Blues and another lucky winner will win the last book in the series Succubus Revealed!

Book Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Title: Succubus Revealed

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: August 2011

Genre: Adult Romantic Fantasy

Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book Six, End of series

Check out my archive to see reviews of book one to five!