Home  |  Reviews  |  Vlogs  |  Interviews  |  Guest Posts  |  Fairy Tales  |  Jane Austen  |  Memes  |  Policies

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bookperk: Get Abandon free w/ Roses & Bones

I know I just shared a Bookperk deal with you a couple of days ago, and I promise this isn't going to become an endless pushing of Bookperk, but this is another one that was just too good not to share with you


Receive Meg Cabot's New Book Abandon for FREE, with the Purchase ofRoses and Bones by Acclaimed Author Francesca Lia Block



!!!  How awesome is that?  And - AND - it's under $10!  I was planning on getting Abandon anyway, so this means I will definitely be getting it!  I know I keep saying I need to buy fewer books, but can't pass this up.

You can get it here, but I wouldn't wait too long - the offer expires in just a few weeks! <--- looks like it sold out within hours! :(

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wishlist Wednesday: Juniper Berry



Juniper Berry
by M.P. Kozlowsky

To Be Released: April 28, 2011
from Walden Pond Press (HarperCollins)


Juniper Berry's parents are the most beloved actor and actress in the world—but Juniper can't help but feel they haven't been quite right lately. And she and her friend Giles are determined to find out why. 

On a cold and rainy night, Juniper follows her parents as they sneak out of the house and enter the woods. What she discovers is an underworld filled with contradictions: one that is terrifying and enticing, lorded over by a creature both sinister and seductive, who can sell you all the world's secrets bound in a balloon. For the first time, Juniper and Giles have a choice to make. And it will be up to them to confront their own fears in order to save the ones who couldn't.


"A tale of terror and temptation"... Everything about this appeals to me.   And for whatever reason, I love crows/various black birds on covers.  I think maybe I'm just in the mood for something like it.  AND Kozlowsky is a 2011 debut author!  Definitely on the to-read list!
What say you, kittens?  Anyone else in the mood for some debut terror and temptation?
What's on your wishlist?

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Diana Wynne Jones: August 16, 1934 - March 26, 2011

Much loved children's fantasy author Diana Wynne Jones died this weekend at the age of 76, after a battle with cancer.

I personally have never read anything by her, though I own a few of her books and have a fair few more on my to-read list.  I know a few people who push her work hard, often listing her as one of their all-time favorite authors, and just as often, Howl's Moving Castle and Dogsbody as some of their all-time favorite books.

Many of her books have been reissued in recent times, and she has a new book scheduled to be released this summer, Earwig and the Witch.



She is the author of



and many, many more.


For a lovely tribute to this beloved children's author, see The Huffington Post's "Diana Wynne Jones: An Appreciation"

TBR Tuesday: Shades of Grey

Because I have a lot of books hiding on my shelves, and I still want to bring them to your attention, I give you:


Teetering at the top of Mt TBR....


Shades of Grey (Shades of Grey, #1)
by Jasper Fforde 



Part social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, Shades of Grey tells of a battle against overwhelming odds. In a society where the ability to see the higher end of the color spectrum denotes a better social standing, Eddie Russet belongs to the low-level House of Red and can see his own color—but no other. The sky, the grass, and everything in between are all just shades of grey, and must be colorized by artificial means.
Eddie's world wasn't always like this. There's evidence of a never-discussed disaster and now, many years later, technology is poor, news sporadic, the notion of change abhorrent, and nighttime is terrifying: no one can see in the dark. Everyone abides by a bizarre regime of rules and regulations, a system of merits and demerits, where punishment can result in permanent expulsion.
Eddie, who works for the Color Control Agency, might well have lived out his rose-tinted life without a hitch. But that changes when he becomes smitten with Jane, a Grey Nightseer from the dark, unlit side of the village. She shows Eddie that all is not well with the world he thinks is just and good. Together, they engage in dangerous revolutionary talk.



I was so, SO pleased when I won a copy of this last year (can't remember from whom...); I thought the first Thursday Next book was a quirky good time, and this sounded like it would be, too, with the addition of DYSTOPIA!  How could it go wrong?  But like many books, it's been shelved due to lack of time.  I almost picked it up for Dystopian February (Presenting Lenore), but Feb was a busy month and I knew I wasn't going to have time, so it's still sitting, lonely on the shelves...
What do you guys think?  Anyone read this one?
What's on your TBR?

Monday, March 28, 2011

Book Perk: Beastly + some sexyfication

I don't know if you guys have heard about Book Perk, but because I am on Harper Collins mailing list, I get these lovely little deals in my inbox from BookPerk, their new service.  Basically, they put together these really cool packages for book lovers (I wanted the To Kill A Mockingbird one SO BAD!).

There's one going on right now that I thought I'd share with you, as it's pretty fantastic timing.

Right now, they have an offer for a copy of Beastly by Alex Flinn, and it comes with this cute little lipstick (Ambrosia, by Lola).
And it's pretty dead cheap.
But why is this such perfect timing?
Well, Fairy Tale Fortnight is coming, of course!
What better way to get involved than to pick up a copy of a modern retelling, some cute lipstick to boot, and maybe do a little guest post or host a read-along?
(I know, I know - what a  great idea! ;p )
Anywho, it's a limited time thing, so I thought I'd let you know.
=D

Check it out here!


(Oh, and while you're there, you can enter to win a copy of I Am Number Four signed by the cast, + a hoodie!)

River Marked + Mercy March

Ugh. I feel like an ass.  I have been meaning to tell you about this, um...all month... Oops.
Anywhoodle, Miss Eliza over @ Strange and Random Happenstance has recently discovered the joys of Mercedes Thompson, and to celebrate the release of River Marked, the 6th book in the series, she's having Mercy March, which is awesome and you should check out.

She reviewed basically everything Mercy related, which pleased me much.  And to help spread the word about Mercy March and the awesomeness that is Mercedes Thompson, I give to you: my review of River Marked.  (Not that I wasn't going to give it to you anyway.  But not in nearly so timely a manner, as I just finished rather recently, and am generally a horrendous procrastinator...)

River Marked
by Patricia Briggs

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.


An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...


This one...started off a little weak to me.  I love these books (it's easily my favorite urban fantasy series), so I was awaiting its release pretty eagerly -- it's not often I pre-order books, afterall.  I was so ready to jump back in, but this one was kind of a slow burner.  I did end up liking it, as always, but there were some things that left me feeling a little let down.

Let's start with the things I really liked:
Stefan is back!  It may be a somewhat minimal role, but I was suffering some serious Stefan withdrawal.  And I actually like the reasons he was gone, because it made it more true.  I was just talking about this the other day (with Miss Eliza, if I'm not mistaken), and Patricia Briggs is really good at making me feel the impact of serious things that happen in the books because she realizes that they are lives that are being messed with.  Yes, I know they are fictional lives, but all the same -- if something traumatic happens in 1 book, it shouldn't be completely forgotten by the next.  There are aftershocks, always.  Things change people.  Mercy went through something completely horrible, and Briggs saw it through in a really authentic way; she didn't brush it under the rug once it had served its literary purpose.  The same is true of Stefan, and I applaud her more for showing the same diligence and veracity with even her minor characters.  It lends everything strength, and makes me feel like she's not going to be the type of author (*cough*Laurell K Hamilton*cough*) who keeps raising the stakes and raising the stakes and raising the stakes -- only to have her characters discover some superpower or some magical something that saves the day, and then move on like it never happened or doesn't matter.  If there's no danger and no real impact, what's the point?  I hate Deus Ex.*

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent there... Moving on.
Another thing I really liked, and I have to warn you, it's the teensiest bit spoilery, and it's a really cute part of the book that I don't want to spoil for you, so if you haven't read it yet, scroll past this next bit real quick...
....
....
Are they gone?  Okay, I loved Mercy's surprise wedding.  That was the cutest effing thing ever, and it so perfectly suited the characters and the story.  Again, it's another of those little touches that makes the book and the world feel real to me, and makes me believe that it really is real to Briggs, and that she knows these characters inside and out.  It made me smile and feel a little squishy, it was so sweet and cute.  And I'm not so prone to squishiness.


Alright, spoilers over.  Now we get into the mixed stuff.  I did like that Mercy's Native American heritage was explored, and that the insertion of this new mythology is going to expand the world and give Mercy something new to work out.  But there was part of me that disliked it a little bit too, or at least, the way it was handled.  I really liked the parts that dealt with Mercy's father -- that was fascinating and funny.  But there's part of me that feels like Briggs started with the bar too high, and it tread a little too close to that Laurell K Deus Ex territory that I asterisked up there ↑↑ (yes.  I did just use "asterisked" as a verb.  My adv. comp. teacher would kill me if he knew.)  I would have liked a little more build up to the craziness, but I did like what happened.  I just wonder where there is to go from here.  I don't doubt that there is somewhere to go, but I just don't want to see this go the way of Anita Blake.  That's all I'm saying.

Along the same lines, Briggs hit one of my major pet peeves (and whaddya know?  It's another one Laurell K is good for...) I absolutely hate when an author feels the need to continually cover ground that's already been covered.  This probably isn't fair, it's probably not solely the fault of the author -- publishers want to sell books, namely the one that just came out -- they don't want people to have to deal with the pesky idea of starting a series from the beginning;  that might discourage sales (thought it might encourage library visits...).  Therefore, there tends to be a lot of redundancy and blahblah to get through in each successive book in a series, mainly to bring new readers up to speed.  I haaaaaaaaate this.  I get the reason for it, but it lessens my hatred not a jot.  If you want to know what's happening in a series, read the goddamn series.  I don't want to be told the same things over and over and over.  It makes me feel like: a) the book's not being written for me or for the characters, but for the next available wallet, and b) the writer either doesn't trust themselves to get the point across and make everything clear, or doesn't trust the reader to get it.  Briggs did a fair bit of this in River Marked (and she writes fairly short books, so there wasn't a lot of room to waste on this kind of nonsense); she also extended it to a continual repetition of the bond between Mercy and Adam. We. Get. It. Show, don't tell, damn it.

Now, I'm probably just being super sensitive because this is such a big pet peeve of mine.  Many people may not be bothered by it, or even notice it for that matter.  But I think it bears warning, in case you're a little angerball like me who will feel the need to compose angry letters in your head that you're never going to send.
I don't think that these negative traits were bad enough in this book to keep me from enjoying or recommending the book, but I am going to be watching you, Ms Briggs, so I'm putting you on notice -- trust your reader, trust your self, and tell your publisher to stuff it.  Readers want a good book, not a good primer for the series.  [Don't let it happen again.  I don't like scolding you like this.]
;}

So there you have it.  It's a mixed-bag review, but I love this series, and this book is no exception, for the most part.  I may be a little, eensy, weensy bit wary for the future of the series, but I recommend it wholeheartedly for now.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Coupla Winnahs!

Got a few contests that end at midnight, but since I don't really see anyone entering them in the next hour or so (as no one has these last couple of days), I'm going to go ahead and end them a mite early so I can gather the winner's info and get their prizes on the way!  (Hope no one takes issue with this*...)
So I'll get right to the point:

2 winners of Numbers: The Chaos by Rachel Ward, 
courtesy of Scholastic:

#1: Tabathia!

#2: Jessy!


2 winners of the Jane Eyre movie promo prize pack, 
courtesy of Focus Films:

#1: Katrina!

#2: Bethie!

Congrats, everyone!  I'm emailing you now for your addresses.  I hope you all enjoy your lovely, lovely prizes!
Stay tuned for more awesome, kittens!

*Um, sorry; you're overruled.  
*smiles sweetly*

IMM: 3/27/11



I had fun with this one, as I am sure you will see by the end...
Links at the bottom!



Mentioned:
Kristi @ The Story Siren
Velvet @ vvb32 reads (I forgot you in the credits, Velvet!  Sorry :| )
Angelique @ Vampires and Tofu
Ashley @ Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing
Fairy Tale Fortnight
Mumford and Sons
Ghirardelli Yumminess
Cloaked by Alex Flinn
Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Blood and Flowers by Penny Blubaugh
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss



The Wise Man's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 2)
by Patrick Rothfuss

For nearly four years, fantasy and science fiction enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting this second volume to Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. The first volume, The Name of the Wind, won the prestigious Quill Award and was recently voted as the third-best SFF novel of the decade on Tor.com. In this linchpin book of the trilogy, Kvothe continues his perilous search for answers about the Chandrian even as he grapples with more pressing dangers.


I'm going to keep this brief:


I am half in love with Kvothe.  More than half, if I'm honest.
This was easily my most eagerly awaited book of the year, and it came out on my birthday.  There couldn't have been a better birthday present.
It's a rare author who can write a nearly 1000-page book and still leave you wanting more.
Perfection.
'Nuff said.


And if you haven't read The Name of the Wind or Wise Man's Fear, I would suggest you do so.  Now.
I never really tell people to buy books (libraries are lovely things), but this is one of the rare instances where I'm going to.  Do yourself a favor: buy these and love them like they deserve to be loved.


Color me squee



...because Gail Carriger made some announcements recently about her "Secret Project F" that has been hanging out at the bottom of each of her blog posts, teasing readers with the promise of some new delight.

She finally tells us a bit about this four book YA series in her blog post entitled In Which a New Series is Set Afloat:
The Finishing School Series is set in the same world as The Parasol Protectorate series, only 25 years earlier, and features a finishing academy located in a giant caterpillar-like dirigible floating over Dartmoor in which young ladies are taught to . . . finish . . . everything . . . and everyone . . . as needed. There will be steampunk etiquette! There will be well-dressed espionage! There will be Victorian fake food. There will be flying mechanical sausage dogs named Bumbersnoot. I am excited. The first book will come out in 2012. And I am writing it . . . next.

YA + boarding school + Victorian steampunk + the brain behind Soulless = WIN.
CAN'T WAIT!!!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Friday Face Off: Between the Sea and Sky v. Lost Voices



Liz wanted to see these two lovely covers face off, and I can't blame her.  Even those these two certainly aren't cover twins, these two very prettily-clad mermaid books definitely give the same impression.  So what do you guys think?  Which cover do you like more?  Which one are you more likely to pick up?
Which did it better?



Last Week on FFO: We had a three-fer, with Tantalize, Ivy and Bree's Fire all facing off against each other.  Tantalize won hands down, and I can see why: the darker coloring on the book makes the whole thing pop.  But some of you did like the snake on Ivy, and I personally liked the super close cropping and softer look of Bree's Fire.

That said, Tantalize is definitely the winnah --->

Thursday, March 24, 2011

In which there are 6 Winnahs; or, The perks of following instructions...



The Alice in WhoLand card giveaway ended yesterday, and of the 20 or so people who entered, only 6 followed directions.  6.  Well, actually only 4, but 2 of them I'm giving some wiggle room, as I they only oopsed a tiny bit, and I understood why.  But the rest kind of baffled me.

So, to reward those who actually follow directions (and because I felt silly picking 2 winners out of SIX), I am sending Alice prizes to all six.

So if your prizes are slightly delayed (especially the gal who lives in Greece), it's because I am making enough to go around. Some of you will get the greeting cards shown, and some of you will get other things, but you're all getting something.  :)

In no particular order, the six winners are:
Krysta
Crystal
Diana
Vidisha 
Kimmie, Nola
and Christie

Congrats!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Fairy Tale Fortnight Fill-In Game



I've got something silly and (hopefully) fun for you guys today, in advance of Fairy Tale Fortnight.  Remember the silly Mad Libs and fill-in-the-blanks you used to do as a kid?  I thought it would be fun to make a game of them for Fairy Tale Fortnight.
Basically, I took some familiar fairy tale elements, and created Fill In The Blank stories from them, so that we can each do silly little fairy tale retellings.  I'm hoping to get some people to do these and save them to post during Fairy Tale Fortnight.  So though I am putting the fill-ins up today, it's just to give you a head-start; if you want to participate, please either send your completed Fill In to me or Ashley to post as a guest post during the event, OR post it on your own blog from April 17th - 30th!

We're hoping to get a mix of authors and bloggers playing this Fill-In game,  so that we can spotlight them throughout the event --so all are welcome. I may post a few more stories closer to the event, as well as some other silly games.  You can do as many or as few as you'd like.  Also, if you're a teacher and want to do these with your class, feel free!  No obligation to share the results, though we'd love to see them!
[And remember, everyone who participates via a guest post or a post on their own blog during the event is automatically entered into the participants-only giveaway I'll be having.]

So without further ado, here are the silly story Fill Ins:


Story 1:
Three Wishes

Three wishes. The strange little man had offered _______name_______ three wishes. But what to wish for? The obvious answer was _________________, but that would never do, for obvious reasons. And ____________ was out of the question.

_______name_____ squandered the first two wishes on _________ and __________, and really needed to make the 3rd one count. There was only one thing to do: he/she would ask ____person_____.
So early in the morning, _______name_______ set off for ___________ where ____person_____ lived. It was no easy task getting there; ______name_______ went through _____ and ________, and nearly lost hope of ever reaching ____person_____ and making his/her final wish.

But in all good time, _______name_______ reached the door of the one person who could help. With great trepidation, _______name_______ knocked and waited. Finallly, ____person_____ opened the door and peered out. “Yes?” he/she said.

_______name_______ launched into the story of the little old man and his three wishes, but ____person_____ merely held up a hand and said “It’s simple, really. I’m surprised you wasted your time coming all the way out here -- you must wish for _______________.”

_______name_______ was baffled. Wish for __________?Not magic League Boots to travel the world, or a wheel to spin flax into gold? _______name_______ wasn’t the best pumpkin in the patch, but it didn’t seem like a great idea to him/her. So _______name_______ did the only thing he/she could, and wished for ______________.

Whether it was the right choice, the world will never know, but for _______name_______ it meant _________________. And with all of the wishes gone, _______name_______ lived ________ ever after.

~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~

Story 2: 
The 3rd child

There was an old woman who lived in a __________.She had 3 children, the bane of her existence. The first was a thick-headed, doltish son, who was prone to buying magic beans and geese that laid strange orange eggs. The 2nd was a beautiful but haughty daughter, who stared at herself ceaselessly in any reflective surface, speaking in rhyme to the reflection there. But the 3rd child, _______name_______ , he/she was the worst of all. The first 2 children gave her endless grief, but it was _______name_______ who drove the old woman to distraction, for _______name_______ was always ____________.

The old woman had no choice but to lock _______name_______ high in a tower -- from which _______name_______ promptly escaped, climbing down a ladder made of hair and fleeing in a giant pumpkin carriage. (The old woman’s fault, you see, for braiding hair-ladders and growing what were surely mutant pumpkins...)

The 3rd child traveled night and day, finally reaching the Great City. When _______name_______ reached the City, he/she ________________. It seemed too good to be true. So _______name_______ promptly stole ____item______ from a poorly attended vendor’s stall nearby, and set off to/for _______________.

_______name_______ ‘s quest was not an easy one, and before long, he/she found him/her-self ______________.   Not knowing what else to, _______name_______ did what any ___description___ 3rd child would do: using ____item______ , he/she __________. This of course caused ______________, which led to ____________. Which is exactly what one would expect of such a 3rd child.
_______name_______ lived _________ ever after, of course. But to this day, when ever someone says ______________, everyone thinks of _______name_______ , the 3rd child of the old woman who lived in _______answer from first fill-in________.



~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~



Story 3:
The Beanstalk

The Beanstalk sprung up out of nowhere, it seemed, right outside Jaclyn’s window. When she went to bed: no beanstalk. And when she woke up: beanstalk. Probably her fool brother’s doing. Being the first to rise, as always, Jaclyn had a choice to make: go about her morning chores as usual, or climb the beanstalk and see what all the fuss was about? Because everyone knew what could be found at the tops of these sudden Superstalks: ___________________ and ______________ and _________________, as far as the eye could see. But Jaclyn was always the responsible one, and if she wasted her time climbing beanstalks, who would milk Bess? So she grabbed her bucket, tromped to the barn, and prepared to do the right thing, as always -- only to discover Bess was gone. In her stall, miniscule in the place of her not-small cow, was a note from her brother. It read:

Jaclyn,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Well. Wasn’t that just like him? But that settled things in Jaclyn’s mind. There was only one thing to do -- she would climb the beanstalk.
It was tough work, beanstalk-climbing. Jaclyn kept having to _______________, and every so often she would come across the most curious ________________. There were strange noises coming from above her, and more than once she thought she hear Bess’ plaintive low; periodically she would feel tremors travel the length of the stalk, vibrating through her fingertips. But after many long, sweaty hours of climbing, Jaclyn neared the top of the stalk.

Suddenly, she felt rough fingers on the back of her neck, and found herself being hauled up by ____________! Not entirely sure how to react in the situation, Jaclyn ___________________, which only seemed to ______________________. She looked around her; as far as the eye could see, there was/were _____________ and ______________. There was/were even ___________________. This was what could be found at the tops of beanstalks?

Well, Jaclyn, resourceful girl that she was, knew just what to do. She’d ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
How else was a poor farm girl to live _____________________ ever after?




~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~  ~~~

Story 4:
The Gift


Life wasn’t always easy for a miller’s son/daughter, especially one 6 brothers and sisters, as _______name_______ had. Times were always tight, and there was little enought to go around, but _______name_______ had a kind soul, so when _______name_______ an odd little man at the well on a hot summer’s day, asked for help, _______name_______ helped, as always. In return, _______name_______ was delighted when the man offered _______name_______ ‘s choice of three magical gifts: ______gift 1_____, ______gift 2___, or ______gift 3_______. _______name_______ chose the ______________, of course, and decide to set out to make his/her fortune.

_______name_______ stopped by the crumbling old house attached to the mill to collect some clothing and small food store to take on the journey, only to find his/her father, the miller, crying disconsolately on the doorstep. “_______name_______ “ the miller said, “I have done a terrible thing. An odd little man knocked upon our door not an hour ago, asking for food and drink. I shooed him away, and when he begged, I feared I shut the door in his face. And we, your siblings and I -- I fear we laughed at him. But then, I heard him shout, and behind me there was a great kerfuffle, and ----” here the miller sobbed, and could not finish his story -- but behind him, peeking out of the door were 6 white swan faces.
 _______name_______ looked from the miller to the swans, and back again, before suddenly realizing -- these were his/her brothers and sisters!

_______name_______ shook his/her head in pity and disgust, and debated what to do: take the _____gift________ he’d earned from the odd old man and leave, never to come back, or see if he/she could use the ______gift______ to somehow restore his/her family to human form?
_______name_______ chose to _______________________________, and set about preparing. Just what could one do with a magic ___gift____?
_______name_______ decided to try ____________, but when that didn’t go as planned, _______name_______ tried to ___________________ instead.

It was a long, strange time, and _______name_______ did many strange things, but it all turned out exactly as one would expect in the end: _______name_______ simply used the _________gift_______ to _____________________________________________________, and lived _____________ ever after.

Trailer: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making



Just wanted to share this trailer for a book I came across and now simply must have.  It's for The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Cat Valente, and it looks fabulous.  It was apparently originally posted online, and is now being released with what seems to be fabtastic illustrations.

The song I'm a little iffy about.  Well, let me be clear -- I actually really like the song and love the lyrics, but I can't listen to music and read the text at the same time; at least not when both are new to me.  It made it a little muddled for me.  But that's my own failing.  The style is spot-on.
Edit: Now that I'm used to it and my brain's not trying to sort out the lyrics, I effing love it.  Perfect for the mood of the piece.
Check it out:




This one's coming out May 10th from Feiwel and Friends!
Is it on your wishlist?

Wishlist Wednesday: Flawless



Flawless
by Lara Chapman 

To Be Released: May 10, 2011 
from Bloomsbury
FLAWLESS is a modern retelling of the Cyrano story in which a senior-class salutatorian with a notable nose agrees to help her perfectly gorgeous best friend catch the eye of the new hottie at school, only to discover he's actually the perfect guy for her.


Sooo...I'm kind of a major nerd (*le gasp*) and I really love Cyrano de Bergerac.  Yep, I said it.  Even watched Roxanne.
So my little nerd-self kinda can't wait for this to come out.  And it's from the POV of a girl!  I think this could be really fun, but also I think it could go beyond the normal fun story, and hit home with a lot of girls.
Any of you wanting this one?
What's on your wishlist?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Heads Up!

Just wanted to give you guys a quick heads up.  The third PPZ book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After, hits stores today!  I do have a copy, and will be sharing my thoughts on it for Jane in June, but that doesn't mean you have to wait to get your Regency Brain-Munching on...
Check it out:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After
by Steve Hockensmith 


Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and its prequel, Dawn of the Dreadfuls, were both New York Times best sellers, with a combined 1.3 million copies in print. Now the PPZ trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After.

The story opens with our newly married protagonists, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, defending their village from an army of flesh-eating “unmentionables.” But the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a rampaging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the proper course of action is to promptly behead her husband (and then burn the corpse, just to be safe). But when she learns of a miracle antidote under development in London, she realizes there may be one last chance to save her true love—and for everyone to live happily ever after.

TBR Tuesday: Dust of 100 Dogs

Because I have a lot of books hiding on my shelves, and I still want to bring them to your attention, I give you:


Teetering at the top of Mt TBR....


The Dust of 100 Dogs
by A.S. King




In the late seventeenth century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with "the dust of one hundred dogs," dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body-with her memories intact.
Now she's a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica.


I simply adore this cover/title combo.  Together, they meant there was no way I wasn't going to buy this book.  But it was one of those purchases where, even though I knew I would read it (I didn't buy it purely for the cover/title), I didn't know when I would get a chance.
But I have a feeling that I'm going to get to soon...
(Hintity-hint-hint)
What do you guys think?  Anyone read this?  Love it, hate it?
What's on your TBR?

Monday, March 21, 2011

Lucky Lep Winnah!

I thought I'd do a quick post to let you know who won the Lucky Lecprechaun Giveaway Hop -- I decided not to keep you in suspense, much as I love to...

I gotta say, this was a crazy one, guys. Over 300 entrants in 3 days. (And when you factor in the actual entries, and then the people who got double entries...mind-boggling)  So if you didn't win -- well, you weren't the only one.  You're in good company.

Anywho, after accounting for invalid entries* there were still a lot of you clamoring for books, but only 1 lucky winnah...
Well, only two lucky winnahs, 'cause I love you guys and I'm nice like that...

#37 TAHLEEN @ Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files, who wants

&

#120 CHERYL @ The Lucky Ladybug, who wants


Congrats, gals!  And good luck next time, everyone else.
Also, if you haven't yet, there's still time to enter the Jane Eyre giveaway, the Alice in WhoLand giveaway, and Numbers: The Chaos giveaway!


*Seriously, guys.  I know you're hopping from giveaway to giveaway, so your eyes are probably glazing over and whatnot, and you stop following directions at some point.  But if I give you 21 books to pick from, pick 1 of those books (or say "Surprise me!" or "I'll choose later!" like some people did).  Don't pick books that aren't on the list and don't even come out for months...

CLOSED Jane Eyre Giveaway


Growing up, I was a huge fan of the classics.  I'd say I read them more than any other genre, and many of them I read more than once.  This includes Jane Eyre, which took over my brain when I was about 17 or so.   I adored it in all of its dark melodrama.  That's why I'm super excited about the new movie adaptation of the book, and pleased as punch to bring you today's giveaway.  It hit theaters on March 11th, and though I haven't seen it yet, I have every intention of doing so.  It looks awesome.  Check it out:


Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Holliday Grainger, Sally Hawkins, Tamzin Merchant, Imogen Poots, Judi Dench
Director: Cary Fukunaga (“Sin Nombre”)
Screenplay by: Moira Buffini (“Tamara Drewe”); Based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë
MPAA Rating: PG-13
About the Film:
Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”) and Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga (“Sin Nombre”). In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear that the isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester’s coldness – have sorely tested the young woman’s resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. She must now act decisively to secure her own future and come to terms with the past that haunts her – and the terrible secret that Mr. Rochester is hiding and that she has uncovered…


For More about the film, check out






To celebrate the release of the new film adaptation of Jane Eyre, Focus Features is sponsoring a pretty awesome giveaway!

What you can win:

Two (2) winners will receive:
·         Soundtrack sampler
·         Bookmark
·         Journal
·         Pencil
·         Copy of the book [movie tie-in edition]

To enter, simply leave a comment below with a way to contact you* and tell me something Jane Eyre related (whether you intend to see the movie, what you think of the book if you've read it, etc.)
US only

Ends 12:00 am 3/28 (winner announced later that day)


Good luck!!!

*If your profile is email-enabled, you don't have to leave your email address

Also, check out this bit of awesomeness:


Sunday, March 20, 2011

In which I have new eyeballs, and you meet my brother's cat (Chalice review)

So, I decided to do something a little different.  I've been wanting to do some video reviews for awhile now, and I decided I really should do some to help me catch up, so I finally sat down and recorded one.
In it, aside from the usual rambly nonsense, you get to see my pretty new eyeballz (purple! rhinestones!), as well as Tie, my brother's cat.
It's a little longer than I would have liked, but that was partly due to kitty antics; in future, I want to aim for 5-6 minute reviews -- that sound like a good length to you guys?  Let me know what you think, and whether you want more vid reviews.
Enjoy, and thanks for watching!




About the book:
Chalice
by Robin McKinley


Beekeeper Marisol has been chosen as the new Chalice, destined to stand beside the Master and mix the ceremonial brews that hold the Willowlands together. But the relationship between Chalice and Master has always been tumultuous, and the new Master is unlike any before him.



Saturday, March 19, 2011

IMM: 3/20/11



In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. But y'all already know that, dontchu?
Let's get to it:

MENTIONED:
People and websites:
The Story Siren
Ellz Readz
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read
Thrift Books .com


Books:
The Iron Thorn
The Dark City
Tweet Heart
Dead Beautiful
River Marked
Frog Prince: a Fairy Tale for Consenting Adults
The Shadow of the Wind
A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
Room
also mentioned 20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth


What'd ya get in your mailbox this week, kittens?

New Stuff




Hey, y'all! I had nothing else to do today, so I finally caved and created a Facebook page for The Book Rat as well as a Networked Blogs account!
Yay, me!

Anywhoodles, to celebrate, I thought I'd offer double entries into my current giveaways if you 'like' The Book Rat on Facebook or follow me on Networked Blogs.  You can find both in the sidebar ---->

And, um, you don't have to pick which giveaway you want the bonus entries for -- you get double entries for all of them, just for being the first awesome people.
So that's double entries for:

  1. the 2 copies of The Chaøs by Rachel Ward! 
  2. the Lucky Leprechaun Blog Hop giveaway
  3. the Alice in WhoLand Giveaway
and -- hintittyhinthint -- I have another giveaway coming up this week, and you'll get doubles for that too.

[To be clear, I'm not talking about 1 extra entry per giveaway.  However many times you entered (say you linked a bunch of places, so you had 5 entries in the Lucky Lep Hop), I'm doubling it.  Easy peasy.]

Alright, that is all.  Just wanted to let you know.  :)


*PS: I also added twitter and like buttons to the tops of posts. :)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Friday Face Off: Tantalize v. Ivy v. Bree's Fire




Sorry, this should have been up much earlier.  Forgot it was Friday...  Anywhoodle, found a pretty popular stock photo.  And it's a good one, don't get me wrong.  Very pretty and expressive.  But also VERY recognizable.
So what do you guys think?  Which one do you want to read more?  If you've read them, which one suits the story best?
Who did it better?




Last Week on FFO:  The Forest of Hands and Teeth battled tooth and nail against Never Knowing, fighting its way through the brambles (with its face, apparently) to come out victorious!
Winnah --->

CLOSED The Return of ALICE (giveaway)


Some of you may recall from last year that there was a mad search for Alice (with a special thank you going to those who helped find her).

Alice is up to more shenanigans this year, peeping through keyholes and whatnot.  And I've heard she's been seeing some pretty interesting things.

And since I am contact-less at the moment and therefore functionally blind, I'd love to know what she's seen...

I'm offering a reward to those intrepid souls who are willing to pop in and tell me about the sights Alice has seen.

Basically, I've been in a crafty mood, and I have a selection of Alice greeting cards as a result.  At least 1 winner will get a sampling of these cards -- and I may decide to share them with many.  I may throw in some Alice pendants like I did last year, too...

To enter:

  • Hop over to Alice in WhoLand and comment on any post there (leave a comment telling me which post you commented on)
  • OR tell me in the comments below what Alice sees when she peeps through YOUR keyhole.
  • Fill out this form.
  • International.  Ends 3/23.

You can stop over and see what Alice saw when she looked through my Keyhole, too!


*While you're here, don't forget to enter to win a copy of The Chaos by Rachel Ward, or 1 of the books in the Prize Pool, from the Lucky Leprechaun Blog Hop

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...