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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Trailer: Send Me a Sign

Watched this trailer today and thought I'd share it with you. It's for Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt, which hits shelves in October. I find it simple and interesting, but let me know what you guys think in the comments.
Is this on anyone's to-read/must-read/wishlist?



ABOUT THE BOOK: 
SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt
Amazon | Goodreads
Contemporary, 384 pages
Expected publication: October 2nd 2012 by Walker Childrens

Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose. From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday Face Off: Blessed


I know reactions to the US cover of Tonya Hurley's The Blessed have been pretty mixed (though I, for one, love  the creepy crap right out of it), so I'm curious to see how it will fare against the UK version (the model of which you may recall from the revamp of Gabrielle Zevin's Birthright series). So, my darlings, let me know your thoughts in the comments - what do you think of these covers? Would you reach for the book based on either, and which would you rather have on your own shelves?
Which one did it better?


EDIT: As many have mentioned, the US cover is reversible (which I think is genius), and I believe this is the reverse cover (or back cover? not sure), if anyone's interested.

Last Week on FFO: Jill Hathaway's Slide went up against itself in a US/UK face off. The results were pretty mixed, but the US was able to pull out the win. Personally, I'm still torn, and though I intend to buy this book at some point, I'm not sure which I want to see on my shelves. There's something mysterious and thriller-y about the US cover, and though the UK cover sort of looks like a poster for a teen slasher flick, it pops and my eyes are drawn back to it. Hmm...
Winner ----->

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Bookshelf Tour, Part One: The Overview

Everyone has been asking me for years to do a bookshelf tour, so... your wish is my (very belated) command!
Let me know in the comments if you want a more detailed tour, and if so, how you'd like it to be formatted.
Also, feel free to tweet me pictures of YOUR bookshelves, especially if you organize them in an unusual way, like I do! (After all, I showed you mine...we all know how this deal goes. ;P)

Sorry for the shaky camera-ness. Turns out it's really hard to maneuver around my bookshelves with a teeny tiny camera...

Friday, September 21, 2012

Friday Face Off: Slide


So... It's been a couple weeks since we've had a Face Off. I have excuses, but...I'm not gonna bother. I'd rather get right down to it: Slide, by Jill Hathaway, vs. self.
I've been meaning to feature this one on Friday Face Off forEVER, but the recent cover reveal for book 2, Imposter, reminded me that I need to get on it. I actually hadn't seen both versions on Goodreads, or anywhere else for that matter, until I was adding it to my Better World Books wishlist after it came out (so that I could keep an eye out for a cheap copy), and had the UK version pop up in the search results. It was sort of startling to me, partly because UK copies rarely show up on BWB, but mostly because they are so very different. I really actually like both, though, and think they give different - but equally compelling - impressions of the story. Seeing the two together kinda makes me want to read it more...
So, what do you think? If you haven't read it, would you reach for either of these on the shelves? And if you have, which do you think suits the story better? Let me know in the comments:
Which one did it better?



Last Time on FFO: We wrapped up the Jane Austen-y goodness with a Mansfield Park film face off, and it was pretty much a dead-tie. BUT everyone agreed that there just hasn't been a good adaptation of MP, which furthers my determination to have it be the read along selection next year, couple with a watch-along (um, you know what I mean, right?)

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Book Chat: Books for Our Younger Selves

Who's ready to connect with their inner screaming toddler?
No? Nobody?
You there, in the corner! How about you?!
;)

September always gets me thinking about childhood books, middle grade adventures, etc. All the back-to-school-ness everywhere you look, the cooler weather and the desire to curl up with hot cider and a book makes me a little wistful for some childhood faves.
So I thought for this month's Book Chat we would talk about books that we wish we could give to our younger selves.
As always, I'd love to see your responses, whether in vlog or blog form; feel free to interpret it as you see fit, and then link them up as video responses and/or at the linky at the bottom!

Have fun, and thanks for watching!!




THE BOOKS:
The Protector of the Small series: http://amzn.to/OHK4tD
Dragon Slippers: http://amzn.to/PiL4Y0
Zita the Spacegirl: http://amzn.to/NmCoOb
Legends of Zita the Spacegirl: http://amzn.to/M6GIRP
Anya's Ghost: http://amzn.to/Nq8VVY
The Humming Room: http://amzn.to/TYHBlC
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making: http://amzn.to/P7RXbo
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There: http://amzn.to/P7VBSE
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom: http://amzn.to/QhO88z
By These Ten Bones: http://amzn.to/NrCH8K
The Chronicles of Narnia: http://amzn.to/OsFcJi

ALSO MENTIONED:
The Song of the Lioness series: http://amzn.to/QcLRIZ
Sara Varon's comics: http://amzn.to/QcLONc
Alice in Wonderland: http://amzn.to/PuZzX9
Splendors and Glooms: http://amzn.to/SPJa6h

Music by: Kevin Macleod



Friday, September 14, 2012

Literary Dinner Party Tag

Alright, I thought I'd try to squeeze in another tag before this month's Book Chat, so I'm back with Renee's LITERARY DINNER PARTY tag. I love a good hypothetical dinner party (you know, which celebrity, which author, etc), but I'd never done one with literary characters, so yay!
Let me know what you think of my "guests" - or who you would invite - in the comments!
And don't forget to check out Renee's original video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNpwi-cPyRI




THE QUESTIONS & MY GUESTS:
1. One character who can cook/likes to cook
~ Cupcake (Bake Sale: http://amzn.to/P8E6pr)

2. One character who has money to fund the party
~ Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby: http://amzn.to/RQcAtJ)

3. One character who might cause a scene
~ Dr. Fell (Castle Waiting: http://amzn.to/NryBTv)
or Lydia Bennet (Pride and Prejudice: http://amzn.to/R1VxVN)

4. One character who is funny/amusing
~ Emer (Dust of 100 Dogs: http://amzn.to/TRgt8c)
or Pearl (Drink, Slay, Love: http://amzn.to/SJPqfL)

5. One character who is super social/popular
~ Evie (Paranormalcy: http://amzn.to/QVLKpQ)
or Lord Akeldama (The Parasol Protectorate: http://amzn.to/RQcq5Q)

6. One villian
~ Moriarty (the Sherlock Holmes novels: http://amzn.to/RQchPE)

7. One couple - doesn't have to be romantic
~ Darcy & Lizzie (P&P: http://amzn.to/R1VxVN)
or Anna & Cas (Anna Dressed in Blood: http://amzn.to/Na14w0)
or Sunshine & Constantine (Sunshine: http://amzn.to/Q7ttkR)

8. One hero/heroine
~ Cassandra Mortmain (I Capture the Castle: http://amzn.to/NC2Phd)

9. One underappreciated character
~ Merrikat Blackwell (We Have Always Lived In The Castle: http://amzn.to/Q7tjd2)

10. One character of your own choosing
~ Daphne (The Space Between: http://amzn.to/Ox45c9)
or Nastasya (Immortal Beloved: http://amzn.to/Q7taXa)


Music: Danse Macabre, performed by Kevin Macleod

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (Blog Tour)




Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Amazon | Goodreads
USA Edition (1st Edition), 336 pages
Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books
A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.


Stormdancer was one of my most eagerly anticipated reads of this year, between the excellent premise and the endless rave reviews I kept seeing of it - but it almost didn't make it out of the gate. I've mentioned before that I'll often decide whether to buy a book based on the first few pages, paragraphs, or even lines; if I was using that criteria to judge whether to buy Stormdancer, well... my monies would have gone elsewhere. Which would be a shame, because I actually ended up liking it quite a lot. The problem is, this has a VERY slow start.  This isn't necessarily surprising: a lot of debut authors initially seem to lack confidence in their world-building abilities (and in their audience to understand and go with it), and so tend to go way overboard with the info-dumping. They feel the reader has to know absolutely everything before they can move forward, or it'll be too confusing, rather than realizing that you can let us know what we need to know when we need to know it. (This is especially true of fantasy debuts, which is understandable, but also painful.)

Kristoff is guilty of this; there's SO MUCH crammed into SO LITTLE SPACE. Thing is, it's okay not to know everything - plot points can be revealing, they can help build the world even as we're already in it, and this can actually have more impact. It's okay to discover things as we move along - so long as we can move along. The story was - I can't even say it was halted, because I don't think it even really began until about page 50*. All the rest was set-up for the world and the characters (and it was set-up that could have been accomplished much more quickly and efficiently, especially as it was reinforced throughout). It became very muddled and bogged down in the minutiae; I almost gave up, and I was really expecting this to end up on my timesuck shelf, which would have made me very, very sad.

(* This is not an exaggeration. I distinctly remember looking down and checking the page when I finally noticed the story picking up and the world-building irritating me less - it was page 49.)

BUT. I've been around the bookshelf enough to know that sometimes, in cases like this (with a debut author; with a premise you want to love; with an epic fantasy; with a genre mash-up), if you just stick around and plow through the patchy beginning, you may find a gem underneath. (Afterall, one of my all-time favorite books had me cursing and threatening to throw it for the first 40 or so pages - and now I reread it regularly...) So I stuck with it. I refused to give in. And praise sweet baby thundertigers, if it didn't not only get better, but damn awesome. Once it got going (about the time the arishitora - aka thundertiger - comes into the picture), it became very enjoyable, and I didn't once doubt the world or style again. That's impressive. For me to be so on edge and doubting in the beginning, I would expect the same issues to crop up again here and there, but other than one teensy bobble, they didn't. Once we got over the arduousness of laying the scene, we got down to what I was looking forward to (a Japanese steampunkish myth-based animal companion story), and I ate it up. I love a good animal companion story, and this was excellent in that regards - loved Yukiko, loved Buruu, and Yukiko + Buruu = more than the sum of their parts. This is how a good animal companion story should work, and it should make me feel slightly fuzzy, mostly jealous, and invested 100%. ☑
I absolutely ADORED how they grew together.

Aside from the animal companion aspect, one of the things I was looking forward to most was the strong-female-character-doesn't-need-a-love-triangle thing, which has been pushed a bit in reviews and the book's description. I do have to say, it doesn't ignore those tropes completely - it actually crept perilously close to those lines... But Yukiko's not a damsel, and she's not too swoony/sighy, so the book is saved from that, though it doesn't avoid it altogether. What makes it work - and what makes saying it's not a "love-triangle book" not seem like a lie - is the way it's used: it ends up being very dark and very adult, much more realistic and less bodice-ripping than one thinks of when dealing with "love triangles" and all of the annoyances attached. And this is the best way to approach the strong-female-character-doesn't-need-a-love-triangle thing, I think. You don't have to be absolutely anti-love, anti-weakness, anti-flaws, anti-femininity to make it work; no, you just have to be realistic, and let some of the harsher realities bleed in to the fantasy world. Kristoff did this well, and my blackened little heart was pleased.

And those were the things that this whole book hinged on for me; thank god they worked.  But I have to say, as a bonus: I also love that it works as a stand-alone. It is a series, and I knew that going in, but in this day of endless series' it's always nice to have the option of whether to go on or leave it as is. I've gotten so used to the gimmicky "pick up the next installment to find out!" type of series endings that I'm just thrilled when one comes along that's confident enough to stand on it's two legs (or, um, last chapters) and say: This is it; if you want more, there will be more, but this is how this part ends. Stormdancer ends on solid-enough ground that it makes for a great open-ended stand-alone, while still leaving plenty of room to grow as a series. I love when series books end in such a manner, and I love when authors/editors respect the audience and story enough to not feel like they have to "hook" the reader into a next book by leaving you hanging with the first book. It shows a confidence in the story, that they think you'll want to come back anyway, and it actually makes me much more receptive to reading more in the series, knowing they will feel complete.

So, I guess in the end, I'd say Stormdancer is highly recommended, but with a caveat - you either need to be a patient reader willing to slog through the beginning and have everydamnthing thrown at you until it starts to stick, OR you need to be willing to skim the beginning. But if you're willing to get over the initial hump, it's smooth sailing flying from there on out.

Check out the other stops on the tour here!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Austen in August WINNERS!!

Hello my lovelies!! I know you have been waiting very patiently, but let me tell you: putting this list of Austen in August winners together was almost as much work as putting the event together! Madness!! Removing invalid entries (where I found them), removing scammer entries (because yes, there are always scammers who just see the word "free"), and cross-refrencing everyone to make sure everything was fair and no one was winning more than once (because people yell at me when that happens, even though I think random is random... but I don't like being yelled at) - basically all of that on top of, you know, a job, means that this list took awhile to compile. (That sounded nicely Seussian.)
But here it is!  I THINK I have everyone, but if I've missed a giveaway, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, because it's entirely possible - I've scoured through the schedule so many times at this point that its all started to run together.
CONGRATS to everyone who won, and THANK YOU to everyone who entered or participated - and if you didn't win, I'd highly suggest picking up a few of these books to tide you over until next year! =)

Now, on to the winners*!!

*Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of this post!

SOURCEBOOKS PRIZE PACKS
JULIE H.
ANGIE
CHRISTINE L.
SHELLY
TAHLEEN (updated - previous winner declined)

ERLYNN'S FAVES PACK
ASHLEY C.

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS BY DIANA PETERFREUND
GABY PENDRAGON

MERCY'S EMBRACE BY LAURA HILE
BRIDGET

SPIES AND PREJUDICE BY TALIA VANCE
MARGAY

DARCY'S DECISION BY MARIA GRACE
MRS PEDERSON
CERI (ebook)

SEARCHING FOR CAPTAIN WENTWORTH BY JANE ODIWE
LUCIJA (updated, previous winner declined)

CUSTOM ART FROM ANTIQUE FASHIONISTA
ALEXA

LAURIE VIERA RIGLER PRIZE PACK
LORI
SAMANTHA M.

PERSUASION (2007) FILM (from Susan Kaye)
JUNEA**

DEAR MR DARCY BY AMANDA GRANGE
VICTORIA Z. (TORE)

BRENNA AUBREY PRIZE PACK
TARA L.

BARBARA TILLER COLE BOOK OF CHOICE
VALERIE
MARGARET (ebook)

PRIDE AND POPULARITY BY JENNI JAMES
MARY D.
NICOLE B.

THE FUTURE MRS DARCY BY MARIA GRACE
CARL
RJ (ebook)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS BY ALEXA ADAMS
FAITH HOPE CHERRYTEA

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: HIDDEN LUSTS BY MITZI SZERETO
MARYKATE

PERSUADE ME BY JULIET ARCHER
SANDRA H.

JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT, ED. BY LAUREL ANN NATTRESS
TESSA

NORTHANGER ALIBI BY JENNI JAMES
SUZAN
DANIELLE C.

PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS BY AMANDA GRANGE
LIVIANIA

THERE MUST BE MURDER BY MARGARET C SULLIVAN
SHEILA (updated, previous winner declined)
NATHALIE (ebook)

PERSUADED BY JENNI JAMES
FELICIA
LAURA H.


*DISCLAIMER: Due to the nature of internet giveaways, I must inform you that:
  • I have emailed all winners, and they will have 48 hours to respond with shipping info. If they do not, their entries will be declared invalid and I will draw new winners. Sorry folks, but thems the breaks. 
  • In the instance that a winner has not read or did not follow the rules (an international entry in a US-only giveaway, for example), the winner will be notified of their mistake and their entry will be declared invalid, at which point I will draw another winner.
  • None of these prizes is being shipped from me or by me, therefore I am not responsible for any lost or unshipped prizes, or those damaged in shipping. Though I will work with you to contact the shipping party if the prize isn't received, I cannot afford to replace the prizes for you. (aka shit happens)
  • Due to the fact that a number of entrants have the same or similar names, or sometimes use screen-names and sometimes do not, I have tried to include last initials where known. However, there may be instances where the same winner has won twice under the same name, in which case they will have their choice of prize, and I will pick a new winner for the other.
    On a similar note, if you are unsure if you are the one listed because of name similarities, feel free to contact me and I will clarify.
  • All winners chosen using Rafllecopter/random.org; in some instances, where the randomly chosen winner had already won something, I did remove them and move on to the next randomly chosen winner. See above, re: being yelled at.
  • Abusive commentors/entrants and those found trying to scam the system will be barred from future giveaways.

Read it, maybe?

It's internet law...
;)

Monday, September 10, 2012

7 Deadly Sins tag

It's time for a CWV (Crappy Webcam Video)!
Sorry for the crap quality, but I needed to test my crappy old webcam, which has been on the fritz, and I thought what better way to do that than with a tag video! Unfortunately, a CWV means crappy lighting, crappy sound - general all-around crap. Enjoy!!

This one's been bopping around for awhile, but since I'm way behind in tags and it looked like fun, I figured WHY NOT, right?

Original Tag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm0c56gcbsE
Tagger I'm responding to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETguf4NL29w

Also, for those of you who have tagged me in things: If you want to make sure I see it, message me. I still may miss it (nothing's guaranteed), but I'm far more likely to see it and more to the point, BE ABLE TO FIND IT AGAIN (and respond), if you message me. :D

Also, trying out an endslate, which I'm sure I'll change up often, but thought this was fun. Let me know your thoughts and opinions, if you have one. =)



THE QUESTIONS: 
 The 7 Deadly Sins of Reading

GREED What is your most inexpensive book? What is your least expensive book?

WRATH—What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

GLUTTONY—What book have you deliciously devoured over and over with no shame whatsoever?

SLOTH—What book have you neglected reading due to laziness?

PRIDE—What book do you most talk about in order to sound like a very intellectual reader?

 LUST—What attributes do you find most attractive in male or female characters?

ENVY—What books would you most like to receive as a gift?

Fierce Reads Fall 2012 Lineup

Many of you know I went to the summer Fierce Reads tour (which featured authors Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Bosworth, Emmy Laybourne, Anna Banks, and if you were lucky, Marissa Meyer (who wasn't at my stop, frowny-face)), but as summer is coming to a close, it's time for the newest batch of Fierce Reads from Macmillan.  This time featuring Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama, The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski, Crewel by Gennifer Albin, Outpost by Ann Aguirre, Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride,  and Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien, Fierce Reads Fall lineup is ready to launch!

You can download a chapter sampler of the books here, but first, check out the trailer for the Fall lineup below!



Check out the Fierce Reads FB page, where you can download the song used in the trailer and get access to exclusive content and what not (also, there are sometimes giveaways... Just sayin' ;P )


THE BOOKS:







Dancing at the Chance by DeAnna Cameron

Dancing at the Chance by DeAnna Cameron
Amazon | Goodreads
336 pages
Published April 3rd 2012 by Berkley Trade
New York City in 1907 is a kingdom of endless possibilities for anyone who dares to dream. The Gilded Age has ended, and immigrants fill the bustling streets. The glamour of Broadway lures those who desire the limelight-but only a few are fortunate enough to thrive in the lights of a city that casts long, dark, and merciless shadows...

Pepper MacClair and her mother arrived penniless in New York thirteen years ago, and their fortune has not changed. A dancer of fluid grace and motion, Pepper is still only one chorus girl among many, struggling for an opportunity to prove herself worthy of something bigger.

For now, Pepper dances at The Chance, a rundown venue long past its prime. It is not only Pepper's workplace, where she has pushed her physical endurance to its limit, but also her home. And as the larger world changes around her and she is pulled into the intrigues of New York's elite, it is her last hope, not only to fulfill her dream, but to fulfill her heart.


I like Vaudeville. If it wasn't on my list of buzzwords, it should be. I guess it's kind of a subheading under Circus, which is all under the umbrella of Spectacle, and I love Spectacle. Which is why, even though this is somewhat out of the realm of books I'd normally accept for review, I accepted it. (I mean, early 1900s Old NYC vaudeville? Don't mind if I do!) And though I definitely liked Cameron's view of vaudeville as it sort of crumbles into the past, the rest of the book left me feeling sort of lukewarm.

Mostly I think it was that it felt a bit rushed. I would have liked more development to the characters - all of the characters, because the side characters had the potential to be fascinating, too. I wanted more of their side stories and escapades, and more emotional development throughout. There were some really interesting things going on in the story that gave it the potential to be more compelling (Pepper's unrepentant friendship/closeness to a lesbian character, which would have been fairly controversial; her turn as an unintentional mistress, and general sexual predatoriness, as well as the social mores versus the looser atmosphere of the stage; the clash between stage and the burgeoning world of film, etc.) that I found really fascinating, and wanted more of - but the book just barely scratches the surface of these things.  It left me feeling a little unfulfilled, like there was wasted potential.

And the characters - and even to an extent, the plot - were a little lackluster for me. In fact, within a week of finishing it, I found myself struggling to remember names and details. The world was vivid, and I think so much of Cameron's focus went into building an authentic, accurate world, that the other aspects suffered. But until I was able to connect with the characters more fully, the world was the saving grace. I liked Pepper ok-enough, but I actually liked the other characters more. I sometimes found Pepper a little hard to connect to or root for, at least early in the story, anyway, and in general, I preferred Gregory Creighton's narration. I found him a more fascinating character, and scenes with him felt more authentic. I would have loved to see more of his story, and of everyone's story - and a little less of Pepper in her own world.

But for all that I couldn't help thinking it was fluffy and somewhat forgettable as I was reading, I found myself fairly engrossed. It's mostly really wholesome, which works for the time, and opens it to a wider audience, and it was a quick and easy read. I didn't necessarily think much about it when I'd set it down, though - nothing compelled me to pick it up again. But when I did pick it up, I found myself engaged pretty easily, and I did quite like how it ended, and the potential the ending holds for all of the characters. It just was never quite enough to make me feel I had to read it, had to know what was going to happen. And that's probably because, as I mentioned in my Rewind vlog, it felt like a Hallmark movie - you pretty much know the minute you start this where it's going to go and how it's going to end and the emotional investment is pretty much zilch - but for some reason, that doesn't stop you from watching or enjoying them.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

My "BookTube" Story

Y'all know I make videos, too, right? Most of them make their way over here to the blog, but some are just on the youtube channel.  This is one that could have just stayed on the channel, but I figured I'd share it here with you, too, in case any of you are considering expanding over to vlogging, or are just curious.
So here it is, my "booktube story" - a response to Bunny Cates, who wantes to know how people got into vlogging and what makes them stay, as well as advice for newbies and hope-tos.
=)



If you want to see Bunny's original video, or response with your own, check out this vlog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YglDlS4MGg

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

When my inner SNARK-monster rears her beautiful, glorious head...

Sometimes this happens:
(email to me, whose name, you may know, is Misty. It only says it every-damn-where on my site...)

Hi Annie
I work on the marketing team at  redacted  and am emailing a couple select bloggers
like you about a free day next wednesday for our newest release, redacted. On 9/5/12, this book will be free on Amazon for eBook readers. 
Do you think your readers at  redacted  would be interested? 
Of course, we realize you would want to review the book before talking about it so I’ve
included a press kit which you can download here. redacted 
It includes complimentary copies of the book for your reading pleasure. If you’re
interested, we’d love to set up an interview with the Author or get you a few signed
copies of the paperback. Just let us know, whatever you need, we’ll get it. 
Love what you’re doing so keep it up. 
Thanks!
Oh yeah, I found your email information online at  redacted Just wanted to make sure it’s all right.
~ Brian 

And sometimes, when that happens, I just chuckle, shake my head in wonder, and walk away.
But sometimes....
Sometimes, this happens.

Hello, Brad. 
You don't mind if I call you Brad, do you? Even though your email clearly says your name is Brian? 'Cause here's why:
  • My name is not Annie. 
  • My blog is not "redacted." 
  • And a quick perusal of the site, redacted, shows the contact for that blog isn't named "Annie" either - it's Lauri. 
So I must infer from this that you just like attributing names to people that you think they should have, and to you, I guess I'm an Annie.
I've never really felt like an Annie, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, thank you, Brad, for the offer, but I think I'll have to pass.

Misty-not-Annie


I know we all get this from time to time. Ashley from Bookish Brunette did a fantastic post on this once, and if I didn't suck at life, I could find it and Kitty found it for me!  What do you guys do when you get emails like this?  
And what's the best, most-ridiculous one you've ever gotten?


*In case you were wondering, "redacted" is a replacement for sensitive info. Not that the  info is sensitive, but the other bloggers info wasn't necessary to this, and I figured, why pull her into it, and I certainly wasn't going to give this guy and his Co. any screentime, yaknow?

***EDITED TO ADD: IF you get this SAME email, I would not recommend clicking on the link in the email OR responding. There is always the potential that it is an info-gathering phishing scam (similar to what Parajunkee talks about here), and as at least one other blogger got the exact same email, chances are it's not just some oaf effing up his job. (Though I guess it could be - a misstep with find and replace, or ann accidental mass email, maybe?)
Be on the safe side, and just delete and move on with your life.

Trailer: Eve & Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant

I haven't had this one in a book haul yet (it came right after my last book haul, and though I've gotten more - of course - since then, I just haven't had a chance to record and share them with you), but if you recall my Coming Attractions post on this, you'll know it was one of my anticipated books. And if you've seen this month's TBR, you'll know I now have this book in my pile and am hoping I can get to it soon. (In fact, I even thought about bumping something else out of the stack so I could get to it sooner... I might just have to "make room" for it. ;P )
Well, the trailer has been released, and I thought I'd share it with you!



What do you guys think of the trailer? Does it have you intrigued or  make you want to read the book more, or are you on the fence? 
Me, I love some sci-fi, and think they captured that aspect in an interesting way... I can't wait. =)


ABOUT THE BOOK:
Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant
Amazon | Goodreads
304 pages
Expected publication: October 2nd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
Sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother, EmmaRose, a successful geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Sure, Evening misses her father who died mysteriously, but she’s never really questioned it. Much like how she’s never stopped to think how off it is that she’s never been sick. That is, until she’s struck by a car and is exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster than physically possible.

While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he’s never questioned anything... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn’t right, and Emma-Rose may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Cover Reveal/Coming Attraction: Liberty

Today, the cover for Annie Laurie Cechini's Liberty is being released, and I thought I'd share it with you. It's coming out in February from Rhemalda (from the people who pubbed Witch Song). Personally, I find the cover a little bland, though I like what they were going for and I the synopsis intrigues me.
Thoughts?

Liberty by Annie Laurie Cechini
When young space captain Tabitha Dixon loses her ship and her crew, she is forced to accept the help of a young shipbuilder who runs communication for the Resistance. As the pair track down the captain's missing crew, a bond begins to grow between them. However, that bond, along with everything Dix yearns for, is threatened by her belief that she's destined to kill anyone who gets close enough to touch.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

August Rewind & September TBR vlogs + Linky!

It's a new month, my lovelies, and that means new books!
(For all of you that found me through the madness that was Austen in August, I'm sad to tell you there is no Austen in this months pile - but stick around, maybe you'll find something you like!)

As always, there is a linky at the bottom for you to share your monthly Rewinds/Wrap-ups and TBRs, so feel free to share your vlogs and blogs!

First up, my August Rewind!



Thanks for watching my August rewind! It was a bit of a mixed month, really.
 My brain was taken over by Jane Austen, so I didn't get as much reading done this month, but here's a look at what I did read.

THE BOOKS
(0:15) Girl of Nightmares: http://amzn.to/OrJCnb
(1:56) Jane Austen Ruined My Life: http://amzn.to/M5fUEC
(2:09) Crewel: http://amzn.to/NnnFB3
(3:58) A Bride's Story, vol 1: http://amzn.to/RjOhbX
(4:41) Shatter Me: http://amzn.to/Nca1l9
(5:29) Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, the Last Man in the World: http://amzn.to/SKuaVO

ALSO MENTIONED: 
Anna Dressed in Blood: http://amzn.to/Rywj5o


Now onto my September stack!



I am ready to READ ALL TEH BOOKS!
So someone stop time for me, 'k?

These are the books I plan to read in September, as well as a second stack of books to pick through if I finish the first stack. (You don't want to know how many more stacks are waiting after that...)

THE BOOKS:
(0:18) Stormdancer: http://amzn.to/LcYDnC
(0:35) The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There: http://amzn.to/P7VBSE
(0:54) Blackwood: http://amzn.to/PnRCBc
(1:12) Babe in Boyland: http://amzn.to/T6SL2W
(1:25) Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft: http://amzn.to/OdXyxQ

THE MAYBE PILE TO PULL FROM:
(2:03) First Frost: http://amzn.to/RyxhP6
(2:16) 12.21.12: http://amzn.to/O3BDi6
(2:23) Monstrous Beauty: http://amzn.to/LTxlmx
(2:40) Every Day: http://amzn.to/T6SRrj
(3:02) Eve & Adam: http://amzn.to/Ny4aX3
(3:47) Defiance: http://amzn.to/PDE6OT
(4:12) Vessel: http://amzn.to/M5fNZF
The Diviners: http://amzn.to/NbPM8C

ALSO MENTIONED:
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland... http://amzn.to/S9faBR
Ghostwritten: http://amzn.to/NmGoTH




Bonus Jane: Wentworth is SEXY!

YOU GUYS.
I missed a post, and it was about how Wentworth is sexeh. How would I miss such a thing? (My only defense is that when you're up until 4am every night, everything stops making sense...). Anyway, my apologies to Nancy Kelley, who shared her Wentworth lovin' only to have it languish in my inbox, but not that it is found, you get BONUS JANE! (September what? Pfft!)
Please to enjoy this Wentworth, yes?

[And if I've somehow missed your post, let me know!!! My spam filter is a notorious thief, and my brain is suffering from all sorts of Jane-melt...]



Twitter is the most amazing thing in the world. Last week, some friends and I somehow got on the subject of Captain Wentworth in the shower, and who would hold his towel for him. We never settled that particular fight--er, lady-like disagreement--which highlights Wentworth’s universal appeal.

Pride and Prejudice was my first Austen. I didn’t fall in love with Darcy right away, but by the time I read her other books, I was a definitely Darcy girl--I was in the middle of writing a book from his perspective, that’s how much I loved him.

Then I got on Twitter and all my Janeite friends just gushed about Captain Wentworth. “No,” I thought--”No one can beat Darcy.”

Well, friends, I am here to gush about Wentworth. If you’re hoping for a scholarly post analyzing Persuasion, I’m afraid this isn’t it.

Let’s get the shallow reason out of the way first. He’s a man in uniform. Now, I’m not as silly as Lydia and Kitty Bennet, or the Musgrove sisters, but even I will admit that there’s nothing like a good looking man in uniform. Given the reaction of the Musgrove sisters, I think we can assume he filled it out nicely.

That brings me to the second point: Frederick Wentworth is a self-made man. He inherited nothing, but when we meet him, he is wealthy and successful enough to be deemed a catch by the local ladies. Sir Walter Elliot likely did not think him so, but as it is well-established that he is a vain poppycock, we can disregard his opinion.

And okay, so he made a mistake by leading Louisa Musgrove on, but even that unfortunate incident highlights some of his amazing qualities. First, he did so because he was hurt, which means that he still loved Anne, even after she’d rejected him. Eight years later, he loved her enough to want to hurt her. Slightly mental? Yeah, but aren’t we all?

Second, when he realized what he’d done, he didn’t just turn away from Louisa and tell the Musgrove family he’d made a mistake. He hung around, willing to stand by the commitment his actions had stated. It wasn’t until she decided she loved someone else that he deemed himself released.

He was ready to give up what he wanted to do what was right. Let that thought sink in, and then sigh over how very romantic that is.

So we have a man in uniform, a self-made man of character, still carrying a torch for his first love.That right there is enough to earn him a spot in the upper echelons of Sexy Heroes.

But wait! There’s more!! And this last point is where he moves ahead of Darcy, I’m afraid.

The Letter

Unlike... well, pretty much every other man in literature or real life, Frederick Wentworth is beautifully articulate when he expresses his feelings for Anne. Where Darcy simply says, “My affections and wishes are unchanged,” Wentworth says, “I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own, than when you almost broke it eight years and a half ago.”

The passion, the amount of forgiveness, the degree to which he bares his soul to her--even though he does not know, cannot know for certain, how she will receive his declaration! It is this devout ardor which moves Captain Frederick Wentworth into the number one position.

Frederick Wentworth: Sexiest Literary Hero




Nancy Kelley is a Janeite, an Austenesque author, and a blogger. Her debut novel, His Good Opinion, is now available. During the writing of that novel, a version of Mr. Darcy took up residence in her brain; she fondly refers to him as the Darcy in My Head, or DIMH.

If Nancy could possess any fictional device, it would be a Time-Turner. Then perhaps she could juggle a full-time library job, writing, and blogging; and still find time for sleep and a life. Until then, she lives on high doses of tea, of which DIMH approves.


Click here to be taken to the Austen in August Main Page! Fab button artwork c/o Antique Fashionista!

~ The End ~

This is it, my lovely, lovely Janeites. We have once again come to the end. (Well, for now, at least.) I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in Austen in August this year! All of the contributions - guest posts, giveaways, excerpts, and all of the lovely things you did - helped make this awesome, and I thank you very sincerely for taking part.  I want to thank all of you who stopped by and read, too, or did your own AiA posts on your blogs/vlogs - it never ceases to amaze me every year just how many of you there are and how enthusiastically you join in. Much, much <3.

Feel free to continue to browse through and see what you missed (I know there was a lot), and keep entering the giveaways - they'll all be open until September 5th.

I'll be back again next year, of course, when it will once again (hopefully) be Jane in June (so fingers crossed for a manageable June to come my way...), but I will try to give you occasional doses of Jane to tide you over. But you can also keep an eye on The Book Rat's Pinterest, which has a Jane Mothereffing Austen board...

Full acknowledgements are at the bottom of this post, and I strongly encourage you to support the participating authors and blogs, and check them out when you have a chance. And for now, I'll leave you with a little Janeite treat.
Enjoy. ;)



~ via Fuck Yeah Lost in Austen


THANK YOU TO:

Alexa Adams
Amanda Grange
Barbara Tiller Cole
Brenna Aubrey
Cecilia Gray
Diana Peterfreund
Erlynn
Inkberry Press
Jane Odiwe
Jayme R.
Jenni James
Jessica B. 
Juliet Archer
Kailia
Lady Disdain
Laura Hile
Laurel Ann Nattress
Laurie Viera Rigler
Lil' Munchkin Reader (aka Sam)
Liviania
Margaret C. Sullivan
Maria Grace
Masha Laurence
Melanie 
Mitzi Szereto
Penguin books
Renee T.
RivkaBelle
Sophie W. 
Sourcebooks
Susan Kaye
Talia Vance

the respective presses of any of the books being given away, where not directly mentioned

everyone who linked up a post
or a read along response
or tweeted & posted about the event

anyone I missed (hopefully there's no one!)

AND YOU!

Click here to be taken to the Austen in August Main Page! Fab button artwork c/o Antique Fashionista!

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