Super Reader Girl's Book Reviews

Book Blogger Cookbook!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

The 2012 Book Blogger Cookbook is now available!

The first one, The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook, came out last year and was such a success, that they decided to continue with another one this year. I wasn't aware of last year's, but I think it's such a fun idea!

The 2012 Book Blogger's Cookbook is a community project from some of the blogosphere's best book bloggers in a simple, easy to read format. The cookbook combines a love of reading and dining to help you find books you'll devour and recipes you can't put down.

I was able to look the cookbook over the last few days so I could share my opinion. The book features some of the hotter Young Adult titles - with a couple middle-grade and adult titles thrown in - with synopses, short reviews, and recipes that coincide with themes from the books. I especially liked the "Masaak Wild Boar" from David Farland's Nightingale - which can be made with domestic pig ☺ - and I think I'll need to try the Beyonders' Lumba Berry Pie. I also think it's fun that I have a short quote in the book - snippets of my review for Ally Condie's Matched have been included. The recipe for Matched is "Trapped in a Bubble Bobo Drink. you can see it pictured on the cover

All of the recipes look relatively simple to make and the pictures add to their appeal.

The compiler, Christy Dorrity, has arranged a blog tour for the book which began yesterday and would love to have you visit her other stops: http://www.dearestdreams.com/2012/05/2012-book-bloggers-cookbook-launch-tour.html

You can download The Book Blogger's Cookbook on Amazon.com for only 99 cents during this first week of the blog tour! You'll also be entered in a drawing just for commenting on any of the tour posts.

Thanks, Christy, for the opportunity to participate! I'm looking forward to trying out the recipes! :)

Notable New Releases - May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:28:00 +0000

There's a lot to be excited about this month!

May 1st

Destined (Wings #4) by Aprilynne Pike
HarperCollins
Love this series with a new take on the fae.

Bitterblue (Graceling #3) by Kristin Cashore
Dial
I haven't started this series, but am expecting to enjoy it. Female warrior protagonist - which is always cool. :)

Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy #2) by Veronica Roth
HarperTeen
I haven't started this trilogy either, but have heard RAVE reviews for Divergent and am told this is even better. There are 5 life path choices, but what if you don't feel you "fit" into just one?

Revived by Cat Patrick
Little, Brown Books
This cover looks a bit too creepy for me, but I admit I'm intrigued by the premise - the government has come up with a way to "revive" people after death and Daisy has been revived 5 times already - each time starting over with a new identity.

May 8th

Underworld (Abandon #2) by Meg Cabot
Scholastic Point
I love the covers for this series and the mythology base is intriguing. I just haven't been in the mythology mood yet, but do plan to read these. Can you believe I haven't read ANYTHING Meg Cabot yet?

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

Little, Brown Books
Post-apocolyptic story set in Europe.

Endure (Need #4) by Carrie Jones
Bloomsbury
I haven't read these books and have seen mixed reviews, but I'm still a sucker for the gold on the covers. It convinces me that I really want to know what's inside. :)

May 15th

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Hyperion

A historical fiction in February by Egmont w/a different cover. Maggie Stiefvater recently gushed about this book, so it is now something I definitely plan to read. Story of two girls behind enemy lines in WWII.

May 22nd

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Feiwel & Friends
Another mermaid type book about a girl who can talk with fish. I am loving this cover.

May 23rd

Closed Hearts (Mindjack Trilogy #2) by Susan Kaye Quinn
Omnific Publishing
Set in a world where almost everyone can read minds and thoughts are heard by everyone around you. Even classes are taught using thought. Can you imagine what high school would be like? Of course there's more to the story than that - adventure, romance, danger, concentration camps, secrets. I loved the first in this series and have just started this one. So excited/scared to see what happens now! Will be hosting a tour stop on the 29th with a book giveaway - stay tuned. :)

What are you excited about this month?

Cover Reveal! - Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Closed Hearts

Book Two of the Mindjack Trilogy by Susan Kaye Quinn

"When you control minds, only your heart can be used against you."

One of my absolute favorite reads last year was Susan Kaye Quinn's sci-fi/supernatural, Open Minds, the first in her Mindjack trilogy. You can visit last year's giveaway post for my brief thoughts on why it was so awesome. It is an adventurous and fast-paced story filled with romance and surprises in a world where most people's minds are open for everyone to read. Can you imagine what that would be like in a high school?

I've been anxious to see where the story will go and the wait is almost over! The second book, Closed Hearts will be out May 23rd. Here is the fabulous cover!

Susan said she couldn't be happier with the work of her cover artist, D. Robert Pease of walkingstickbooks.com, and I can see why - it looks amazing! I don't know what the tattoo is about, but it looks cool. I especially love the little blue thorn details!

Susan will be having a virtual launch party to celebrate the book release, so be sure to visit her site at www.susankayquinn.com and sign up to join in the festivities.

I'm not including the synopsis here, as it would be a spoiler for those of you who haven't read Open Minds, but it's available on goodreads and on Susan's site. I am super excited to read this one!

Notable New Releases - April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:55:00 +0000

There isn't a lot I'm super excited about this month, but that could just be because a lot of the new releases are series continuations for series I haven't started yet.

Here are the titles I am interested in checking out.
Take a Bow and The False Prince top this month's list for me.

April 1st

The False Prince (Ascendance Trilogy #1) by Jenifer A. Nielsen

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Above by Leah Bobet

April 17th

The Springsweet (The Vespertine #2) by Saundra Mitchell

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson

April 24th

Eve of Destruction (Dark Eden #2) by Patrick Carman

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Bloggiesta 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:30:00 +0000

"Bloggiesta" was started a few years ago to give book bloggers an opportunity to spruce up their blogs, complete some challenges, and work on their own blog to-do lists with the support of other blog friends who are working on the same kinds of things. It makes those task lists seem a lot more fun - kind of like a party...or fiesta. :)

I haven't officially participated in the Bloggiesta before, though I've been aware of it and sometimes inspired by it, so I thought I could use the extra push to get some things done on my blog this year and am going to give it a try. I've been away from the blog too often this past year and have a lot of things to get caught up on! The dates are March 30-April 1st. You can still sign up if you'd like to join us.

Here are a few of the things I'd like to do: (I'll add more as I think of them)
Update alphabetical review list
Add reviews and recommendations to new children's books site
Write reviews for the many books I've finished and not posted about
Work on my post-BEA summary/videos (from last spring) to prep new bloggers coming this year
Contact possible affiliates
Update sidebars
Update challenges page

Are you doing Bloggiesta? What will you be working on?

Notable New Releases - March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Here are the new releases I'm most excited about this month:

March 1st

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin
G.P. Putnam's Sons
Debut YA contemporary fiction. Sounds humorous & possibly heart-warming.

March 6th

Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1) by Jessica Shirvington

Sourcebooks Fire

A paranormal YA DEBUT about fallen angels and the mortals with angel-given powers who are destined to keep them in check. What if you thought you were normal - want to be normal - but find that there's a whole lot more to you then you had any idea of?

Somewhat similar in scope to a number of other YA paranormals, but I just finished this and did enjoy it. I wrote a little on goodreads about my feelings, if you're curious.

March 13th

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Hyperion

Woohoo! So happy to be able to read this finally! These books are so laugh-out-loud funny filled with snark and wit while still being packed with adventure, mystery, (clean) heat, and romance.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Delecorte Books for Young Readers
I heard wonderful things about Kirsten's first book, Like Mandarin - which I have yet to read, but this sounds even better and made my heart skip a beat just reading it. I dream of traveling and expect to fully enjoy this book about a girl pursuing that desire.

March 27th

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
Shadow Mountain
A clean, historical fiction romance. I've been seeing great reviews for this!

What new releases are you most excited about this month?

Book Recommendation: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:33:00 +0000

Cinder is by far my favorite read of the new year and is now one of my all-time favorites. I loved this creative retelling of Cinderella with cyborgs and a lunar society by debut author, Marissa Meyer. I get excited about re-imaginings of the classic fairy tales and this sci-fi meets fairy tale had me entirely enthralled.

Plus, how great is this cover?

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

The cover, alone, intrigued me, but the synopsis reeled me in. I loved and identified with Cinder from page one, despite her mechanical occupation (which is far from my own) and her cybernetic parts. She has an endearing and spunky android assistant that is much more than just a robot and she forms a titillating relationship with the prince, who appreciates that she is different from most of the girls he has known. I yearned for and dreaded each meeting between the two as Cinder tried to keep her cyborg enhancements a secret. This was a book that was hard for me to put down!

I thought Meyer's writing was fabulous. Her storytelling and world building were beautifully written and didn't feel at all like a debut. The story is romantic and empowering and I found myself obsessed with Cinder & Kai's stories. The ending is a bit cliff-hangarey (which sometimes frustrates me), but I loved it. However, I am now super anxious for Scarlet (book #2) and had a hard time reading anything else once I finished Cinder. Hopefully next January will come quickly....or maybe I'll be lucky enough to get another ARC from Feewel & Friends - they really hit things out of the park with this book!

The subsequent books in The Lunar Chronicles will bring twists on other fairy tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Rupunzel, and Snow White. So awesome. I'm interested to see how they get worked in....though I think I'm beginning to imagine how Red Riding Hood and Snow White might work with a couple elements of the story. I was slightly disappointed that there were no red shoes in Cinder, but perhaps one of the sequels will have some. :)

The author was at Books Inc. in San Francisco recently (another fabulous "Not Your Mother's Book Club" event), but unfortunately I wasn't able to finish all my chores in time and there was no fairy godmother in sight, so I was unable to attend....though I did have an outfit ready to go.

Red shoes in honor of the cover. :)

So sad to have missed it, but if you're interested, you can view pics from the event on the NYMBC facebook page.

For more on the author, visit Marissa Meyer's Blog which includes more pics from her recent tour stops as well as links to all her recent blog tour posts with interviews and other fun features.

You can also find Marissa on Twitter: @marissa_meyer

The next book in The Lunar Chronicles, Scarlet, will be out in January of 2013.

I highly recommend Cinder....

though you may want to wait until closer to January to start it. :)

Advance Review Copy provided by publisher.

Notable New Releases - February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:01:00 +0000

Here are the new releases I'm most excited for this month!

February 6th

The Rivals (Mockingbirds #2) by Daisy Whitney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I still have not yet red Mockingbirds, but have heard very good things.
Contemporary fiction about a covert group of young adults who takes a stand against abuse when their private boarding school will not.

February 7th

Dead to You by Lisa McMann
Simon Pulse
Lisa has a way with her stories of making them super hard to put down. This one's about a boy who was abducted as a child and has returned to his family at age 16 but can't remember his life before.

Once: Before Midnight; Golden; Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Simon Pulse
I haven't read anything by Dokey yet, but am intrigued by this repackaging of three of her fairy-tale re-tellings all in one book.

February 14th (Valentine's Day)

In His Eyes Anthology (Stories From a Cute Guy)
An e-book self-published by various authors including Susan Kaye Quinn, Ali Cross, S.R. Johannes, and Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Love stories told through the eyes of the boy. I have loved some of these author's other stories and am excited to get my hand on these! Perfect release date too! :)

February 19th

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr
Speak
I didn't want to read too many futuristic/dystopian books too close together, but have been intending to read Julia's debut novel, XVI, for some time now. It received good reviews and this one seems to be getting a good response from early reviewers as well.

February 21st

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Simon & Schuster
I read an advance copy of this and mostly enjoyed it, but did not find myself as invested in the story as I was with Wither. Sometimes this happens to me with sequels and it could just be that too much time had passed or that I was just not in the right mood. I found it enjoyable and still packed with adventure, danger, and romance...just perhaps a bit slower paced than I would like.

February 28th

Partials by Dan Wells
HarperTEEN
I won this book as an ARC at an event at Books, Inc. last month and the story interested me. I had just read Cinder, which also features cyborgs, so I didn't want to read them too close together, but will definitely be trying this out soon.

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

HarperTeen

This is probably the book I have been most anticipating over the last year. I have been DYING to read #2 since I read the first, Delirium, as an ARC over a year ago and the story hasn't left me yet. I have a theory about something that happened and am SO hoping I'm right....I almost don't want to find out, and probably won't for at least a little while, but am really excited to get back into this world and this writing again.

What books are you looking forward to this month?

FREE Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:53:00 +0000

So, I have some ARCs on my shelf from last year that are now past their publishing date. I don't think I'd be getting around to reading them anytime soon and I'd rather not recycle them (as the publisher says we are free to do). I'd much rather share them with YOU!

The photo below is what I'm giving away this time. Leave a comment below with which books you're interested in and in which order (if you're interested in more than one) and I'll get them to you. If more than one person wants a particular book, I'll do a random drawing for it.

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Fateful by Claudia Gray (Werewolves on the Titanic!)
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (I did like the first movie, but haven't been interested in the books)

GIVEAWAY - SIGNED copy of Everneath by Brodi Ashton!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:11:00 +0000

My college roomate, Michelle, who is a talented photographer and reads even more now than I do has started a fabulous book blog!

To welcome her new followers, she's giving away a signed copy of Everneath. I haven't read it yet, but Michelle has and has great things to say!

So go check her out and enter the drawing! :)

Good luck!

Pitch Dark Days at Books, Inc.

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:50:00 +0000

I had such a fun time last night! I wish I'd brought my other camera, but I'll post the pics I took with my phone. :)

The people at Books, Inc. - and especially their events group of "Not Your Mother's Book Club" - always do such a great job welcoming authors and the fans who adore them! HarperTeen is continuing their "Dark Days" tours this year with some fabulous paranormal/dystopian/post-apocolyptic books and included a stop at Books, Inc.'s Opera Plaza location in San Francisco.

We got to interact with Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses series), Anna Carey (Eve), Veronica Rossi (debut author of Under the Never Sky), and Tahereh Mafi (debut author of Shatter Me).

They told about their books, answered people's questions, and took time to sign a bunch of books and bookmarks.

I was in the middle of reading Tahereh's book and loved talking to her briefly. She was so sweet, had gorgeous bookmarks, and great style - look at her awesome typewriter bag and studded boots!

They had a really good turnout - around 60 I think, including some upcoming authors like Corinne Jackson - another S.F. Bay Area native I met last year at a blogger/author lunch. She has two books coming out this year. Touched and If I Lie. I also met Gretchen McNeil, author of Posess, which came out last year, and who also has another book coming out this year, Ten.

Me, Cory, & Gretchen

I had the good fortune of being invited to join some of the new/upcoming authors at Max's (Thank you, Corinne!) for more visiting/eating/drinking (water for me). I think Corinne is so down-to-earth and fun to talk to! I loved her writer friends and am excited to read their books that will hopefully be coming out soon.

Writer friends at Max's Opera House Cafe

I love book events! It's sometimes hard with kids and other commitments, but hopefully I'll make it to a lot more this year! I definitely recommend the events put on by Books Inc. :)

Stay tuned for more on Tahereh & Shatter Me in the next few weeks - I may have a giveaway for you soon!

What has been your favorite book event and what did you like best about it?

Notable New Releases - January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Here are the new YA releases I'm most excited about this month!

January 3rd

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends
A futuristic twist on Cinderella. :)
Just finished this last week and LOVED it!!

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
HarperCollins
Debut post-apocolyptic YA
I've heard very good things.

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer
Philomel (Penguin)
I really dislike the new cover designs, but I still like the writing. :) I thought Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) was a fabulous continuation of the series and have been looking forward to reading this conclusion for a while! For more on Andrea Cremer and how much I LOVED reading Nightshade, check out this post.

January 10th

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis
Razorbill (Penguin)
I've heard rave reviews for Across the Universe #1. I have yet to read it, but definitely intend to.

January 11th

Witch's Brew (The Spellspinners of Melas County #1) by Heidi R. Kling
Coliloquy, LLC
Yay! Last I knew this didn't have a cover, but now it DOES and the book is actually out!
I so loved Heidi's debut novel, Sea (really good realistic fiction), and am WAY excited to read this.
She's another SF Bay Area resident too! :)

January 17th

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand
HarperCollins
I loved reading her debut novel, Unearthly last year! Probably my favorite read of 2011. Looking forward to more Tucker Avery. :)

January 24th

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins)
Another debut YA getting rave reviews

Notable New Releases - December 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:17:00 +0000

The new releases I'm most excited about this month:

December 5th

Wintertown by Stephen Emond
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I've heard mixed reviews, but the story sounds intriguing.

December 6th

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster)
I have been SO looking forward to this! Clockwork Angel was fabulous!

December 8th

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Philomel (Penguin)
Debut paranormal YA about a girl who can speak to the dead and help them move on. Has been getting good reviews

December 18th

Embrace by Cherie Colyer
Omnific Publishing
Debut YA and I REALLY liked this.
Witchcraft, mystery, and an intense romance very cleanly done!

December 20th

Touch of Power (Healer #1) by Maria V. Snyder
Mira (Harlequin)
Guessing from her Poison Study series this may be slightly more "adult" in the romance department, so probably not for teens. However, for the older reader, Maria's world/character/romance building are fabulous.

December 27th

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Contemporary YA - A girl gives her now ex-boyfriend a box containing mementos of all the reasons they broke up. I've seen mixed reviews for this, but the concept sounds like it might be a cute story.

GIVEAWAY! - Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:01:00 +0000

Last year, I had the opportunity to read Susan Kaye Quinn's debut YA novel, Life, Liberty, & Pursuit. I never got around to posting a blog review, but I loved it. Clean but super intense romance aboard a cruise ship. :)

When I heard Susan was working on a new sci-fi/paranormal trilogy (I love science fiction) I couldn't wait to check it out. I read the first book, Open Minds, a couple weeks ago and it is SO good! Like epically good. If MindJack can get the publicity it deserves, I think it is going to do REALLY well! There were elements that reminded me of many of the things I loved about Hunger Games.

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

I did something rare for me and gave this 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads. I highly recommend it. There's mystery, danger, adventure, ROMANCE, reading minds (I would LOVE to be able to do this!), and fabulous writing. This is going to be an amazing trilogy.

And guess what? I get to give it away! One e-copy to a lucky random winner!

Open internationally. :)

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If you don't win, you can purchase the book in a number of formats (paper included) from links on the book site: www.mindjacktrilogy.com

Please also feel free to visit Susan on

Facebook, Twitter, and her author blog

susankayequinn@comcast.net

Susan’s Other Novels

Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (a teen love story) by Omnific Publishing
Summer Breeze Anthology

Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com

Notable New Releases - November 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:29:00 +0000

November has some great new book releases!

November 1st

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

Omnific Publishing

This is SO good! Epic in an almost Hunger Games type way. What would the world be like if almost everyone could read minds? I rarely give 5 stars on goodreads, but this book got all 5.

(Blog review to come next week)

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
Katherine Tegen (HarperCollins)

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie
Dutton Juvenile

November 8th

Fetching by Kiera Stewart
Hyperion Book

November 5th

Shatter Me by Tahereh Maffi
HarperCollins

November 21st

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Razorbill
Really enjoyed this one! Two teens unwittingly log into their future facebook profiles years before facebook is invented.

What books have you been excited to get your hands on this month?

Notable New Releases - October 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:40:00 +0000

Here are the October new releases I've been most excited about!

October 1st

Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Sourcebooks

October 4th

Leisl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Middle Grade and SO cute.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

"A clever, comic novel about the woes of (boy) history repeating itself."

Simon Pulse

Eve (The Eve Trilogy #1) by Anna Carey

HarperTeen

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
YA DEBUT

HarperTeen

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon & Schuster Children's

October 18th

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Debut YA

"An intensely romantic debut novel about a dangerous addiction, a fierce rivalry, and a forbidden love."

Simon Pulse

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

October 25th

Mastiff (Beka Cooper #3) by Tamora Pierce
Random House

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
A lot of fun siren/mermaid books coming out lately - This one has the interesting addition of winged people as well. :)

And the winners are...

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Amber Elise
Du Livre Book Reviews Blog

She wins a finished copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by DEBUT YA author, Michelle Hodkin

from Simon & Schuster!

-and-

Kathy

Read This Instead

She wins a finished copy of All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

from Macmillan!

Congratulations, ladies! I hope you enjoy these fantastic reads!

Check out my posts below for more information on the authors and books, as well as how you can purchase them yourselves!

Mara Dyer GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Woohoo! Thanks to the generous people at Simon & Schuster, I get to give away a brand new copy of the upcoming YA book release, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by DEBUT author, Michelle Hodkin. :) So excited to share this with you! It is different from anything I've read before and I love that I still don't have it figured out. The last page completely throws you a curve ball. :)

Giveaway will run through 11:59pm on Monday, September 26th and the book releases the following day.

Good luck!

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Author Interview: Michelle Hodkin - DEBUT YA Author

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Welcome to Michelle Hodkin, author of the much anticipated debut YA novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer!

I was able to briefly meet and chat with Michelle at the Book Blogger Convention in New York this past May (during the awesome "Author Speed Dating" portion) and took this picture then - before I'd read her book. She is super nice and I am so glad I've been able to ask her some questions now that I've finished it!

Michelle, what inspired this story?

The short answer is that it was inspired by true events. The long answer is going to be posted on www.maradyer.com :)

I wonder which ones those were! Looking forward to finding out!! Can you tell us who is on the cover? Is it supposed to be a scene from the story or is the water more symbolic?

Funny thing--authors don't usually offer input on their covers! I was asked for my ideas by the wonderful team at Simon & Schuster and I told them "dark and sexy." I think they delivered! My interpretation is that it's meant to be evocative and symbolic, but I think the neat thing about art is that anyone can interpret it any way they want.

Yes, they definitely delivered! I ♥ the cover. :) Have you always written stories?

Nope--the first words of fiction I ever wrote were for THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. Crazy, I know!

Wow. So, where and how do you like to write?

I have an office and a desk and a local coffee shop but honestly, I write almost exclusively on the couch, squeezed between the pets.

What is your favorite thing so far about becoming a published author? How do you feel about the coming release date and how will you celebrate it?

My favorite thing has been getting to connect with readers who love books as much as I do. I've been known to have vehement Team Edward vs. Team Jacob debates on Twitter and to gush about the newest Cassie Clare book along with everyone else. I just love books, love reading, and love talking--so I have to say, that's probably my favorite.

Books & Books in Coral Gables is hosting a launch party for MARA DYER on the day of the release! The best part? Most of my family live in South Florida, so a bunch of them are going to be there. I'm definitely excited; the release itself is going to be crazily fun, but I'm drowning in all of the pre-release emails/tweets/messages! I love them, but I always feel bad that I can't answer as soon as I'd like.

Most important question: WHEN WILL #2 BE COMING OUT?!? :)

All I know is Fall 2012---but I am anxious to share it with you! AHHH!

Anything else you want your readers to know?

Thank you for picking up this very strange book. Thank you for talking about it. I appreciate it more than you know.

Thank you so much, Michelle! I'm excited for the rest of the world to be able to read your book! I love how unique it is!

Who is Mara Dyer?

Find out on

9.27.11

Web - Blog - Twitter

Check out my review!

And oooh! Now I have a giveaway sponsored by Simon & Schuster!
(See next post above)

Third Sentence Thursday: Dark Eden

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:59:00 +0000

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme run by Sniffly Kitty of Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence review post on Sniffly's blog (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post your review in the comments!

But the first question, the one that will set all things in motion, will be a simple one. - Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

I know what the question is, but I won't copy it here. I'm nearing the end of the book now, and have enjoyed the story. I'm still trying to figure out when, in time, this sentence and the beginning paragraphs of the book take place. Dark, mysterious, often surprising - still trying to figure out exactly where the story is going. There's a TON of multimedia additions to enhance your reading experience, which is awesome. I've decided I'll check them out after I'm finished reading. :)

The book will be out November 1st, 2011

What do you think the simple question might be? :)

Let's Do The Hop! - Book Blogger Hop (9/16/11)

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:08:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've participated in Jennifer's weekly Book Blogger Hop! Now that my kids are back in school, I can afford to be a bit more social again. :)

Click the logo if you'd like to "Hop" with us!

This weekly meme / online party, gives book bloggers (& readers) a chance to discover book blogs/bloggers they may not have visited before, find ones they like, and get to know each other better. I love seeing what everyone else is up to and checking out the different blog personalities and layouts.

This week's question is:

“As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?”

Well, it's just up there on the top left. I don't really have a lot on my "profile", but I use my yahoo avatar for pretty much everything to kind of "brand" myself, and my "about me" summarizes my blog theology. (Does "theology" apply to blog convictions?? :) Anyway, here it is:

I am a voracious reader of books who loves sharing what I find with others! Though I may have an affinity for certain authors, I will always strive for unbiased reviews and vow that this blog WILL NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS (unless otherwise stated). This may cause my reviews to be a bit shorter, but I tend to think reviews are best abbreviated anyway!

I try really hard to not give anything away in my reviews that might spoil story progression / a fresh reading experience for my readers. I know I love discovering a story as I go along and reading things as the author intended.

Looking forward to hopping around!

Feel free to say hello if you're visiting from the hop! I'd love to know you were here!

Third Sentence Thursday - Don't Breathe a Word

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:48:00 +0000

This is my first time participating in Sniffly Kitty's "Third Sentence Thursday" meme, but I've checked it out in the past and been very amused.

The idea is you quote the 3rd sentence from a book you are currently reading and then write a review/commentary of the sentence - the funnier the better. It can be amusing seeing something taken completely out of context, and it can also give people an inner glimpse of a book they might not have thought twice about before.

I'm currently reading Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon. Here's the third sentence:

"The knowledge contained in these pages will change your life forever." - From The Book of Fairies, Don't Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon

Nothing particularly funny about this sentence, but it does raise some questions: Is that "change" for the better or for the worse? And was this "Book of Fairies" written by the fairies? Was it intended for a specific person, or is it something the fairies all have and it will change whoever they give it to or who finds/reads it? Oh, and are there even real fairies in the story?

I honestly don't know the answers yet, but the book is totally suspenseful and creepy. It hasn't made me scared of the dark again (yet), but I still am not reading it in bed. :)

If you want to join in, just post a link to your book's 3rd sentence as a comment on Sniffly Kitty's post!

Looking forward to reading everyone else's third sentences!

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin - Review and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:32:00 +0000

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

A dystopian/futuristic novel about chocolate? Yum!

In May, I received this surprise package from Macmillan:

SO fun. Cute red raffia filler, cool looking book, a letter with info about the book, and a package of dark chocolate covered espresso beans labeled "Balanchine Chocolate." Probably the best book related package I've been sent yet and my interest was definitely piqued for this book that I hadn't even heard of before. Unfortunately, I don't eat/drink coffee, but it smelled really good! I brought the contents to BEA to share with my roommates.

I heard a little more about the book while I was in NY and finally was able to read it last week. The start of the book did not immediately grab me but, after about 60 pages, the story picked up for me - the addition of a love interest helped :) - and I was pleasantly surprised by my first exposure to Gabrielle Zevin's writing.

All These Things I've Done is not a true dystopian, though many may call it such, but is set in a future where chocolate and caffeine are illegal in the United States. The protagonist, Anya, is likeable - though perhaps not particularly warm - with a kind and loyal heart. I loved Goodwin (Win), the son of the new District Attorney, and occasionally felt that Anya almost didn't deserve him, but I loved the way he was with Anya and saw through her hard shell to the girl she was inside. Anya's immediate family members and her best friend, Scarlet, are immediately likeable as well.

I enjoyed the look at a possible future New York with water and paper shortages and organized crime surrounding the trade of chocolate and coffee. It is also fairly clean - Anya is a "good catholic girl" who doesn't want to have sex before marriage....though she does occasionally come close.

I thought the ending was perfectly done and I've been very pleasantly surprised by the start of this clever new series, Birthright. The next book, Birthright #2 will be out in September of 2012.

Book Trailer
Gabrielle Zevin's website

Gabrielle Zevin facebook page
Author twitter feed: @gabriellezevin

And now I get to offer you a giveaway, sponsored by the good people at Macmillan, so one of you can read it yourself for free! :) If you don't win, you can find it at an indie bookstore near you or order it from Amazon here.

A cool extra touch from Macmillan - the final, hard cover copy of the book looks like a candy bar beneath its shiny cover!

If the government were to choose one substance to randomly prohibit, what's one thing you think you'd be okay living without?

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Notable New Releases - September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Here are the new releases I'm most excited about this month!

September 1st

Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health

by Amy Kalafa
Tarcher
(non-fiction)

September 5th

Until Again: Prequel Novella to Blue

by Lou Aronica
The Fiction Studio
Here's my review of Blue

September 6th

All These Things I've Done

by Gabrielle Zevin

Farrar, Straus and Giroux
In the year 2083, chocolate & caffeine are illegal. The teenage daughter of a former chocolate mafiya boss finds herself involved in a business she wants nothing to do with.
Reading this right now. Took a bit to get into, but am enjoying it.

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories
edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones
Harper Teen

I've heard great things about this one & have sent a purchase request to my library

Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1)

by Tera Lynn Childs

Katherine Tegan Books
Three teenage girls find they are triplets and descendants of Medusa

The Beginning of After

by Jennifer Castle

HarperTeen
A girl loses her parents and brother in a fatal car accident caused by her bad-boy neighbor's father.

The Entitlement Trap

by Richard Eyre
Avery Trade
(Parenting / non-fiction)

The Taker

by Alma Katsu
Gallery Books
Adult paranormal/historical fiction

September 13th

So Silver Bright (Theatre Illuminata #3)

by Lisa Mantchev

Feiwel & Friends
Loved this beautiful/quirky/fun/imaginative series!

Fateful

by Claudia Gray

HarperTeen
YA paranormal/historical fiction - werewolves on the Titanic :)

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern
Doubleday
I don't have a copy of this, but it was heavily (& creatively) promoted at BEA so I've been curious about it.

September 20th

Cold Kiss

by Amy Garvey
HarperTeen
A girl uses before untapped powers to bring her dead boyfriend back to life, but he's not the same person he was before.

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1)

by Maureen Johnson
Putnum Juvenile
A girl attending boarding school in London is the only one who can see the prime suspect in a string of Jack-the-Ripper-esque killings.

September 27th

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

by Michelle Hodkin
Simon & Schuster

DEBUT YA
Here's my post about this unique/gripping story.

A Beautiful Dark

by Jocelyn Davies
HarperTeen
YA Paranormal - On her 17th birthday, a girl meets two mysterious boys - one very dark, and one very fair - and is drawn to them both in the midst of a number of other strange events.

September 29th

Lola and the Boy Next Door

by Stephanie Perkins

Dutton
I LOVED Stephanie's debut novel, Anna and the French Kiss so I'm way excited to read this one, based in San Francisco.

What titles have you been looking forward to?

Books - A MUST BRING Backpacking Essential

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Ludlow) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:00:00 +0000

I spent last week in the mountains with no cell or internet coverage (& a dying iphone battery, so no e-books), but I DID have paper books.

My dad led my 7-year-old daughter and I on a backpacking trip where we camped for 4 nights. We spent most of the days fishing and I kept the daughter (who LOVED fishing) occupied while waiting for the fish to bite by reading her Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We finished the book on the ride home. :)

I kept myself occupied much of the time reading an ARC of The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler which I enjoyed immensely.

I also brought a couple notebooks to use as a journal and to write anything I wanted to record, but all I ended up writing was a small list of gift ideas for my dad. :)

My daughter, however, used her notebook to write a short story about a princess locked in a tower awaiting rescue by her true love. The story is aptly titled, Together.

Here she is with her notebook, which she hiked with one day so she could write while walking.

What books would you bring backpacking?