Still Time to Win ARCs

There's still time to enter  my two ARC giveaways I posted Monday and Tuesday. Super Easy to enter!!! :) Just go to my Monday and Tuesday posts to sign up for both!

Musical Motivation

So I'm back on the writing train and I thought I'd share some of the songs that inspired my latest twisted, shiny, new idea. I think just from the vibe of the songs you'll get an idea of my new manuscript is gonna be like. Ready? Here goes...

Five Finger Death Punch: Bad Company


Bobaflex: Bury Me With My Guns On


Skillet: Hero


Halestorm: I Get Off


Stone Sour: Through The Glass


Blue October



Now, I've shared a few of mine, what are you listening too these days??????? Comment and share peeeeeze! :)

ARC Giveaway Day Two! Songs for a Teenage Nomad

Some of you that follow me on twitter know I am cleaning out some of my ARCs, so here's my second giveaway this week:


Title: Songs for a Teenage Nomad
By Km Culbertson
Published: (Now this is tricky) Originally in 2007 but Source Fire books picked it up and now it's pub date Sept 2010--I was shocked BTW when I looked it up on Amazon and discovered one copy from '07 was $999.99.
Special Note: Uncorrected Advanced Copy

After living in twelve places in eight years with her drifting mother, fourteen year old Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Fearful of putting down roots anywhere, but armed with her song journal, she moves to her own soundtrack through a world that bounces her between the school drama crowd, a mysterious loner, and an unlikely boy with a secret. But Calle has her own secrets. The troubling truth she uncovers about the father she thought abandoned her is the catalyst that forces Calle to face the toughest choice of her young life.

Kim Culbertson has been a high school English, Creative Writing and drama teacher for over ten years in both public and private schools. Song journaling, which is her protagonist's defense mechanism, is a technique she consistently uses in her classrooms to inspire teenagers to express themselves using something they love. Kim lives in the Northern California foothills with her husband and daughter, where she loves to drink coffee and look at the clouds.

"I can't imagine anyone not liking this book. Using music in a teen book contributes to the authenticity of the story. I think there are many, many teens that will see themselves in this book and it will help to validate who they are."-Ben Franklin Award Judge

"Songs for a Teenage Nomad will send you searching for songs with meaning for the major events of your own life."-Cindy Hudson, author of Book by Book

"Culbertson gives an independent voice to the teen genre."-Sedona Red Rock News

"Like losing yourself in the melody of your favorite songs, Kim Culbertson's Songs For A Teenage Nomad is so engrossing, so transporting, so moving, I didn't want it to end! A beautiful, lyrical read--I loved every last word of it."--Alyson Noel, #1 NEW YORK TIMES best selling author of THE IMMORTAL SERIES

To win this one, just comment with your email (so I can find you if you win) and share the contest in some format (My retweet and facebook share buttons count!). Contest closes Next Tuesday at Midnight and winner posted on Thrusday. Good Luck!!!

PS: My sister blogs are doing giveaways too!  Fiction Flurry and Got YA

***Special Note: I ship within the US only. Sorry, guys, I'm poor! LOL***

ARC Giveaway of THE DEATH (and Further Adventures) of SILAS WINTERBOTTOM

Hey gang!

I've gotten quite a few ARCs in my mailbox the past couple of weeks (doubles of some even) and I wanted to give you guys a chance to get your hands on some. Today's ARC that is up for grabs is THE DEATH (and further adventures) of SILAS WINTERBOTTOM by Stephen Giles published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. This book comes out next month, but here's your chance to win it before you can buy it!!

Product Description


And you thought your family was strange.

I am dying. . . I might get the chance to know you before death takes me...I would like you to be my guest at Sommerset

Uncle Silas has always been greedy, evil, insulting, and extremely rich! But a dying uncle with a vast fortune is definitely one worth getting to know. Even if it means spending 2 months on his secluded island home with a houseful of suspicious servants and a hungry pet crocodile.

But what is Uncle Silas really up to? Will Adele, Milo, and Isabella outlive Uncle Silas to inherit his money? And just who is that mysterious "guest" in his basement? Is it worth the money (or their lives) to stick around and find out?



About the Author

Stephen M. Giles lives near the beach in Sydney, Australia. He describes himself as a market researcher of staggering mediocrity, but these days he spends most of his time wandering around his imagination-which is where he met the Winterbottoms.

Now to enter to win just leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you and retweet it using my nifty little retweet button on the post. Thats it! I'll use a number randomizer to select the winner and post the winner next Monday.
 
***SPECIAL NOTE: This contest is open to people in the US only. Sorry guys :(***

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff ARC review

Title: The Replacement

By: Brenna Yovanoff

Published: September 21st 2010 by Razorbill

Details: Hardcover, 352 pages

Special Note: ARC Review

 

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

My Thoughts:

The entire town of Gentry knows that their human children are stolen and murdered by monsters, but they seem to be okay with the sacrifice in order to keep their town the happy place it is. This novel creates a intriguing world that is full of mystery.


Mackie Doyle is one of the creepiest main characters I've come across in a while, but I will say he is very likable and he won me over very easily. Mackie has this venerability that makes you root for him even though he's not quite human and was placed in a crib to replace a human baby that had been stolen and sacrificed. While the creatures under the hill may be evil, Mackie isn't, and strives to just be "normal". Iron, even the slight amount in blood, causes Mackie to go into a toxic shock type syndrome, which adds to the struggle to live in the human world.


This novel is a great YA mystery. The kind where you have to figure out exactly what Mackie is why these creatures under the hill suddenly want him back.


If you like creepy YA told from a male first person point of view with a little bit of romance sprinkled in, this one's for you.

Karma Bites by Stacy Kramer, Valerie Thomas Review

Title: Karma Bites
By: Stacy Kramer, Valerie Thomas
Published: August 16th 2010 by Sandpiper
Genre: YA UF

Details: Paperback, 432 pages
Special Note: ARC Review

Life seems to have it in for Franny Flanders.

Her best friends aren’t speaking, her parents just divorced, and her hippie grandmother has moved in. ...more Life seems to have it in for Franny Flanders.

Her best friends aren’t speaking, her parents just divorced, and her hippie grandmother has moved in. The only karma Franny’s got is bad karma.

Then Franny gets her hands on a box of magic recipes that could fix all of her problems. It could even change the world! Finally, life is looking up. But Franny is about to learn that magic and karma aren’t to be played with. When you mess with the universe, it can bite back in unexpected ways.

Ouch!

My Thoughts:

The main character in this novel, Franny Flanders, was so cute. The authors, Kramer and Thomas, did a fabulous job making the character not only likable but funny, which most of us writers know is hard to pull off. The concept is highly original and there were a lot of twists I was not excepting, which is awesome. The only issue I had with this novel was target range was a little lower in the Young Adult genre that I normally read, but I would definitely recommend this book to tweens and very early teen readers because I think they would get a kick out of Franny.

Demon Princess: Reign Check by Michelle Rowen Review

Title: Demon Princess: Reign Check (Book #2 in the series)
By: Michelle Rowen
Published: May 25, 2010

Nikki Donovan, Demon Princess, is back--and stuck in a love triangle that's straight out of hell!

Fresh from finding out that she is a demon princess, fighting her aunt for her life, and rescuing her father from being poisoned, Nikki Donovan is looking forward to getting back to her regular high school life. But when Rhys, the handsome king of the faery realm, decides to show up at her school as a "foreign exchange student," Nikki knows this won't be possible. Couple with this a whole host of other problems: there's a new prophecy that claims she will destroy everyone. Her conflicted feelings for Rhys and her boyfriend, Michael, are getting in the way of their relationship. Her best friend Melinda just might be a demon-slayer-in-training, and her old crush Chris might know of her demon side. Throw in a field trip to none other than Hell itself … and Nikki's going to be hoping for a rain check on more than just her homework!

My Thoughts:

The voice in this novel is great! She's funny, yet empathic, and down right snarky when she needs to be. I fell in love with this series when I read book one, Demon Princess: Reign or Shine (<--Click to read that review), and found myself taken with Rhys back then. Michael, the MC's love interest, is okay as far as literary boys are concerned, but Rhys is a total hottie. He's moody and a little mean, you know, everything that makes a great literary crush, and I totally root for him and Nikki to get together. Now, I won't spill the beans to much and ruin things for you, but I will say this story isn't done yet and I am chomping at the bit for the next book. I haven't found anything out on book three, so I can't give you any insight. Believe me, I looked. So Michelle if you are reading this: When's book three coming out? I guess that's one question I should've asked her when I met her back in May...LOL.

Captivate by Carrie Jones Review

Title: Captivate

By: Carrie Jones

Published: January 5, 2010

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

My Thoughts:

I loved NEED, the first book in this series, and I was looking forward to picking up where it left off. The second book in this series was good, but it wasn't as action packed as when where were first introduced to the characters in book one. Zara's father, the evil pixie king, added a lot of tension and stakes in book one and was pretty much absent in this book except for a couple small interactions she has with him. I think he'll play a big roll in the next book in this series, though. Nick, the brooding were-boy boyfriend, is still around, but their relationship isn't as intense as the first time around. Sure, they are still together, but I think Zara has more spark with the new pixie king that's come to town, Astley. I won't ruin it for you and tell you who Zara picks, but I gotta say I can't wait to see what she does next because this one totally leaves you hanging.

UpComing ARC Reviews

Hey Guys!

Thought I'd share with you some ARCs I'm going to be posting reviews on soon, so be sure to follow me and I'll give you the low down on these titles!!

Guest Post by Author Sean McCartney

Hey gang! Author Sean McCartney has stopped by to talk a little bit about his publishing experience and tell you about his new YA novel "THE TEASURE HUNTER'S CLUB" that was released July 6, 2010. Check out the book trailer below and be sure to post any and all questons you have for Sean as he will be responding. Thanks Sean for posting today!

~~Annie~~

----------------------------------



I first want to thank Annie for allowing me to talk with you today.

My name is Sean McCartney and I am the author of the new young adult action adventure series entitled THE TREASURE HUNTERS CLUB: SECRETS OF THE MAGICAL MEDALLIONS which is available on my web site www.treasurehuntersclubbook.com, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

I’ve been asked what it has been like working for a small publisher like Mountainland? I’ve got to say it has been both rewarding and frustrating but overall very enlightening.

I liked the idea of a small publisher from the start. I felt I would get more personal attention, and you do; I also felt a small publisher would have more interest in my book succeeding because they would have a vested interest.

The other thing I didn’t realize you get from working with a small publisher is input. I have been with my publisher through every aspect of the book. I’ve been asked my opinions and they are taken seriously and sometimes even used. The other nice thing is they always get back to you in a short amount of time. You never feel like a number. A pest, maybe, because I am new and have so many questions, but never a number.

Of course this leads to some drawbacks with working with a small publisher.

You don’t get a huge distribution or large promotional budgets to spread the word. In many instances you get a small to no advance. In fact I don’t receive any up front money, however, my royalty rate is much higher than other authors.

To be honest that doesn’t mean all that much to me. I’m about the number of books sold. If I can make The Treasure Hunters Club the next great series that every kid wants to read I would have done my job as a writer. It could also lead to me doing this as a full time job.

I believe it's different for everyone and you have to make the choice on how you want to proceed. There are many ways to get your voice out there. Find what works for you and go for it.

Remember the only who can tell you “you can’t” is yourself and you don’t have to listen.

Thank you again for your time. I won’t beg, that’s undignified, but go out and pickup a copy of THE TREASURE HUNTERS CLUB: SECRETS OF THE MAGICAL MEDALLIONS, or pick up two or three and make some friends. It’s a read you’ll enjoy.

Sean

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson Review

Title: The Sky is Everywhere
By: Jandy Nelson
Published: March 9, 2010

"Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable."

My Thoughts:

The main character, Lennie, leaps off the pages. I found myself feeling emotions right along with her, which is a sign that this writer, Jandy Nelson, knew what she was doing. My heart broke over and over as I read this novel and I felt the shear happiness too. The love triangle in this novel is unlike any I've read before. Toby broke my heart, and the secret he and Bailey shared made it even worse. I could totally see why Lennie got involved with him. Joe on the other hand is absolutely swoon worthy. He says all the right things at the right times. When he gets angry once he discovers Lennie and Toby's kiss, he feels so real. He has the perfect (and realistic) reaction to catching your girlfriend with another guy.

So if you like contemporary romance novels, read this one ASAP!

New YA Vamp Book Alert

As many of you know, I heart anything paranormal or urban fantasy, so I got really excited when I discovered this vampire gem on Amazon today.

Grade 9 Up - To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

I had never hear of this one, so I ordered it. When I read it I'll post my review, but I thought I'd share my discovery with you guys! :) Have any of you read this one and can give me the low down??

Chacters: How Do You Picture Them? My Twilight Example

Okay so I was thinking about way back when I first read TWILIGHT, before all the movie hype, back when it was only my imagination that created the infamous Edward Cullen. The world now thinks of Edward as Robert Pattinson--

--but this morning I was watching "A Walk to Remember" on cable and I was reminded that another actor was my 'ideal' Edward when I first read the books. The actor, Shane West, to me has the perfect crooked smile and reddish/brown mussed hair as described in the novels, so the entire time I read those books I pictured him.

Needless to say, when I first saw Robert Pattinson I was one of the people disappointed with their choice simply because it's not how I pictured my beloved Edward. LOL

So I'm curious...any actors remind you of characters in novels? Who was/is your Edward?

  

Books From the Library #3

Welcome to my next installment of books from the library. I think I scored pretty big this week. Some of these are on my Goodreads "To-Read" shelf, so YAYA me! LOL Okay here we go (PS I added some of the trailers for ones I could find):

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend.When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal she left behind. But he is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.