Howling Turtle

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Twenty-Three

2012-03-13T16:01:00.003-07:00

The chapter post for chapter twenty-three is over at The Book Addict. Check it out HERE!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Twenty-Two

2012-03-12T15:19:00.002-07:00

The chapter post for chapter 22 is over at The Anfractuous Bookaholic!

Author Interview: Susan Abel Sullivan

2012-03-10T09:31:00.004-08:00

Today I would like to welcome Susan Abel Sullivan to the blog. She is the author of the newly released Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories, and the first published author of the Word Weaver Press

Q. What was it like to publish your first book?
Like sending your child out into the world. You’re proud of them and want to show them off and you hope other kids will like them.

Q. How do you like being the first published author of World Weaver Press?
It’s an honor to be their debut author, but it’s also a little scary. All that pressure for your book to succeed. . .

Q. Where do you find your inspiration for your stories?
Anywhere and everywhere. These particular stories were inspired by a talent show accident, a train smothered in kudzu, a record album remembered from childhood, and vacuuming, of all things.

Q. How long have you been writing?
I’ve had an off and on romance with writing ever since I graduated from high school, but I didn’t actually marry it until eight years ago.

Q. Cursed’s stories all share certain themes, but are very different from each other, was there one you had the most fun writing?
“The Accidental Poet” was quite fun because I employed limericks. Coming up with goofy, rhyming poetry that moved the plot forward was a seriously enjoyable experience.

Q. Where can readers look to find your work?
Back issues of Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Beyond Centauri, Writers’ Journal, and Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. I’ve also been published in online magazines such as AlienSkin and New Myths.

Q. What would you say is the ideal audience for Cursed?
Young Adult Speculative Fiction readers and the young at heart.

Q. What genres do you usually write?
I write predominantly Urban Fantasy and YA Speculative Fiction, but have also written horror, fantasy, and science fiction.

Q. What projects will you be working on next?
I’m currently revising an urban fantasy novel titled THE WEREDOG WHISPERER. Think NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION meets AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. And I’m writing the discovery draft of a YA novel about the supernaturally challenged.

Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories

Follow Friday

2012-03-08T19:01:00.004-08:00

Q: Have you ever looked at book’s cover and thought, This is going to horrible? But, was instead pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.

That hasn't happened to me that I can remember, it may have but it isn't coming to me off the top of my head. There was a time when the opposite happened though, I saw the cover for Imaginary Girls before it first came out and fell in love with it, isn't it gorgeous? The synopsis was a bit vague, but I didn't think anything of it and the review snippet on the book trailer was really positive (but then again it would be). Anyway, when it came out I rushed off and bought it in hardcover, but it turned out actually - in my opinion - to be a bit of a dud. I finished it, and I didn't hate it with a passion, but it was very luke warm for me, and I don't dislike books I read often because I am choosy and usually start reading series after being recommended by a close friend or multiple positive blogger reviews, but I kind of disliked this one.

I would love to hear what you guys all said!

p.s. Happy International Women's Day!

p.p.s. I already did this post when I remember a time that there was a book that I didn't read because I didn't like the cover "How to Train Your Dragon" I thought it would be corny and weird and to this day still haven't read the book, but when I saw the movie, I thought "oh my goodness this is adorable, I think I should have given the book a chance!"

Love you all

~Larissa

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Twenty-One

2012-03-08T15:50:00.003-08:00

The chapter post for chapter 21 is over at the fabulous Fairytale Nerd!

Author Interview: Richard Due

2012-03-07T21:24:00.002-08:00

Today I am pleased to welcome Riachard Due (pronounced Dewey) author of The Moon Realm series to the blog!

Q. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
3rd grade. The teacher gave the class group projects one day. Nobody in my group wanted to take charge. So, after allowing a suitable time to go by, and as I had an idea, I took charge. I put my best crayon man on illustration; my best ink man on lettering; we all covered for the useless dude who didn't want to do any work; and I took over storyboard layout, design, and story concept. Our book was a narrative mashup of us going trick-or-treating and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It was so boss my lousy teacher stole it and never gave it back. She was proud; I was incensed.

Q. Which books/authors have influenced your writing the most?
Wow! There are so many! I got the reading bug early. We didn’t have rechargeable reading lights when I was a kid, and my parents severely limited the my weekly allotment of flashlight batteries. So when they’d put me to bed, I’d ask them to leave my door open a crack and leave the hall light on. I told them it was because of the monster that lived in the closet (thanks, bro). But what they didn’t know was that I’d made a deal with the monster: no gobbling me up as long as I was reading.
The closet in question had a pair of those big, double-slidy track-doors. Both the door to the hall and the closet doors were in one corner of the room that I shared with my brother. So in order to read my book by that crack of light, I had to lie down in front of those double doors. That first night took a great deal of faith that the monster would keep up his end of the bargain. Later, of course, I had to deal with my stupid brother stepping on me in the night on his way to the bathroom, and him ratting out my reading time to my parents, but that only taught me how to not fall asleep while reading.
But to answer your question, the first book I remember being bowled over by was William Pène du Bois’s The Twenty-one Balloons. Later, in the fifth grade, a good friend of mine put a copy of Robert Heinlein’s Between Planets into my hands. What an AMAZING book. From there I hopped between the Lucky Star series, by Isaac Asimov, and The Undersea Trilogy, by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson, which led to Edgar Rice Burroughs’s John Carter, Warlord of Mars series. In the sixth grade, my other brother (not the closet-monster one), let me read his copy of The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. He wasn’t quite as keen on my reading his copy of The Red Book of Westmarch (the beautiful, faux-leather, all-in-one book of The Lord of the Rings), but he let me just the same (thanks, bro). From there I found the Dune books, by Frank Herbert (the third one hadn’t come out yet—arg! The wait!), and the Amber books, by Roger Zelazny (those were still being written, too! Talk about ripping hair from your head!).
As a freshman in high school, I went to my other brother (the closet-monster one) and asked for a good book to read. He suggested some Mark Twain titles, but I’d just finished a Robert Louis Stevenson, Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allan Poe tear, so I asked for something contemporary. He put a copy of Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. in my hand and changed my life forever (and all was forgiven). But those weren’t the only books that influenced me up until that point. Not to be missed were titles by Arthur Conan Doyle, Cervantes, Dumas, Dickens, Louis L’Amour, Zane Grey, and Shakespeare, to name a few. After the tenth grade and through college, I burned through all the Stephen King, John Ball, Dashiell Hammett, John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee series), Gregory McDonald (Fletch Series), a ton of Agatha Christie, and Matt Ruff’s amazing debut novel, Fool on the Hill. But it wasn’t until after college, when I opened Second Looks Books with my wife, that I really branched out my reading, catching up on a dump truck load of books that had somehow slipped past me: P.G. Wodehouse, William Goldman (The Princess Bride), Wilkie Collins (The Woman in White), Jonathan Lethem (Gun, with Occasional Music), Lord Dunsany, Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Terry Prattchett, J.K. Rowling, Lemony Snicket.
And I’m still being influenced. Still learning. Most recently by Michael Buckley’s Sisters Grimm series, Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series, and Michael Scott’s Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series.

Q. Was there a particular scene or character in The Moon Coin that you enjoyed writing the most?
Yes. I’d been writing The Moon Coin for about six years, and had queried about seventy editors and agents (mostly agents), when I suddenly had the idea for how the book should really start. It was December, 2010, the week before Christmas, and the idea came to me that morning. My wife and I were running around getting ready to meet her sister’s family for a lunch and Christmas gift exchange. We passed each other in the hallway, and I excitedly told her I’d just figured out how The Moon Coin should start. (Liz is my major litmus test for these kind of things. You see, when I get really excited, I can’t tell if my ideas are really good or really bad.) She asked me how, and when I told her, she said, “Of course it does!”
It was a several hour drive, dusting snow the whole way. While the miles passed, I starting laying the groundwork for the new chapter. Then I put it out of my mind until the ride back, when I worked on it some more. Around seven that evening, back home and exhausted, I thought I would jot down the outline. But instead, I wrote the whole thing in one go, stopping around one-thirty in the morning. I thought it was brilliant. The next morning, I reread it and thought it was terrible. Despondent, I put it away and didn’t think about it until shortly after New Year’s. I’d wanted to have it ready for the 2011 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York. Now I wasn’t so sure it was going to work out that way. But when I looked at it again, it didn’t seem so totally awful. My editor and I spent the next three weeks whipping it into shape. I was very excited to show it off at the morning and afternoon writers’ intensives. Sadly, it was soundly hated. In fact, an editor, agent, and several colleagues told me to cut Uncle Ebb. I was in shock. I think, that of the twenty or so people who read the first two pages at the intensive, only two people liked it (and they loved it; so much so that they came up to me afterwards and told me they thought everyone else was talking crazy talk, and not to change a word). At the time, I didn’t know what to think. But by that evening, my wife had made it to New York. Over dinner, we decided it was time to seriously consider self-publishing. Our feeling was that since the criticism was no longer making any sense, The Moon Coin must finally be ready. For the record, after I got back home, I sent out eighty more queries to agents and editors. I had lots of bites, but nobody offered me representation.

Q. What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I love spending far too much time researching the little nothing bits, getting them just right and inserting them in a way that feels completely natural. Then, months or years later, having someone point one of them out and say something like, “Wow! Did you know THAT also means THAT? How serendipitous for you! It’s almost like you planned it!” To which I usually respond, “Wow! Really? It does? I had no idea!”

Q. What is your least favorite part of being a writer?
I love spending far too much time researching . . . Um, okay, seriously? I hate that writing isn’t my job. Writing is still just a hobby for me. I have to fit it in around my paying job. I’m so fresh in the mornings, but between getting the kids off, and house chores, and getting ready for work, I’m lucky if I can get more than sixty minutes to write. I’m more likely to have time in the evenings. Of course, by that time, I’m usually exhausted, mentally and physically. As a result, a lot of my writing is done when I’m not at my best. That’s my least favorite part.

Q. What can you tell us about the next book in The Moon Realm series?
The Dragondain, book two in the Moon Realm Series, puts Jasper’s character front and center. Lily still gets a lot of face time, she even gets to steal a few scenes, but I’ve always felt this was Jasper’s book.
Ironically, just as Lily is attempting to reform her lying ways, Jasper is taking his first steps in the opposite direction. You see, Lily and Jasper are very much two sides of the same coin, each bringing a different set of skills to the party. While Lily is very big picture, Jasper’s expertise is getting through the here and now. Jasper really needs Lily to give him direction, and Lily really needs Jasper so solve certain tasks. But during their journey in the series, they’re both learning from each other, bettering themselves, and becoming better rounded individuals.

Q. What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Read the genre you want to write until your eyeballs fall out. Then put them back in and read some more. Repeat.

Make sure your novel's word count matches the target genre you're writing for. And remember, first-time novelists don't—as a rule—get to break rules.

If you think your novel is all finished, it isn't—get back to work. Repeat.

When you finish editing it, and you're sure it's ready, print it out double spaced and edit it on paper. Repeat.

Get thee to an editor, or do not pass go.

Go to writers' conferences and take advantage of their workshops and writers' critiques with real live editors and agents.

Join a local writers' group. Listen to criticism of your work. If one person in the group thinks you need to change something in particular, it's probably fine. If three or more people in the group think it needs to change, you've got work to do.

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Twenty + Stop Kony

2012-03-07T16:08:00.002-08:00

The chapter post for chapter 20 is by Jacob over at Drying Ink

On another note, I would like you to take a minute either to watch this video or look up what it represents. (I know it's really long, but it is worth it). Kony really is today's President Snow abducting children and forcing them to become soldiers, he needs to be stopped!

The Star by Javi Araguz and Isabel Hierro

2012-03-05T17:51:00.004-08:00

Title: “The Star” (La Estrella)
Authors: Javi Araguz & Isabel Hierro
Pages: 318
Genre: YA, fantasy, greenpunk, dystopia, romance, adventure.
Published in: 20 countries in Spanish and Portuguese.
Read the first chapter translated to English on the website

Synopsis:

The boy’s eyes glittered so strongly, presaging an imminent rupture of The Quietude. Lan was
perfectly aware of the prohibition of touching a Star Walker, but right now there was no
turning back as their fates had inevitably been sealed off.

Centuries ago a catastrophe turned Linde into a hostile place; since then, the survivors have
learned to live in isolation within the boundaries of the Safe Limits. But, the planet is
constantly subjected to a change in shape and people are lost, never return. After a violent
planetary transformation, Lan, a courageous girl from Salvia clan, wakes up in the middle of
the desert, only to be rescued by her worst enemy.

A young man marked by a curse.
A village hiding the biggest secret ever to be kept.
A love as dangerous as it is impossible.
A world whose surface is forever undergoing changes… when getting lost is the equivalent of
death.

Sounds like a great read doesn't it? At the moment it is written in Spanish, BUT CLICK HERE TO PETITION TO HAVE IT TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH.

It also has a truly awesome book trailer, and a making of the cover as well!

CURSED: WICKEDLY FUN STORIES available now!

2012-03-05T16:29:00.002-08:00

I found this little message in my inbox this morning and thought I would share it with all of you!

(Click the cover to see it on Amazon)

WORLD WEAVER PRESS
ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF
“CURSED: WICKEDLY FUN STORIES”
BY SUSAN ABEL SULLIVAN

FIRST FICTION COLLECTION FROM
NEW INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER
ON SALE NOW!

New York, NY (March 5, 2012) – World Weaver Press (Eileen Wiedbrauk, Editor-in-Chief) has announced the release of Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories by Susan Abel Sullivan, their first speculative fiction collection as an independent publisher.

“Susan Abel Sullivan has written an engaging collection that appeals to both the young and young at heart,” commented Wiedbrauk. “I’m excited to be a part of bringing this collection to readers and thrilled to publish Susan as our first World Weaver Press author; she’s an asset to WWP and a writer not to be missed.”

Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories is a speculative fiction short story collection featuring witches, werewolves, limericks that can change fate, and a sinister vine bent on murder and the destruction of Alabama. These stories draw in readers with their lighthearted tone and delight with their wickedly sly sense of humor. Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories features pieces previously published in Andromeda Spaceways, Inflight Magazine, AlienSkin, and Beyond Centauri, as well as a never before published short.

The digital edition of Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Smashwords.com.

Susan Abel Sullivan lives in a Victorian house in northeastern Alabama with two dogs, way too many cats, and a ghost. When not writing she likes to get her groove on by teaching Zumba classes. She is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop for speculative fiction. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous online and print publications, including Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, ASIM Best of Horror: Vol II, New Myths, Writers’ Journal, and others. She is currently working on a YA novel about the supernaturally challenged. Visit her website at susanabelsullivan.weebly.com or twitter @susan_abel.

World Weaver Press is an independent publisher of science fiction and fantasy, dedicated to producing quality novels, novellas, novelettes, and collections and anthologies of short fiction. World Weaver Press seeks to publish fiction that engages the mind and ensnares the story-loving soul. Find out more at worldweaverpress.com

# # # # #

susanabelsullivan.weebly.com
@susan_abel

worldweaverpress.com
@worldweaver_wwp

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Nineteen

2012-03-05T16:11:00.002-08:00

The chapter post for chapter nineteen is over at Read. Breathe. Relax. Go check it out HERE!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Eighteen

2012-03-05T16:08:00.002-08:00

Today the chapter post for chapter eighteen is over at The Readers Heartstrings.

Win Anna and the French Kiss

2012-03-03T15:15:00.001-08:00

Sarah over at Catching Books is celebrating 400 followers by having a giveaway! Follow This Link To Check It Out!

Jeffrey West: This Week in YA

2012-03-03T13:48:00.001-08:00

I am not sure if any of you had heard of this guy before, but I just saw this awesome video today that summarizes all the news in the YA book world this week and just had to share it.

Follow Friday

2012-03-01T18:59:00.002-08:00

Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

A. Ok, this was already made into a movie, but in my opinion, the movie did the book no justice whatsoever, and that would be Eragon. I was really excited when it came out, but I felt like the movie makers did not honor the fans at all. I would love it if the Inheritance Cycle were made into a series like Game of Thrones or Pillars of the Earth. I think that TV series work very well for long books like that (or a four book series with four very long books as the case might be), because one season could easily have ten hours of footage, so they could be as true to the book as they liked without having to cut out major plot points for time's sake.

What book would you like to be made into a movie or TV show?

Posts of note:

Review: The Moon Coin

Review: The Moon Coin

2012-03-01T17:27:00.003-08:00

Title: The Moon Coin/A Moon Realm Novel
Author: Richard Due
Page count: Approximately 256 pages
My Rating: 4.5 TURTLES: A really great read, I highly recommend!
Author’s Website
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Description: (via GoodReads)

Once upon a time, Lily and Jasper Winter had an uncle named Ebb. He liked to tell tales of a place called the Moon Realm, where nine moons swirled around one another, each inhabited by strange and wondrous beings: magical lunamancers; undersea merfolk; wise birds; winged dragons; and Lily’s favorite, the heroic, leonine Rinn: =^..^=. Uncle Ebb had quite the imagination.

Now, nine years after the tales began, he’s missing. Soon, so is Lily, transported to the Moon Realm by a mysterious coin.

But this Moon Realm is different. Here, a villain named Wrengfoul and his evil minions are attacking the other moons, stripping away what little magic remains. Had Uncle Ebb just been spinning tales of how he wanted things to be? Where did the truth begin and the fantasy end? And how will Lily ever get home?

Review:

The Moon Coin was a great read from start to finish. Richard Due’s writing really makes the reader feel as though they are there with Lily as she ventures through the Moon Realm.

When I first heard of this book, I was immediately intrigued by both the artwork and the description. I love fantasy, and especially fantasy that crosses over with Earth. As I read, I was constantly reminded of Narnia, especially when I came to the part with the giant cats, called Rinn, I couldn’t help but think of Aslan.

Mr. Due’s world building is phenomenal. The idea of the Moon Realm, a place where nine moons orbit each other (though the natives of each moon insist that their world is a planet and the other moons orbit around it) and get close enough to touch, was so completely original, I loved reading about it. All of the landscapes were so elaborately described, it is almost hard to believe they are not real places.

I really do not have any complaints about this book at all, except for maybe the fact that I have to wait to read the next installment.

I would recommend The Moon Coin to readers of all ages. I believe it will beloved by children, but it is also extremely entertaining to older audiences as well. Any fan of fantasy should get their hands on a copy of this book.

Buy The Book On Amazon: The Moon Coin (The Moon Realm Series)

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Seventeen

2012-03-01T16:20:00.002-08:00

The chapter post for chapter seventeen in the Hunger Games Read-Along has been posted by Racquel of The Book Barbies. Hop on over to check it out!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Sixteen

2012-02-27T17:51:00.003-08:00

The chapter post for chapter sixteen in the read-along is over at Happy Family Travels!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Fifteen

2012-02-26T10:12:00.002-08:00

The chapter post for chapter fifteen in the Hunger Games read-along is over at Nyx Book Reviews!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Fourteen

2012-02-25T13:33:00.002-08:00

The Chapter post for chapter fourteen in the Hunger Games read-along is over a Hald Reviews!

Follow Friday

2012-02-23T19:01:00.001-08:00

Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...

A. I don't really have a favorite place since i bring a book (or kindle) everywhere I go, I read in varying spots. I guess my favorite spots are places that are quiet and comfortable!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Thirteen

2012-02-23T18:14:00.006-08:00

While not the longest chapter in the book, chapter thirteen is definitely very important as it includes a turning point in the Games. (Including the infamous fire seen in the teaser trailer).

Quote:
“For a while we hold each others gaze. Then, without even rustling a leaf, her little hand slides into the open and points to something above my head.”

A quick history of the Katniss plant:

Katniss’s Latin name is Sagittaria means “of the arrow”. This immediately struck me as ironic, given our heroine’s talent with archery. Katniss was a staple for Native Americans, especially in the Northwest. They dug up the root with their toes in marshy areas. Apparently it was also cultivated in Asia. Katniss has about 30 species, and, like Ms. Everdeen, is very adaptable. It can survive in 0 degrees F, a multitude of soils and either acid or alkaline environments, but it does require a lot of sunlight.

I just learned as I was writing this that Katniss has another name as well: Wapato. As it happens, I had heard of Wapato before and even eaten it! So I can tell you first hand that Katniss root tastes a bit like sweet potato, but more mealy and earthy.

(Source: http://www.homeandgardenideas.com/gardening/flowers/annuals/growing-katniss-plant)

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Eleven

2012-02-23T17:52:00.002-08:00

Hey everyone! Cafe of Answers has the chapter post for chapter eleven! Check it out HERE.

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Twelve

2012-02-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the chapter post on chapter twelve at The Cabin Goddess

All the Apparatues

2012-02-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome music video from the band All the Apparatus. (I am a sucker for all things remotely Victorian) They are an Indie Rock band and even though they are not very well known, I am a big fan of theirs. This is a link to All the Apparatus's Reverbnation profile

Book Crush

2012-02-17T20:02:00.001-08:00

Will Herondale is definitely a huge book crush of mine! At the end of Clockwork Angel I detested him, but at the end of Clockwork Prince... well... AAAHHHHH.... You know what I mean if you have read it!

Priscilla's giveaway ends tonight at midnight, so be sure to sign up!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Ten

2012-02-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the chapter post on Chapter Ten in the Hunger Games Read-Along!

Follow Friday

2012-02-16T20:15:00.000-08:00

Q: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

A. As a lover of fantasy, that is a very hard question to answer since oftentimes characters I read about have strange other-worldly names. So I guess the strangest names that I have read about are the ones where the author doesn't even say it because it is so ancient or important or what-have-you. (An example would be the Name of the Ancient Language in the Inheritance Cycle where the author describes how the sound of the name made the characters feel, but never actually wrote down what it was.)

What about you, where you able to come up with anything more specific?

Tag!

2012-02-16T18:40:00.002-08:00

Rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!

1. What is your favorite genre to read?
My favorite genres are probably fantasy, science fiction, and dystopian. I love reading all genres, but those are the ones I tend to be drawn to!

2. Why do you blog?
I blog because I love reading and writing and sharing that love with others, and with book blogging I know everyone else has similar interests as me so I won’t bore you. Every once and a while I will be talking with friends and then go on passionately about a book I’ve read, and after a while they just get this blank look in their eyes… so I really wanted a place where that wouldn’t happen. ;-)

3. What is your favorite book from childhood?
Hmm, that’s a tough one. I don’t think I could list all of the books that made an impact on me as a young child, but I remember my mother reading the Chronicles of Narnia to me and I adored that series. Black Beauty was another one that I loved, Anna Sewell’s writing was so wonderful and I loved Black Beauty’s touching story. In middle school I was inspired to write a creative writing piece on Anna Sewell for an assignment.

4. If given the opportunity, which author would you like to meet and why? They can be living or dead.
Ugh! Again with the hard questions!!! Okay, I am just going to list three and I know I am leaving a bunch out, but here goes: J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare.

5. What was the last book you read that you really loved? What makes it so special?
I just finished reading the classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It was a very different read from what I am used to, but I still loved it! I loved how the author didn’t need to have a giant story arc, and how the whole world didn’t need to be at stake for the characters actions to seem important. The writing is so exquisite, I have never encountered another style like it!

6. How many books on average do you read in a month?
It can range a lot, but always at least four a month. If I read less than one book a week I feel like I am behind in some way.

7. Do you prefer reading e-books or actual books? Why?
I don’t. I think there are pros and cons to it. I love that ebooks are cheaper and that they save trees, but nothing can really compare to me than the feeling of flipping the pages of a real book in my hands.

8. In your opinion, what is the most overrated book of all time?
I think Twilight is very overrated. To be honest I have not actually read it (I know, I know) but I just think that any book that so drastically tailors age-old myths to the author’s needs instead of just making up a new creature altogether seems a bit strange. And I had considered reading it up until I heard about the whole Renesme thing, and I’m sorry, but anything that twisted that is popular is overrated in my opinion.

9. What genre do you refuse to read? Why?
I wouldn’t say that there is one particular genre that I would avoid completely, there are definitely some that I don’t go out of my way to look for, but if persuaded, I think I could get through at least one book of most genres.

10. What is your favorite book to movie adaption?
Lord of the Rings, definitely. That adaption is absolutely amazing, and Peter Jackson did such an amazing job. Every change that they made, I understood, and in some cases was even happy about. Even the changes I didn’t like I thought the reasons why they needed to make them made sense.

My questions:

1. When did you first discover your passion for reading?
2. How did you come up with the name for your blog?
3. What is your favorite thing to do outside of reading and blogging?
4. If you could hop into any fictional world/reality, which one would it be?
5. What are your literary pet peeves?
6. What is your favorite reading snack?
7. What is that series that you are dying to read but haven’t gotten to yet?
8. What was the saddest book you have ever read?
9. Approximately, how big is your TBR pile?
10. Which books do you consider your guilty pleasure?

I have tagged…
1. Sarah@ http://headstuckinabook.blogspot.com
2. Preet @ http://awrittenrhapsody.blogspot.com/
3. Alleged Author @ http://anallegedauthor.blogspot.com/
4. Alex @ http://thebletheringbookworm.blogspot.com/
5. Amanda @ http://www.booklove101.com/
6. Books Ahoy @ http://www.books-ahoy.blogspot.com/
7. Mickey @ http://www.imabookshark.com/
8. Alaiel @ http://www.librarianmouse.com/
9. Moonlight Gleam @ http://www.moonlightgleam.com/
10. Valen @ http://thereadersheartstring.blogspot.com/
11. Nikki @ http://starbuckled.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much to Roberta for tagging me!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Nine

2012-02-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

Chapter Nine's chapter post is being done by my wonderful co-host Sharon at Obsession with Books

Fever Giveaway

2012-02-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

Check out this awesome giveaway at Christina Reads YA.

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Eight

2012-02-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the chapter post to chapter eight at Everyday is an Adventure!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Seven

2012-02-10T18:14:00.001-08:00

The Chapter Post for chapter seven in the Hunger Games Read0Along is over at the Phantom Paragrapher!

Follow Friday

2012-02-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

A: I would definitely prefer to read a favorite book over and over again! Because if it is truly a favorite, it will take quite a few reads to make me be tired of it because I will keep discovering new things. Reading mediocre books can sometimes be worse than reading awful books because at least with awful books I feel a passionate dislike for them, with mediocre books I'm just like "meh" and unless I am on an airplane or some other long span of thumb-twiddlingness when I am reading it, I will probably want my time back.

What do you think?

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Six

2012-02-09T16:15:00.001-08:00

The chapter post for chapter six in theHunger Games Read-Along is up HERE!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Five

2012-02-06T19:44:00.001-08:00

Here is the link to the chapter post for chapter five in the Hunger Games Read-Along: Mom Reads My Books

Awesome Giveaway

2012-02-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

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Click on the button and be sure to check out the awesome giveaway going on at Bloomin' Reviews!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Four

2012-02-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Today Sarah at Catching Books posted on the fourth chapter in the Hunger Games. Go check it out HERE!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Three

2012-02-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I am please to announce the chapter post number three by JNCl at The Beauty of Ecleticism!

Follow Friday

2012-02-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

A. All of my favorite books have well developed characters, interesting plot lines, and I love strong heroines as well. I usually read fantasy, but I have my exceptions as well.

Project Tell Taylor

2012-01-31T21:39:00.001-08:00

Michelle Madow's debut novel Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. She talked all about it in a blog entry a few months ago, discussing how Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. She even wrote a letter to Taylor Swift and sent it to her, along with a signed book!

It's been a few months now, and she has yet to hear back from Taylor that she received the letter and book. She really wants to tell Taylor about how inspiring she and her music have been to her, but since Taylor Swift is an international superstar, she’s a little hard to reach. This is where YOUR help comes into play! Michelle is giving away the biggest prize pack she's offered yet, and the ways to enter to win are by telling Taylor Swift about Remembrance.

The Goal: Get Taylor Swift to Tweet about Remembrance!"

This part of the hop we are supposed to say what inspires us. I can get inspiration from pretty much anywhere, even really mundane things. I think that inspiration is everywhere just waiting for us to find it!

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

How to enter: Blogger is being evil to me right now and it is not letting me post javascript, so if you see a sign up sheet below, good for you, but otherwise I would suggest you go to another blog to sign up since they all have the same widget. I'm terribly sorry for my lack of techy skills!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Legends of Light

2012-01-31T19:53:00.000-08:00

Title: The Legends of Light
Author: Gill Shutt
Publisher: Greyhart Press
My Rating: 4 TURTLES: A great read, I definitely recommend.
*This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Description:
The Legends of Light by Gill Shutt is a sequence of six connected tales, each told in a separate poem. Ms. Shutt has crafted her stories to be enjoyed by adults and young adults who do not normally read poems, and hopes her book will encourage readers to try more poetry.
The poems are traditional high fantasy: Romantic tales of questing and love, of underground kingdoms and evil wizards. In keeping with this traditional theme, each poem has its own illustrated frontispiece.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. I am a fan of poetry in general, but this was different from most poems that I have read. The poems all told a story, they were not abstract or vivid descriptions of nature – which I love as well – but this book reminded me of some of Tolkien’s poems from The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.

In my opinion, high fantasy lends itself really well to verse because in high fantasy the characters often keep their history through song and poetry. I could really feel as though these poems were something that would have been recited in that world during a feast, and the more I feel like I am in the story the better for me.

My one complaint about this book is that the rhyming pattern was not consistent all of the time. Most of the time every other line would rhyme, but sometimes there would be stretches where there wasn’t rhyming at all, and then the rhyming would come back. (Soon after I initially posted this Ms. Shutt was kind enough to explain that it does rhyme, just not if you speak with an American accent like I do because the pronunciation is different). It didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, but at times it was a bit distracting.

The Legends of Light would be a wonderful book to read aloud, is appropriate for all ages to enjoy, and it is fairly quick since it is around one hundred pages. It would definitely be a good book for people who do not often read poems to get them interested in the genre. The Legends of Light was a great read and I recommend it to everyone, but especially if you enjoy high fantasy and poetry.

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter Two

2012-01-31T15:40:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone! today is the chapter post for chapter two in the Hunger Games Read-Along! today's post is over at The Sagacity Quest!

Hunger Games Read-Along Chapter One

2012-01-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

Today is the official kick-off of the Hunger Games Read-Along! Chapter one is being posted on by Louisa at Words I Write Crazy. She has a great question for all of you over there, so you should check it out!

I hope everyone is having a great day, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Follow Friday

2012-01-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

A. I will read just about anything if I feel motivated, but one thing that I give a wide berth is "adult romance"/erotica. In reading, I want to discover all aspects of the story, character development, action, and I like a touch of romance as much as the next girl, but if the underlying point of the story is the sex... I don't know, I guess in my reading I want more substance than that. No offense to anyone that loves that genre - because I know a lot of people do- it just isn't personally my cup of tea.

My Hunger Games Read-Along (co-hosted by Sharon @ Obsession with Books) is about to get under way, so if you are interested in participating and/or signing up you can visit the read-along page and check out the sign-up sheet!

Waiting on Wednesday

2012-01-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

Hosted @Breaking the Spine

Description via Goodreads:

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

I am so excited about this one! what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

I have a Twitter account!

2012-01-21T20:00:00.001-08:00

I just thought I would let all of you know that I now have a Twitter account for Howling Turtle! You can follow me HERE!

A reader's patience

2012-01-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

I finished Clockwork Prince a few days ago and was absolutely IN LOVE. I liked CA, but it didn't grab me as the other books from MI, but Clockwork Prince.... (If you've read it you know what I mean).

After I finished I realized that to read the final installment I am going to have to wait over a year and a half!!! Sure in between that time I will have CoLS, but still. A YEAR AND A HALF! I know few other places I can go where this is a valid issue where anyone might actually care, so I just wanted to know if I was alone in this line of thinking?

Brief Giveaway announcement

2012-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

I am merging my 300+ follower giveaway with the Hunger Games read-along, so now if you want to sign up for the giveaway, you can either click on the 300+ giveaway button or sign up for the Hunger Games giveaway!

Follow Friday

2012-01-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

Q: What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

A. Gosh, I don't know. I usually get all my books in all conventional ways. The most unusual way I've ever gotten a book is when authors send me their books, because much of the world is not privy to ARCs and such. It's super exciting and fun, but in the blogosphere, I wouldn't say it's Crazy.

Along the lines of getting books, I am currently having my 300+ follower giveaway where I am giving away ecopies of Mortal Obligation and A Little Magic, they are both great books - so enter to get them while you still can!

STOP SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

WAE Network

2012-01-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

Visit WAE Network

I just joined the WAE network (Writers, Agents, and Editors.) It is a site where all people of the writing and publishing professions can come together and network. It is also great for book bloggers, because it is also a place where authors come looking for promotion and are offering their books up for review. I've just started exploring, but I have been spending a lot of time in the Group section. I just thought I would let you guys know about it since it is turning out to be such a awesome book site!

New York TImes: Young Adult Reviews

2012-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

I was reading the New York Times Book Review today and saw that they had some articles on children books, which is unusual because they usually only have reviews on books aimed for older audiences such as biographies, historical fiction novels, and non-fiction. Not that there is anything wrong with those genres, but seeing as my genre of choice is YA, and usually the only mention of Young Adult Fiction in the NYT Book Review is the list of bestsellers at the very back, I was very excited to see these articles and thought I would share a few with you!

Book Review of Switched, by Amanda Hocking. (Which was written by Lauren Oliver - yes, that Lauren Oliver.)

Book Review of The Fault in our Stars and The Probability of Miracles

Follow Friday/giveaway/read-along announcement

2012-01-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

That's really hard for me to say, since I have a very broad taste in music. I have a thing for movie/movie trailer scores. I am actually not a huge fan of pop, but love alternative music like Coldplay, Florence + the Machine, the Decemberists, Scars on 45 - just to name a few. Below I have a video of one of the songs by Scars on 45, it is one of my favorites right now!

In other news, I have two announcements:

First of all, I have reached 300+ followers, and have put together a giveaway that you can enter by clicking on the button or HERE. It will end on Jan. 26th.

Second of all, I am currently putting together a read-along for the Hunger Games and I need co-hosts and post writers, and, of course, people interested in participating. If any of that sounds fun, I'd love it if you'd check out the page and/or email me! I am hoping to have giveaways and fun posts and a chapter by chapter read so our minds will be refreshed for the movie, and we can all be in constant party mode from late January to March 22nd!

Author Interview: Valerie Gillen

2012-01-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

I am happy to welcome Valerie Gillen to my blog today. I recently read her book A Little Magic, and she was kind enough to agree to an interview, thank you so much Valerie!

Q. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
A. I've been writing little stories since I was a kid (girls and their horses), and through high school. I've been writing on and off for many years, and have a few manuscripts stuffed in a drawer, like a lot of writers do. Maybe someday I'll take them out and see if they can be resurrected.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?
A. I loved Harry Potter for the interesting world JK Rowling built, and the characters. She really had you rooting for Harry to have a happy ending to his story, with all the terrible things he had to go through. Other favorites are Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher and the Harry Dresden series, Nora Roberts, Alice Hoffman and Suzanne Brockmann. I think they all do great characters and if you don't care about the characters, you won't care what happens to them.

Q. What was your inspiration for A Little Magic?
A. Loving Harry Potter as I did, I wanted to write a YA set in the world of magic. I wanted to have the heroine be a stepdancer, as I am myself - I thought it would be interesting to have her do something that you don't see in every book. And I wanted to set the book in Vermont, my beloved home.

Q. What other projects are you currently working on?
A. I just put up a romantic short story called The Last Blind Date, and I have another short story I'm polishing up. I'm currently working on my next YA which is called Everything to Live For. It's about a girl who has suffered a grievous loss and loses her way in life; she's failing out of high school and doesn't see the point in going on. Then she discovers that an ancestor of hers was hung as a witch in 1700s Connecticut. And the adventure begins...

Q. Where is your favorite place to write?
A. Probably at my dining room table, facing away from the window so I can't get too distracted. Although, I did a fair amount of work on A Little Magic while at my daughter's gymnastics school while she was working out.

Q. What was the hardest part about writing A Little Magic?
A. I think probably like any writing project, the hardest part is when you get stuck and you can't think where to take the story next. It's easy to panic and go - uh, this is not working, I'll just toss it and start something else. Sometimes it helps to just step away for a few days, let your subconscious brain work it out. I tend to do that a lot when I'm walking my dog - think, okay, the main character is in this situation - what happens next? If you're at one point and you know where you want to end up, how can you get the character there? What needs to happen inbetween? I think sometimes if you let your imagination roam free without trying to put limits on it, the solution will come.

Q. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
A. Don't give up. It's hard to break into traditional publishing but now that we have the e-book option, it's opened up a whole new world for people. Rejection is hard, but if somebody takes the time to give you comments on how to improve your writing, take it to heart. Read other bestselling writers, try to see what it is about their stories that strike a chord with people. They say, write about what you know, and I think that's also true. Also, write what you would love to read. It's pointless trying to write the next breakout paranormal just to get on the bandwagon, if you don't read paranormal and don't like the genre.

Custom Reads

2012-01-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

Custom Reads is a very cool website that provides book recommendations tailored to your personal preference of genre and category. I am a recommender on Custom Reads and thought I would tell you all about this new book site!
Signing up is very easy and I have provided a link to a video that explains everything HERE.
Custom Reads also allows you to follow recommenders, so if you decide to give it a try, you might want to consider following yours truly HERE.

I hope you're all having a splendid week!

Review: A Little Magic

2012-01-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

Title: A Little Magic
Author: Valerie Gillen
My Rating: 3.5 TURTLES: A very enjoyable read, I recommend you check it out.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Descripton:

A Hidden Power: Stepdancer Siobhan Kelly didn't believe in magic - until the magic chose her.

A Promise Made: She's been warned magic is evil, but with her grandmother felled by a deadly curse, she must make a bargain with the local Fairie prince - the return of their sacred Jewel in exchange for her grandmother's life.

And it just might work too - if only she can escape the dark witch who's made Siobhan her prey in the hunt for a deadly blood spell.

Review:

A Little Magic is a fun, quick, Middle Grade/YA novel about a teenager who discovers she has an extraordinary power, and must help restore a sacred Jewel to the realm of Faerie.

Valerie Gillen added many entertaining elements into this story. I loved reading about Siobhan’s step dancing, even though it was not a central focus of the story, it was fun to learn a bit about that art form. Bartholome definitely added a lot of comic relief in the story too – what isn’t funny about a cat that speaks in a British accent?

I liked the fresh spin on magic that Valerie Gillen had in her story. I always love seeing the different versions of myths and fairytales, like the Fae, and how they get interpreted through novels. There was also a plot twist that brought the story together like the last piece in a puzzle that I didn’t see coming!

Overall, I would recommend reading this book if you are looking for a quick, entertaining read with a little magic thrown in! It would also be a great book for younger readers (around 8 and up) to enjoy as well.

300+ Followers!!!

2012-01-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce I now have 300+ followers on GFC, and my other means of blog following!!! As you can see from the picture, I am going to be having a giveaway to celebrate, the details of which will be coming soon! I want to say thank you to all of you awesome followers who are interested in reading what I have to say and being so supportive through the years!

Follow Friday

2012-01-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Answer: Gosh, a ton! I don't think I could count them all in a reasonable amount of time, but a little over ten on my bedside stand, and about fifteen ebooks that I haven't read yet. But there are a ton more on my bookshelves!!!

I am quick approaching my 300 follower giveaway! I would like your input: would you prefer for there to be one winner who wins a print book, or ten winners of ebooks?

Happy (almost) Friday!!!

New York Times Article: Christopher Paolini

2012-01-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

In the NYT Magazine today there was an entertaining and informative piece on Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle. I have attached the link HERE . It was fun for me since I am reading Inheritance right now and am getting towards the end (200 page left in a 860 page book), but it made me think about how sad I will be once my time in Alagaesia is over. I have been reading these books not since the very beginning, but Eragon was a fairly new book when I first started it, and like all good series the last book is always bittersweet.

Follow Friday

2011-12-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

Q: The New Year is here — and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?

A: I am going to be doing a lot more author interviews, author requested reviews and ARCs this year. I just started doing the latter two of these towards late this year and love it! I want to do more giveaways too! I might revise the formatting of my reviews, but as of now I am not so sure how.

Happy New Years Everyone!

Now I have a question for YOU! I am fast approaching 300 followers *Squee* and I want to know if you guys would like a giveaway with one "actual" book, or if you would like there to be 10 winners, but they would be winners of ebooks?!?

Author Interview: Michelle Muto

2011-12-29T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to welcome Michelle Muto to my blog! I recently read her books Don't Fear the Reaper, and The Book of Lost Souls, and am interviewing her on both of these great reads!

Q. What was your inspiration for:

A. Don't Fear The Reaper
An agent loved The Book of Lost Souls, but wanted something darker, more dystopian. I couldn’t think of anything darker than a young girl taking her own life, so I channeled all the loss I’ve experienced in my life and came up with Don't Fear the Reaper.

B. The Book Of Lost Souls
Harry Potter. I loved the fun, the humor, and the lighter feel of the earlier books. Lighter YA books seemed harder to come by, so I decided to write a story about a small town teen witch.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?
I don’t really have just one. But, the three I can say probably influenced me the most are: Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Shirley Jackson. Each have had a solid influence in the type of books I love to read and write. Stephen King is a master at fright factor and description. Rowling definitely knows how to build characters and worlds like no other. Shirley Jackson knows how to turn a phrase, she’s descriptive in subtle ways, and she knows how to up the fear factor subtly, too.

Q. What is the best part about being an author?
The entire creative process. I love coming up with new worlds, new characters.

Q. What is the hardest part about being an author?
Getting the word out. I’m not the best at sales. I spend as much time working on promotion as I do writing. I need to refine that.

Q. What influenced your decisions as to how your books were published?
A top agency had The Book of Lost Souls for a long time. They sent me a revision letter and I went right to work. It was the third time I’d been asked to do revisions for The Book of Lost Souls by three different agencies all wanting entirely different changes. I spent a couple of months on a rewrite, then waited four months for an answer - that a more established client had decided to write a similar book, they couldn’t offer representation due to a conflict of interest. I’d spent so much time doing revisions for both Reaper and Souls for multiple agents that I could have written another book. About this time, I started to read more and more about indie publishing and decided to take that route.

Q. Could you talk a little about how many books we can expect in your series and upcoming publication dates?

A. Don't Fear the Reaper
There are two more in the series, possibly three. But right now, I’m leaning towards two. The second book should be released late next year.

B. The Book of Lost Souls
I’m working on the sequel now, and hope to have it released in mid-late spring. There are probably three more books in the Ivy MacTavish novels.

Q. What advice would you give to budding authors?
Read and write and much as you can. Find yourself good beta readers and crit partners. And most importantly, always strive to improve your craft.

Buy the Books:

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Smashwords

Contact Michelle Muto:

Blog
FB Author Page
Twitter

Review: The Book of Lost Souls

2011-12-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

Title: The Book of Lost Souls (An Ivy MacTavish novel, book 1)
Author: Michelle Muto
Rating: 4 TURTLES: A great read, I definitely recommend.
Author’s Blog
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Description:

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven - was involved with the darkest of magic.

Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she'll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school's resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick's offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book - he's offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it's going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week's end.

Review:

The Book of Lost Souls is a humorous exciting Urban Fantasy novel about a young witch who has to reverse a powerful curse that brought two infamous killers back from the grave. There wasn’t a dull moment in the book, and I loved the diverse cast of characters that I met throughout the novel. (Spike the lizard-turned-human and Ivy’s dog, Devlin, in particular).

This book really shows the range of Michelle Muto’s writing. The first book I read of hers, Don’t Fear the Reaper, was a heart-wrenching story about a girl’s journey through the afterlife. Going from that to this cute, funny novel was a complete contrast, and I was very impressed that both of these books were so well written, even though they were so different.
I really liked how this book put new spins onto myths, and that there wasn’t just witches, but in this world there was a whole community of “Kindred” with everything from demons to werewolves. The only thing that took away from this story at all was that at certain points the plot was a bit predictable, but overall I didn’t find it all that distracting.

The Book of Lost Souls is an extremely fun and humorous read. I would recommend it to lovers of fantasy and young adult fiction. This was a great read and I will definitely be continuing on with the series. I can’t wait to see what Michelle Muto will come up with next!

Follow Friday

2011-12-22T16:27:00.000-08:00

Q: If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?
A. Gosh, that's a really hard one! I guess if we're saying eternity here, I would have to go with the Lord of the Rings. Middle Earth would be such an amazing place to be, though I'd try to keep my run-ins with orcs to a minimum. My second choice would to be in the world of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments. I would totally want to be friends with the Shadowhunting gang, Magnus especially!

What book world would you want to spend an eternity in?

ARC Review: Mortal Defiance

2011-12-20T14:53:00.002-08:00

Title: Mortal Defiance (Dark Betrayal Book #2)
Author: Nichole Chase
Publisher: Self-published
Author Blog
My Rating: 5 TURTLES: AMAZING read! I loved this book, and it's going on my favorites shelf forever! You must get a copy of this book!!!
*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Description:

One short week turned Ree McKenna’s life upside down. Not only does she have the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she still has to juggle homework, a job, and a curfew. While Ree tries to find her footing amidst the chaos, the Dark Ones and their champion are busy hunting down any humans that have a touch of the gods running through their veins. Allies have turned into foes, and enemies have become stronger.

The world is growing darker, but the passion between Ree and two irresistible guys blazes hotter. Romantic ties from a past life will threaten to break Ree away from the love of her life and will cloud her judgment. In order to follow her heart, Ree will break rules put in place by the gods, risking her life and the lives of her friends in an act of Mortal Defiance.

Review:

Mortal Defiance picks up right where Mortal Obligation left off, with Ree and the gang continuing their course towards the Final Battle, which will decide Earth’s fate. All those months of waiting definitely paid off, Mortal Defiance is super fast-paced, with the whole book taking place in the span of about one week, there is always something happening!

I will say though, if you haven’t read Mortal Obligation, you really should. First of all because it is amazing, and second of all because there is so much going on in Nichole Chase’s world that you would be completely lost without reading the books in sequence.

I am always intrigued by anything to do involving ancient myths, and Nichole Chase includes a plethora of gods from multiple cultures. The way she has woven them into the story is truly original and well written. The characters are also something that I really love about this series, they are all strong and have a distinct personality of their own. There isn’t a Mary Sue in sight. Also, while I’m on the characters, for those of you who enjoyed the tension between Roland and Paden in book one, there is a whole lot more in Mortal Defiance, so never fear.

Mortal Defiance is an extremely exciting and quick read, and will appeal to readers on Young Adult, especially YA Urban Fantasy. If you like Mortal Obligation, you will definitely enjoy the sequel. It is an excellent edition to a great trilogy, and I am anxiously awaiting the conclusion.

You can check out my review of Mortal Obligation HERE.

Follow Friday

2011-12-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week: When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

Answer: I almost always keep it, though I do sometimes give it away if I know I won't read it again.

Howling Turtle got a Facebook page this week and I'd love it if you guys checked it out!

Facebook Page

Buttons!

2011-12-15T19:03:00.001-08:00

I am going to be setting up Goodreads and Facebook Buttons shortly!

Oh, poor Rob Pat is never going to hear the end of this one

2011-12-14T18:57:00.001-08:00

That potions teacher sure knows his magical creature lore!

Get Hollowland for FREE

2011-12-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

This is too good not to share.

Hollowland is currently being offered for free for Amazon! The link is HERE.

Description:

Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

Follow Friday

2011-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Question: Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

Answer: There are a lot of books that I thought were amazing this year and that everyone I know should read, but for brevity's sake I'll do an awesome fun read, and an intense powerful read:

I loved this book, it was super fun and I am currently waiting for the next installment!

This book was so powerful and moving! It is a stand alone historical fiction novel which I absolutely loved! (And historical fiction is not my favorite genre). Definitely hard and a tear-jerker.

Review: Don't Fear the Reaper

2011-12-05T17:29:00.001-08:00

Title: Don’t Fear the Reaper: Book 1 of the Netherworld Series
Author: Michelle Muto
Rating: 4.5 TURTLES: A really great read, I highly recommend!
Author’s Blog
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Description:

Grief-stricken by the murder of her twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her ticket to eternal peace and a chance to reunite with her sister. When Keely succeeds in taking her own life, she discovers death isn’t at all what she expected. Instead, she’s trapped in a netherworld on Earth and her only hope for reconnecting with her sister and navigating the afterlife is a bounty-hunting reaper and a sardonic, possibly unscrupulous, demon. But when the demon offers Keely her greatest temptation—revenge on her sister's murderer—she must uncover his motives and determine whom she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, both reaper and demon are keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true—that her every decision will change how, and with whom, she spends eternity.

Review:

From the moment I picked up this book I was instantly drawn into the story. Don’t Fear the Reaper opens with the protagonist, Keely, taking her own life, and reflecting on the things that lead to that moment. The pain she felt throughout the book felt very real to me even though in most of the book she is “living” through very different situations than one generally faces.

Michelle Muto’s writing is absolutely beautiful, and all the characters have depth and are well developed. I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book. It brought me close to tears on more than one occasion, and I can count with the fingers on one hand the books that have made me cry. I could also relate to this book on a more personal level because I am a twin myself, and felt I understood Keely’s connection with her sister very well.

One thing that set this book apart for me and made me love it was that it was in no way a cookie-cutter YA novel. It was original and raw, and the author did not put anything in that took your attention away from the plot to add interest when it didn’t need it. Once you read YA for a while, you really start to appreciate it when an author relies purely on their own originality and ideas and doesn’t go to any “plot formulas” to lead their story on.

In short, this is a beautifully written, emotion-evoking book, and I highly recommend it.

Follow Friday

2011-12-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

Question: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don't like love triangles or thin plots? Tell us about it!

Hm. Well, one of my big pet peeves about the books themselves are the typos, if I am reading a book that has a lot of typos or grammatical errors it really distracts me form the story. Whiny characters also REALLY bug me, especially if they are the main character. I am sorry that the love of your life turned out to be a demon, but could you stop digging in your heels and moping and go forth on your magical quest to save the universe now please? (That was me talking to a whiny character)

What are your literary pet peeves?

Author Interview: Treyci Kay

2011-12-01T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today I have the honor of welcoming author Treyci Kay to my blog for an interview. Mr. Kay is the author of Marcus 98012 and the Great Awakening, book one of the Aretian Chronicles.
Q. What was your inspiration for Marcus 98012 and the Great Awakening?
As strange as it sounds the main inspiration I had was a series of very vivid dreams. I pieced them together and they became the bulk of the scenes that include the character on the cover, Celeste.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?
I have so many! Non fiction: Malcolm Gladwell. Fiction: Stephen King (I study “On Writing,” daily)

Q. How many books can we expect to be in this series?
So far I have 3 possible books outlined and a prequel.

Q. What is your favorite part about being a writer?
Bringing the reader into a world you can see in your mind and sharing that.

Q. What is the hardest part about being a writer?
Writing alone. Hour after hour.

Q. What other projects are you working on?
A dramatic fiction piece with several story lines along the lines of the Paul Haggis film, Crash. Although I may just make it a screenplay.

Q. Do you spend a lot of time plotting, or do you just sit down and write?
The only time I “just write” is when I’m doing poetic verse. I plot thoroughly and plan the character motives. Once I have that, I allow for a lot of straying because sometimes the characters demand it. But at the end of the day the main planned plot points (climax, introductory scenes), stay the same.

Q. what advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Get “On Writing” and “Elements of style” by E.B. White and Strunk. Also practice first person and third person, understanding the benefits to both. Certain books with internal confusion actually work better in first (i.e. Hunger Games and Twilight). Others definitely require an omnipresent viewpoint. (Harry Potter).

Review: Marcus 98012 and the Great Awakening

2011-11-30T17:08:00.000-08:00

Title: Marcus 98012 and the Great Awakening
Author: Treyci Kay
Author Website: Treyci Kay
My Rating: 4 TURTLES: A great read, I definitely recommend.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Description:

In the distant future, society makes a commitment to a more peaceful existence. Conformity is the rule, and any sign of obvious uniqueness is eliminated. A teenager named Marcus 98012, begins to have recurrent dreams about the covered up history of the human race. His dreams bring him clear memories of fanciful creatures and things he has been told exist only in fairy tales. Still, the thoughts of imaginary concepts such as animals, technology and family seem as real as the school he has lived in his whole life.

Marcus’s younger and loyal friend Andrew 98087, lives in the school with him. Although he pokes fun at Marcus for his strange dreams, he can’t help but think there is more to the institution than they’ve been told. There are unexplainable things all around them: the mysterious elders, the disappearances of students and the oddly different Leila 98001.

The peaceful world that Marcus lives in quickly reveals itself to be far from perfection. With new dangers and surprises waiting for him around every corner, he soon discovers that nothing is what it seems. During Marcus’s search for the truth, he becomes a threat to the elders that run this orderly world and he must decide between trying to destroy the system or escaping it with his life.

Review:
I always love reading a great Science Fiction book. Treyci Kay does a great job drawing in the reader, the more I read the more I wanted to uncover the mystery of the school and civilization Marcus and his friends live in!

One thing about this book that I loved was that it was a blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy. This was done in a very creative way, and after finishing this book there are still many questions left unanswered. The characters were all very likeable, I was especially drawn towards the mysterious Celeste and her kin. The setting as well was very fun to read about, I wished I could have gone to the places with the characters to see some of the sights they did!

The quick paced plot made for a very exciting read, and the twists the story took were very unexpected and enthralling. It was a very well written book and I am surprised that it is not more well known.

I would recommend this book especially to fans of The Martian Chronicles, and The Hunger Games. Overall, Marcus 98012 and the Great Awakening is an extremely fresh and original novel and I will be anxiously waiting for the next installment!

Buy This Book:

Amazon

An inspirational quote to start your week!

2011-11-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

What this turtle's thinking: Why howl at the moon if I can fly there?

Have a great week everyone!

Follow Friday

2011-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

Question: It's Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for - blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?

A. I am thankful for the whole book blogosphere in general! Especially all the bloggers who have helped me learn all the different events and tricks that go on in the book blogging world. I'm also thankful for the wonderful authors who I have been in contact with, because of them I have found out about so many new and awesome books!

I have a giveaway going on that closes tomorrow at midnight the link for it is HERE.

GIVEAWAY!: Ties to the Blood Moon

2011-11-18T19:44:00.001-08:00

I am excited to announce that I am hosting a giveaway of Ties to the Blood Moon!

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment with your email and name/alias and a winner will be selected in 1 week (November 25th) and contacted. For extra points, either follow this blog or Robin Waldrop's Blog, if you already are a follower-that counts! In the comment also tell me which blog(s) you follow and you will get 1 extra point per follow.

Description:

Genevieve is a teenage girl who moves in with her aunt in Alaska after the death of her mother. Soon after her arrival she learns the things she was raised to believe only existed in fairytales are in fact a big part of her history. When it gets to be too much she seeks refuge in the arms of her new boyfriend, William, only to find out he's not who she thought he was either.

This is a Young Adult paranormal urban fantasy romance with mild language and mild sexual situations recommended for readers in grade 9 and up

This Giveaway is now closed

Author Interview: Robin Waldrop

2011-11-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to introduce Robin Waldrop, author of Ties to the Blood Moon, who graciously agreed to do an interview with me!

Author Bio:

Robin hails from Miami, but lives in Alabama with best friend, business partner, and husband John. She is a mother of five, grandmother of six and 7/8, and owner of a variety of different animals.
When she’s not working at her business with her husband she’s found chained to her computer where she likes to play with all her imaginary friends.
She is an award winning author who enjoys writing edgy YA/Urban Fantasy, and FBI suspense/thriller novels and has won two editors choice awards . Always a voracious reader with an unapologetic television addiction, Robin still searches for the perfect cup of coffee.

Q. What was your inspiration for Ties To The Blood Moon?
A. It started out as one of those dreams that stick with you for days after you have it and it just kind of grew from there.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?
A. Stephen King. I love his twisted imagination and his writing style. He dares to write whatever he wants, not caring if the reader likes it or not, and I think it’s partially because of that he has been such a huge success.

Q. Are you a Plotter or a Pantster?
A. I am definitely a panster. I tried to plot, but ended up with a big blank page. If I just sit down and start writing the words automatically start to flow.

Q. Which character in this book did you enjoy writing the most?
A. That’s a hard one to answer because I love them all, but if I had to pick just one, of course it would be Genevieve. She’s funny, emotional, and tough all rolled into one.

Q. How many books can we expect to be in this series?
A. At least three, but you never know. Like I said, I LOVE these characters so much, it’s really going to be hard to say good-bye.

Q. What is your favorite part about being a writer?
A. Having the opportunity to create different characters and then sitting back and watching as they take form, growing into these wonderful people that I fall in love with.

Q. What is the hardest part about being a writer?
A. Knowing that eventually I’ll have to say good-bye to some of my more favorite characters. Like Genevieve and William, I’ve grown so close to them and yet I know that after just a few more books it will be time to let them go. Sort of like letting your teens go after high school. Honestly, that’s how I already feel about them.

Q. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
A. The same advice that an author friend once gave to me. IF YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE DOING, NEVER STOP. Regardless of how many doors get slammed in your face, you can never stop doing what you love. Whether it be writing, singing, dancing, or whatever. As long as you keep trying, one day you will succeed.

Author blog site
Facebook fan page
Send Robin a tweet

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Review: Ties to the Blood Moon

2011-11-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

Title: Ties to the Blood Moon
Author: Robin Waldrop
My Rating: 3.5 TURTLES: A very enjoyable read, I recommend you check it out.
Author’s Blog

*Provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Description:

Genevieve is a teenage girl who moves in with her aunt in Alaska after the death of her mother. Soon after her arrival she learns the things she was raised to believe only existed in fairytales are in fact a big part of her history. When it gets to be too much she seeks refuge in the arms of her new boyfriend, William, only to find out he's not who she thought he was either.

This is a Young Adult paranormal urban fantasy romance with mild language and mild sexual situations recommended for readers in grade 9 and up

Review:

I really liked reading Ties to the Blood Moon. I greatly enjoyed Robin Waldrop’s spin on the werewolf/vampire myths, all the creatures had a detailed history, and I love backstory in books. The settings are beautiful and very well written, I love Alaska and New Mexico, but I haven’t read many books in those locations, so that was a treat. I loved the interactions with Luna and her brothers, and the multiple minor characters that all have distinct personalities. Also, this book had one of those Oh-My-God-that’s-so-awesome! Moments for me. In the book there is mention of a small Alaskan town called Tok, which I have actually been to and remember very well for their amazing BBQ ribs, so that was cool!

What I didn’t enjoy so much from this book was that there was so much information going on at once that it was a bit confusing to keep track of it at times. Also, the main character, Genevieve, though coping with many traumas, it felt as if she cried every other chapter which got a little annoying after a while.

That being said it was a fun exciting read, with a killer plot twist at the end that I totally didn’t see coming. I will definitely be continuing on with the series to find out what happens next. I would recommend this book especially to lovers of urban fantasy and of the werewolf/vampire myths.

Follow Friday

2011-11-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Question: Letter to Santa: Tell Santa what books you want for Christmas!

Answer: Wow. what an impossible question. Here's my Goodreads montage of my To-Read shelf to give you an idea

Any of these would be nice!

Posts of Note this Week:

Book Review/Interview with Larissa Hinton
Guest Post by Richard Due

Giveaway Notice

2011-11-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

There is a giveaway of Inheritance going on at Read Breathe Relax right now!

Here is the link:
http://www.readbreatherelax.com/inheritance-book-4-giveaway-eragon-series/

Guest Post: Richard Due

2011-11-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Gibbering Gnome Press Presents a Tale of Epic Fantasy

For Lily and Jasper Winter, the Moon Realm began with a single secret bedtime tale. As the children grew older, Uncle Ebb enthralled them with thrilling tales of the Dragondain riding horse-sized, catlike Rinn; mysterious tales of peerin-wielding lunamancers manipulating the magic that lies just beneath the surface of reality; exciting tales of flying dragons, swimming merfolk, stomping giants, and troublesome faeries. But as the magic of their childhood faded, so too did the tales. Eventually, they were just . . . good stories.

Or were they?

Now, nine years after it all began, Uncle Ebb is missing.

Lily and Jasper search for clues, but their uncle's mansion is full of distractions. A Tesla generator thrums in the basement. Prismatic electrimals flit around walls resembling underwater reefs. Then a most unexpected friend comes to their aid, leading them to a hidden room where they find a mysterious coin—the moon coin. Before the night is out, Lily is transported to the real Moon Realm. But the moons are in trouble. The Rinn of Barreth are under siege, and the lunamancers of Dain are beset by the very dragons they once loved. Most horrifying of all, the moon Darwyth has fallen to a villain named Wrengfoul, whose creeping evil now threatens to overshadow all the Realm.

Are Lily and Jasper too late to save the Moon Realm, or will they have enough time to write an ending of their own?

Featuring twenty-two stunning full-color illustrations by Carolyn Arcabascio. Volume One of the young adult fantasy adventure series The Moon Realm.

From Sketch to Chapter Art, an Illustrator at Work

For me, getting to work with Carolyn Arcabascio was a dream come true. On The Moon Coin, we worked from a master list of scene options, with Carolyn picking out scenes she liked and making sketches. For the prologue, Carolyn drafted three options. All three were great, but two in particular were spectacular. I first went with option 3 (one of my scene suggestions). I think we spent more time on this sketch and subsequent color drawing than on any other piece. But it never seemed right. At the eleventh hour, I asked Carolyn how hard she’d hit me if I suggested scrapping the thing and instead going with the pinky promise scene you see below (one of her scene suggestions). Carolyn responded: "There would be no hitting involved!" and told me it wouldn't be a problem. You sure can't ask for better than that.

From the Prologue: Bedtime Tales.

Richard: Did you make all these sketches in the same location, Carolyn?

Carolyn: Yes, I do all of my work at a drafting table that's situated in a little nook of my apartment in Acton, Massachusetts. There's a bookshelf to my right and a wall of "inspiration" to my left, where I hang prints of other artists' and illustrators' work. On either side of my drafting table are drawers of supplies, and stacks of sketchbooks and old paintings. The drafting table faces a window overlooking a quiet street and the woods beyond it.

From Chapter Two: A Coin of the Realm.

Richard: Do you use models when you're sketching?

Carolyn: I use a combination of models and photo references. If I need to work out the nuances of a character's posture and really understand the perspective of it, I'll ask whatever friend or family member is handy to pose for a sketch. Often, I'll get into the position myself or mimic the facial expression I want to portray in order to get the feel of it. And sometimes, if there's a character being portrayed multiple times across scenes, I'll make a rough model of their head out of clay so I'll have it to refer to.

From Chapter Four: To Barreth.

Richard: When drawing fantastical creatures, do you use bits and pieces of real animals for inspiration, or have you actually seen a wirtle and you're just not telling us? ;)

Carolyn: No wirtles native to Massachusetts, fortunately! When figuring out the look of fantastical creatures, I use photo references of different animals to understand the way the anatomy might work, and then combine features as I see fit and as the story calls for. To understand the wirtle's legs and paws, for example, I referred to a series of photographs of show dogs leaping over hurdles. The severely arched, scruffy back was influenced by photos of hyenas on the prowl. The bone-structure of the face ended up being something of a cross between a cow and a warthog, and I wanted the snout to be bare—kind of gross and raw-looking. Add it all up and, voila! We have a wirtle.

The Moon Coin, by Richard Due, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore for $2.99.

Click the pictures to enlarge them!

Thank you so much to Richard Due for putting together this guest post! You guys should keep your eyes open for a review of his book and an interview with Richard Due soon!

Book Review and Interview with Larissa Hinton

2011-11-12T20:57:00.000-08:00

Today I am welcoming Larissa Hinton (Yeah, we have the same name, how awesome is that?) On my blog. I reviewed her book, Everblossom, and she was kind enough to allow me to interview her.

Title: Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology
Author: Larissa M. Hinton
Author Blog: A Three Way Tie
Page Count: 70
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
* This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Description:

An anthology that will quench your thirst for more than the ordinary.

Everblossom is a journey through poems and short stories that may seem ordinary on the surface but dig a little deeper and the world not only shifts . . . It changes.

The author who brought you Iwishacana/Acanawishi, now brings you a dash of everything from dark fantasy to the paranormal to romance. So prepare yourself to delve into the three stages of the flower from bud to blossom then back to seed; you'll go through them all with a whole new perspective on what it all truly means.

Review:

When Larissa Hinton first emailed asking me to review Everblossom the description intrigued me immediately. I was really fond of the supernatural elements of many of the short stories and the vignette-esque style they were written in. The brevity of the passages makes it an extremely quick read.

The deliberate arrangements of the words of the poems were compelling as well. Whenever I read free verse, seeing the way the words are spread out on the page and the rhythm their position evokes can be as potent as the word choice.

I really enjoyed this anthology for its uniqueness and honesty. Each section makes you think, whether the writer addresses a topic directly or uses fantasy as a vessel.

Reviewing poetry is difficult for me because in my mind there are no “bad” poems. You can disagree with poems or hate them even (neither of which was true for me in this book) but as long as the author is speaking their truth and being honest in their writing, I do not think there can be “bad” poetry. With the short stories though, there were a few typos and tense inconsistencies that were a bit distracting. They were not enough to decrease my enjoyment of the anthology however.

I would recommend fans of anthologies, poetry and short stories, fantasy, and fans of Larissa Hinton’s, should definitely check it out! I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under the age of 13 though, since there are some themes that are best for slightly older readers.

Interview

Q. When did you first start writing?
I started writing at the ripe age of 12. At first, I wrote poems because of my lovely English teacher decided that we should write poems and from then on, I fell in love with poetry. The writing bug really bit me a year later when the movie of Nickelodeon movie, Clock Stoppers came out. I thought the movie was going to be horrible, so I decided that I would write a novel that would be better than the movie. Needless to say, my book wasn't as good as the move but I didn't care. I love writing and nothing else mattered. Thus my obsession with writing begun.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?
Now that's a tough question! I have to say, lately, that I have fallen in love with Andrea Cremer. I love the way she has recreated the werewolf myth and how she merged it with the vampire myth. It makes total since and I can't wait to read her next book, Blood Rose.

Q. What/Who has the biggest impact on your writing?
The biggest impact on my writing was my personal life. An event changed my life and my writing forever. When I wrote Angel Diaries, it was a completely different story then I normally wrote. It was dark, dreary, and something that was just so authentically me. And I loved it and so did my beta readers. They ate it up and I knew I had a bestseller on my hands. I actually got a trad pub contract on it, but I refused since they were not open for negotiations among some other reasons. But from then on, I knew I had it in me to write incredible stories and I haven't stopped writing since.

Q. What was your inspiration to put together this anthology?

Funny enough, there wasn't any inspiration at all! I know, such a bad answer for a writer, but I am telling the truth. You see, I was taking a Creative Writing class and for the first time ever, I had to write short stories. Before this point in my life, I never wrote a short story but I found something funny about it: I loved it. I was able to delve into the characters I loved, create new stories that would inspire bigger ideas, and it was a way to play with the inner thoughts that floated my mind. Even at one point, my professor told me that all of my novel ideas were really short stories. Granted, at that time, I did not appreciate him saying that, but some of my ideas were short stories. I just never knew it.

The poems in the anthology however, were inspired by mostly my personal life. And other times, by the urge to write it down. I don't think I could fully explain it properly, but when an idea hits me, it's like lightening and I'm alert and aware that a poem is in me that needs to be written. I've literally tried to go asleep with that feeling, but I couldn't. I had to write it down into poetic form. It doesn't happen so often (like once or twice a month) but when it happens, I have to write that poem down or I can't think straight.

Oh, and one of the poems, In Death You Speak, it was inspired by boredom in class. I was sitting in one of the English Literature classes listening to them drone on and on about something, so I wrote a poem instead of listening. ☺ I know. I'm horrible. A-soon-to-be English teacher not paying attention in an English classroom? Shocker.

Q. What books of yours should we be looking out for release next?
The next book I'm currently editing that you should look for is Iwishacana/Acanawishi.

Blurb
Where rules are meant to be broken
Anissa is constantly on the run from the police and can't seem to stay out of trouble.

Secrets are meant to be kept
Until Anissa hides Florence in her bedroom and her mother finds out. There's only one thing left to do: Send her to Juvenile Cop Camp to erase all of her crimes on her record.

And everything is not what it seems
There's only one problem: Anissa is innocent.
Welcome to Iwishacana.

I am hoping to have this book released before Christmas. So be for the look for it! In the mean time, you can check out the history of this lovely wishland in Everblossom!

Q. Are you a plotter or a panster?

I have to say I'm a plotter. I like to plan everything in the book before I set off and write it. And usually, for me, this takes years to do. It took me a year to plot out Angel Diaries and at the very last minute I changed the ending. Which doesn't happen very often. I knew the ending for Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology. As soon as I wrote it, I knew it felt right to have that as the ending story and I knew the right poem to match the overall tone of the story. I added an extra ending to Iwishacana/Acanawishi because it felt right to add that after I changed the plot in the series, therefore, I had to make it reconnect to the other books. Anyway, for the most part, I like to have the basics plotted out in my story and make up the rest on my own. I let the characters tell me what to write next and how it should play out.

Q. What is the most difficult thing about being a writer?

The hard part about writing is putting your idea on paper and making it come across right. Especially for a novel. It's a long journey from the first page until the last and to make sure it's projecting the idea from cover to cover from word to word is the most difficult part. As a writer, you have to be consistent, persistent, and have excellent time management to be able to complete a novel with style, grace and be sane. Seriously. Ask some writers if they haven't pulled their hair out over a story that just wouldn't translate from their brain onto the paper right. Ah, the makings of a novel.

Q. What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

I know for me, the most rewarding thing about being a writer is getting back reviews from people who have bought and loved your book. And understood your ideas! I was really wondering about the poems I wrote called WSV (Words Speak Volumes). For the longest time I debated about publishing them in the first place since all they were was words written down a page telling a story in an odd way. I thought that maybe people just wouldn't get it. It warmed my heart that not only did people understand my poems, they loved them! I couldn't be more thrilled since my poems have never been out to see daylight (yes, I get the Emily Dickinson irony there)! Therefore, I'm always glad to receive somewhat of fan mail on how my writing has made people think in a whole new way once they read Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology.

Buy This Book!

Amazon
Smashwords

Follow Friday

2011-11-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

Q: In light of 11.11.11 and Veteran’s Day tell us about your favorite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

A. Wow, that's a hard one, there are so many people and characters that do good in the world it is impossible to choose one. I guess I'll just have to do a broad statement and say that anyone who is willing to sacrifice so much to protect the people and values they love is a real hero in my book.

Review: Darkfall

2011-11-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

Title: Darkfall
Author: Janice Hardy
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Page Count: 432 (Hardcover)
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Check out my interview with the author HERE

Description:

War has come.

Nya’s the one who brought it. And the people love her for it.

With Baseer in shambles and Geveg now an impenetrable military stronghold, Nya and the Underground have fled to a safer location—without Tali. Nya is guilt-ridden over leaving her sister behind and vows to find her, but with the rebellion in full swing and refugees flooding the Three Territories, she fears she never will.

The Duke, desperate to reclaim the throne as his own, has rallied his powerful army. And they are on the move, destroying anyone who gets in the way.

To save her sister, her family, and her people, Nya needs to stay ahead of the Duke’s army and find a way to build one of her own. Past hurts must be healed, past wrongs must be righted, and Nya must decide: Is she merely a pawn in the rebellion, a symbol of hope—or is she ready to be a hero?

Review:

I will do my best to keep this spoiler free, so don’t worry if you haven’t read it yet.

Ah, the bittersweetness of ending a fantastic series. The final installment did not disappoint, and it had all the aspects of the other books that I enjoyed so well. There is the strong heroine first of all, and the well developed minor characters, the unique setting – I absolutely love the idea of a fantasy set in a tropical environment, and the whole moral aspect of the book where the Nya has to constantly make choices about how she should and should not use her unique powers.

I will say, that if you haven’t read the other books The Shifter and Blue Fire first, you should. The author goes back to re-explain some things, but I think someone who doesn’t already know the story would be very lost.

I loved the different twists and turns the plot had in the book, it was exciting and engaging, but didn’t feel forced, which is something that I’ve run into lately.

The great thing about this book is that it can be compared to other YA novels that are out there, but Janice Hardy always puts her own spin on things. Because, yes, Nya could be compared to Katniss very easily, and Tali to Prim, but they really are unique and altogether different though they share certain similarities (that wasn’t a spoiler by the way, those similarities could be gleaned from previous books as well). Plus, I like reading characters that in some ways resemble each other and see how different authors approach things – which segues me to my next topic: Danello.

What a breath of fresh air he is. After all the dark, mysterious, self-loathing, disturbed, picture perfect Abercrombie model love interests that have popped up on the YA scene lately, I can not tell you how great it is to have a down-to-earth, steady eddy fictional boy-friend for once. Not that I hate ALL characters who fit the former description, I do have my exceptions *cough* Jace *cough* I’m just saying it gets old after a while and it’s nice to have variety.

In conclusion, this series is great if you haven’t read it I highly recommend that you do. Yes, I can hear your groaning as you look and the looming mountain on your bedstand/GoodReads account that is your TBR pile, but seriously, it’s worth it.

Amazing Giveaway

2011-11-09T17:59:00.001-08:00

Lea at LC's Adventures in Libraryland has reached 1000 followers! Big Congrats! As a thank you she is currently hosting a HUGE giveaway over at her blog, so you should definitely go check it out.

The Link Is HERE

Follow Friday

2011-11-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

Above are two of my pooches posing with my Kindle, and a picture of yours truly in the secondish grade. I was a book worm even then, I think that may have been the year I read Black Beauty - or maybe it was the third grade- to be honest I don't really remember lol!

Author Interview: Philip Reeve

2011-10-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

Today I am very pleased to welcome Philip Reeve to my blog for an interview. He is the author of many series, including the Mortal Engines Quartet, the Larklight Trilogy, and the Fever Crumb Series.

1. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I've been writing stories since I was five or six, and I enjoyed working on quite long 'novels' all through my childhood, but I bever really imagined anyone would pay me to publish them, and I didn't seriously consider submitting anything to publishers until I came up with the story which became Mortal Engines, when I was in my mid to late twenties.

2. Who is your favorite author? Why?
It's a strange idea, having a favourite author. How could I choose between Tolstoy and Tove Jansson? PG Wodehouse and Patrick O'Brian? They're all doing such different things. Luckily, of course, I don't have to choose! I can have loads of favourite authors, and get something different from each of them. That said, Geraldine McCaughrean is the contemporary author I most admire; she has the ability to write enormously exciting adventures which keep you turning the pages, while at the same time using the most extraordinarily vivid and original language. She's great.

3. In all your books, who are some of the most interesting characters you have written about?
Hester in the Mortal Engines series, Fever in the Fever Crumb series and Gwyna in Here Lies Arthur. All heroines, and all rather unlikely ones, which I hope makes them more interesting. I'm forever reading books where the hero or heroine is brave, good-looking, determined, loyal and so forth, and that's fine and I know readers like it, but for some reason I always end up writing about people who are a bit flawed, or a bit fatalistic - they get swept along by events and sometimes they're afraid or just can't be bothered to try to influence them, which I think is how most of us are in real life. Also, I seem to always end up with a girl at the heart of my books: maybe it puts a sort of distance between me and the character. I'm consciously trying to write more boys at the moment, just to make a change.

4. Do you follow any sort of ‘schedule’ with your writing?
I aim to work a nine-to-five, but of course other stuff intervenes. Sometimes I run out of ideas and just go for a walk instead. At others I find myself writing away well into the evening, or jotting down ideas in the middle of the night.

5. On average, how much time do you spend plotting a story before you sit down to write?
I don't really plot in any formal way. The best bit of making a story is finding out what happens next, and if I already had it all planned I don't think I'd have the discipline to sit down and start writing. I usually start off with a few key images in mind, and I start writing and see who the characters are and where it goes. Often when I have a few chapters written I'll set it aside for a while and do something else, then come back to it later and start working seriously on it. Of course at that stage the existing chapters often get destroyed, or completely re-written.

6. What projects are you working on currently?
I have a tongue-in-cheek fantasy novel called Goblins publishing next April - I hope it will appeal to fans of my existing work but maybe to slightly younger readers too. Then there's the fourth Fever Crumb book, which will wrap up that series and which I think is going to be a long one. And I have a project I've been thinking about for years, a historical novel set in America around 1910, so that needs a lot of research.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Just write, really. And finish things. However beautiful your writing is, and however clever your ideas, it doesn't count for much if you've only got the first half. So finish a story, and then do another and another.

A huge thanks again to Mr. Reeve for agreeing to do this interview!

Author's Website
Author's Blog

Buy his books:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Review: Take the Reins

2011-10-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

Title: Take the Reins (Canterwood Crest #1)
Author: Jessica Burkhart
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page Count: 249 pages
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Description:

When Sasha Silver and her horse, Charm, arrive on the campus of the elite Canterwood Crest Academy, Sasha knows that she's in trouble. She's not exactly welcomed with open arms. One group of girls in particular is used to being the best, the brightest, and the prettiest on the team, and when Sasha shows her skills in the arena, the girls' claws come out.
Sasha is determined to prove that she belongs at Canterwood. Will she rise to the occasion and make the advanced riding team by the end of her first semester? Or will the pressure send Sasha packing?

Review:

When I started Take The Reins, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to think of it. I had not read any middle grade books for a while and was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it. At first the writing was a bit hard to get used to, especially since I had just finished Into the Wild, which is a fantastic read, but vocabulary and writing is so much more adult it was difficult to get into the flow at first. Once I did though, it was a very fast cute read.

I really liked how Sasha’s character unfolds throughout the book. She is a very likeable character with her own quirks and habits, who is kind and goes with her gut. She isn’t a Mary Sue though, she does make mistakes, but I thought the way she deals with them is very believable.

I really liked how well the minor characters were developed too. Even ones that did not necessarily need to be all that developed seemed to have their own personality, which was awesome.

I thought the book was very well paced as well. Given that it is a series with more than ten books out currently, it reads more like an episode in a TV series than a volume from one longer book. I am not saying that as a good thing, or a bad thing, it is just an observation.

Overall this was a very fun, quick read and I will be continuing on with the series. On the back cover it says it is recommended for ages 9-13, but I think it can be enjoyed by all ages, especially if boarding schools and horses is your thing. If you have room on your bedside stand, I would recommend at least checking it out or mentioning it to anyone you know with horse-crazy kids.

Infernal devices = Manga

2011-10-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

I feel like a total cliche right now! I am sitting at a cafe table and just finished my drink and gluten free pear gallette. My mocha had a heart on the top and everything! I could get used to this very easily.

Anyway, I was just on Mundie Moms, and apparently they are making the Infernal Devices series into manga! Manga has always been something I never really knew about but felt like I should because I have friends who are obsessed with it and I am in circles that many Otakus are in too i.e science fiction buff/ bookworm. This new series might just give me a reason to push my way into the manga crowd!

Here is what Cassie has to say on the deal: “As a long-time fan of manga, I’m so excited to be working on this adaptation with Yen Press. Manga has influenced a great deal of the way I envision narrative, and the chance to see my work rendered in the form is something I couldn’t pass up. I look forward to seeing HyeKyung Baek’s evocative art bring The Infernal Devices’ world of gaslit romance to life.”

Author Interview: Nichole Chase

2011-10-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today I am very excited to say that I scored an interview with Nichole Chase, author of the amazing Dark Betrayal Trilogy! (you can see my 5 star review of Mortal Obligation HERE).

Q. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?

A. I think that I have always known that I wanted to be a writer, but I never really admitted it. It wasn't until recently that I really allowed myself to reach for that dream. It seemed like so many people wanted to be an author, to tell stories that other people would enjoy, yet very few of them actually managed to make it. With the changes in publishing, technology, and the mind set of readers, being an indie seemed like the best fit for me. I hated the thought of spending hours slaving over a manuscript that may never see the light of day. Now, that isn't an issue. Depending on how much work you put into your book and the story that you have to tell, the readers get to decide if the book is any good. For me, that was the point where I decided, "I'm doing this. I'm going to finish this book and put it out there for the world to decide." It was scary, but liberating at the same time. It was the first time in my life where I truly felt that I was grabbing the reigns and taking charge. It all depended on me.

Q. Who is your favorite author? Why?

A. Oh, man. There is NO way I can choose just one. How about I give you three with short reasons? Anne McCaffrey, is one of my favorite fantasy/ SciFi authors of all time. The worlds that she creates are magical, her characters are realistic, and the resolutions are epic. J.R.R. Toilkein, the father of most high fantasy written today. He broke the mold with his amazing insight. I never tire of reading his books. J.K. Rowlings; what is there to not love? She reached for her dream, made it her own, and is one of the most successful writers of all time. Is there anyone that has not heard of Harry Potter? She had me hooked within the first two pages of the Sorcerers Stone. I went to the midnight releases, because I could not STAND the thought of not reading the books as soon as they were released. If you haven't seen her speech for the graduating class at Harvard, it is a must. It completely illustrates exactly why she is one of my personal hero's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck

Q. What was your inspiration for the Dark Betrayal Trilogy?

A. I don't think that there is any one thing that inspired the trilogy. It was a combination of many things: An incredibly over active imagination, a love for all things paranormal, the beautiful yet creepy scenery of historic Savannah, and my interest in mythology. Honestly, the entire series started with an image of a girl walking through one of the downtown squares, looking over her shoulder at something following her. That was it, I had to know what was following her and how she was going to take care of it. My imagination began to spin out a series of events.

Q. Who is your favorite character in these books? (Or if that’s too tricky who is your favorite character to write?)

A. I love writing all of them, but of course that is because they are like my babies in a way. I love writing about Ree learning to cope with the trials and responsibilities placed on her. Of course, I also love writing Paden and Roland. Ah, the angst! Paden, battling his conscious and his heart. Roland, battling his internal demons and dark past, hiding behind his sense of humor. I can't forget Juliette, the snarky, yet loyal friend. Bryce, the only one that stays calm and holds a wisdom beyond his years. Weylin, gosh, he is fun to write! I am guilty of cracking up over the things he says. And I can't forget Melanie. She is the one character loosely based on someone I know-- My younger sister, is beautiful, intelligent, and tough. (Happy birthday, sis!)

Q. Do you know when we can expect Mortal Defiance to be out?

A. Mortal Defiance will be out in early December of this year. I'm currently finishing up the current draft and getting ready to send it out to beta readers before sending it to my amazing editor, Anne of Victory Editing.

Q. Do you follow any sort of ‘schedule’ with your writing?

A. I wish I could schedule writing time a little better than I do, but to be honest it is almost impossible with a toddler running around the house. I fit it in where I can, usually late at night. My husband also lets me run away to the coffee shop on the weekends so that I can write uninterrupted. That time is sacred to me! I get my most writing done in that manner- away from the house where there is usually something always waiting to be done.

Q. Are you working on any other projects?

A. At this time, my attention is taken up with the Dark Betrayal Trilogy. I have a couple of things waiting in the wings for when I am able to get to them. Two adult series, a short story, and two young adult series. i wonder which one will win the 'what's next lottery'.
I may post a little about those projects on my blog when I have some free time, but they are still in the planning stage at this point.

Q. What advice would you give to young aspiring writers?

A.
1.Just do it. Seriously. Sit down and write.
2.Treat it like a job and make time for it the same way you would a project that you are getting paid for by an employer.
3.Read everyday. It's the best way to hone your craft. Stephen King (hate him or love him, you can't deny his skill and success) says that you should read for so many hours a day and write for so many hours a day. I completely agree.
4.Invest in a good thesaurus or dictionary program and learn as much as you can about the current technology. It doesn't matter whether you are going the indie route or the traditional route, you should know as much as possible about the industry and the current trends as possible.
5.If there is something you aren't sure about, ask! Critique partners (honest ones) and good beta readers will keep you in line and make sure you don't miss any plot threads and that your characters don't do things that would be out of character.

Thanks again to Ms. Chase for doing this interview!

Author Blog

Buy The Book:

Amazon
(It is also available on Kindle)
Barnes and Noble

Follow Fiday

2011-10-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Q.If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

A. I don't know if I would want to switch permanently, and there are a lot I could say, but it would be awesome if I could be Isabelle Lightwood for a day. I would kick some serious Demon booty!

What was your answer this Friday?

Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Book Trailer

2011-10-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

When I first read the synopsis for the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, I thought it looked all right, but wasn't going to add it on GoodReads. When I saw the book trailer though, things totally changed, I totally wanted to read it, which is strange because my experience with book trailers is either that I like them but I want to read the book the same amount as I did before I saw it or they make the book look cheesy. Anyway, I just posted the video for you to see it if you haven't already. Has a book trailer ever turned you on to a book that you were originally not planning on reading?

...And This is Why We Proofread

2011-10-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

One of my friends on Facebook posted this, and I thought it was hilarious. The stand up comedy routine below is pretty awesome and conveys the same point too, albeit in a slightly cruder way!

Endings are Bittersweet

2011-09-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

The last two books that I have read have been endings to some of my favorite series. The Return of the King, and Goliath. I am sure pretty much everyone reading this is familiar with the former, but the latter, for those who don't know is the third book in the Leviathan trilogy by Scot Westerfeld. It is a YA Steampunk that I just adore! now I am not going to review either of these, first of all because they are both 10 out of 5s for me and it would only be a total lovefest, which I do sometimes, but I'll just have this be conjoined, and second of all (for Lord of the Rings) I have made it a rule not to review Classics, and LOTR in my opinion is a Classic.

About Goliath, I just have to say: WOW. The ending was everything I hoped it would be. You know how sometimes you read a book, and you love the series, but the finale is so different from what you expected, and not in a good way, that it is jarring to read? Well, Goliath is not like that. I won't give anything away for those who plan on reading it, but if you love the series and just haven't had the chance to get your hands on a copy yet, I would suggest you do at the very next opportunity. And if you weren't acquainted with Mr. Westerfeld's Steampunk trilogy, now you are and I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone who likes that genre even a bit.

p.s. If you've never read a Steampunk novel before, they are pretty freakin' awesome, so why not let this series be your first?

Anyway, I hope you all are having a great week!

~ Larissa

Follow Friday and New Favicon

2011-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Q. What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character?

A. There are so many, and like one of the features answers one of them is If I Stay and Where She Went. But since I just finished them I am going to say that I would like the books from the Leviathan Trilogy to be made into movies. One of my favorite characters in these books is Deryn/Dylan Sharp. (Deryn is a girl who has to pretend to be a boy and goes by Dylan). I would definitely want her played by Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Hanna). And she already has a lilting accent, so it's perfect!!!

P.S. If you would look up at the URL box (or whatever its called) for a moment you will notice that my ravenous little turtle ate the Blogger B and now resides in the Favicon box!

I'd love to hear your answer for follow friday this week!!!

Follow Friday

2011-09-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Q. Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it?

A. Seeing as I never have enough time to read as it is, and seeing how so many great new books come out all the time, I don't reread books much unless there is a movie coming out of it. One series that I can think of retracing for non-movie purposes is The Mortal Instruments series. I reread the first three while I waited for the fourth to come out (the wait about killed me, and I'm not in that much better shape for the fifth). I reread them because I love them. Pure and simple!

What did you choose this week? I'd love to hear your answer!

I have been tagged!

2011-09-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

The Rules: list ten facts about yourself, link back to your tagger, and then tag five more people!

I was tagged by the awesome Amanda @ Truth, Justice, and Other Stuff

Ten Facts:
1. I am allergic to gluten. (Which is in a lot more stuff than you would think).
2. I have a twin, but we are fraternal. So we could never play pranks on teachers by wearing the same clothing and switching our names or anything like that.
3. My favorite number is 19
4. I have a bad habit of biting my nails, but every time I try to use nail clippers I cut myself down to the quick so I revert back to biting.
5. There has never been a time in my life when I haven't had a pet.
6. I have a thing for movie trailer music, and have several albums of it on my ipod. (I love how there are groups that just do music for movie trailers!)
7. I decided that I wanted to be a bookworm when I was four.
8. If I could spend a day shopping for clothes with a fictional character, it would either be with Cinna or Magnus Bane.
9. Autumn is my favorite season
10. My favorite food is pho, the vietnamese soup. Man that stuff is AMAZING!

My tagees:

1. A Novella's Tale
2. An Alleged Author
3. Fragments of Fiction
4. The Sagacity Quest
5. The Non Reluctant Reader

Good Movie, but a mini-rant/ discussion is in order

2011-09-19T19:17:00.001-07:00

This weekend I saw the movie Contagion. For the most part it was a great film, the writing and dialogue were good, the pacing was great, and it was so star-studded that it could make the Milky Way feel incompetent. But it had something that I disliked and took away some of the enjoyment (if that's what you call it when you watch a film about a killer disease) for me. Jude Laws's character plays a freelance writer/blogger, and I don't want to give away anything for those who haven't yet seen this film, but he is criticized and portrayed in such a way that makes independent journalists and bloggers look bad. At one point in the movie a scientist says that blogs are nothing more than 'graffiti with punctuation'. Now I know book blogging isn't exactly the same thing as political blogging, but I do have a respect for those writers. And yes, sometimes you have to wade through some obvious rubbish to find stories of intrigue, but it isn't as if the national newspapers are the gods of information either. If "all the news that's fit to print" really fit in my copy of the New York Times, it would probably take a tank to pull one to my house and the amazon rainforest would have bit the dust a long time ago.

Anyway, now that that's out of my system, I would love to hear what your two cents about all this is. (If you have seen the movie and don't agree with me I'd love it if you'd say so too, the world would be a boring place if we agreed with each other all the time).

I hope you guys have a great week!

~ Larissa

200+ Followers!!!

2011-09-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe! I now have over 200 followers!!! I just want to thank everyone who has read my blog and liked it enough to follow. I love you all for your encouragement and support in my reading/writing endeavors, you have made some days that were really crummy a whole lot better for me!

Anyway, thanks again!

Happy reading!!!

~Larissa

Follow Friday

2011-09-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

Q.It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

A. Wow, hmm *scans GoodReads Read pile and crosses out all dystopian* I would love to have the world of the Shadowhunters be real (as long as I were a shadowhunter too and not a helpless Mundie). Also being in the world of The Golden Compass would be awesome! I would have my own daemon!! If the magical book fairy could open up a portal for me to a realm that isn't an altered version of our Earth, I would want to go to Middle Earth though!

What did you choose? I'd love to hear your answer, so please feel free to leave a link!