Release Party: Author Information

Sadly, the release party is almost finished. It's been a great week speaking with Rachel and reading her amazing books. Today I thought I would post some of her information (links) and tour dates so people can keep up with her other projects.

And *drum roll please* tomorrow afternoon I will be posting the winners of the 2 prize packs! PLEASE make sure you sign up before noon (central time) tomorrow! 

Rachel's site / Appearances / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / The Pride discussion board

Rachel will be in INDIANA and ILLINOIS on June 25th-26th, and WISCONSIN on June 27th for 2010 Authors in Motion!

Smart Chicks Kick It (Young Adults tour) coming in September. 

I don't see Tennessee anywhere on that schedule :( I hope you all enjoyed the Release Party for MY SOUL TO KEEP!

Leave me comments and tell me how you liked it!

 

Release Party: Guest Post from Rachel Vincent

I would like to welcome wonderful author Rachel Vincent to the blog. Hello Rachel! *waves*

 

Why don't the Soul Screamers books all have truly happy endings?

The simple answer? Because that wouldn't be realistic. 

"But Rachel," you say. Because I know you're saying it to yourself right now... "This is fantasy. What does reality have to do with it?"

The truth is that even in fantasy, the best stories are about issues that, though they may be fantastic in origin, are universal in nature. This means that even though you may be reading about the brutal strip-mining of an alien planet and subjugating of the native population, you've actually studied—and presumably thought about—the same issues on the national or international news, or in the pages of your history book.

"But Rachel, that's cheating!" you're thinking now, right? "This is fiction. It isn't intended to make us think! It's supposed to entertain!"

And you're absolutely right. Which is one of the many reasons I love fantasy. If you just want to be entertained, you are more than welcome to read any fantasy book you pick up and happily travel far away (at least in your mind) from the problems of the real world. That's a perfectly understandable and legitimate reason to read. I do it all the time. I quite often just want to read for pleasure, and forget about everything else.

But if you want to, you can look a little deeper. You can draw some parallels between the world you've traveled to and the one you're coming from.

Fantasy gives us a safe, neutral perspective from which to consider things we may not be comfortable discussing in terms of the world we actually live in or the people we see every day. People in real life may not literally make deals with the devil in exchange for eternal youth. They may not literally sell their souls for fame or fortune. But they do both, figuratively speaking, every day. And I like to think acts like that are rarely rewarded with real life happy endings.

Or maybe that's a fantasy of my own. :)

But because I'm also a sucker for a ray of sunshine, I try to leave the endings hopeful even if the characters aren't all perfectly shiny-happy on the last page.

 

 

Thank you so much Rachel for stopping by! 

Respect the ARC!

I know people have different views on this topic so I just thought I would state mine.

I do not think that selling an ARC is okay, at all! 

They are not meant to be sold so they should not be sold. Period.

As a book blogger I have been fortunate enough to receive a few ARCs. I would never even consider selling them. I'm never one to debate but I did want to talk about this topic. For people who are passionate about books (as most book bloggers and reviewers are) it is a honor to receive an ARC. However, if this is abused publishers will have no choice but to stop allowing as many of the copies out. 

When publishers or authors decide to provide a review copy for someone, they are trusting that the person will not steal their work. When the ARC is sold, that is stealing. It is the same as when a book is pirated and placed online. The author and publisher suffer from these acts. Not only are the copies highly distributed, in some cases, but the number of copies sold suffers drastically. This is especially true if the book is self-published or from a smaller publisher. 

It is horrible to see popular ARCs being sold for sometimes $100 or more. These people know what they are doing is wrong. As bloggers, it is important that we take action when we can to stop this. This is also true if you spot a pirated book. Authors are sometimes not aware of these being placed online. They may find out only after hundreds of copies have been illegally downloaded. In either case, report these acts! Don't sit back and hope someone else finds out. Contact the author, publisher, or ebay if an ARC is being sold through them. Eventually, if these individuals know that they will be shut down quickly, they will have no choice but to stop. 

Remember:

If you spot anyone selling an ARC, report them! 

I've made a few buttons to get the word out on this issue.

Please feel free to take these and place them on your own blog.
 To get the codes go to my POLICY page.

They link back to this post but if you have your own post up, feel free to link it there!

Here are some other blogs talking about this issue. 
If you know of any others, let me know and I will add them.

Behind Yellow Eyes
The Bibliophilic Book Blog
My Overstuffed Bookshelf
Sharon Loves Books and Cats 
Trisha's Book Blog

Release Party: Review of My Soul to Keep

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers book #3)

Publisher: Harlequin (June 1st, 2010)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Paperback: 204 pages

Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 of 5

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.
Until something does.
Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.
And so is someone else…

Review: This is officially my favorite book in the Soul Screamers series. It takes place a month after the last book and it is full of action and intense emotion. Rachel has a way of making Kaylee's experiences mirror the experiences of what may happen to a typical teen. The Netherworld has opened up the door to things Kaylee never knew were possible, and this book proves just that. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that I am thrilled that the boyfriend (Nash) is not perfect. Every relationship has issues. This story brings back some characters that I didn't expect to see again. I was thrilled that the story focused more on Kaylee's school. I wanted the chance to get to know some new characters see how she deals with high school issues.

This book delves deeper into Kaylee's new home life as well. The development of each character was amazing. I really felt like I knew each of them better after this story. One of the biggest examples of that was with Tod. I think I mentioned in my mini-review of My Soul to Save that Tod was really brought onto a new level in that book. This book emphasizes that even more! Gotta love Tod :)
The smaller intimate parts of this book were my favorite. The interactions between each character were amazingly written. Each small detail carried such significance. As I was reading it I felt that each fight, each touch, or each look carried a lot more meaning than in most stories. I enjoyed those parts even more than the action.

Very emotional, very shocking, and sometimes very heartbreaking, this story shakes Kaylee's world. I'm very curious to see where the next book takes us. Fantastic book!

Release Party: Shifters Series and Anthologies

I haven't had a chance to read Rachel Vincent's Shifters series but I did want to mention it, along with her other books. 

Rachel’s Shifters series follows Faythe Sanders, the world’s only female werecat enforcer, as she fights to define her own role in her family and to claim a place in her Pride. The revolution is coming, and Faythe will be leading the charge. Are you ready to meet the new Alpha?

Alpha, the sixth and final Shifters book will be out October 1, 2010.

Rachel has short fiction available in several anthologies, both young adult and adult, including stories about vampires, sirens, bean sidhes, and other creatures from folklore.

Rachel’s latest short story, set in the Soul Screamers world, will appear in Kiss Me Deadly, a young adult paranormal romance collection due out in July, 2010.

I have read Immortal Love Stories with Bite (gotta love the name, right?) I love a these books because you get a sample from the works of so many different authors. 

In Immortal, Rachel Vincent's contribution, “Binge” is the story of a leanan sidhe capable of inspiring the musician she loves to new creative heights, or draining him, and his talent, dry.

In my opinion, this story will shock you!

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Full of dark seduction and modern romance, this short story collection presents a variety of talented voices sure to satisfy every werewolf, ghost, fallen angel, zombie, and shape-shifter’s dark desires.

Rachel Vincent’s story takes place in the Soul Screamers universe, two years before the start of the series. “Fearless” features a tough, emotionally damaged Nightmare named Sabine, who’s just been sentenced to a state-run halfway house for girls. Now fighting a psychic drought and an enemy in her midst, her only comfort is the love of her life—Soul Screamers leading man Nash Hudson.

I must pre-order this one! Mark your calendar for July 27th to grab this book! 

Reviews

To read a review of STRAY (1st book in the Shifters series) 
check out The Book Vixen and The Cozy Reader 

ROGUE (book 2) review by The Cozy Reader
PRIDE (book 3) review by The Cozy Reader
PREY (book 4) review by The Cozy Reader
SHIFT (book 5) review by The Cozy Reader

Images and information taken from the site of Rachel Vincent

Release Party: Soul Screamers Series and reviews

Soul Screamers is a young adult urban fantasy series narrated by teenage bean sidhe (banshee) Kaylee Cavanaugh. Join Kaylee as she tries to balance a normal high school experience with the threat of the Netherworld, a terrifying, hidden world full of reapers, hellions, and countless other mythical monsters out to possess her, body and soul.

SOUL SCREAMERS PREQUEL NOVELLA

Kaylee Cavanaugh's trip to the mall ends with a brutal panic attack and a brainscrambling shriek she can't stop. Her secret fear is exposed. It's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

But the hospital isn't a safe place for Kaylee, and getting out won't be easy because everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, who has a secret of her own...

Review: I just read this and I must say that it answered so many questions for me! I felt like it gave me a much better understanding of Kaylee and what she had been through. It also proved to me how strong of a character Kaylee is. Wow, that girl doesn't take crap from anyone! That's something I love in a character! Through the words of Kaylee I could sense how scared and confused she felt while in the psychiatric unit. This is the missing piece of the puzzle that I didn't even realize was missing until now. When I read My Soul to Save I saw the connections between what was happening then and what happened had happened in this book.  

The best part, this book is FREE for download. 

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH KAYLEE CAVANAUGH

She doesn't see dead people, but...

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next...

Review: This book was amazing! It is a very emotional book that makes you think "What would you do?" Would you tell someone they are going to die, or abide by the laws of fate and let the person go? And if you could make them live, at the expense of another life, would you? Very difficult questions, especially for young Kaylee. Nash is there to help her and Kaylee finds out that their connection is stronger than a typical school romance. This book is beautifully written, full of twists and turns-- and be prepared for a huge surprise ending. 

Check it out on Amazon

“If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee.  That’s what we do.”

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test.  But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.  Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

Review: This book grabbed me from the beginning. Rachel has a way of making you feel like you are right in the room with Kaylee. Her descriptions are amazing. You can feel the pain Kaylee experiences during an attack, and you can see the fog and images surrounding her.This story lets you see a different side of Tod, Nash's brother. This book contains a very "real world" experience with a twist and we get to really experience the Netherworld. Great book that shows just how much Kaylee has developed throughout the series so far. Her relationship with Nash is going to another level and since I read the first book right after its release I kept thinking "Little Kaylee is growing up!" :) I love the steps Rachel takes us through during the series. It isn't a giant leap into adulthood. It's a true teenager learning the ways of relationships (parental and romantic), friendships, and a little bit of danger and good versus evil on the side.

Check it out on Amazon

Reviews

My Soul to Take review by The Cozy Reader

My Soul to Save review by The Cozy Reader 

 

Images and book information taken from the site of Rachel Vincent  

My other post about the books can be seen here 

Release Party: How well do you know Soul Screamers?

Find out how well you know the Soul Screamers series! 

Just put your name in at the bottom to start the quiz. 

Good luck!

How well do you know Soul Screamers? » fun quizzes

So, how did you do?

Waiting for: Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

I wanted to post this earlier but sorta lost track of time..oops. So anyway I am a huge fan of Jennifer Echols and I desperately want to read Endless Summer! It came out TODAY with this adorable cover!

Cute huh? Here is a description of the book:

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.
Lori can't wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she's turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that's not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.
Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori's romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

I want this book! AND of course July 20th is the release day for FORGET YOU

I am *crossing my fingers* that Jennifer will have the time to do an interview and guest post. PLEASE! :) I will be giving stuff away (more than likely a copy of Going too Far and hopefully some other cool stuff from Jennifer). But due to the fact that everyone ...must ....read ....GOING TOO FAR I will personally give away a copy to a lucky winner during the Release Party! Have I mentioned it is one of my favorite books of all time? Hmmm...maybe I did that HERE. :) So check out Jennifer's site. She is super sweet and funny!

You can find Jennifer Echols on her Official site / Livejournal / Amazon / Twitter

I also wanted to mention a really great contest going on. Its from The First Novels Club. They are giving away four (signed) books from NYT Bestselling Authors. Terrific books! Contest ends 6/15 and the link is also on my sidebar.

Release Party: Interview with Rachel Vincent

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

1) How did you come up with the idea for the Soul Screamers series?

I was looking for a bit of established folklore that hadn't been overused in the urban fantasy genre (specifically in YA) and bean sidhes caught my interest because most people have heard of them, but the available lore is vague enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation. And interpret, I have! :)

After Kaylee's species and abilities were established, the rest of her world seemed almost to build itself, and playing in that world has been so much fun!   

2) What were some of your favorite books growing up?

I read Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Little Princess, The Little House on the Prairie books, the Anne of Green Gables series, and things like that. But by the time I was eleven, I'd moved on to Stephen King. :)

3) What is your favorite part of being an author?

The writing itself. I love telling stories. I love capturing emotion, and making people feel things about people and situations I made up. In a lot of ways, it's cathartic. Like cheap therapy. :)

But hearing from readers who liked my books comes in at a very close second. I love raring from readers.

4) Do you have any new books/series in mind yet? You MUST keep writing :)

Yes! I have what feels like an endless supply of ideas for Kaylee's world, and several others I'd like to write in adult urban fantasy too.

5) Can you give your own little teaser/description of My Soul to Keep?

MY SOUL TO KEEP is the most complex and emotionally wrenching of the Soul Screamers books to date. It deals with substance abuse, betrayal, social pressure, as well as exploring the concepts of forgiveness and consequences. What would you be willing to do (or not) for love? Is love enough to keep people together, when things get complicated? Kaylee's about to find out...

Thank you Rachel for taking the time to answer these questions!

Bio. information taken from the site of Rachel Vincent

Release Party Events!

The Release party starts tomorrow for MY SOUL TO KEEP. I don't have the exact days set up yet but here is a list of what we will be doing during the week. 

• Tomorrow I will post my interview with Rachel Vincent!
• She sent me a great Soul Screamers quiz that I will be putting on here.
• I will be posting information on the Soul Screamers series and other books by Rachel Vincent.
• She is doing a guest post for me (woohoo! Can't wait for that). 
• I will be posting my reviews for My Soul to Take (book 1) My Soul to Save (book 2) and My Soul to Keep (book 3).
• Tuesday afternoon, June 1st, I will announce the 2 winners from the My Soul to Keep and swag contest! Be sure to FILL OUT THE FORM before 11:59 a.m. (Central standard time) on June 1st.

 Check in each day for new information. I am in the middle of reading My Soul to Keep right now and it is great! If you are looking for a really terrific YA series you have to check out the Soul Screamers series.

HUGE Thank You- The Book Pixie!

I wanted to give a big thank you to Briana, The Book Pixie, for writing an amazing post about me and the blog.

Her blog was one of the first ones I found while surfing around. It's pretty intimidating starting out in the "blogging world" and seeing how amazing some of these blogs are. I remember looking at her blog and thinking "Wow, I wish mine had so much cool stuff". =-) Briana was my first follower and she even posted about my blog on twitter. I was shocked to meet someone so helpful! While reading her post I got teary-eyed (yes I admit it!) because I do really enjoy working on the blog and it is the best compliment to hear, from someone who has such a great blog herself, that I am doing a good job!! So thank you again Briana! You don't know how much it means to me!! *hugs*

Thank you to everyone else who has followed me and commented on the blog. I'm very new at this and sometimes feel like I have no clue what I am doing (haha) but I do really enjoy meeting new people and learning new things about blogging every day.

Win My Soul to Keep (signed) and swag

It's time for my first contest! Rachel Vincent has been kind enough to let me host a contest for her. (Thank you so much Rachel!) This contest is to celebrate the release of her new Soul Screamers book MY SOUL TO KEEP. 

Summary of the Soul Screamers Series:

Soul Screamers is a young adult urban fantasy series narrated by teenage bean sidhe (banshee) Kaylee Cavanaugh. Join Kaylee as she tries to balance a normal high school experience with the threat of the Netherworld, a terrifying, hidden world full of reapers, hellions, and countless other mythical monsters out to possess her, body and soul.

My Soul To Keep, book 3, hits the shelf June 1, 2010

Summary of MY SOUL TO KEEP:

WHEN KAYLEE CAVANAUGH SCREAMS, SOMEONE DIES
AND KAYLEE IS ABOUT TO SCREAM HER HEAD OFF...

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does.

Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

 The Prizes:    First prize- My Soul to Keep (signed)

                                        A Soul Screamers t-shirt

                                        A Bookmark

                 Second prize- My Soul to Keep (signed)

                                       A Bookmark  

              * Books are signed and personalized to the winners directly from Rachel!   

How to Enter: To enter you MUST fill out the form linked below.
                        Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
                        Email addresses will be used to contact the winners.
                        Extra entries are possible
                                (links/usernames must be provided on the form)

                                   

                                     +2 For being a blog follower

                                     +2 For being a twitter follower

                                     +4 For tweeting about contest

                                     +5 Add contest or blog button to sidebar

                                     +5 Mention contest in blog post

                                     +1 Add up your entries

                                                  = a possible 20 entries!
You can retweet this message:  
RT @TotalBookaholic Win My Soul to Keep (signed) and swag by @rachelkvincent 2 winners! http://tinyurl.com/24dd6oa Ends 6/1

Rules:

• Entries must be received by 11:59 a.m. (Central standard time) on Tuesday, June 1st.
• You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
• If you're under 18, you must have a parent's permission to enter, because Rachel will need a shipping address to mail the prizes to if you win.
• One entry form per person--I will delete multiple entry forms and disqualify anyone who submits them.
• This contest is open to worldwide contestants.

             *These rules have been taken from Rachel's site since she is the one sending out the prizes.

Winners will be announced June 1st and I will email both of them. 
The winners will then have 48 hours to send their address. (Winners can send this directly to me or Rachel, but please let me know if you do send it to Rachel).

Enter: 

        Comments to not enter you in the contest, but they are appreciated =-)

The FORM must be filled out!
Contest has ended! Thanks to everyone who participated.

Great News!

Rachel Vincent agreed to participate in a Release Party for her new book My Soul to Keep.

I want to wait to give all of the details till this Friday! Trust me, you will want to know! I did put the button up so please Email me if you are a book blogger and want to participate. 

Remember- all you have to do is let me know you posted the button or posted about the release party and you will get linked on my page during that week. You don't have to necessarily know anything about the books. You can still party with the rest of us. :-) 

Come back Friday and I will list what will be coming up during the week. Lots of great stuff!! Don't miss it!

Release Party!

I've decided to host release parties for certain new releases. This will be a week long event going on till the release day. In order to do this, I hope I can get the authors on board. 

I will post something new each day. Some examples are author interviews, book information, contests and giveaways and whatever else the author might want to add.

Here is a release party I have already decided to host. 

Jennifer Echols has already been kind enough to say she will grant me an interview that I can put on here. I will also be adding the review of her book "Forget You" during release week. I plan to host a contest but I'm not sure what it will be yet. Maybe I can convince Jennifer to give us some signed stuff. =-) She is an absolute sweetheart! 

To all book bloggers: I made a button that you can grab and put on your page. If you want to join the party and post anything about the book, let me know. I will link to your page during the week! I really hope this catches on and we can all get together to help support our favorite books/authors. Email me if you have any questions or if you want some support hosting a release party of your own.

Updated URL

Hey all! As you can see above, I changed my URL. When I first began this blog it was a "mommy blog". I wanted a new URL to reflect my new format. 

Sorry if this is a pain for those of you who have already linked to me. I know you are all "Grr..ing" at your screen. =-)

I updated my button on the sidebar and I hope it works. 

I contacted all of my wonderful followers and let them know. I hope this doesn't change your "following" status. 

BUT I am happy it is changed and I think it will help get some more traffic to the site. YEY! 

Thanks for all the wonderful support, comments, advice. I am currently adding buttons/links to those of you who want to cross-promote blogs. Did you see my blogroll?? Nifty little gadget! 

Contact me if you want me to add your button or link, or if you want others to see your site address you can comment on this post. I do plan to put out a post (probably once a month) that lets people add their own blog address so they can get started or get more traffic too. I think it's really important for us bloggers to support each other so I am paying it forward! 

But for now, just add your blog here and let me know if you link back to me. I will add you to the sidebar. 

Thanks to you all! 

Coming Up: Books for Review

I hope to post a "Coming Up" list every few weeks. These will include the books that I own already and plan to read within a week or two. I will post reviews immediately after (hopefully!). 

So what books do I plan to read?? 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Now on paperback: Amazon

I know this book came out April 2009 but I have waited to read it. I absolutely love the paperback cover. I started reading this one today. 

Burned by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Hardback: Amazon

This is House of Night book 7. I've loved the others so I look forward to this one.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Now on paperback: Amazon

This book seemed interesting so I pre-ordered the paperback edition a few months ago. I'm really excited to read it.

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Hardcover: Amazon

As mentioned in my previous post this book will be released May 18th (Tuesday). This is book 5 of the Vampire Academy series and I am super excited for it. I pre-ordered it months ago so I will probably read it as soon as it shows up at my door. Yippy!

So these are the upcoming books! So, have you read any of these yet? If so, let me know what you thought of it! Or leave the link to your review, if you posted it on your blog. 

What books do you plan to read over the next few weeks??

I love your comments! :-)

Review: Dark Secrets 2 by Elizabeth Chandler

Dark Secrets 2 by Elizabeth Chandler

Publisher: Simon and Schuster (May 2010)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Paperback: 599 pages

Buy: Amazon

Rating: 3 of 5

Secrets taken to the grave don't always stay buried.

In No Time to Die, Jenny is devastated by the recent death of her sister, Liza. Looking for a sense of closure, she secretly signs up for the drama camp where Liza died. Jenny knows that someone here holds the key to what really happened to Liza that night, but if she doesn't find out the truth soon, she may become the next victim.

In The Deep End of Fear, Kate has tried to bury the horrible memories associated with the Westbrook estate. After her best friend Ashley drowned on the estate, Kate vowed never to return. But now, twelve years later, she is drawn back towards the house and that fatal icy pond. There, Kate still feels Ashley's presence and the past seems to be pulling her back towards Ashley's life-threatening dares.

Review:  This is a 2 part review because this book contains 2 different stories.

In No Time to Die- Jenny decides to attend the camp where her sister, Liza, died the year before. Even though her sister's killer was said to be someone she didn't know, Jenny doesn't fully believe that. She thinks that maybe the killer was at the school, and a friend of Liza's the entire time. I liked Jenny's character but I don't feel like she was totally explained. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions about Jenny, Liza, and their relationship. I liked the other characters in the story. It was definitely a story that keeps you guessing until the end. I would call it more of a mystery than anything else. Not a lot of romance, although there are a few cute guys that are interested in Jenny. It was okay for me, but nothing special. I did like this story a little more than the 2nd one though.

In The Deep End of Fear Kate returns to a place where she stayed as a child. While there twelve years ago, a friend and member of the owners family, Ashley, died in a pond. Kate begins working there now as a babysitter to a young child, Patrick. The same family owns the property and it seems the young boy is the center of dysfunction in the home.  It was difficult for me to really get into this story. I wasn't fond of the main character and I thought she was a little rude for no reason. This story was filled with a lot of different characters and the ending left me thinking "Huh?! What just happened?" It was another mystery but this one just didn't do it for me. The only good part of the story was the hot hockey player Sam. I did really like his character and without him, I'm not sure if I would have even finished this story.

If you want a good mystery book, this one may be for you. It pains me to rate it low because I absolutely loved Elizabeth Chandler's other books Kissed by an Angel, and Dark Secrets 1. But I had to be completely honest. The actual writing is great  and the cover is beautiful. I just didn't like the main characters and that brought the entire book down for me.

Her next book, The Back Door to Midnight will be released November 16th!

Check out my other posts about Elizabeth Chandler:
Top 5 Favorite YA Books

For more information on Elizabeth Chandler or any of her books:
Goodreads  /  Simon & Schuster  /  Amazon

Buy from:
Amazon  /  The Book Depository  /  Barnes & Noble

*If you purchase from Amazon or The Book Depository through the links provided a small percentage of the sales will go to me. Any money from this is used for shipping costs during giveaways. 

Waiting For: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

 

 

 

This Tuesday- May 18th, the 5th book in the Vampire Academy series will be released

Author Richelle Mead has done a great job with this series! It's full of fascinating characters, action, romance, and suspense. I know that Spirit Bound will not disappoint! I pre-ordered this book months ago and I can't wait to get it!

For more information on the series check out this great site.

Vampire Academy

It has some amazing videos and downloads.

 

Description:

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

 

Favorite YA Books!

Picking my favorite 5 YA books of all time is not easy. I have around 50 books that I would call my "favorites". But I tried to think of it this way. What 5 would I recommend to someone? It's obvious that Twilight would be a favorite but I won't add that one because most people have at least heard of Twilight. (Unless they are living under a rock!). 

 These are in no particular order! 

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (March 17, 2009)

Paperback: 256 pages

Buy: Amazon

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over.... 

This is the only book I have ever, immediately, read twice....in 2 days! I read it in 1 night and even though I was exhausted, I wanted to read it again. It was such an original story and the characters were amazing. This book was on my mind for quite a while even after I was finished reading it the 2nd time. If anyone is looking for a quick read and an amazing love story, pick this one up!!  
Her next book, Forget You, is coming out July  20th, and needless to say, I can't wait!!

Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler

Publisher: Simon Pulse (December 16, 2008)

Paperback: 704 pages

Buy: Amazon

A love beyond life...a danger beyond doubt. 

When her boyfriend, Tristan, died, Ivy thought she'd lost everything, even her faith in angels. But now she's discovered that he's her guardian angel -- his presence so strong that she can feel the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart. Ivy needs Tristan now more than ever because he knows she's in terrible danger. Only Ivy's guardian angel can save her now that his killer is after her.

But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he must leave her behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her just when he's finally reached her again?

I can't count how many times I cried while reading this book. It was so easy to fall into the story and feel what Ivy and Tristan were feeling. The mystery was great and kept me interested till the end. Warning: Get tissues handy when you read this one!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press (August 1, 2009)

Hardback: 400 pages

Buy:Amazon

Every summer Sam spends a few precious months being human, until the cold causes him to shift to a wolf once again. Discover what happens when he meets Grace in this chilling romance. 


This story is told from alternating points of view- told through Sam and Grace. This was my first real "wolf story" and it didn't disappoint. The trust and love of the characters could be seen from each prospective. If you love wolves (and c'mon, who doesn't) pick up this book! 
Book 2, Linger, comes out July 20th.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 4th, 2010)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 320 pages

Buy: Amazon

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

I wrote this review already but I really can't say enough good things about this story. It is so original! It was easy to believe that these characters lived in a world where seeing ghosts was a common occurrence. Thankfully, this story will be continuing in book 2, Shift, May 2011! If you want to get a preview of this book check out Jeri Smith-Readys page. She has a link to the first chapter!

 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill (August 16, 2007)

Paperback: 336 pages

Buy: Amazon

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

  

This is the first book of my favorite series! Once you start reading about Rose, Lissa, and especially Dimitri (Hot!) you have no choice but to keep up with the series! Some stories seem to run out of steam after a while, but this one does not! It still keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you are looking for a book series that is still great, pick up this one! 

Book 5, Spirit Bound, will be released May 18th!!

So those are my favorites! What are yours?