Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 9th, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 199 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: If I Stay #1
Rating: 3 of 5 stars

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... 

Review: Yes, it's true. I just read this book a few weeks ago. I had super high expectations about this book because it has terrific reviews. I gotta say, I wasn't blown away by it. Maybe my expectations were too high? I dunno. 

If I Stay introduces us to Mia. Mia is in a terrible car accident with her mother, father, and brother. One thing about this novel that grabbed me immediately was the strong bond Mia had with her family. Typically, in YA books, we may not get a great look at family relations. We only get a peak into the character's home-life and it may not be the best view. If I Stay paints a beautiful picture of a family. Mia's father and mother were loving and supportive. As Mia spends time in the hospital she remembers some of their times together. 

The idea behind this novel, as well as much of Gayle Forman's writing, was terrific. She has a way of describing a setting that really helps the reader grasp what is going on around the characters. 

I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks. Much of this book is series of flashbacks to Mia's memories of her parents and of Adam. Some people may enjoy this. It's just a personal preference but they make me feel really disconnected from what the "real" story is about. I don't mind learning about a character's past through their own thoughts, but this book just had too much of that. 

The other downside for me was Mia herself. She just wasn't what as emotional as I would have thought she should have been. And she seemed a bit..boring. At the end I just kept thinking "Why does Adam even love her so much?" I couldn't get a good handle on her personality besides just knowing what she loves music. 

Adam was the person who saved this book for me. He was interesting, caring, and passionate. Even though we really don't get to see him that much, he always managed to get my attention. 

The main character and all the flashbacks were what really brought this book down for me but, as mentioned, those are just personal preferences. The plot, writing, and events that occur during the actual story were exceptional. I just wanted more from Mia. 


Recommended: Contemporary fans or people who don't mind a story with a focus in the past and present. 

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Tour Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker Children's Books (January 17th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 262 pages
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 

Review: Fracture was an incredible read and I was completely engrossed in the mystery behind Delaney's injury. When we first meet Delaney she is going out with her best friend Decker and some other friends to the lake. Everything seems normal but then Delaney falls and the ice cracks. We get a detailed image of what she goes through during her time under the ice. My heart was pounding just reading about it!

When Delaney wakes up in the hospital she knows she was not supposed to survive. She's not supposed to ever be the same as she was before, but somehow she is..for the most part. Instantly, she has Decker by her side. He is devastated. This was the point where I immediately knew I'd love his character. He was so open with his feelings about the accident and it was easy to see how deep his connection with Delaney was. 

After Delaney gets out of the hospital she runs into Troy. This is where the mystery heats up. I gotta say, I had no earthly idea what was going to happen. I soon figured out what was drawing Delaney to certain individuals; however, I didn't know why or what the heck Troy had to do with it all. Was he a demon, a guardian angel, just a dude? Who knows! That really kept me puzzled. I couldn't put the book down because my mind was whirling trying to figure out how everything was connected. 

Delaney was a sweet girl. She seemed to have a kind heart and a need to help others. Decker was so realistic and sincere. He would do anything for Delaney and his devotion was something I never questioned. Troy was just a mass of confusion for me. I couldn't figure him out. If he did something good I would think "Oh, he's going to turn on her". If he did something bad I would think "But maybe it was for a good reason". But this is why I loved this book! So mysterious! 

The way Megan Miranda delivered this story really sucked me in. I couldn't stop flipping the pages to see what would happen next. It was delightful and mystifying. Brilliantly done!


Recommended: This book is perfect for paranormal and contemporary book lovers. If you want a good mystery, this is a great pick!

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Sharin' the Love: Blogger ARC Giveaway #1

Hello everyone! One of the best parts of blogging is sharing books with others. Occasionally I'll get a finished copy of a book I have an ARC for already. Or, I may get 2 ARCs. If I have a finished copy of a book I never keep the ARC. ARCs are meant to be shared so I'm going to do that now! 

I have some ARCs I'd like to give away to bloggers. For this giveaway you must be a blogger (and not just a blog that re-posts contests). I really want to help out book bloggers -- new and old!   

Not a blogger? Don't worry. I'm not leaving you guys out. I will be posting a giveaway for you on Thursday. I have a lot of extra finished copies I plan to give away over the next few months. 
 
Of course, I'd love it if the winner will read and review each title but I won't be checking up on you to make sure you do :) Any way you can spread the word about these great titles would be perfect. 

The winner will get an ARC of...

Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan M. James

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive the 4 ARCs listed above.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends February 13th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter. 
• You MUST be a book blogger to enter!

Review: Cold Blood by Heather Hildenbrand

Cold Blood by Heather Hildenbrand
Publisher: Accendo Press (November 22nd, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 366 pages
Source: Author (Thank You!)
Series: Dirty Blood #2
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wood Point Academy is not at all what I expected. For one thing, it looks like a cross between military school and Buckingham Palace. Everyone stares, the floors shine so bright you can see your reflection in them from a mile away, and no one smiles. Unless they're kicking your butt in the process.

At least I've got plenty to take my mind off the fact that my psycho cousin, Miles De'Luca, keeps calling and declaring his love and promising to come for me just as soon as he's destroyed anyone standing in our way. Wes isn't going to like that idea. So between Miles, Wood Point's evil welcoming committee, and the drill sergeant hottie trainer from hell, I just keep asking myself, how did I end up here? 

Review:  I truly adore this series, and in my opinion, book 2 was even better than book 1. After the battle in Dirty Blood, Tara's mom and grandmother send her to Wood Point Academy. There, she will train and learn the history behind her hunter background. As soon as Tara arrives, she knows she will never be embraced by the people at the school. They know that she is a "Dirty Blood" and most of them want nothing to do with her. 

Tara is then introduced to Alex who will be training her to fight. He isn't very fond of her either so she knows their battles will be just full of excitement. Training with a super hot guy? SCORE. Training with a super hot guy who doesn't like that you exist? Bummer. But just maybe Tara can show him that there is much more to her than what he first thinks. 

Luckily, Tara isn't alone with her school-time isolation. Cambria and Logan quickly take her under their wing and help her survive. They were terrific friends and really accepting. Cambria really didn't care what anyone thought of her and she stayed by Tara's side even with Tara's enemy/roommate tried to make her life hell. 

We don't get a chance to see Wes much in this one and I gotta say, I didn't really miss that. Team Alex! Although Tara tries to keep in touch with Wes, he just never seems to open up. I felt Alex was more genuine and honest. 

I think one of the big reasons why I love this series is because Tara is an incredible heroine! She does not back down and even with faced with the toughest fighter at the school (Alex) she shows him exactly what she can do. And, the plot is so fascinating. I love the werewolf/hunter/mix dynamic and seeing what new information is found out as the characters go along. For Tara, the bad guy is still out there and his plans are shocking. 

Heather Hildenbrand has created a series that never lacks in action, drama, or suspense. The characters are strong and realistic and the surprises just keep coming!


Recommended: For paranormal readers or anyone who enjoys a nice spin on werewolf tales. Also, people who are fans of a strong heroine. Dirty Blood is book 1 in the series. Cold blood is book 2.

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Review: Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe

Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
Omnific Publishing (January 10th, 2012)
Paperback: 159 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Author/Publisher
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life. 

Review: I must say that I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. I knew I loved Trisha's writing from what I read in her short story Unveiled, but this was my first time reading a steampunk novel. But as soon as I started reading, all my worries flew away. Destiny's Fire grabbed me on page 1. Literally, and if you've read the book, you know why! Immediately in the story we meet Dez and the triplets - Jace, Lana, and Nick. We learn about their world in 2040 where the Narcolym are coming to start mingling with the Shythe. No one really likes this idea, especially Jace. Dez and the triplets train for a battle they feel will be inevitable. 

As I mentioned, steampunk is new to me and I thought I would be completely confused by the terms. I should have factored in Trisha's fabulousness. She made it exciting! She completely described this foreign world to me in a way that helped me truly visualize it. It all made sense! 

Dez was incredible. She was such a strong character and she really cared about her friends. This is all tested when Reese, a Narcolym, pushes his way into the picture. Jace and Reese do not get along, at all! Due to all of this conflict, Jace finally stars showing his feelings for Dez and she tries to see what is stronger, her feelings for her best friend or her best friend's new enemy. Drama! Reese is more than he seems though, and he shows Dez a part of her past that she didn't know existed. 

Jace or Reese, Jace or Reese. It's like picking cake or ice cream. Trisha created the type of love triangle I adore. I could see the pull for each guy and they both did have a downside. No one was perfect and between Jace's temper and Reese's secrets, I could see the conflict Dez had between them. 

The plot and action Trisha created in this story was also an unexpected turn. There was a great back-story, a lot of manipulation, and a powerful Council that both races had to deal with. I felt like I was thrown headfirst into this intense battle and I loved every minute of it! Dealing with all the craziness really helped Dez grow as a person. It was as if she was 3 years older by the end of the book. 

I was very satisfied with how everything wrapped up but I gotta have book 2 soon!! Who can resist reading more of a wonderful story with a sizzling romantic love triangle? Not me! 


Destiny's Fire gave me a taste of something new and I'm hooked! I can't wait to read more from Trisha Wolfe and see where she takes these characters next.


Recommended: Paranormal/steampunk readers or anyone who wants a taste of steampunk. Also, anyone who just loves a lot of drama, action, and hotness.

 

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Cover Reveal: PODs by Michelle Pickett & Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

PODS by Michelle Pickett

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: June 2013

Add it to Goodreads

Summary: 

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

 Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: June 2013

Add it to Goodreads

Summary:

Touch of Death

Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

Both of these titles sound so good! I'm really interested in PODs especially. Both covers are very cool. What do you guys think?

Review: Cross My Heart by Katie Klein

Cross My Heart by Katie Klein
Published: March 15th, 2011
Ebook: 225 pages
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice. . . .

Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past-a reputation-and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there's no reason why, when they're assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn't be falling in love.

As they bond over Edith Wharton's tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the "bad boy" vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own "good girl" image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.

Still, Jaden can't shake the feeling that there's more to Parker than he's letting on. He's hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she's grown to love with the person he really is. Because it's possible that his life inside the classroom-everything Jaden knows-is one, massive lie. 

Review:  This book simply blew me away! That's probably why it was featured in so many of my Top 10 of 2011 posts. It is incredible, brilliant, intense, shocking, and all other appraising words you can throw at it. I simply went browsing amazon one day and bumped into it. I was looking for a light, cute read. I got so much more than I bargained for. 

Cross My Heart is from Jaden's point of view. Jaden is an amazing student. She has her sights set on Harvard and nothing can break her focus, until Parker comes along. Parker is quiet and already has a bad reputation. There are rumors swirling about his past and his current activities. Then, to Jaden's horror, she gets paired with him for an assignment. Jaden just wants to push through and get it over with. She is a bit blown away when Parker seems to care about his grade and is much more intelligent than he first seemed. 

Slowly throughout the novel Parker's walls come down. He talks more with Jaden and helps her realize a lot about herself. Even though Jaden has the "perfect" boyfriend and everything in a nice place in her life, Parker helps her see the flaws in being perfect. In turn, Jaden helps Parker see kindness. Someone now cares for him and looks past the outside image. 

They are the perfect-dysfunctional pair. Jaden was hilarious. Her interactions with Parker could not have been portrayed any better than they were. They didn't have "insta-love" or a relationship that was fake or forced. They slowly built a connection that grew into affection and, later, into love. 

But love isn't the only factor in this book. There is a twist I wouldn't have seen coming if I had 10,000 chances to guess it. I'm not sure if a book has ever shocked me as much as this one. 

I think I've only shared quotes from a book a few times in my reviews but I need to for this one!


Prepare to swoon....
(Sets scene) Parker is on Jaden's roof with a notebook in his hands.

“He turns another page, and I read:

I'M NOT ETHAN. . .
. . .AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. . .
. . .UNTIL I CAN PROVE TO YOU. . .
. . .THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS.

He flips to the next page.

SO KEEP SENDING ME AWAY. . .
. . .BUT I'LL JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO YOU.
AGAIN. . .

He flips to the next page.

. . .AND AGAIN. . .

And the next:

. . .AND AGAIN.

Goose bumps rise to the surface of my skin. I shiver, hugging myself tightly.

AND IF YOU CAN EVER FIND IT IN YOUR ❤ TO FORGIVE ME. . .
. . .I WILL DO EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU. . .

He closes the notebook and tosses it beside him. It lands on the roof with a dull thwack. Then, lifting his index finger, he draws an X across his chest.

Cross my heart.” 

Ahhhh!  For more quotes check out this page on Goodreads. But could anything be better than a guy doing that for you? FOR REAL! Reading this just makes me want to re-read the book! Do you ever read a book and then want to erase it from your mind so you can read it again without knowing what happens?? Am I the only crazy person who does that? It's rare, but it happened to me with this book. If I could tell people about 1 book from last year that was the most unexpected for me, it would be this book. Katie Klein's writing is not just incredible, but she was able to bring characters to life. I honestly cannot praise this book enough (as you can tell from this review). 


Did I mention that Cross My Heart is only $3.99 on amazon!


Recommended: If you like a good romance at all, you have to get this book! Or, if you want something that will really shock you!

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Interview & Giveaway: The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark

Today I have the tremendously talented, GOAT (greatest of all time), superhero of writing (he made me say these things!), Jay Clark! 


But seriously folks, Jay is probably one of the funniest people I've ever emailed to and he really knows how to perk up an interview. You'll want to read this one, I promise!

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Bookaholic: "Can you share with us a few words you would use to describe each main character in The Edumacation of Jay Baker?"

Jay: "Jay Baker: Snarky-but-lovable man-boy whose heart is usually in the right place at the wrong time. 

Cameo Appearance Parnell: Beautiful disaster who’d rather keep things fresh-‘n-flirty than drab-‘n-Debbie-Downerish.

Caroline Richardson: Mysterious, super-focused tennis goddess whose past is about to play mind games with her.

Abby Baker: Frighteningly popular homecoming queen who’d take a bad outfit to the chest for her brother, Jay.

Ms. Lambert: Earth-motherly, heavy-meddling history teacher whose bark is bigger than her “Bite me.”

Mike Hibbard: Half-teen/half-barn-animal (?) with a surplus of “Bullying for Dummies” put-downs to mask self-esteem shortage.  "

Bookaholic: "How much of this book is based upon your own experiences?"

Jay: "I thieved quite a bit of the plot from my very own walk-in skeleton closet.  A few guilty bystanders will have a bone to pick with me, but I’ll be sure to write them all an apology email from my computer in hell.  P.S. This makes me seem like I’m too lazy to reinvent the literary wheel, and that would be accurate.  Lately, however, I’ve been thinking of writing about a magical land where a bespectacled orphan becomes a wizard and … $%#!, that’s already been done, hasn’t it?"

Bookaholic: "Do you think hell has free wi-fi? And, could you provide an example of the individuals you may enrage or offend with your book (names can be changed to protect the guilty)."

Jay: "Hell hath no fury like me if it doesn’t! No, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Sa-to-the-tan has kept up with the technological times. How else would #cometosatanbaby be trending on Twitter right now? Weird, my index finger just burned up in flames."

Well, okay: The character Rene Rotrovich’s nickname, “Rene Rottencrotch,” was inspired by an old friend who was called that particular surname all throughout school. Not that I ever said it myself, or even thought she had a rotten crotch (yet to be proven in court, I might add). I just thought it captured the vibe of my class to perfection and had to include it." *Ducks*
 
Bookaholic: Tell us 5 funny facts/events from your life.

Jay: "Dude, I tried out for American Idol.  Twice.  The first time I sang “Your Song” and Elton John called to ask for it back.  The second time I sang “Flake” and very nearly made it my own.  But then the bored-looking prelim judge asked me to sing something else, and I was like, “Huh?”  I bombed that one like there was no tomorrow."
 
Bookaholic: "So apparently you do NOT work well under pressure huh? Go ahead, sing for us, right now!" *sits back in her chair, sipping on her Coke*.

(Photo: Close..but not Jay)

 
Jay: "I always accuse my sister of being a choker during board games and flip-cup and such, but maybe it’s been me all along. Nothing like a little healthy projection to give oneself a false sense of confidence.  Anyway, sis and I do a great rendition of “Summer Nights,” from Grease.  It gets kind of weird when I sing, “Well, she got friendly, down in the sa-ha-haaand,” and then bend my knees like John Travolta, but there’s something to be admired about that kind of commitment—just not sure what it is.  

 (Photo: Again, totally not Jay)

I’m a longtime basement dweller who’s basically lived underground since graduating college.  In other words, tornadoes haven’t stood a chance since ’05 (booyah).  Besides, who needs fresh air when you have Glade PlugIns and a decent supply of snacks?"

 
Bookaholic: "That depends. What sort of snacks? Are we talking chocolate?"

Jay: "Chocolate schmocolate. I discovered this great vanilla yogurt/raspberry sorbet combo made by Haagen-Dazs (had to look up that spelling and didn’t feel like adding the accent mark) a few months ago and have been killing pint after pint ever since. It’s annoying when I have to go upstairs to get it from the freezer, though.  I need a little ice box or something.  And an unlikely endorsement deal, because that crap’s expensive!"

Barf alert: I was born with simple syndactyly of the second and third toes, on both feet.  I had a complex about it—cue: groans—until seventh grade, when a podiatrist took a scalpel and…why am I talking about this?  My fiancé tries to touch the scars sometimes, which I am not a fan of.  She’s welcome to go to town on my corpse, though."

 
Bookaholic: EEK *runs away hiding eyes* I am not a foot fan.

Jay: "Everyone’s a critic!

I come from a family of gamblers.  None of us know when to hold ’em, fold ’em, or walk away, but we have a blast in Vegas every year—not to mention our drinks are totally free!"

 
Bookaholic: *slowly re-enters the room* "Okay okay, so are you any good when you gamble? Or, do you end up broke on the street begging for change?"

Jay: "Lady luck and I have our intimate moments, for sure.  She can also be a real wildebeest—especially when her hormones kick in and start blanking out the slot machine. Not that I don’t deserve it."

I have a drinking problem that starts and ends with Mountain Dew.  I’m intentionally trying to lower my sperm count, because I hate children.

 

Bookaholic: Yumm, Mountain Dew is my favorite pop! But seriously, you hate children? How is that possible? Don’t you want a little mini-you someday?

Jay: "When you put it that way, how can I resist?!  I do think kids would help round me out and make me less inclined to worry about dumb crap, but the fact that I just typed “me” twice is a bad sign."

 (Photo: Jay's future child)

Bookaholic: "If you were a superhero, what superpower would you have?"

Jay: "Introducing Paranoia Man!  Paranoia Man is all anxiety, all the time, and one-hundred-percent evil.  In fact, his sole purpose on Planet Earth is to transfer his nervous energy to the far-more-rational beings who walk among him.  Beware the plethora of panic attacks at his disposal, and no matter what he says, don’t accept anything from his prescription bottle.  Otherwise, you may find yourself asking the following questions to no one in particular:

Why hasn’t this person responded to my email yet?!
Is my dog mad at me, or what?!
Wow, the Starbucks barista is being hella-weird today, am I right?!" 


Bookaholic: "Haha, that’s funny. But why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my shirt? OMG, you think I’m a horrible interviewer, don’t you??"

Jay: "It’s working!  I’m feeling calmer already."

Bookaholic: "What are some of the major differences between the writer Jay, and the character Jay?"


Jay: "They laugh alike, they talk alike, sometimes they even have IBS alike.  Differences?  As much as it pains my fragile male ego to admit, I think Jay Baker has more of a way with the ladies than Jay Clark.  He’s a baller in sheep’s clothing.  I mean, Jay Clark is obviously better-looking, but in high school he couldn’t get the pole out of his b-hole long enough to let his freak-flag fly.  Jay Baker is more of a come-what-whatever risk-taker, and that’s why he has his own book while Jay Clark remains chopped liver. " 

(Photo: Could be Jay. I'll have to ask.)

Bookaholic: "Okay, here is a test. I want you to tell us some pick-up lines. Tell us one YOU would have used during your pick-up-line days (before you got old and settled down)...and then one from the character Jay (the youthful risk-taker).

Jay Clark: “Hey…you.  Wanna come over to my house after school so I can make you some toast with my grandma’s strawberry jam on it?”  (This actually happened and, shocker, was not followed by a hookup session.)

Jay Baker: “You have a thing for my man-bangs, don’t you?” *Points to hair* “’Cause there’s a lot more where that came from.”
 
Bookaholic: "I'm even more shocked that you have a fiancé! Now, tell us 3 things you wish you could go back to high school and do?"

Jay: "I say this without an ounce of sarcasm: Seek out my future fiancé, Caroline.  I started shedding a lot of my unnecessary habits when I found her.  Good stuff.
Spend even more time with my family.  It’s a shame the measures people take to avoid their relatives, but maybe I’d feel differently if I had <insert your psycho-sibling here> snipping off locks of my hair in the middle of the night.  

Tie myself to a tree until they build some freaking tennis courts on school grounds. That’s kind of an oxymoronic way of going about it, but the tree and I will cross that bridge when we come to it—unless we need to actually build a small bridge to the tennis courts, in which case I’ll turn to the tree and say, “Nice knowing you, sucker!” 


Bookaholic: "You were wilder in college, right? Did you do anything insane then?"
 
Jay: "Not really…I’ve pretty much always been a snoozefest." 

Bookaholic: *Yawns* "Since you are just a sweet, innocent, unaware-of-all-the-bad debut author, what scares you the most about the writing world? Be honest, are you most afraid of us angelic bloggers?" *whips out her halo*

Jay: "People on the internet are terrifying, yes.  Especially bloggers hiding their true identities behind wide-eyed avatars or extreme close-up pics of their cat/dog (maybe I should double-check your website before mentioning that).   But, really, it’s hard for me to complain.  If someone’s taken the time to read my book, then they can say “He blew it!” all over the internets till the cows come home.  Then they can go blow a cow, for all I care.  Kidding!  I blame this horrible answer on your question."

Bookaholic: "HEY, my avatar is offended by your comment. She does not have wide eyes!  Okay...maybe she does."


Thank you Jay for being on my blog and for sharing such fascinating details of your crazy life. You are so much fun (I know, I can't believe I said that either!)."

The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (January 24th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 272 pages

A few “sexy” bullet points about Jay: • He is in love with a cheerleader named Cameo “Appearance” Parnell • He is forever losing “Love-15” to tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson • He rocks a touché array of pop-culture references, jokes, and puns • His family-life cookie is about to crumble. Live vicariously through Jay as he faces off against his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents’ relationship implode, and, finally, learns to get real and be himself(ish).

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive an ARC of The Edumacation of Jay Baker.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends February 10th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

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Tour: Author Interview: Forbidden by Megan Curd

1. I gotta say, the first thing that grabbed my attention about this book was it's amazing cover. Did you play a part in the design, and what did you think when you saw the finished product? 

Oh my gosh, I love my cover, not to toot my horn, lol. The amazing Neil Noah made it! I heard of him through my two good friends and fellow authors, Elizabeth Isaacs and Hope Collier, who both had worked with him in the past for their covers. I design book covers for others, but I knew I’d never be satisfied with something I created, so I had to outsource. I sent Neil a couple designs I’d played with, and then he worked his magic. The cover was one of two covers he sent me. I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. We tweaked some things, of course, but oh man, he nailed the cover. I was so excited! I hope people like it as much as I do.  

2. Can you tell us a little about Levi's personality?  

Levi was fun to write, but at the same time, he was hard. It’s tough to write from a guy’s POV when you’re female, haha! Moreso, I wanted to think like he would, were I in his shoes. Can you imagine how hard it would be to know that you were damned, but you still held hope to maybe someday get away from the problems you’ve caused yourself? Can you imagine trying to guard people and make sure they were safe, when you knew they may end up like you if the wrong choices were made? He’s so torn – he doesn’t want to break any more rules, but he wants to know Hannah more. She makes him feel things, but he doesn’t know why. He’s cautious, but reckless at the same time. He’s a little irreverent, but he lets Ethan take care of most of the trouble making. I really like Levi. He’s hard to read, and it’s part of the reason I had to ask my brother and husband what a guy would think in certain situations! Overall, he’s just trying to figure out what to do. He’s sixteen and a guy. Really? Of course he makes no sense haha. 

3. What is one of the things that makes Hannah unique to Levi? 

No Call that Levi’s ever had was able to make him feel. He’s never felt the need to get near a human. Hannah, for some reason, changes that. He’s curious, and he can’t help but get near her. That’s what sets it all off…you know what they say, “Curiousity killed the cat.” We’ll see if it turns out all right for Levi! 

4. Do you have a favorite excerpt or line that you could share with us? 

I loved writing Ethan, he’s so snarky and tries so hard to be this rude guy, when I think deep down he’s alright. I guess we’ll see. Anyway, here’s a little excerpt from one of his scenes. 

I smirked at Ethan as he jumped and dodged me like I had leprosy. “You know, they’re not contagious.”

“Easy for you to say. You’ve already let that human touch you.”

Hannah sighed. “I have a name, you know.”

Ethan laughed. “Yup, and it’s Bag ‘O Bones to me. You’re human. You live, you die. Well, you were supposed to have already died, but Rambo here decided to tempt fate. You know what? I’ll just call you Bob for short. How’s that?”

5. What tends to be the most difficult part of the writing process for you? 

 Finding the time! My 5 month old son takes up quite a bit of time, so the writing is a bit slower now. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but if I would have known the lack of time I’d have, I probably would have written 5 or 6 novels before I had him! Haha. 

Forbidden by Megan Curd
Kindle Edition: 270 pages
Published: October 22nd, 2011
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: The Guardian Chronicles #1

Levi's job is to protect his human until it's their time to go. That's what a Guard does. He's done it for years on end, and he'll spend his eternity doing the same, mundane thing, following the same, mundane rules.

...Watch from afar.
...Never share your name.
...And above all, never touch a human.

What Levi doesn't know is that his newest human to protect, Hannah, just might be the catalyst to tipping the scales between good and evil, and he will be forced to decide which side he belongs to. Which friends will he side with, and who will he ultimately protect: his human, or the delicate balance that hangs on stopping the heartbeat of the person he has sworn to protect?

And, when you're already condemned, what's there to lose by breaking the rules?

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Giveaway: Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate (5 winners!)

Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate was released today! If you are a fan of the series, you have to read this book. To celebrate this release, and to share the love since Valentine's day is coming up in a few weeks, Random House has offered up 5 copies (ARCs) of the book for some lucky readers!

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 201 pages
Series: Fallen #3.5

Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.

And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.

Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories . . . the ones everyone has been waiting for.

True love never says goodbye . . .

Prize: 

• 5 winners will receive an ARC of Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US only and ends February 9th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

 Website     |      Goodreads      |      Twitter 

Amazon      |       Barnes & Noble     |      The Book Depository

Extra entry for commenting. Have you read the series or is it on your to-read list? If you've read them what do you think about the books?