tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77876028131062494772024-03-13T08:57:07.786-04:00Book JunkiesTwo Girls, One Goal: To get lost in the abyss of fantasy, romance, horror and terror.Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-3199598128774115022013-10-07T13:47:00.001-04:002013-10-07T13:47:02.753-04:00Book Tag!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The ever so lovely Amber over at </span><a href="http://grownupfangirl.blogspot.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Grown Up Fan Girl</span></a><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> tagged us in her Reading Habits post! This is typically done via YouTube and was started by BethJune327. The video, and her channel, can be accessed </span></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axlMHq-HPEs" target="_blank">here!</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A and I have answered these questions and are excited for you to take a read!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #1:</span><span style="color: #d5a6bd;"> <i>Do you have a certain place at home for reading?</i></span></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">When I used to live at home with my parents I loved reading outside in the spring and summer. There is just something about being outdoors and enjoying a good book that would calm and relax me. Now that I live in a apartment, the space is super limited. I read outside sometimes, but with a highway outside my balcony it just isn't the same. So, I find comfort in reading on the couch or in my bed curled up with a warm blanket and a good cup of tea/coffee.</span> </span></i></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I love reading on the couch, or in bed. Although on the couch my puppy jumps on me and tries to eat my book. And in bed I tend to start falling alseep. There is no winning! Someday I will have a library room to read. One that looks like what Belle had in Beauty and the Beast. ;)</span></span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #2:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Bookmark or a random piece of paper?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> </span><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I use whatever I can find to mark my place in a book! I prefer a nice bookmark, I've even been known to spend a pretty penny on one, however I usually either use a receipt, fold the corner of the page or any piece of paper that I can find. </span></i></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I'm with A. Whatever is around to use for a bookmark is good for me. But I will say that I always browse the bookmarks at the book store. One of these days I will bite the bullet and buy one.</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #3:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Can you stop reading anytime you want or do you have to stop at a certain page, chapter, part, ect.?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">If I'm extremely interested in a book I have to wait until I'm on the next chapter before I put the book down and enter the real world. If it is a book I'm not so interested in, I can stop mid-way through a chapter if need be.</span> </i></span></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I like to stop reading at the end of a chapter, but only because my bookmarks tend to be less than reliable. Like A, if it is a book I am not very interested in then I can stop at any point.</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #4:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Do you eat or drink while reading?</span></i></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I usually don't find myself eating unless I make a tea and perhaps there are some cookies lying around the house, lol! My favourite thing is to read a book curled up by a window with a nice hot beverage. I can't wait for winter and snowy nights.</span> </span></i></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I love to read with a tea in my hand! Preferably an English Breakfast tea from Tim Hortons. :)</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #5:</span> <i>Can you read while listening to music/watching TV?</i></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I really need complete silence. The only time I was able to listen to music while reading was in school and the reading was usually dense. The music also helped me remember and recall what I actually had read when writing a paper or writing an exam. Now I can't have any distractions. My mother on the other hand could have the t.v. on, iPod in, and still be able to focus completely on the pages she was reading.</span> </span></i></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I go back and forth. Somedays I can read with the TV blaring, or my boyfriend playing video games, but others I need complete silence. It really depends on my mood and the book I am reading.</span></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-style: italic;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #6:</span> </span><i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">One book at a time, or several at once?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I've been known to start many books at once. This is only when I can't seem to get into a book - I always start another one. I have many half read books on my book shelf. One day I'll finish them...maybe.</span> </i></span></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">One book at a time. I don't like to read around.</span></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #7:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Reading at home or everywhere?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I always have a book on me. You never know when an oporturne moment to immerse yourself back into the fantasy of the book you are reading. I can read anywhere. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I can read most places, except in moving vehicles. It's kind of horrible. It makes for very long road trips. I will say though that I do try to bring a book with me wherever I go. Sometimes my cubicle at work makes for a cozy reading spot.</span></span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #8:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Reading out loud or silently in your head?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">As embarrassing as this could be for some, when I was in my Jane Austen Literature class I use to read out loud in my room and in a British accent. I'm not sure why. Maybe I felt at the time it made it a more authentic experience, or something :) . Unless I'm reading to another I like to keep the words in my head.</span> </i></span></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I love Ashley's response! She would so do that. :) As for me, I read silently in my head. I don't have A's knack for accents.</span></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #9:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Do you read ahead or skip pages?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I've never skipped actual pages but I have skipped paragraphs. Which is fantastic during the moment because now you've made it that much closer to the end. However, it is awful when having a conversation with a fellow literature lover and they start discussing the exact paragraph you so wittingly - at the time- skipped.</span> </i></span></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span><span style="color: #d5a6bd;"> I skip NOTHING. It feels wrong to me. It might be a strange obsessive compulsive thing but I will often re-read entire paragraphs to make sure that I didn't miss anything. This makes me a SLOWWWWW reader.</span></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #10:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Breaking the spine or keeping it new?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">The reason I LOVE hardcover is that it still looks new when you are finished reading. My paper back books are ruined.</span> </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><em><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Keeping it new is always best for me. I like the look of a pristine hardcover book. However, like A my paperbacks are another story. There is a copy of the</span></em><span style="color: #d5a6bd;"> City of Bones <em>on my shelf that looks very sad.</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Question #11:</span> <i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Do you write in books?</span></i></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Ashley:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">I never write in books. I highlight for school but never put pen to paper.</span></i></span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Christie:</span> <span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I only write in books if they are for educational purposes. All of the ones I have for my personal pleasure are pen free.</span></span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="color: #666666;"> </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We tag:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/" target="_blank">Tynga's Reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Midnight Bloom Reads</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All you have to do is answer these questions, link back to the original video, and tag blog friends of your own.</span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Verdana;">Thanks, Grown Up Fan Girl!</span><br />
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Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-37070820838077071192013-09-25T07:16:00.000-04:002013-09-25T07:16:58.308-04:00The Top 10 Reasons to Read the Divergent Series!<br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">With <i>Allegiant</i> out October 22nd, it is time to share why A and I love the Divergent series so much. Here are our top 10 reasons to drop whatever you are doing and become Veronica Roth's next biggest fan.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><b>10.</b> <b>Dystopian is the New Black</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">There is something about a Young Adult dystopian novel that spells perfection. It bends our imaginations in such a way that the seemingly impossible is possible. I have read many dystopian novels, but there is something about this series that made me want to tape my eyes open just to finish another chapter as midnight passed. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">9. Faction Action</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">This series is incredibly action-packed! From start to finish each book will leave you running on adrenaline. The Dauntless faction is the best place for the main character Tris Prior because it is about being brave. It is about testing your limits. The rush that those in this faction feel, well, you feel it too.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">8.Veronica Roth is the Bee's Knees</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">I was lucky enough to meet Veronica Roth at a book signing a couple of years ago. To be honest, at the time I didn't know too much about Roth. I knew she was young, and quite clearly talented, but not much more than that. During the questions period, Roth opened up about her own fears and how debilitating they can be. I knew then that Roth was a candid, authentic author that would build a loyal following of book lovers.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">7. Control is Creepy</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">The factions in the Divergent series are really eerie in some ways. The whole idea that these characters are defined by this one trait, and controlled by a power greater than their own, can be quite haunting. The constant surveillance and restraint will leave you feeling uneasy.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">6. Chi-Town Backdrop</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Chicago is my favourite city on the planet so to have it as the backdrop in the Divergent series was most wonderful. Roth pulls together the scenes in her books with the landmarks that we know so well. The next time you are at Chicago's Navy Pier on the ferris wheel, or take a trip up the Hancock Tower, you will be filled with memories that aren't even yours.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">5. Think Tank</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Once in a while I like to read a book that doesn't make me think too hard. One that I can breeze through while lying on a beach somewhere. However then there are the other books that I go to sleep wondering about, and wake up with new questions. The Divergent series is definitely one of those. You will break down this new world that Roth has created and will uncover the roots of the society. You might think that Roth's fantasy, could one day be a reality.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">4. Book Lovers Unite</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">The community of Divergent fans is a great reason to read this series. These are people you can tweet with, blog with, and gush over Four with. Most of all though, this book loving community will help ease the pain that it is only September, and that <i>Allegiant </i>doesn't hit shelves until October.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">3. Hot Guy Alert</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Four, oh, Four. Yes...there is a dreamy guy in this book, but he is nothing like the others that you have read about. He is not a sparkling vampire, or a brooding shadowhunter, he's HUMAN. I know, shocking! Four has a tough guy shell, but is breaking inside from the memories of his past. He is handsome and brave, he is loyal and loving. Are you swooning yet?</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">2. Kick Ass Lead</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">My 13 year-old sister started reading the Divergent series after I gushed to her about it for weeks. What made me want to recommend this book to her can be summed up in two words: Tris Prior. In a world of female "role models" that make me cringe, Tris is a breath of fresh air. Although fictional, Tris is the type of person that I would want my younger sister to look up to. Tris is smart, strong, passionate, and brave, but most of all she is herself. That's the real beauty of her character.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">1. Be Brave!</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">The number one reason for reading this series is quite simple. It stems from a the message that Veronica Roth left in the copy of Divergent she signed that day: "Be brave!"</span><br />
<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Simple, and to the point, but it carries so much weight. I hope that you read this series so that you can understand the importance of being uniquely YOU, and that that in itself is how to BE BRAVE.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The third book in the Divergent series, <i>Allegiant, </i>is on its way. Get those pages turning people! You need to catch up... :) To follow the buzz hop onto Twitter to follow the HarperCollins Canada Teen Book Team @HCCFRENZY and search #ALLEGIANT!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">-C</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-3628016200394554902013-09-19T08:22:00.000-04:002013-09-19T08:22:00.843-04:002013 Debut Authors Bash with... Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon<!--[if !mso]>
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<![endif]--><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This year, we decided to join the 2013 Debut Authors Bash hosted by <a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YAReads!</a> What a fabulous idea - to have bloggers help up and coming authors get their books out there and their voices heard. We were lucky enough to get a chance to interview Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon, co-authors to the new YA novel, <i>Doon</i>. <i>Doon </i>hit shelves is bookstores on August 20th, 2013 so once you read this interview you can rush out and buy it :)</span></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">SYNOPSIS</span></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1365433872l/17745703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1365433872l/17745703.jpg" width="223" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><br />
Despite outward appearances, Veronica Welling’s life is far from
perfect. Her boyfriend is more into her competition, her mom treats her
like a meal ticket, and the blond stranger who keeps appearing out of
nowhere—well, he’d be darn near perfect, if he were real. After Vee
catches her boyfriend cheating, an epic summer in Scotland with her best
friend Mackenna Reid seems like the ultimate escape. Neither girl has
any clue they’re about to step into a destiny bigger than they could
ever imagine.</i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>Through a series of clues left by Kenna’s aunt, Vee and Kenna open a
portal and are transported to a thriving kingdom outside of time and
place. For Vee, the land of Doon is the fairytale she’s always longed
for, complete with the gorgeous blond stranger—who happens to be a flesh
and blood prince. But rather than acting like her knight in shining
armor, Jamie MacCrae treats her like a leper. Meanwhile, Jamie’s brother
Duncan shows obvious interest in Kenna, but she shuts him down, fearing
that a “love connection” will prevent her from returning to the modern
world.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>But the girls’ presence in Doon could break the enchantment that
protects the realm. In order to save Doon, the girls must risk
everything—life, love, and future—before the kingdom vanishes forever
into the mists.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>Doon is inspired by the premise of the musical Brigadoon, used with
generous permission from the Alan Jay Lerner Estate and the Frederick
Loewe Foundation. Follow the journey using the buttons to the right.</i></span></span><br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><b>BIOGRAPHY</b></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV_u-iz4Sk1Ssrur1lJBUwqGv1EzD2zDYN1OWHBu0m0CbgyJO9FQY7Vjtb-xW4g-OlbRARSCP36KblV3WCyC_Diyzlm1p8gjba4DgLNIYBw32Ag2Qa0Ry5d43c4XGjB8QkFeQWsSVanY/s1600/AA_Lorie+and+Carey+headshot_30%25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV_u-iz4Sk1Ssrur1lJBUwqGv1EzD2zDYN1OWHBu0m0CbgyJO9FQY7Vjtb-xW4g-OlbRARSCP36KblV3WCyC_Diyzlm1p8gjba4DgLNIYBw32Ag2Qa0Ry5d43c4XGjB8QkFeQWsSVanY/s320/AA_Lorie+and+Carey+headshot_30%25.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>CAREY
CORP and LORIE LANGDON came up with the idea for DOON, their debut
novel, one fateful winter morning while discussing their love of musicals.
Lorie had known since seeing Brigadoon, at age sixteen, that she wanted
more of the sleepy kingdom than the original story revealed, while Carey adored
the idea of reinventing a mythical world through the eyes of two, vastly
different, but inseparable friends—much like themselves. As ideas flew back and
forth, suddenly the village that slept for 100 years at a stretch awoke to epic
life; and DOON was born. Lorie and Carey live two hours apart, but like
Vee and Kenna, they talk and text throughout the day and have often wondered if
they share a brain. To find out more visit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Dooniverse</span></b> at <span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.doonseries.com/">www.DoonSeries.com</a></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span lang="EN-US">Q&A WITH CAREY AND LORIE:</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b><span lang="EN-US">What was it about the musical Brigadoon
that inspired you to write this book? </span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lorie: The premise is quite magical – a hidden village
that only appears to the outside world once every hundred years. But as much as
I loved the romance and mystical adventure of the musical, it always bothered
me that during the hundred years that the bridge was closed—i.e. the village
was hidden—the inhabitants of Brigadoon slept. Really? They slept for a hundred
years at a time!? I wanted more. I wanted to peek behind the curtain and see a
thriving kingdom filled with vibrant people with unique customs, struggles and
triumphs! And that’s exactly what we’ve created in Doon. :D</b></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carey: I loved the idea of telling a Sisterhood of the
Travelling Pants type story of best friends. I’m also a huge musical theater
geek—like my character Kenna, so the idea of telling a story inspired by Lerner
& Loewe’s Brigadoon had instant appeal!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><span lang="EN-US">Is it easier or harder to co-author a
book? What are some benefits of this type of writing relationship? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lorie:</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As you can imagine, one of the challenges of co-authoring
is not having complete creative control, but this can also be an advantage
because you have two brains instead of one! </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carey and I, much like our
characters, are opposite in a way that makes for a perfect balance. As writers,
we each bring different technical strengths to the table. </b></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The actual process of writing
with a co-author is fun and dynamic. Splitting responsibilities such as
blogging, promotions, and social networking is a great blessing. But the
biggest advantage is that you have someone who is equally invested. Someone you
can call at midnight with a brilliant plot idea, who <i>won’t</i> curse
you out and block your phone number. </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Carey: Ha! Lorie is trying to teach me
boundaries, but I’m not a very good student.)</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #215868; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carey: What Lorie said—especially the part about
opposites. Lorie LOVES to write bad boys, like her character Jamie. I have a
soft spot for the boy-next-door good guys, like my character Duncan.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><span lang="EN-US">If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doon</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>was turned into a movie, which castle (anywhere in the world)
would be the perfect backdrop?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carey: Continuing with the opposite theme. Lorie tends to
gravitate toward romantic fairytale castles like Burg Eltz Castle in Germany or
Neuschwanstein, the Bavarian castle best known as the inspiration for Sleeping
Beauty’s castle. That romantic fairytale quality is exactly what she brings to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doon</i>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No matter how gorgeous a castle is, I need historical
accuracy in setting and structure. Urquhart, Stirling, and Edinburgh Castles
are all very close for me. However, Castle MacCrae in Doon is inspired by a
fantasy drawing that Lorie and I love, so in a perfect world, the movie studio
would build a replica of that castle in Scotland. (Note how it is a blend of
both our preferences!)</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4GJfRI4VWS3j8RfZjO97bxi3p0hUXPciBsjPzqHTrxIfdOHP9j7Qy3lkgSnr1GqSCxoSULdYaHdfdCMahossqE6kPfNvVUf0zA26j7m7w3T1vEiiPvjbPnfnqF0Fik7qkke6DowY9Lc/s1600/Castle+MacCrae+fantasy+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4GJfRI4VWS3j8RfZjO97bxi3p0hUXPciBsjPzqHTrxIfdOHP9j7Qy3lkgSnr1GqSCxoSULdYaHdfdCMahossqE6kPfNvVUf0zA26j7m7w3T1vEiiPvjbPnfnqF0Fik7qkke6DowY9Lc/s400/Castle+MacCrae+fantasy+image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><span lang="EN-US">What kind of heroine is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doon</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">’s </i>main character Vee? Will readers be able to relate to her
easily? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lorie: Vee is very relatable. Like so many of us, her
childhood has been far from perfect. But Vee refuses to let it make her a
victim. Instead, she’s allowed that hardship to make her strong and brave. She
has a huge heart and will do anything for the people she loves, including face
some of her greatest fears. </b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: magenta;">The phrase “Destiny Awaits!” seems to
accompany this book quite often. What does this mean to you and how is it
reflected in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doon? </i></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVF-Od63s0q2eB3qwiouHb0jnIN1AsXJmNvucPm__bTxOVgU213_mcM7efVlnRvltGG1jvrUYTr3inhD0dytOsrFDk0GxXLK72ahoSgMGCD6ieN9okdY4K0NFglBvsEsAItWaF8qWQczQ/s1600/KCCTB+(1)(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVF-Od63s0q2eB3qwiouHb0jnIN1AsXJmNvucPm__bTxOVgU213_mcM7efVlnRvltGG1jvrUYTr3inhD0dytOsrFDk0GxXLK72ahoSgMGCD6ieN9okdY4K0NFglBvsEsAItWaF8qWQczQ/s320/KCCTB+(1)(1).jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carey: Most people have a basic understanding of Destiny
as the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in
the future. “Destiny Awaits” is about embracing that thing you were meant to do
with your life. What I find interesting is that “Crossing the Bridge” has
become a metaphor for the being brave enough to embrace your destiny.</b></span></div>
</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">We would like to thank Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon for stopping by and hanging out with A&C Book Junkies! We would also like to thank <a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YA Reads</a> for hosting this wonderful bash all month long. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Now for the contest: Leave a comment telling us where you would want to go if you could be transported anywhere in the past. Also don't forget to tell us where you are from and your e-mail address. Winner will receive <i>DOON </i>Swag!</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Open to US Residents only. Closes on October 4th at Midnight. Winner will be contacted through e-mail.</span></b></span></div>
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<![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #003300;"><br /></span></b><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face";"></span></span></i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face";"></span></div>
Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-85709757051257728962013-09-03T08:24:00.001-04:002013-09-03T08:24:49.475-04:002013 Debut Authors Bash Schedule!!<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This year, we will be participating in the 2013 Debut Authors Bash hosted by <a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YAReads! </a>We are very excited to be a part of this month long ode to all of those up and coming writers who are on this tour.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We know it's 2 days late (Sorry!), but here is the schedule:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<b>September 1st</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YaReads</a> - Geoffrey Girard</div>
<div>
<a href="http://swoonyboyspodcast.com/" target="_blank">Swoony Boys Podcast</a> - Jane Nickerson</div>
<div>
<a href="http://kristisbookreadery.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kristi's Book Readery</a> - Page Morgan</div>
<div>
<b>September 2nd</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://thebookbandit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Bandit</a> - Laura Lam</div>
<div>
<a href="http://wordmineur.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Word Mineur</a> - Mindee Arnett</div>
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<a href="http://www.myfriendsarefiction.com/" target="_blank">My Friends Are Fiction</a> - Samantha Shannon</div>
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<b>September 3rd</b></div>
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<a href="http://nosegraze.com/" target="_blank">Nose Graze</a> - Jessica Verdi</div>
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<a href="http://betweenprintedpages.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Between Printed Pages</a> - L. M. Augustine</div>
<div>
<a href="http://youbeenbloggedcram.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">You've Been Blogged!</a> - Jody Casella</div>
<div>
<b>September 4th</b></div>
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<a href="http://scribblerskye.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Skye's Scribblings</a> - Kasie West</div>
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<a href="http://losetimereading.com/" target="_blank">Lose Time Reading</a> - Emily Murdoch</div>
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<a href="http://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Eater of Books</a> - Kelsey Sutton</div>
<div>
<b>September 5th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.bookblogbake.com/" target="_blank">Book. Blog. Bake</a> - Lauren Miller</div>
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<a href="http://bookend2bookend.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bookend 2 Bookend</a> - Jennifer Salvato Doktorski</div>
<div>
<a href="http://musingsofablogder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Musings of a Blogder</a> - Heather Reid</div>
<div>
<a href="http://allodoxophobia.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Allodoxophobia: The Fear of Opinions</a> - Lindsey Scheibe</div>
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<b>September 6th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://magicalmanuscriptsandwritingthings.blogspot.co.nz/" target="_blank">Magical Manuscripts</a> - Shaunta Grimes</div>
<div>
<a href="http://thereadingvixens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Reading Vixens</a> - Sarah Ashley Jones</div>
<div>
<b>September 7th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://thepageturner-blog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Books for Birds</a> - April Genevieve Tucholke</div>
<div>
<a href="http://bookblather.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Blather</a> - Romily Bernard</div>
<div>
<b>September 8th</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.theunofficialaddictionbookfanclub.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club</a> - Kara Taylor</div>
<div>
<a href="http://readrinserepeat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Inspiring Insomnia</a> - Stephanie Kuehn</div>
<div>
<b>September 9th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://kissedbyink.com/" target="_blank">Kissed by Ink</a> - Ellen Oh</div>
<div>
<a href="http://sleepsontables.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sleeps on Tables</a> - J.R. Johansson</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.alwaysyaatheart.com/" target="_blank">Always YA at Heart</a> - Amanda Sun</div>
<div>
<b>September 10th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://misclisa.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Loves Lit</a> - A.G. Howard</div>
<div>
<a href="http://whyanot.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">whYAnot Reviews</a> - Liz Fichera</div>
<div>
<a href="http://samanthaclark.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Samantha Clark </a>- Claire M. Caterer</div>
<div>
<b>September 11th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://rampantreaders.com/" target="_blank">Rampant Readers</a> - Leah Miller</div>
<div>
<a href="http://emilyscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Emily's Crammed Bookshelf</a> - T. Michael Martin</div>
<div>
<b>September 12th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://theuninterruptedreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Uninterrupted Reader</a> - Cat Winters</div>
<div>
<a href="http://thebookbeacon.com/%20" target="_blank">The Book Beacon</a> - Christina Mercer</div>
<div>
<b>September 13th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://ahandfulofconfetti.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Read & Reviewed</a> - Lindsay Ribar</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.paranormal-bookclub.com/" target="_blank">Paranormal Book Club</a> - Kit Grindstaff</div>
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<b>September 14th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://booksasyouknowit.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Books as You Know it</a> - Mary Gray</div>
<div>
<a href="http://paranormalreadsreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Paranormal Reads</a> - Elsie Chapman</div>
<div>
<a href="http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bibliophilia, Please</a> - Helen Douglas</div>
<div>
<b>September 15th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://thebookcellarx.com/" target="_blank">The Book Cellar</a> - Erin Bowman</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.fantasybookaddict.com/" target="_blank">Fantasy Book Addict</a> - Miriam Forster</div>
<div>
<b>September 16th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://pondacrossthepond.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pond Across the Pond</a> - Laurie Crompton</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YaReads</a> - Debra Driza</div>
<div>
<b>September 17th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/" target="_blank">Teen Librarian Toolbox</a> - Mindy McGinnis</div>
<div>
<a href="http://lebooksquirrel.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Le'Book Squirrel</a> - Kimberly Ann Miller</div>
<div>
<a href="http://findingblissinbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Finding Bliss in Books</a> - Lydia Kang</div>
<div>
<b>September 18th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.tigerlilyrachel.com/" target="_blank">Rachel Reads</a> - Errica Lorraine Scheidt</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.kentuckygeekgirl.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky Geek Girl</a> - Holly Smale</div>
<div>
<b>September 19th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://turningpages2011.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Turning Pages</a> - Amy Butler Greenfield</div>
<div>
<a href="http://beautyandthebookshelf.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beauty and the Bookshelf </a>- Alison Cherry</div>
<div>
<b>September 20th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://synchronizedreading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Synchronized Reading</a> - J.L Spelbring</div>
<div>
<a href="http://%20http//readingismytreasure.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Reading is My Treasure</a> - Kristin Halbrook</div>
<div>
<a href="http://acbookjunkies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A&C Book Junkies</a> - Carey Corp</div>
<div>
<b>September 21st</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://playingjokers.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Playing Jokers</a> - Lenore Appelhans</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.lizzylessard.com/" target="_blank">Lizzie's Dark Fiction</a> - Elizabeth May</div>
<div>
<b>September 22nd</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://smbbblog13.blogspot.com/p/about-book-bitches.html" target="_blank">Sandwich Making Book Bitches</a> - Anne Applegate</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.littlebookwormreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Little Bookwork Reviews</a> - Jennifer Iacopelli</div>
<div>
<b>September 23rd</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.moosubi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Moosubi Reviews</a> - Megan Shepherd</div>
<div>
<a href="http://littlemisstrainwreck.com/" target="_blank">Little Miss Trainwreck</a> - Julianna Scott</div>
<div>
<b>September 24th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.fictionators.com/" target="_blank">Fictionators</a> - Emma Trevayne</div>
<div>
<a href="http://pimplespopularityandprotagonists.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pimples, Popularity, and Protagonists</a> - Corey Ann Haydu</div>
<div>
<b>September 25th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://breathofbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Breath of Books</a> - Steven dos Santos</div>
<div>
<a href="http://jennzah.net/" target="_blank">Jennzah </a>- Chelsea Pitcher</div>
<div>
<b>September 26th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nightlyreading.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nightly Reading</a> - Liz Coley</div>
<div>
<a href="http://pandorasbooks.org/" target="_blank">Pandora's Books</a> - Kelly A. Barson</div>
<div>
<b>September 27th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://forever17books.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Forever 17 Books</a> - Amie Kaufman</div>
<div>
<a href="http://mybookopolis.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Bookopolis </a>- Jamie Blair</div>
<div>
<b>September 28th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nicksbookblog93.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick's Book Blog</a> - Jennifer McGowan</div>
<div>
<a href="http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Curling Up with a Good Book</a> - Leila Howland</div>
<div>
<b>September 29th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.exlibriskate.com/" target="_blank">Ex Libris</a> - Mindy Raf</div>
<div>
<a href="http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Adventures in YA Publishing </a>- Carly Ann West</div>
<div>
<b>September 30th</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.yareads.com/" target="_blank">YaReads</a> - J.J. Howard</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.fiction-freak.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fiction Freak</a> - Kate Karyus Quinn</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Make sure you check each one of these Authors and blogs out!</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A & C</span></span></div>
Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-31515878039825103452013-08-18T21:28:00.000-04:002013-08-18T21:28:13.682-04:00REVIEW: Dead Silence (The Body Finder #4) by Kimberly Derting<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Title:</span></i> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Dead Silence</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZwhA-XW-NDGxVA7vpLH7RQ5CJvoMSx49Juhyphenhyphen7m4N0DboHzNHIOoFkDAFg7KdS4Fw06fOCqr5_KurYw_aYnw0jP9K5LDEx7_Pbt3pig-lVL91xpTt27o-hbOYFf-ms7U8UOzYObpJBBU/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZwhA-XW-NDGxVA7vpLH7RQ5CJvoMSx49Juhyphenhyphen7m4N0DboHzNHIOoFkDAFg7KdS4Fw06fOCqr5_KurYw_aYnw0jP9K5LDEx7_Pbt3pig-lVL91xpTt27o-hbOYFf-ms7U8UOzYObpJBBU/s1600/images.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;"><br />Author:</span></i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> Kimberly Derting</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Publisher:</span></i> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">HarperCollins</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Rating:</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">4/5 stars</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.</span><br style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.</span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #ead1dc; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">*****</span></i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">There is something about this series by Kimberly Derting that really intrigues me. I often think back to when I first read <i>The Body Finder </i>and it still fills me with the same eeriness that it did then. A mix of supernatural and crime thriller, Derting's series is different from a lot of the Young Adult Fiction on the market. It makes our world seem frightening, and yet provides a glimmer of hope in the form of a teenage heroine, Violet Ambrose. The newest book in the series, titled <i>Dead Silence, </i>gave me the same goose flesh that I was expecting, and reunited me with the characters that I know and love.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Violet has changed a lot since the beginning of her story and yet she still experiences echoes the same way she did as a child. Those who have been murdered call to Violet; they use echoes to reach out to her in the hopes that she will find their body. The same unique echo that lingers on a victim is what can be found on their killer. This connection helps Violet solve murder cases, but it is also what plagues her. Defending herself against her kidnapper left Violet with her own imprint - a melody that plays in her head on repeat. The love/hate relationship she has with her imprint is very confusing for Violet, but not as confusing as her feelings for Rafe. </span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Violet's relationship with Jay has been one of my favourite parts of this series. They were friends first, and that has helped them build a sweet, loyal and passionate relationship. Derting's description of the butterflies Violet feels every time she sees Jay makes me crack a smile. Despite Jay's understanding of Violet's gift, there will always be someone out there who understands her even more than he ever could - Rafe. Under the surface of her composed exterior, Violet is questioning the feelings she has for Rafe. While she never says it outright, it is clear that there is something brewing there that will eventually rise to the surface. </span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Although Jay and Rafe understand Violet, it is the relationship that Violet has with her grandmother that is the most pivotal in this book. Violet's grandmother shared the same gift, and even though she passed away, she delivers something truly invaluable from the grave. The secrets in her grandmother's past give Violet the keys to her own future; they give her the confidence to challenge those around her. With her grandmother's spirit shadowing her along the way, Violet is truly able to understand the importance of her gift. With a sadistic killer on the loose, it becomes increasingly important for Violet to believe in what she can do.</span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">What you don't see nearly enough, or executed quite as brilliantly, is Derting's ability to write from a killer's perspective. The switch between her third person narrative of Violet's life, to that of following a killer's every move, is in turn why this series is so addictive.The killer in </span><i style="color: #b4a7d6;">Dead Silence </i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">though is in many ways very different from those throughout the series. Derting definitely took a shocking turn with this book, and with the killer, but for me it was welcomed. Although I would have liked to uncover more about the killer's Charles Manson like persona, what is delivered will haunt your thoughts. The crimes are gruesome and cryptic and will have you checking the locks on your front door.</span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">If you have not picked up this series yet then I encourage you to do so. Derting's mix of psychotic killers and supernatural heroes is a win all around. <i>Dead Silence </i>is yet another gem in <i>The Body Finder </i>series.</span><br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">-Christie</span><br />
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<br />Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-13068354609907003332013-08-12T09:24:00.001-04:002013-08-12T09:24:13.044-04:00Review: BRANDED (Sinners #1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/913641_510716252329095_1405385494_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/913641_510716252329095_1405385494_o.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b>Title:</b></span></i> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Branded</span><br />
<i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><b>Authors:</b></span> </i><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://www.abiandmissy.com/" target="_blank">Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><b>Publisher:</b></i></span> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Self Published</span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><b>Format:<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> </span></b></i></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Kindle </span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><b>Rating:</b></i></span> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">4.5/5 Stars</span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><i><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Fifty years ago the
Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his
warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He
created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and
might survive a few years. At best. <br />Now LUST wraps around my neck
like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t
commit and now the Hole is my new home. <br /><br />Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. <br /><br />Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.<br /><br />The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. <br />I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. <br />My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">***** </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">I first came across <i>Branded </i>on Twitter. I was going through tweets on my feed and I came across one from <a href="https://twitter.com/AbiandMissy" target="_blank">@abiandmissy </a>asking if there were any bloggers/reviewers who would be interested in reading reviewing their novel, <i>Branded. </i>As our blog is titled A&C Book Junkies of course I jumped at the opportunity to read and review <i>Branded.</i> I quickly found the book on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded" target="_blank">Goodreads,</a> read the synopsis and tweeted Abi and Missy back. Now my journey reading the Branded is over and here is my review:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><i>Branded</i> begins with a rather startling and emotionally jarring scene of Lexi Hamilton getting ready to end her life. Right away you know that the heroine of this story is one who has not had an easy life. You immediately want to save her. The story begins quickly and you find yourself thrown into Lexi's chaos. There is no rest on Lexi's. She is brought to the Hole where she will live the rest of her life as a branded sinner. The Hole is a place of dread which is described by Abi and Missy to give you chills. The gloom that hangs over the "sinners" of society is described in detail by the state of the buildings, hunger, violence and sadness. As a convicted Sinner of Lust, Lexi must now live everyday in fear: Fear for her life, fear for those around her. She never seems to be safe and always finds herself the center of unwanted attention. Around every corner lies a pair of peering eyes waiting for the moment when Lexi is left unguarded.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Speaking of unguarded, that now brings my attention to Cole. He is assigned to Lexi as her guard when she enters the Hole. I found it difficult to want to hate Cole. Even from the beginning when he was stern and unforgiving with Lexi, there was something about his character that made me hold onto a little bit of hope. Cole with his loving sidekick, Zeus bring something very different to a place where dread seeps from the broken foundation and broken souls. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Then there is Alyssa. My goodness this girl just makes your emotions jump all over the place. She was a wonderful addition the story and was very much needed to give light in a time and place of darkness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Sutton, the caring Doctor, brings stability to the story. He always seems to be rational when needed and is a solid foundation to the little group of good people Lexi finds herself caring about. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><i>Branded</i> was a page turner. It keeps you on your toes the entire time, never faltering in plot, character development and emotion. Your heart breaks for the characters as they try to fight for their lives daily in the Hole and you want nothing more than to see them succeed! The emotional attachment and investment is instantaneous. From the beginning pages, Lexi's story is one you want to be a part of. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><i>Branded</i> deals with the possibility of a government taking away our rights to make mistakes: To live our life, try new things, fall in love. In this controlling regime, even one mistake, one lie, one slip of the tongue will have the Commander's guards swoop down and take you to the Hole. It is here that you are branded for life with the sin you committed. Your punishment for perhaps being in the wrong place at the wrong time, falling in love, trying to feed your starving family...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">I highly recommend <i>Branded </i>to all who love Dystopian worlds, those who love a story of survival, a love story or simply an adventure. If you loved Hunger Games, Divergent (books of that nature) <i>Branded</i> is just the book for you! <i>Branded</i> was an emotional roller coaster that I'm glad I was able to be a part of. I can't wait until Abi and Missy release book two in this series. </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Thank you Abi and Missy for gifting me with a copy of Branded! </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span id="freeText15588100297790946042">Make sure you check out their Twitter, Goodreads and Website! All links can be found within the post. </span></span></i></div>
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<span id="freeText15588100297790946042"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">-Ashley </span></span></div>
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Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-89194730869100804702013-08-12T08:39:00.000-04:002013-08-12T08:39:30.834-04:00Review: STOLEN NIGHTS (Vampire Queen #2)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Title:</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Stolen Nights</span></span><br />
<a href="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344344345l/8590082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344344345l/8590082.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Author:</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://rebeccamaizel.com/" target="_blank">Rebecca Maizel</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Publisher:</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://us.macmillan.com/stolennights/RebeccaMaizel" target="_blank">St. Martin's Griffin</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Rating:</span></i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">4/5 stars</span></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">A new year is beginning at Wickham Boarding School. A new chance at life, at reversing the evil in my past. But nothing is ever as simple it seems...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Last year, the love of my life died performing a ritual to fulfill my one wish and make me human. And now I’ve performed the same ritual for my friend Vicken – and survived. Why am I here, back safe on Wickham campus?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The strong magic I used in the ritual did more than just make Vicken human. It drew someone to Lover’s Bay who does not belong here. She wants the ritual. Then she wants me dead. And she will take down any and everyone in my life to get what she wants.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">As if that weren’t enough, the ritual has also summoned the anger of the Aeris, the four elements and most fundamental powers on earth. They have a surprise and an unbearable punishment for me – like stepping into the sun for the first time, only to be put into a cage. And now I have to make an impossible choice – between love or life, yearning or having, present or past…</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I first fell in love with Lenah, Rhode and Vicken in <i>Infinite Days.</i> An emotional roller coaster, <i>Infinite Days</i> was a story in which I found myself completely compelled by. At the time in which this novel was read I was so eager to get my hands on a copy of <i>Stolen Nights</i>, but it wasn’t in ARC circulation and it wouldn’t be published until January 2012. Well we are now in 2013 and I have just finished reading this second installment in Rebecca Maizel’s Vampire Queen series. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Trying to get through the first couple of chapters -- after having read<i> Infinite Days </i>two years prior -- was a challenge. I was struggling to find the emotional connection that was so instantaneous when I read the opening chapters of <i>Infinite Days. </i>Once I was able to re-enter into Lenah’s crazy human life I was able to immerse myself fully into the story. As <i>Stolen Nights </i>begins to take flight we are quickly reminded how Lenah’s life was turned upside down with the sudden return of Rhode, her true love; her soul mate. Not only is Lenah still trying to figure life out as a human, she now has her soul mate back in her life, just as her relationship with Justin has taken off. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I am a Rhode lover. No offence to any Justin fans out there, but it’s hard to contend with that all encompassing, can’t live without each other love we all hope to find one day. Now that Rhode is alive and well we really get to see his anguish and hurt over Lenah and all that they must face in<i> Stolen Nights</i>. The relationship between Lenah and Rhode is heartbreaking. I silently cheered -- and sometimes out loud -- that Rhode would wake up and the two of them would ride off towards the sunset together. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That isn’t the case. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Lenah, Rhode and Vicken have many trials and tribulations they must overcome during the duration of this novel. Rebecca Maizel does not make their journey easy and that is precisely why this novel was so well delivered. The characters develop throughout and they all must come to terms with how different and difficult life as a human will be. They are still mourning over the loss of Tony in<i> Infinite Days</i>, and they are struggling, deep within themselves to protect those they love while protecting themselves. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The end of the book left me in agony. Yet again, I sat on my balcony sobbing as I finished the last few chapters. I've been seeing a trend lately with epilogues. I'm not sure if these authors simply like to torture us, or if it really is important to the plot of the next installment. Either way, the epilogue at the end of <i>Stolen Nights</i> left me baffled and filled with slight hope. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Did I fall in love with <i>Stolen Nights</i> as I did with <i>Infinite Days</i>? No. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The love for <i>Stolen Nights </i>came with time. As I grew more attached to the direction in which the story was taking and became more engrossed with the read, I slowly started loving it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I will say this: <i>Stolen Nights</i> left me craving more Lenah, Rhode and Vicken!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">If you are a fan of star crossed lovers, vampires, a well written novel and simply an enjoyable read, I recommend you pick up <i>Stolen Nights.</i> If you haven't read<i> Infinite Days </i>yet, here's my review: <a href="http://acbookjunkies.blogspot.ca/2010/09/review-infinite-days-vampire-queen-1.html" target="_blank">Infinite Days Review</a>. Go pick up a copy. I don't think you'll be disappointed!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Ashley </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-56903878373582691642013-08-02T17:44:00.000-04:002013-08-02T17:44:25.450-04:00Double Review: Divergent & Insurgent (By: Veronica Roth)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Title: </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Divergent</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Author: </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Veronica Roth</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Publisher:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"> <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Divergent-Veronica-Roth?isbn=9780062024039&HCHP=TB_Divergent" target="_blank">Katherine Tegan Books/HarperCollins</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>Rating:</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"> 5/5 stars</span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Title:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"> Insurgent</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Author:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank"> Veronica Roth</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;"><i>Publisher:</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Insurgent-Collectors-Edition-Veronica-Roth?isbn=9780062234933&HCHP=TB_Insurgent:+Collector+s+Edition" target="_blank"> Katherine Tegan Books/HarperCollins</a></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Rating:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"> 4.5/5 stars</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc;">Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've had </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Divergent</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in my possession since it first came out. Christie read it and LOVED it! I'm pretty sure she bought it for everyone she knows for birthday's, Christmas presents etc just so she could share this Dystopian universe with the rest of us. Thank goodness that she did! It may have taken me awhile to read it, but that has no bearing on the story or my inability to actually start or finish the book. I simply didn't have time...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">In <i>Divergent</i>, Veronica Roth has introduces us to Chicago during a time when the world has changed drastically: society lives in this kind of bubble, divided into factions. How you do on your test results is the faction that best suits you. For Tris, finding her faction does not come easy and it is a continuous struggle for her not only in <i>Divergent</i> but as her story continues in <i>Insurgent</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Along the way, as Tris struggles with her identity she is faced with both friends and foes as heroines usually are. We meet many people along the way <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">and Veronica Roth never gives away what kind of people they will be. Can Tris trust them? Will they become allies or adversaries? Trying to find who you are is always a difficult battle. Where do you belong? Where do you best fit in? In this Dystopian world, to be different – not fitting into one of the factions – is a crime. It becomes extremely important to Tris on who she can or cannot trust. Cue Four! I’m not even sure how this world would function without him. I would be extremely sad if his existence was not present. He brings a different dynamic to the books. His strength and determination are admirable. Not too mention he is completely swoon worthy, ladies! </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">These books bring forth the reality that trying to create the perfect society where everyone fits in within their respective faction is unrealistic. There will always be people that excel in having multiple ways of thinking in their heads. To ask people to repress their need to learn, to fight, to care, to be selfless, and to be honest is in a way creating robots. <i>Divergent </i>and <i>Insurgent</i> break down those boundaries drawn within this Dystopian world through Tris and the people around her that are not willing to conform to one specific way of thinking. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I cannot wait to see what happens next as Tris and the rest of the characters continue their adventure into the unknown. Veronica Roth has created a world in which the reader is grabbed by their collar and pulled through the pages into a Chicago unlike the one we know today. This world offers readers love, betrayal, sacrifice and above all the quest to find ones’ own identity in a world where your identity is forced upon you, no matter how different you may be. I highly recommend you pick up these books and find your world turned upside down as you enter Dystopian Chicago. Travel side by side with Tris as she tries to find herself in the midst of chaos and destruction. You won’t regret this literary adventure! </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">-Ashley</span></div>
Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-83142229514543978912013-07-25T22:19:00.000-04:002013-07-25T22:21:36.870-04:00Review: The Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Title:</b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><b> </b>The Program</span></span></span><br style="color: #ffc5c5; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #ead1dc; font-weight: bold;">Author: </span><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Suzanne Young</span></span></span><br style="color: #ffc5c5; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Rating: </b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> 4.5/5</span></span></span><br style="color: #ffc5c5; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Publisher:</b> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Simon Pulse</span></span></span><br style="color: #ffc5c5; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Age Group: </b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">YA and older </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.</span><br style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">*****</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">It's not everyday that a young adult author tackles the sensitive subject of teenage suicides, but Suzanne Young brings the issue to the forefront in her dystopian thriller, <i>The Program.</i> Based in a society where suicide is an epidemic, Young's heroine Sloane is trying to avoid getting flagged for depression and placed in The Program. </span></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">This novel, although a work of science fiction, provoked a real and relevant debate inside me: Is it better to be numb, or to risk feeling everything? Doctors in the 21st century seem to medicate young people more and more when they display depressed or anxious tendencies, but is it right? Young really took this idea to the next level in this book, but there are real roots to the questions she proposes. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">From start to finish <i>The Program</i> had me on edge. It made me mad, sad, happy and fearful. The way that the story is told is quite unique and really had an emotional impact. Sloane's memories are kept close through the beginning of the book, but soon start to unravel as she loses control. As her stories are revealed, we the audience become the ones with the power. Our knowledge of Sloane's life becomes greater than her own as she begins to lose herself and questions everything around her. It is hard to not want to scream out the truth and just hope that Sloane can hear you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Sloane was for me the kind of heroine that I could relate to easily; she was grounded, passionate and sweet. Despite all of this, I found myself wanting more from Sloane. There were moments that she could have proved her strength, where she could have risen above her reality and fought, but she didn't. </span></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> By no means did I dislike her character, I guess I just wanted to see the side of her that I knew existed deep within. </span></span><span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">What I am looking forward to most in the sequel to this book is to see Sloane push herself, and to know that she is ready to fight for what she wants.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">One of the best parts of this book is the strong relationships that Sloane builds. Watching those around her commit suicide, or be forced into The Program, really left this need in Sloane to hold onto the present. Her connection with James in particular really resonated with me. It made me scared to forget the precious moments I have with loved ones, and kept me wondering if what is meant to be will always be. In many ways this book is full of loss, but it appears in so many different ways. I suppose this was the cause of an almost enjoyable heartbreak for me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">The Program is a very neat concept for a young adult novel, and it immediately captured my attention. There were definitely pieces of Sloane's story that shocked me, and ones that kept me flipping through the pages. The end of this book just thrilled me though because it left puzzle pieces scattered everywhere, and no time to put them back together. A true cliffhanger. If you like other young adult dystopian books, and are looking for a fast paced read, then I hope <i>The Program </i>finds its way onto your bookshelf. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">- Christie</span></span></div>
Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-91886252240004428192013-07-18T17:38:00.003-04:002013-07-18T17:38:22.734-04:00Review: Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices #3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Title:<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"> </span></b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices #3)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Author: </b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Cassandra Clare</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Rating: </b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">5/5 </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Publisher:</b> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Simon and Schuster Canada</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Simon and Schuster US</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Age Group: </b><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">YA and older </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING</span></span> <i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />A net of shadows
begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless
automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to
complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.</span></span> <span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />Charlotte Branwell,
head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he
strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim
to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though
Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.</span></span> <span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />As
those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches,
Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can
a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down
an entire army?</span></span> </i><span style="color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br />Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment,
and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters
are pushed to the </i>very brink of destruction in the breathtaking
conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where do I begin? This book had absolutely everything you could ask for from any king of novel. There was adventure, love and loss, good and bad. I smiled and I also cried. I cried like a baby, actually. It’s hard to have your heart rejoice and break in a matter of seconds. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Once again Cassandra Clare has left audiences asking questions about the future of the Shadowhunter world. This actually makes me want to re-read the entire Mortal Instruments series (to date) again. Something I plan on doing before the movie comes out. Clockwork Princess most definitely is a book that is full of emotion. It is a book that deals with overcoming obstacles that seem absolutely, mind boggling, impossible to overcome. How far would you go for the people you love? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This book also plays to the hearts of both the Will and Jem lovers out there. Will has come so far since we were first introduced to him in Clockwork Angel. He’s still the mysterious boy with the dark hair and blue eyes that 1/2 of us fell in love with. He never loses his comedic touch... okay well maybe for a minute, but give the guy a break! He goes through a lot in this installment of the series. I fell in love with Will’s character the moment we first meet him in Clockwork Angel and that love just intensified throughout Clockwork Princess. He does whatever he can to make those he loves happy. His feelings always come second. This trait, although has flaws, is admirable. We could all learn a lesson on selflessness from Will. And then we have the introduction of WIll's sister Cecily, which we met in at the end of Clockwork Prince. The family dynamics between the siblings builds throughout and you really start to love Cecily. She only had her brother's best interest at heart. They really are the same in appearance and mind. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Jem is another strong character that has much to battle in this third book. His journey in Clockwork Princess</span> is not an easy one, but I feel that the Jem lovers’ out there will be with how Cassandra Clare decided to end it. </div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Tessa is again a strong and brilliant female lead, but it was Charlotte who came up and stole the spotlight. She does what women were not able to do during that time: she becomes a strong and respected leader. And then of course there is our beloved Magnus Bane. He plays a larger role in this book and thank goodness, because who doesn't love more Magnus? Magnus is such a tragically complex character and Clockwork Princess only reinforces that. He is an enigma. One of my favourite quotes in the book comes from Magnus. It was one of those lines that make you stop and think. He sees everything that goes on with all of the characters and can read Tessa and Will especially well. He is enlightened and sad all at the same time. When you live forever and watch love after love die, how can you not be? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The only thing that I didn't love in Clockwork Princess was the epilogue. It was definitely a huge twist and I wasn't emotionally prepared for it, at all. It should have had a warning: "May require a box of tissue." I can see a split in whether people love or dislike this ending. I won't say more for fear of a spoiler. You'll just have to read and find out if you like it yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Clockwork Princess was my favourite of the 3 in this series. The book is fast paced with twists at every corner. You never know what the characters are going to do or what the outcome of those actions might be. A fantastic read that you won’t be able to put down. I highly recommend this read to readers of all ages!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">-Ashley</span></div>
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</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-83990983548120546742013-07-11T17:41:00.000-04:002013-07-11T17:41:11.041-04:00Review: Magic Study (Study #2)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b style="color: #ead1dc;">Title:</b><i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Magic Study (Study #2)</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b style="color: #ead1dc;">Author:</b> <a href="http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books/magic01.php" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Maria V.Snyder</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b style="color: #ead1dc;">Rating:</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"> 4/5 </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Publisher:</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Mira </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Age Level:</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">YA and older</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Confronting The Past - Controlling The Future. With an execution order on her head, Yelena has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth. With only a year to master her magic – or face death – Yelena must begin her apprenticeship and travels to the Four Towers of the Magician’s Keep. But nothing in Sitia is familiar. Not the family to whom she is a stranger. Not the unsettling new facets of her magic. Not the brother who resents her return. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her rare powers, a rogue magician emerges – and Yelena catches his eye. Suddenly she is embroiled in battle against good and evil. And once again it will be her magical abilities that will either save her life…or be her downfall.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">******</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">After being forced to leave Ixia, or else lose her life at the hands of the one she loves most, our beloved Yelena is off on another adventure. This time the promise of finding her family and more about who she is, Yelena travels into Sitia and unfamiliar territory. Since her whole life was spent a prisoner in one way or another, freedom is embraced quite differently from Yelena. Uncomfortable without rules, Yelena is thrown into the depths of a magical realm in which she is free to come and go as she pleases and dress without the uniform she had worn as far back as she could remember, </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">With this new life ahead of her she must leave behind her other half, Valek, and go on a journey of self discovery. Self discovery that leads Yelena on yet another dangerous in enthralling mission. This novel focuses on Yelena as a magician, rather than Yelena the food taster. She begins to understand her powers more but is also mystified by them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Yelena is faced again with both friend and foe and magical abilities that haven’t been seen in hundreds of years. She becomes both a god of sorts and an evil. She also continues to show case how much she cares and is driven by the need to help those in need, even if it gets her into trouble. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Again, Maria V. Snyder has written Yelena to be a strong and determined female character who is willing to go miles in order to save - not only her loved ones - but those she barely knows at all. Driven by her emotions, however, may end up being her one ultimate downfall which only time will tell. Her strong willed nature is met with great opposition and adds to the many battles Yelena must face in Magic Study. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">What I love about Maria V. Snyder’s character development is how she makes them all independent and dependent at the same time. They all have people they care for and are willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. However, they can all hold their own and when duty calls, they are able to balance both. Yes, there is a love story here. Yes, I love the fact that there is one interwoven into the narrative. I’m a hopeless romantic so of course the moment a book introduces a great love story I’m all over it. However, Magic Study doesn’t focus on that. It focuses on the story and where Yelena’s battles will take her in Sitia with the love of Valek always in the background. We are aware of its presence throughout the story, but it never takes over the story. The story isn’t a love story. It is a story that tells of the trials and tribulations one woman has had to overcome and face from the time she was a young girl .It doesn’t always come easy for Yelena in Magic Study, but she never gives up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Another exhilarating, fast paced, adventure in which the heroine always ask questions later.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">-Ashley </span></span></div>
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Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-23317484611290525562013-07-07T20:13:00.001-04:002013-07-11T17:24:43.131-04:00Review: Poison Study <a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQnXHrXlJv2EOiWE8KBj3ckV39HWIiMMDzJBSpAiFOtqPfGBdx" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" id="irc_mi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQnXHrXlJv2EOiWE8KBj3ckV39HWIiMMDzJBSpAiFOtqPfGBdx" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="205" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="color: #f4cccc;"><b>Title:</b></span> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Poison Study</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="color: #f4cccc;"><b>Author:</b></span> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><a href="http://www.mariavsnyder.com/" target="_blank">Maria V. Snyder</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <span style="color: #f4cccc;"><b>Publisher:</b></span> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="http://www.mirabooks.co.uk/books/Mira/Poison-Study.htm" target="_blank">Mira</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <b> <span style="color: #f4cccc;">Rating:</span></b> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">5/5</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <b> <span style="color: #f4cccc;">Age Level:</span></b> <span style="color: #b4a7d6;">YA and older</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #f4cccc;"><i>About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary
reprieve. She''ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace- and
risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #f4cccc;"><i>And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of
security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her
Butterfly''s Dusté and only by appearing for her daily antidote
will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.</i></span></span><br />
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</i></span></span><span style="color: #f4cccc;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep
mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical
powers she can''t control. Her life is threatened again and choices
must be made. But this time the o</span>utcomes aren''t so clear.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">****** </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've had this book as well as the the other two in this 3 book series since 2010. Back when I was out of school for a year and reading like a mad woman, I purchased a large quantity of books that I had read good reviews about from fellow bloggers, books that had been suggested to me by family and friends, and just books that piqued my interest. This series was brought to my attention by my beautiful cousins - who like me are reading obsessed. Since the blog has been inactive I've still been reading, just not in the quantities that I once read. So life resumed and few books had been purchased and read, however I was struggling to find time to dedicate to my love of literature and the world in which surrounds it. A lot of that had to do with going back to school and getting my Honours English BA. It really limited the time I had to read just for fun, which - although beyond gratifying to receive my degree - sad. So with that, my first review is of a book that I had forgot I owned but glad to rediscover its existence.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This novel by Maria V. Snyder was almost like nothing I have ever read or come across in all of my literary adventures. The novel begins with our heroine, Yelena, thrown in a dungeon about to lose a year long battle for her life. From the beginning, Yelena must endure obstacles that would ruin the soul and destroy the body. Her fragile state is hard to endure for the first few chapters. As you read on you soon come to realize that this heroine is tough, strong, and motivated to not let her past and current situation define who she is. The strength written in Yelena's character is so motivating, it made me more mentally aware that strength within myself and others. We might just have to dig a little deeper to find it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As a food taster we get to see Yelena battle for her life every day and never give up the fight. With each bite she takes her life is on the line. But it is through the strength she gets from this battle that she is able to learn how to stand up for herself. She meets new people who become friends and she builds a life out of the impossible.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The character of Valek is one of mystery. You never know what he is planning, what his motives are and if he really cares for Yelena or if he is just bound to her by duty and honour. He is a well written enigma that you want to hate throughout the novel, but you just can't. He ends up being a very lovable character. All of us would be so lucky to have the loyalty and heart of someone like Valek in our lives.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The character development has been done extremely well by Maria V.Snyder Yelena begins as a fragile, barely there girl who grows into a strong and ambitious woman. The obstacles placed in her way cause many problems for the young heroine but never does she let those hindrances beat her. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This book left me craving more. I was so engrossed with the plot and characters that I read through the night to finish. Something I haven't done in a long time. As images of poison and magic swirled around in my dreams, I knew it wasn't going to take long for me to finish this series. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yelena is a heroine that girls will respect. She jumps off of the pages to tell us all - as women (and as men) - that we can do anything and everything if we put our minds to it. There is an inner strength in all women, we just need to realize it so it will shine through. Yelena did this for me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I highly recommend this book for magic lovers and people who just want an adventure with one tough chick! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-Ashley </span></span><br />
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Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-60939942485975938332011-08-07T17:30:00.000-04:002011-08-07T17:30:53.948-04:00ARC Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt_-I4jtEHderqlYYC2sdhyphenhyphenb5AQRld0fgaf7QyM5qCIKlbBPe8nSJhyphenhyphenzyRziGSHwC3aUeLPpBfXadY7vsL7D6Qdf7Cf5Z2-4rdUUozdFo79qpEFqmVBMiiqoN1oO6djr82SJTo6JiYfEx/s1600/Wildefire+GR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt_-I4jtEHderqlYYC2sdhyphenhyphenb5AQRld0fgaf7QyM5qCIKlbBPe8nSJhyphenhyphenzyRziGSHwC3aUeLPpBfXadY7vsL7D6Qdf7Cf5Z2-4rdUUozdFo79qpEFqmVBMiiqoN1oO6djr82SJTo6JiYfEx/s320/Wildefire+GR.jpg" t$="true" width="212px" /></a></div><em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Title:</span> </em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Wildefire</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Author:</span> </em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Karsten Knight</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Publisher:</span> </em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Simon & Schuster</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Release Date:</span></em> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">July 26, 2011</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span> </em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">3.5 of 5</span><br />
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<em>Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.</em><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">**********</span></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #674ea7;">I know you're really not supposed to judge a book by the cover, but what about the author? Does the same rule apply? It would be nice to know the answer to this so that my little girl crush over <em>Wildefire </em>author Karsten Knight is justified. With that aside, it must be said that when this lovely ARC of <em>Wildefire </em>made its way into my hands I was thrilled to start reading. It is not often that I pick up a book written by a male author so it was refreshing to open up the pages and to have Knight introduce his reader to a new breed of female heroine.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">Ashline Wilde is anything but boring; she's quick witted, sassy, independent and strong with a shimmer of vulnerability. Knight has written from a perspective that empowers this female character and makes her someone to be admired. Ashline and her sister Eve are well thought characters that truly reflect the basic duality of good and evil. As the <em>Adam and Eve</em> of this story, Eve is left convincing Ashline that there is more for them than what lies in their current surroundings. She offers Ash a taste of the <em>forbidden fruit </em>and to join her on a journey to what she deemed to be better.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">One element of this book that I truly admired was how Knight incorporated various cultures into the storyline. Each god and goddess grew up in a different part of the world and yet they have this unparalleled connection to each other. The writing method used to explain their gifts gives the reader the opportunity to see each god or goddess in their own surroundings. While their unique gifts are powerful alone, this group of young people has been drawn together so they can be used for something greater. This whole theme of unity, and of power, caught my attention and reminded me in some ways of X-Men. A group of gifted young people who are seeking understanding, solace and acceptance without being totally conscious of their need for this. Kind of a nice twist. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">What I found in<em> Wildefire</em> was that there was so much that could have surfaced that never really had the chance to. With a handful of characters, and each of them with such unique powers, it is hard to give enough time to each one. Ashline's journey took precedence over the others which was almost bittersweet given the complexities of the rest of the gods and goddesses. It almost felt as though there are a lot of loose ends still waiting to be tied up. My fear is that a few of the stories have had the doors closed on them and that the information behind will never be uncovered.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><em>Wildfire</em> is an interesting read that looks at gods and goddesses from a different angle. Knight's character's are well developed, including his sharp tongued heroine, Ashline. Nearing the end of this book I was unsure as to where a sequel might even start but it was the cliffhanger that really changed everything. It was entirely unexpected but it definitely gave me a reason to want more. If you are looking for an escape from some of the vampires, werewolves and witches in your lives then I suggest taking a chance on <em>Wildfire.</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">-C</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-51464711310222746132011-08-05T10:29:00.000-04:002011-08-05T10:29:45.230-04:00Bargains and Betrayals ARC Winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyUcNqIe_yvRcQyu4sMXjcf_3lSNGR7GxcyHL2JNogrT6YT6EHXuKHeR4n63hXDj8TfQmrO_h1Nwf9eNw3cjOmVJBoqZtWFzdGJpJD3ffOhxDeIJPFZ-GEYn6kGjSV_WJPueENBK0zNE/s1600/b%2526b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyUcNqIe_yvRcQyu4sMXjcf_3lSNGR7GxcyHL2JNogrT6YT6EHXuKHeR4n63hXDj8TfQmrO_h1Nwf9eNw3cjOmVJBoqZtWFzdGJpJD3ffOhxDeIJPFZ-GEYn6kGjSV_WJPueENBK0zNE/s320/b%2526b.jpg" width="240px" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #a64d79;">After a short, but successful giveaway, we are pleased to announce the winner of the <em>Bargains and Betrayals </em>ARC! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Congratulations to...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">#19 elaing8</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: small;">Our winner has been contacted and will have 48 hours to respond. If we do not have a response within this time we will be forced to choose a new winner.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: small;">Thanks to everyone who entered!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: small;">xo - A&C</span></span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-49159818899764922302011-08-01T11:47:00.000-04:002011-08-01T11:47:56.829-04:00ARC Giveaway: Bargains and Betrayals by Shannon Delany!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNibgW1Z0K06Ic6GvHpOZgH_tMaS_XApBYnVAutbcDdP9uz7QWo0f8BTWxDvFE6To-xE7tLNeUaWJLRicjcJ2T4IgirL7yXNnwkeLqkxnuBf4M3TmXbcAJOFJKxslEq_Bsr4zJESghOos/s1600/b%2526b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNibgW1Z0K06Ic6GvHpOZgH_tMaS_XApBYnVAutbcDdP9uz7QWo0f8BTWxDvFE6To-xE7tLNeUaWJLRicjcJ2T4IgirL7yXNnwkeLqkxnuBf4M3TmXbcAJOFJKxslEq_Bsr4zJESghOos/s200/b%2526b.jpg" t$="true" width="150px" /></a></div>As you can see, Summer took Ashley and I hostage this July but thankfully she has decided to release us from her grips on this beautiful first day of August. What better way to make a big return than with an ARC giveaway...<br />
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We have in our greedy little paws a beautiful ARC of Shannon Delany's <em>Bargains and Betrayals: A 13 to Life Novel.</em> For those of you who are familiar with this series you will know how incredibly addictive it is. The ending of <em>Secrets and Shadows </em>was such a brilliant cliffhanger that I know there will be many readers eager to get their hands on this ARC.<br />
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We are going to make this a very quick contest so that the winner can get their copy ASAP. To enter, please read the contest details below and complete the entry form. :)<br />
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Good luck everyone!<br />
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<centre><iframe src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFl3NVhxd3ZRUEFpcy14cWdGczlJdVE6MQ" width="500" height="500" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe>centre>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-33785397647573301342011-07-08T13:09:00.000-04:002011-07-08T13:09:19.631-04:00Friday's Fantasy Cast: Clarity by Kim Harrington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d35pkeb05qrns1.cloudfront.net/preset_4/gallery/25844/2011-kids-choice-awards-orange-carpet-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="http://d35pkeb05qrns1.cloudfront.net/preset_4/gallery/25844/2011-kids-choice-awards-orange-carpet-11.jpg" width="224px" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>Bella Thorne</em> as Clare</span><br />
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Although she hasn't been in much, Bella Thorne is someone that I really pictured as Clare. With her red hair and petite features, it just felt appropriate that she be fantasy casted for this role. Whether she can act the part is still in question...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://billionaires-static.forbes.com/imageserve/03632MH5PPb6F/x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="http://billionaires-static.forbes.com/imageserve/03632MH5PPb6F/x350.jpg" width="221px" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>Reece Thompson</em> as Perry</span><br />
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Of all the Canadian actors I would have to say that Reece Thompson stole my heart from the moment I laid eyes on him. As a younger looking James McAvoy, Reece is not only handsome but has incredible acting chops. If you have not seen him in <em>Daydream Nation </em>then you are missing out! Perry's character is kind of a womanizer, but he is also a wonderful older brother, both of which are qualities that I think Reece could pull off.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlXolMq1bSrHIcf9M3NAXW3T172uWXV-lAp8RCzSwiCuNxrRHSLeFuPmfjXYKX9-WzCwCt_MzAED3ojT_Sso61n4J2T8y8kpqhy7MS4Ov0nyN-zy7saRMLW42BDaZMjD2Ds7dWLoreGY/s1600/lefevre1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlXolMq1bSrHIcf9M3NAXW3T172uWXV-lAp8RCzSwiCuNxrRHSLeFuPmfjXYKX9-WzCwCt_MzAED3ojT_Sso61n4J2T8y8kpqhy7MS4Ov0nyN-zy7saRMLW42BDaZMjD2Ds7dWLoreGY/s320/lefevre1.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>Rachelle Lefevre</em> as Starla</span><br />
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I know she's a little young, but damn, Rachelle Lefevre just screams Stella. As Clare and Perry's mom, Stella is eccentric and full of life. I feel like Rachelle has that same kind of essence so it wouldn't be a stretch for her to play the part.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgszEVxY1W99iwBY_wu2h2kbwUrbqWBtjlmromSgfkSIsqiInknBZq6ID_Z8RTxAz00dct5B89kOKorFmgjcOJE8B0RPv12IQKhZjN9Jz6YpzXMT6CWmueTecBPMCjU0b4z1N_OyyNzI/s1600/jamesmcavoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgszEVxY1W99iwBY_wu2h2kbwUrbqWBtjlmromSgfkSIsqiInknBZq6ID_Z8RTxAz00dct5B89kOKorFmgjcOJE8B0RPv12IQKhZjN9Jz6YpzXMT6CWmueTecBPMCjU0b4z1N_OyyNzI/s320/jamesmcavoy.jpg" width="212px" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>James McAvoy</em> as Clare and Perry's Father</span><br />
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I gave you a clue about this character when I was talking about Reece. :) Yes, they do look alike. And yes, I am also in love with James McAvoy. :) I think he would complete the family, don't you? Since we don't know much about Clare and Perry's father it is only right that we judge him based on looks. Fine by me! :D<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://img.poptower.com/pic-50302/nick-roux.jpg?d=1024" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" m$="true" src="http://img.poptower.com/pic-50302/nick-roux.jpg?d=1024" width="221px" /></a><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>Nick Roux</em> as Justin</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To some, Nick Roux may only be a Disney Channel celeb, but I think that he could transition and take on some more challenging roles. When it came to Justin I wanted to cast someone who looked kind of surfer-esk, but that could also be the boy next door. I think that Nick has both of these qualities. What I like most though is that like Bella, he looks young enough to still be attending high school. Casting 30 year olds as teens is so last year.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/asher_book/asher_book_1265570043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" m$="true" src="http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/asher_book/asher_book_1265570043.jpg" width="231px" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><em>Asher Book</em> as Gabriel</span><br />
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To be honest, I never thought of Asher Book as a possibility for Gabriel until the last minute. I had Drew Roy all picked out to play the part but then I saw something in Asher. While Gabriel comes off as this very tough guy, there is something genuinely sweet about him that I saw in Asher's smile. :) I really liked Asher in <em>Fame </em>and thought his acting was better than the majority. It would be interesting to see him in this role.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this latest Fantasy Cast! Please feel free to agree, disagree and post new ideas for actors in the comment section! <br />
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xo - CBook Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-28983665998700004532011-07-07T19:57:00.000-04:002011-07-07T19:57:57.454-04:00Canada Day Blog Hop Winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS69I704XUu_I1-LsrNhbjEs0w4ivNJMJ6TALpxDCi2AbO0asAxjBTgCqzSQpSBQnC4NePI6LdcJvA48qtRTqetOpusI1Vtio30nLx78kbHnQusCwiYOmvduUJBj7Oe4oMJhAQN3ocepU/s1600/CanadaDayHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS69I704XUu_I1-LsrNhbjEs0w4ivNJMJ6TALpxDCi2AbO0asAxjBTgCqzSQpSBQnC4NePI6LdcJvA48qtRTqetOpusI1Vtio30nLx78kbHnQusCwiYOmvduUJBj7Oe4oMJhAQN3ocepU/s320/CanadaDayHeader.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">First of all, we would just like to thank Chrystal and Aislynn for throwing this incredibly patriotic blog hop! Since I, Christie, was in the US over the Canada Day long weekend, it was nice to know that this hop was spreading the love for me. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you to all of the people who hopped over here to take a peak or stay awhile. And thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway! Speaking of the giveaway...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The winner of<em> The Vampire Stalker </em>by Allison Van Diepen is...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">JASMINE1485!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Congratulations! This winner has been emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that we do not hear from her, we will be forced to choose a new winner.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks again to Chrystal, Aislynn, and to all of you wonderful people! You're all pretty awesome, EH?</div>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-82874793887772271082011-07-04T06:00:00.000-04:002011-07-04T06:00:05.248-04:00Beach Read Sweepstakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.simonandschuster.ca/sweepstakes/beach-reads-sweepstakes"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYxGfiJefxa98gTxZvF3XLOFlIi1RnFsKBR65Hrh19Sb_iG0Eruy1TSN4UJ3T6jp8TOo3qESTD7BNKI0rJ3u-97ZXOsEkLrrD7U_vd6CD9771Z0ztL5lSrv_umZHXxNxIdmVkcTSzxIc/s400/Beach+Reads+image.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">BEACH READ SWEEPSTAKES: Brought to you by Simon & Schuster Canada</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ariel, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">Summer is upon us, and the sunny days and longer nights leave a lot more time for reading. Enter to win 1 of 10 beach bags brimming with books and summertime goodies from Cake Beauty and Softlips." </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #404040; font-family: ariel, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; line-height: 26px;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">Just click on the picture to be taken to to the entry form! Happy Summer Reading :-)</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-35260482723713066502011-06-30T08:25:00.000-04:002011-06-30T08:25:26.559-04:00Today is Someone's Special Day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://deems.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/25-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://deems.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/25-cake.jpg" /></a></div><div style="color: #d5a6bd;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">Today marks the day in which a certain special someone was brought into this world to not only bestow this earthly realm with her presence, but to eventually be my best friend, a wonderful sister, and an amazing daughter. It is a momentous occasion in anyone's life but more so - I think - in the life of girls everywhere. Please help me in wishing a huge, heart filled Happy Birthday to my best friend and fellow blogger, CHRISTIE!!!!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST FRIEND A GIRL COULD ASK FOR!</span></div><br />
<div style="color: #d5a6bd;">Right now, Christie is on her way to Chicago - her second home and a place that makes her beyond happy - with her siblings. I couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate a birthday! Have fun and stay safe :)</div><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">-Ashley xoxo</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-11288826092571001442011-06-29T11:31:00.000-04:002011-06-29T11:31:34.557-04:00Summer Solstice Winners!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyA1rORebIq1VkQLE6sbXiUTZLGQqdWwi3kRxhs6HtoZujSuKobHF-xOILhbz7D5FPkDfxQPCYQS8W6g4lCU-qgV8osiX9UxGfCfP6ydS1n8u2zZYLf9FpkBz-wpNILEAn35xIZl8qLA/s1600/LL2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyA1rORebIq1VkQLE6sbXiUTZLGQqdWwi3kRxhs6HtoZujSuKobHF-xOILhbz7D5FPkDfxQPCYQS8W6g4lCU-qgV8osiX9UxGfCfP6ydS1n8u2zZYLf9FpkBz-wpNILEAn35xIZl8qLA/s320/LL2.jpg" width="240px" /></a><span style="color: #a64d79;">The most exciting thing about revealing the Summer Solstice contest winners is that the Canadian Postal Workers are back on the job! Yay! We can actually send out prizes again. :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Despite being a quick contest we got a really great response and are very excited to announce the two winners. These two lucky people are...</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">#44 Kaependragon</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">&</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">#33 Brooke</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Congratulations to you both and thank you to everyone who entered! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">xo -A&C</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">*Winners have been emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. If we do not hear from them within this time we will be forced to choose new winners.</div>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-22314039689748131392011-06-29T00:01:00.003-04:002011-06-29T10:59:59.414-04:00Canada Day Blog Hop!<center><a href="http://knitpurlstitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/canada-day-blog-hop-sign-up.html"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5738174563_637f4e1727.jpg" width="40%" /></a> </center><center></center><br />
If you follow our blog then you will know that we love our beautiful country. When we heard that Crystal and Aislinn were hosting this blog hop we were more than delighted to be a part of it. :) Anything that combines Canada, with authors and bloggers, is fine by us!<br />
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For this giveaway we chose a recent release by Canadian author Allison Van Diepen. <em>The Vampire Stalker </em>has been gaining some great buzz around the blogosphere so we thought this would be a great choice for the Canada Day Blog Hop! The giveaway form and contest details can be found below. :)<br />
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We would just like to thank Chrystal from <a href="http://snowdropdreams.blogspot.com/">Snowdrop Dreams of Books</a> and Aislynn from <a href="http://knitpurlstitch.blogspot.com/">Knit, Purl, Stitch...Read and Cook!</a> for hosting this wonderful blog hop. Be sure to click on the icon above so that you can check out the other blogs you can hop to!<br />
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xo - A&C<br />
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dEQ3VmlidzllY1cwSlJpS2tMVEZmbXc6MQ" width="500"></iframe><center></center></center>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-13937969150640482752011-06-22T21:28:00.003-04:002011-06-22T21:37:08.704-04:00Summer Solstice: Lesley Livingston's Release Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPthfF2plnL2UJCN5giO-hOuyAM1DBwrD8rXqlmAiXnAF6xntRR8D2o131djK8kKeobCW4VlxIKGEHRioAUQaBWSnRuvcDvh-65q-QqB849QFpYbJFZE3LjoD1F7JIvepz7lf7530wl8/s1600/LL5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPthfF2plnL2UJCN5giO-hOuyAM1DBwrD8rXqlmAiXnAF6xntRR8D2o131djK8kKeobCW4VlxIKGEHRioAUQaBWSnRuvcDvh-65q-QqB849QFpYbJFZE3LjoD1F7JIvepz7lf7530wl8/s320/LL5.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7;">As you all know, yesterday was Summer Solstice. The first day of summer is the greatest not only because it is the longest day of the year, but because it holds the promise of the fantastic season ahead. What I am wishing for this summer is more wonderful author events like the one I attended last night. Lesley Livingston's <em>Once Every Never </em>is on store shelves now and last night this lovely lady had a chance to celebrate.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemdVh6VFhm1xV5OuR4169AdTuPT24s0fONjZBo6e-NBmodeMFfrHY4EzNjcogSS85gYRjD-t_dBFTUrhZUVJuC9UapR0JuI6TysZY3dRucY7Mw2nDNhi1m0zfMOlmYB7JHJ_SzhfTJfw/s1600/LL4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemdVh6VFhm1xV5OuR4169AdTuPT24s0fONjZBo6e-NBmodeMFfrHY4EzNjcogSS85gYRjD-t_dBFTUrhZUVJuC9UapR0JuI6TysZY3dRucY7Mw2nDNhi1m0zfMOlmYB7JHJ_SzhfTJfw/s320/LL4.jpg" width="240px" /></span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;">The release party was held at Dominion on Queen which is a popular venue for events of this kind. Lesley herself appeared to be no stranger to this pub, and commented on her previous release parties. Once at Dominion I stumbled upon Chrystal, who most of you know as </span><a href="http://snowdropdreams.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Snowdrop Dreams of Books</span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;">. This was my first opportunity to meet this wonderful blogger whom Ashley and I have befriended. :) I was also lucky enough to meet Mel at </span><a href="http://hefollowedmehome.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">He Followed Me Home</span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"> and Jackie at </span><a href="http://hefollowedmehome.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">My Ever Expanding Library</span></a><span style="color: #674ea7;">! :)</span></div><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHSVOwvl5SnDcuEr0F9hSDZkKGtp4vPYWbwWoW5FqjQDcCBFeGmCYMpLGm4whNC8zILu9L7RZqa0120au6lRCga4ROf52G-dmegsRB9Lsh3-CNSp3GD4VevdGBC2TTGozVSZTPEDStWU/s1600/LL1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="200px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHSVOwvl5SnDcuEr0F9hSDZkKGtp4vPYWbwWoW5FqjQDcCBFeGmCYMpLGm4whNC8zILu9L7RZqa0120au6lRCga4ROf52G-dmegsRB9Lsh3-CNSp3GD4VevdGBC2TTGozVSZTPEDStWU/s200/LL1.jpg" width="200px" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7;">After sitting, chatting and eating, Lesley made her way over to our table wearing this kick ass tye dye dress. She said that she didn't recognize our faces and that we must be her online book buddies. :) After mingling a bit with us she took the stage. In her speech, Lesley thanked everyone who helped bring<em> Once Every Never </em>to life, and to those who have spread the word about it. Lesley was even kind enough to mention all of her book blogging pals for getting readers excited about the book! :) Once her speech commenced, Lesley read from <em>Once Every Never. </em>This was probably my favourite part of the night. It is so neat to see how an author interprets their own book and how animated they are when they read!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG4tb7e6Kc2KS2ZpOcsvj1CIVkvBP70PEt4Lvat1UEZn4HvTLgwh_KOZzgUD3oYpE9WI5v8rtmUmtXetLYlJPOiIIBegMrwvCViE2AwdvsB0dsEc9lhic4ckz9oEtYAtR84Cf8BGI2JA/s1600/LL2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="200px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG4tb7e6Kc2KS2ZpOcsvj1CIVkvBP70PEt4Lvat1UEZn4HvTLgwh_KOZzgUD3oYpE9WI5v8rtmUmtXetLYlJPOiIIBegMrwvCViE2AwdvsB0dsEc9lhic4ckz9oEtYAtR84Cf8BGI2JA/s200/LL2.jpg" width="150px" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7;">As the night came to a close, Lesley signed copies of her book and chatted with friends and family. I bought two copies of <em>Once Every Never </em>at the release party and on a whim decided to get them both signed for... YOU (Contest below!). As I was chatting with Lesley, the feathers in my hair caught her eye and for a moment she was mesmerized. She started pawing at them like a cat. It was hilarious. :) Once the books were signed, and I had congratulated Lesley again, it was time to go. The whole night was a lot of fun and I am so glad that I was able to attend the celebration. :) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">- C</span><br />
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Now for the giveaway...<br />
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFNIVHhzUHBuMjhPaFVpdGNYWXZHLWc6MQ" width="525"></iframe><center></center></center>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-33452894615549658032011-06-15T08:00:00.002-04:002011-06-15T10:09:09.175-04:00Guest Review: The Pigeon Wants A Puppy (By: Mo Willems)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__Abi-bzlw-dZpcauyIFsJMGe6dokyxRAsi9LIRtTodfwhuFxWaLx7pTIZtQae0_X9xzSxsKVZxaU5WZCaGuTdyS1MI8SNxEJQ1ZwSr4hhbHLIb-bATXQLnLiD03xJo7jo0dJPnKItGk/s1600/jordan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__Abi-bzlw-dZpcauyIFsJMGe6dokyxRAsi9LIRtTodfwhuFxWaLx7pTIZtQae0_X9xzSxsKVZxaU5WZCaGuTdyS1MI8SNxEJQ1ZwSr4hhbHLIb-bATXQLnLiD03xJo7jo0dJPnKItGk/s320/jordan.jpg" t8="true" width="240px" /></a></div>This guest review today is brought to you by one of the munchkins in my life. Jordan is my 8 year old sister and is probably one of the funniest people on the planet. She enjoys reading, writing and playing with her friends.<br />
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When I asked her if she wanted to write a book review she jumped at the opportunity. Read below to find out what she thought after reading <em>The Pigeon Wants a Puppy...</em><br />
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</div><span style="color: #674ea7;"><em>The Pigeon Wants a Puppy </em>is about a pigeon that wants a puppy and he said that he really does. And when he sees one he says: "AHHHHHHHHHHH!". But then he wants something else than a puppy. He wants a walrus. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">Now let's talk about the characters. The pigeon is so funny and so tricky, and sometimes he's so crazy. That's what I love about him. And the puppy is, welll, I don't know because he only says "Woof" and that's all. And he is only in one page.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRJmx7tvATVAYuVzIczLobXmSl7HcLoGBppSetCcG_RygVCgLyRLdjkDOfZYY6Gk0tJ1qKrdz-lS1ZUUme5mM_aznNqItZgBAnrTY8Wx0CqaPt2C2HEQZ6w3Xx0iZLzN9UOtpEMdy6e4/s400/pigeon+wants+a+puppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRJmx7tvATVAYuVzIczLobXmSl7HcLoGBppSetCcG_RygVCgLyRLdjkDOfZYY6Gk0tJ1qKrdz-lS1ZUUme5mM_aznNqItZgBAnrTY8Wx0CqaPt2C2HEQZ6w3Xx0iZLzN9UOtpEMdy6e4/s200/pigeon+wants+a+puppy.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #674ea7;">Now let's talk about what I like about it and what I like is when the pigeon says: "I promise that I'll water it once a month!". That was very funny. And when he says: "I want a puppy RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!", that was funny too.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">The pictures are so cool and so fun. This is what I liked about it. The pigeon is so awesome and I liked that the author put the words in speech bubbles so kids just have to say what they say. People who like funny books should read <em>The Pigeon Wants a Puppy. </em>When you read this book I hope you like it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><3 Jordan</span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-86104768871556073632011-06-13T21:20:00.000-04:002011-06-13T21:20:38.950-04:00Review: Falling Under (By: Gwen Hayes)Title: Falling Under<br />
Author: Gwen Hayes<br />
Publisher: New American Library (A division of Penguin Group)<br />
Published: March 1, 2011<br />
Genre: YA Fantasy<br />
Paperback: 324 pages<br />
Dimensions: 20.2 x 13.8 x 2.4 cm <br />
ISBN - 10: 0451232682 <br />
ISBN - 13: 978-0451232687 <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gwenhayes.com/images/FALLING_UNDER_GwenHayes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="http://www.gwenhayes.com/images/FALLING_UNDER_GwenHayes.jpg" t8="true" width="213px" /></a></div><em>Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams. </em><br />
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<em>As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. </em><br />
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<em>And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.</em><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"></span> <br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">There is something hauntingly beautiful about this cover, don't you agree? The hair, the dress, the black roses; all stunning. It will please you to know that what lies inside this book holds just as much intrigue. <em>Falling Under </em>may be a debut novel, but Gwen Hayes has managed to deliver something that will sit well with YA fantasy lovers.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><em>Falling Under </em>might just be one of the most quotable books that I have ever read. For days as I read it I was Tweeting the sweetest lines and the sassiest catch phrases. A bunch of our Twitter followers kept asking, "What book is that from?". To honour the wonderful writing I thought I would share the quotes that were most "Tweetable"...</span> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"My hand tingled where he kissed her and the bastard knew it." </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"I'm probably half in love with a boy I don't really like." </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"My very own goth Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen would be so proud." </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"The steady beats of his heart were the best kind of music, and I considered myself a pretty good ear." </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"As they worked a sort of devilish makeover, I sat in the chair and cried silent tears." </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">"'I sleep in your room. I'm fairly pathetic about it. I wear your T-shirts to bed and watch your movies.' She paused. "And you don't even remember me." </div> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">As you can see from the above quotes, much of what is said revolves around a certain boy in our heroine Theia's life. Haden is everything that us girls want from our hero with his two distinct personalities; he's as bad as Jace Wayland and as sweet as Edward Cullen. As much as Haden will make you love him, he will make you hate him. Hence the, "I'm probably half in love with a boy I don't really like". What balances Haden's two sides? Theia. With her British charm and her uncomplicated view of the world, she makes sense of a boy from Under.</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">The most interesting part of this book for me was the juxtaposition of life on earth and life in Under. The dull backyard of Theia's house transforms each night when she dreams. The atmosphere takes on this gothic grace that is only disturbed by the creatures that are lurking. The way that Hayes has chosen to reveal the darker elements of this book truly captures her inherent focus on passion and pleasure. Although <em>Falling Under </em>is a fantasty novel though, it tends to focus more one the relationship between Theia and Haden. My only quam with this is that it seemed to be the reason that the story lagged a little at the end.</span></div><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">If you are looking for an enjoyable YA read then look no further. <em>Falling Under </em>is a delectable debut novel with tongue lashing one liners and a passionate love story. The end of the book is more like a beginning so hopefully there will be another tale to follow. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">-C </span>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7787602813106249477.post-64439000334348421782011-06-07T09:00:00.001-04:002011-06-08T14:58:43.125-04:00Q&A with Elana Johnson, Author of Possession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/images/authors/77824322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.simonandschuster.com/images/authors/77824322.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div>If you don't know too much about Elana Johnson, well, you will. <br />
Her debut novel <em>Possession </em>has been gaining buzz around the blogosphere, but today it will be unleashed to book hungry young readers everywhere. <em>Possession </em>is joining the wave of dystopian novels geared towards young readers and we could not be happier for Elana. :)<br />
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As part of the blog tour for <em>Possession, </em>we got to ask some burning questions and learned a little something about this debut author! Check out our Q&A with Elana and then read Ashley's lovely review of <em>Possession</em>! :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">**********</span></div>1) <span style="color: #a64d79;">What appealed to you about writing a YA dystopia novel?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I’m not sure I set out to write a YA novel when I first started writing. For me, writing is an emotional release, and it made sense to pour all that emotion into a teenage girl, who typically feels things more intensely than any other creature on the planet. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">POSSESSION was the third novel I wrote, and the first dystopian. I did deliberately set about trying to write a futuristic novel, because I’d just read my first dystopian book and wanted to write in that genre. There’s just something magical and amazing about making up the future of our world. The possibilities are endless!</span><br />
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2) <span style="color: #a64d79;">Why did you choose to write a novel that speaks about freewill vs control? Do you think that far too often today people, especially teens, are being controlled by other authorities instead of using their own freewill?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I think a lot of people allow themselves to be pushed or prodded in a certain direction, even (and maybe especially) adults. I think it’s important to know who’s making decisions for you in things that impact your life, and I think it’s important to know if you agree with those decisions or not. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">I think the whole freewill vs. control issue is great for a teen novel, because quite often teenagers can’t make their own choices. They’ve got parents, leaders, and/or teachers always telling them what to do at a time in their lives when they’re trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">The same could be said for adult too, though, which is why I think POSSESSION is a great cross-over novel. Adults have a boss, the police, policies at stores, due dates at the library, and any number of things that they have to conform to. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Now don’t get me wrong; I do believe we need teachers and policemen and laws and all that. I just think that everyone, everywhere, has probably felt powerless to make their own choices at some point in their lives. I took that to the extreme in POSSESSION by creating a brainwashed society, but I think it’s an emotion that everyone can relate to.</span><br />
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3) <span style="color: #a64d79;">If you could pick just one, who is your favourite female protagonist and why?</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hermione from the Harry Potter books. She is smart, and not afraid to show it. She’s resourceful. She’s loyal. She’s kind when the situation calls for it, and ruthless when she has to be. She is who I would want as a best friend. </span><br />
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4) <span style="color: #a64d79;">If you lived in Vi's world, which celebrity would you break the rules for? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Uh, Hugh Jackman, hands down. I’m still disappointed I didn’t get to even glimpse him while I was visiting New York City. Apparently he’s always hanging out at The Gap. </span><br />
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5) <span style="color: #a64d79;">What is one song that would have to be on the Possession soundtrack?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">There are so many! I think I’d have to go with P!nk’s PERFECT. There’s so many voices in Vi’s head…</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Author:</span> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Elana Johnson</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Rating:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;"> 3/5</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Dimensions:</span> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">16.8 x 10.4 x 3 cm, 416 pages</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;">Format:</span> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">ARC from publisher</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">ISBN-10: 1442421258 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-1442421257 </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing /June 7, 2011 / Hardcover</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284729671l/8337087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284729671l/8337087.jpg" t8="true" width="213px" /></a></div><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself. </span></em><br />
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<em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn. </span></em><br />
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<em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.</span></em><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;"><i>Possession</i> by Elana Johnson is one of those novels that falls into the world of YA, but leaves out the whole paranormal aspect that is currently dominating the young adult world of literature. This is a novel that borders on, in essence, to the world that George Orwell created in his fantastic novel <i>1984</i>. For all of those who haven't read this book, I highly suggest going out and reading it once you've read Possession. <i>Possession</i> centers around Vi and the way the world has ended up. We no longer have control over what we do, where we go and who we love. All of our choices are given to us through these communication channels that have you have to be plugged into while you sleep. The problem is that Vi doesn't live by the rules her society has placed upon civilization. Instead, Vi is able to think for herself, act out the way an sixteen year old girl should and fall in love, twice. As a female lead, Elana Johnson has created strength, determination and free will in Vi –– all characteristics all girls, at any age, should possess. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">This story definitely does not lack hottie action. Elana Johnson has given us two guys to run our minds over and pick either good or bad. Personally, I'm team Jag. Zenn is a complicated character who gets introduced right away as Vi's match but later their relationship becomes highly complicated and in steps bad boy, Jag. I always tend to go towards the bad boys. It is a habit that I hope doesn't break any time soon. His dark features are contrasted to Zenn's light. They are the Ying and Yang in Vi's life and if presented with her dilemma I'm sure you'd also find it hard to choose. Both boys are complex and I can't wait to read where Elana takes them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">At the beginning, I found the story to drag slightly. Mostly because a lot of the terms and concepts being brought up were not introduced yet. Once you start to actually learn more about this world and what it means to live as either a goodie or a baddie, the novel picked up pace. It became an action packed race to save not only Vi and Jag's life, but free themselves from the people trying to control them. The end of the novel also introduces a slew of new characters who I can't wait to meet and get to know further. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">The novel speaks to the problems surrounding others making our choices for us. What would we do if our own free will was taken away from us? Our freedom to choose who and when to love? The idea is heartbreaking and 1984 speaks about this very issue. This is a novel that could be our future; the thought is terrifying. Think the reality show Big Brother, but with stricter rules and guidelines. Having someone watch and monitor your every move and thought is a horrifying idea, but it makes for a great read and entertaining reality tv. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8e7cc3;">Elana Johnson has introduced readers to a <i>1984</i> for young adults and with her debut novel she doesn't disappoint. This novel was interesting, fascinating, scary, and of course we have our much needed romantic complications that all YA novels should have. It makes reading them that much better!! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I would like to give a special thanks to both Simon and Schuster Canada for sending us a copy for review as well as Elana Johnson for stopping by our blog and answering some of our questions! </div></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"></div>Book Junkieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202094167100433964noreply@blogger.com1