MIA for a day or two

I will be going for some eye surgery tomorrow and will probably be missing for a day or two . . . or three.  We will have to see how it goes!  lol 

Guest post by Graham Parke - author of NO HELP FOR GOMEZ

“It's the age-old tale:      Boy meets girl.      Boy stalks girl.      Girl already has a stalker.      Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.”

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since I handed in the final proofs for my weird little book ‘No Hope for Gomez!’ To celebrate this, and the fact that it just became a finalist in 2010's Best Book Awards, I decided to throw an international party. As I’ve had a debilitating fear of throwing parties and no-one showing up since early childhood, I’d be more than delighted if you’d come!

Of course, with every cool, international party comes a gift bag. Here's just some of the stuff attendants will get:

• Exclusive short story collection
• No Hope for Gomez: The Lost Chapters
• Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook
• Signed hi-res poster + bookplate

(These are all exclusive items and will not be available again)

Additionally, several lucky attendants will win a Kindle or an iPod!

Oh yeah, you can bring as many friends as you like, just don't bring your crazy uncle who drinks too much and then tries to get me to go to the attic with him to see something wonderful. I've fallen for that before and I don't mind telling you, I came away very disappointed!

Find out how to attend HERE.

Gratitude Giveaway Blog Hop Winner

Congratulations to Kristina who won the copy of iDrakula by Bekka Black.  I have already contacted Kristina and her book will be on its way from Book Depository very soon.

If you didn't win and would like to buy a copy:

                                                                      

In my Mailbox #7

It’s Sunday again and I am joining another week of In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that lets everyone see what books you have received or bought that week.

I received this book from the author and so far I am loving it.  This might just be the book to get me out of my reading slump :)

The Undead Heart (The Blood Thirst Series) by Kate Jackson

What did you get in your mailbox?

Blogger interview: Larissa from “Larissa’s Life”

Larissa from Larissa’s Life is visiting me today.  Larissa is living a dream and I wanted to ask her a few questions.  Here is what she had to say.

Please tell us a little about your blog.

Well, My blog started out as a personal outlet when I was living in Israel. But my reading got out of control last year and I started talking to authors and bloggers on twitter when a thought hit me: Why don’t I start posting reviews of all the books I’m reading on my blog... that was almost 1 year ago =)

How much time and energy do you put into your blog?

I post everyday and right now the blog is all I do. I don’t believe every blogger has the obligation of posting daily, but that is a choice I made a while back... I try to get at least 3 reviews up a week, 1 Interview w/ giveaway and the rest I have a couple features I like to do...

Do you enjoy doing memes and if so, which ones can be found on your blog?

I do enjoy it, but I can t seem to commit and do them weekly, so I do them when I feel like it. I also have a couple features that I created that I like to do... Like my Top 5 Sundays List, that I do every Sunday.

How would you describe your review style and how do you handle reviews when you didn't enjoy the book?

I think my reviews are usually laid back... I like to put myself and my personality into them. If it's a book I got for review, I'll tell why it wasn't my cup of tea in the most gracious way i can... if it was a book I bought, I might not post a review...

What can we expect from you in the future?

I wanna keep doing what Im doing and hopefully people will keep supporting it!

What advise would you give new book bloggers out there?

Don't try to be like anybody else. Do whatever feels right to you and try whatever you feel like trying. If something doesn't work out, move on and keep going... =)

Other Places to Find Larissa online:

 

Thank you so much. Larissa.  Keep up the good work!!  :)

On my Wishlist #7

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready on Carolyn’s blog.  This is the books I am wishing for after I saw it in the blogosphere this week.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Dashti, a mucker maid, is going to be locked up in a tower with her Lady Saren for seven years. Lady Saren refused to marry a man she did not love, so Dashti must prepare for a rigorous and daunting imprisonment. Soon, Dashti finds rats in the flour and mold on the cheese. It becomes a struggle to survive, and Dashti also must deal with Lady Saren’s two completely different suitors. Dashti must make a choice, for herself, and for Saren.

The Wolf Prince (Princes of Symtaria) by Karen Kelley

Darcey is used to being a man magnet - for men who want her money. But when a hot hunk named Surlok saves her from a wolf attack, she can't help but think he's different from the rest. So what if he's broke - and claims to be a prince from another planet? All he needs is a little grooming...

You can read the first chapter here.

Free books I found this week #7

The first book I found this week has such a beautiful cover!

A short story introducing readers to the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, a series about a female vampire hunter in 19th century London. Join Victoria as she navigates her way through balls and Society even as she works to rid the world of dangerous, bloodthirsty vampires.
Click here to download from Smashwords.

All Romance eBooks are giving you three feebies:

Click here to get them all.

In my Mailbox #6

It’s Sunday again and I am joining another week of In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that lets everyone see what books you have received or bought that week.

On Tuesday I got a surprise in my electronic mailbox from Sam Cheever!!  Yeah, that's right - an email in my inbox from the lady herself!  I won a giveaway and could choose ANY book on her site.  This is what I chose:

Namaste My Love by Sam Cheever.

I also won a giveaway on GOODREADS and received:

Demon Rumm by Sandra Brown
Riley in the Morning by Sandra Brown

For Review from BOOKSNEEZE I received:

Dining with Joy (A Lowcountry Romance) by Rachel Hauck

Wow, what a week!  What did you get in your mailbox?

2011 Paranormal Romance Challenge

This is a challenge to read 20 paranormal romance book between Jan 1st through Dec 31st (any books read before Jan will not count) which will be hosted by Bitten by Paranormal Romance.

You can pick any *adult paranormal romance book as you go, new release or old release it doest matter. But remember this is only for paranormal romance.  NO urban fantasy, YA or paranormal erotica.

*It doesn't matter if the book is vampire, witch, any shape-shifting, Greek gods, zombies or faeries just as long as it adult paranormal romance. Most book will tell you on the side cover if its paranormal romance, that's what you want to get to read.

Each month Laurie will put out a newsletter of sort and in there will be some choices of different books. You can comment and ask questions as we go. That way we can get ideals as we go.

Read it and write a review on your blog and come back and post the review in the Mister linky.

During each month there will be one winner that is picked to win a prize.  Your reviews will not be judged in this for prizes. After each month I will used random.org or draw a name, out of those that have their reviews done for that month. Your name will be entered for each review. So if you do two you will be entered to win twice.

So come and join the fun - click here to enter the challenge.

Blogger interview: Steph from Paper Cut Reviews

 

Hi Guys – please meet Stephanie from Paper Cut Reviews.  Steph, was kind enough to let me pick her brain a bit – she is such a sweetie :)

Here is what she had to say: 

 

Please tell us a little about your blog, Steph.

Well Paper Cut Reviews was a fun way to share my love for books and movies through blogging and writing reviews. I also thought PCR would be a great way to help out new and up and coming writers/authors who would like me to review their work and have interviews with them. Mostly it's about sharing,connecting and supporting each other *bloggers and authors alike* through our love of books.

How did it all start?   And how long has it been?

I started reviewing for a wonderful site called Bitten by Books and from then I soon decided I would like to have my own review blog. Sadly I said my goodbyes to BBB but soon became pretty excited yet extremely nervous about starting my very own review blog. I mean I would be the only one reviewing and deciding what to post and what if no one likes it? *gulp* I needed to breathe and focus on the positive things. So I started planning out what my blog would mostly be about, what would the name be, which genre would I read and review and the list went on. Then I just took the plunge and Paper Cut Reviews was born! Let me tell you I learned alot about running a review blog in the last 10 months PCR has been up and it's always a work in progress but in a fun way I promise;)

How much time and energy do you put into your blog?

LOL! Sorry it takes a lot of time and energy to run a review blog and even more when I work 40hrs a week. There are times I'm just too tired to read or post but I realize this is my responsibility and honestly I truly love reviewing so I really don't mind;) I also get help at times from my hubby Film Cut Reviewer and Chasity from LovLivLife Reviews with reviews and giveaways. So thank you both!

Do you enjoy doing memes and if so, which ones can be found on your blog?

Actually I really don't do a lot of memes on my book blog. I know that's probably weird but I'm just not to much into them. I have nothing against them *please don't throw stones* I'm just more into going with the flow and posting things when i can. Although I have thought about starting Film Cut Fridays which could bring more traffic from movie lovers:) I also have a new program Chas and myself are starting it's called Read it then Pass it

and you can find out more info by clicking on the link. Also I am one of the organizers of a book club called Book Bloggers Anonymous

where we host interviews and giveaways and discuss the book chosen for the month. You can also click on the link provided for more info.

How would you describe your review style and how do you handle reviews when you didn't enjoy the book?

Short and Sweet but with a touch of Insight, lol! I really like to have fun with my reviews so I don't like them long or with a lot of spoilers just enough to grab the readers attention then leave them wanting to run to the bookstore and buy it, lol! Of course there are times you might not like a book but I think it's very important to state what you think but try to find some good aspect of the book because we aren't here to tare down an author. I'm not saying for you to be mindless and say you like everything but really put some thought behind what you write and keep in mind the author also reads reviews so always be honest but be professional too. That's all=)

What can we expect from you in the future?

Oh wow! If ask anyone who knows me I'm always having ideas about things, lol! I recently have been thinking about starting my own Interactive Book Review Site with a team of reviewers. That is my goal some day but it will take a lot of work and time so I'm still working out things but that is my plan for the future. So keep an eye out for things to come;)

What advise would you give new book bloggers out there?

To new book bloggers out there I quote *BBB boss lady Rachel* this is a labour of love and boy was she right. Thanks Rachel! It's true you gotta love reading, reviewing, posting, sometimes other people not agreeing with you and accepting criticism weather it being constructive or not. It's all part of the process so remember always be true to yourself by being professional and honest through your posts and reviews. Not to mention this community can be very supportive so if you ever need help email me I will help ya;) email:papercutreviewer@gmail.com

http://papercut-reviews.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/papercutreview http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2488962 http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/33627.Book_Bloggers_Anonymous http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/33680.The_Traveling_Book_Gnome

Thank you so much, Steph.  Some great advise!

Free books I found this week #6

I am a little late this week but I did find some books that I want to share with you.

This sounds like such a crazy little book (a very short story) and it's about zombies, so how can I resist.  

Hummingbirds. You know what they are. Tiny emerald speed demons. People used to hang out jars of red sugar-water for them... until environmental disasters rewired their tiny brains and aggressive appetites to prefer the taste of human blood. But they’d better watch out who they mess with, because Sissy has an aerosol can, and she knows how to turn it into a flamethrower!

Click here to download from Smashwords.

Have you ever been to camp? What would you do if the adults left “for a few hours” and they had not returned a week later? What if your parents never showed up to take you home? What would you do if you realized that the area below was surrounded by a mysterious brown fog that was dangerous? How would you survive the winter? What would you eat? Warning-sexual situations, cursing, violence.

Click here to download from Smashwords.

On my Wishlist #6

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready on Carolyn’s blog.  This is the books I am wishing for after I saw it in the blogosphere this week.

Hereafter by Tara Hudson
release date 7 June 2011

A stranded spirit, a sudden love...

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that has held her captive for so long.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter will linger with fans of The Lovely Bones and those who enjoy paranormal romance and dark intrigue set in a very believable contemporary world. 

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
release date 25 January 2011
The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares. Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

Gratitude Giveaway Blog Hop

Kathy from "I am a Reader, Not a Writer" is hosting another awesome blog hop giveaway and loads of bloggers are participating in the fun (see Mr Linky below). 

The Gratitude Giveaways - Blog Follower Appreciation Hop - is a way to say thank you to you for being a blog follower of All the days of!

The book I have decided to give away is Number 1 on my wish list at the moment - and I hope on yours as well.  The book is:

iDrakula by Bekka Black

The classic vampire story that started it all gets new life for a generation of connected teens
18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

I will be buying your book from the Book Depository.  So please make sure they ship to your country.

When you filled in my little form, why not go and see some of the other blogs on the hop.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Please note that this giveaway will end at 12h00 my time (see my little clock on the right hand side)  on the 28th of November 2010.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED.

In my mailbox #5

 

It’s Sunday again and I am joining another week of In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that lets everyone see what books you have received or bought that week. This week I only got one galley from NETGALLEY (thank you NetGalley!!).

The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out of Debt Without Giving Up the Fabulous Life by Natalie P McNeal. 

Blogger interview: Kathy from “I Am a Reader, Not a Writer”.

I asked Kathy of “I am a reader, not a writer” to join us today.  Kathy is hosting the Gratitude Giveaway that starts on Wednesday, don’t forget to join in the hop!  This is what she said:  “The Gratitude Giveaways is a blog hop I organized. There are over 170 blog each signed up to host a giveaway. It starts this Wednesday so stop by to enter all the giveaways.” We certainly will, Kathy!

Kathy, please tell us a little about your blog.

I Am A Reader, Not a Writer is an eclectic blog reviewing many different kinds of books: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Clean Romance, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Christian, LDS and anything else that is clean, uplifting or entertaining.
I review everything from picture books to adult books and include content information for parents and conservative reader.
I also host giveaways - Lots of them! (which I love, Kathy – don’t stop!)

 

How did it all start?   And how long has it been?

I debated starting a book blog for months.  I had been using Goodreads for nearly 2 years to review books and keep track of my to-read list and was following a few book blogs.  I started using my personal blog to do a little bit of book blogging.  One day I realized posts about books were starting to take over my personal blog.   I kept thinking I should just take the plunge and start a dedicated book blog but I don't consider myself to be a fabulous book reviewer or writer and I didn't think anyone would want to read my reviews.  When the idea didn't go away I finally found a blog title that fit me (I Am A Reader, Not A Writer) and started blogging. 

My first blog post was exactly 5 months ago today on June 14th.  For the first 2 months all I did was review books.  I then started reaching out to other bloggers, participating in memes and hosting giveaways. 

Do you enjoy doing memes and if so, which ones can be found on your blog?

In My Mailbox is one I faithfully take part in.  I have also done the Friday Blog Hop & Follow fairly regularly. The other memes are hit and miss depending on how busy I am: Waiting on Wednesday & Children's Book Wednesday are two I really enjoy.  On my blog I have a couple features I started: Nearly New Books For You & Got Great Giveaways.

How much time and energy do you put into your blog?

A lot!  I try to post at least a couple of times each day. I'm not someone who does something half way.  That is both a strength and a weakness.  Currently I'm completely overextended with the number of books I've committed to read and my blogging to do list is pages long. It's hard for me to balance.  If I spend too much time blogging I don't have enough time to read. Kind of defeats the purpose! 

I read a lot!  I've read or listened to over 200 books this year. Thankfully being a mother to 5 kids means I'm a good multi-tasker.  Audiobooks make up about 1/4 to 1/3 of the books I "read" each year. I'm able to do dishes, laundry and housework while being absorbed in a good book.

I'm on track to hit my goal of 240 books in 2010.  My goal for 2011 is going to start out at a much more reasonable 150 books for the year.

How would you describe your review style and how do you handle reviews when you didn't enjoy the book?

My reviews are short and simple. I rate the books based on a 5 star rating system. I hate spoilers so I try not to include any in my reviews.  I tell a little about why I liked the books and include any content that parents and conservative readers may find objectionable.  When I don't love a book I try to point out what I did like.  If it's really bad I usually don't finish it and don't post a review. 

What can we expect from you in the future?

Lots more reviews, giveaways and giveaway hops! 

Starting December 6th I'm taking part in a Best Books of 2010 event called The Best I've Read 2010.  There are 9 bloggers participating and we will each feature interviews, guest posts and giveaways on our sites.  Between us we will have at least 100 winners who will win a copy of one of the best young adult books of 2010!

Then coming December 21st will be a quick 2 day Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop.

In the next couple months I'm also participating in 4 other events organized by other bloggers.

What advise would you give new book bloggers out there?

Be yourself and let it show through on your blog. There are thousands of book blogs out there - do something to stand out. 

Give readers a reason to come back to your blog. Get out there and bring the readers to you...don't expect them to come to you. Comment on other blogs, take part in memes, host giveaways, network with another blog, use goodreads, etc.    And most importantly, have fun!!

Visit Kathy’s blog for lots of fun and giveaways:

 

Thank you so much, Kathy.  WE LOVE YOUR BLOG!!

On my Wishlist #5

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready on Carolyn’s blog.  This is the books I am wishing for after I saw it on fellow bloggers' sites.



Solid by Shelley Workinger
Eighteen years ago, a rogue Army doctor secretly experimented with a chromosomal drug on unknowing pregnant women. When he was killed not long after the children were born, any knowledge and evidence seemed to die with him - except for the living, breathing, human products of his work. Almost two decades later, the newly self-proclaimed "open-book" military unearths the truth about the experiment, bringing Clio Kaid and the other affected teens to a state-of-the-art, isolated campus where they soon discover that C9x did indeed alter their chromosomes, its mutations presenting as super-human abilities. The military kids, who come from across the nation and all walks of life, come into their own as lighter-than-air 'athletes'; 'indies' as solid as stone walls; teens who can make themselves invisible and others who can blind with their brilliance. While exploring her own special ability, forging new friendships and embarking on first love, Clio also stumbles onto information indicating that the military may not have been entirely forthcoming with them and that all may not be as it seems...

WebMage (Ravirn, Book 1) by Kelly McCullough

Magic is about to get an upgrade. Ravirn is not your average computer geek. A child of the Fates-literally-he-s a hacker extraordinaire who can zero in on the fatal flaw in any program. Now that twenty-first-century magic has gone digital that makes him a very talented sorcerer. But a world of problems is about to be downloaded on Ravirn, who's just trying to pass his college midterms.

Great Aunt Atropos, one of the three Fates, decides that humans having free will is really overrated and plans to rid herself of the annoyance by coding a spell into the Fate Core, the server that rules destiny. As a hacker, Ravirn is a big believer in free will, and when he not only refuses to debug her spell but actively opposes her all hell breaks loose. Even with the help of his familiar Melchior, a sexy sorceress (who's also a mean programmer), and the webgoblin underground, it-s going to be a close call... 

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison
When shy Jenny Cooper goes to stay with her cousin Jane Austen, she knows nothing of the world of beautiful dresses, dances, secrets, gossip, and romance that Jane inhabits. At fifteen, Jane is already a sharp observer of the customs of courtship. So when Jenny falls utterly in love with Captain Thomas Williams, who better than Jane to help her win the heart of this dashing man?

But is that even possible? After all, Jenny’s been harboring a most desperate secret. Should it become known, it would bring scandal not only to her, but also to the wonderful Austen family. What’s a poor orphan girl to do?

In this delicious dance between truth and fiction, Cora Harrison has crafted Jenny’s secret diary by reading everything Jane Austen wrote as a child and an adult, and by researching biographies, critical studies, and family letters. Jenny’s diary makes the past spring vividly to life and provides insight into the entire Austen family—especially the beloved Jane.

Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony
In 2041, when the world's depleted oil supplies have forced governmental failures and the emergence of a black-market economy, 16-year-old Molly McClure travels to Oregon to convince her aging grandparents to join the rest of the family in British Columbia. That plan takes a backseat to the drama unfolding next door—where two children are being cared for by their drunken, gambling uncle—and Molly may have two more passengers for the return trip, if she can convince anyone to go. After taking a few chapters to focus the characterization and plot direction, Anthony delivers a plucky heroine with a musical gift, a taste of romance, and a family-values-based narrative about dealing with unexpected circumstances. The tone is hopeful, and there is an innocence to the storytelling that makes the main character seem much younger than her years, in spite of her ability to face down the rough guys.