In My Mailbox (31)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**
 
"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme that spotlights the new books you received for review, swapped, or bought!  Have a look at what I got!

Bought:

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz


*Now you know what I got!  What did you get?

I'm trapped under a mountain of paperwork! HELP!!

I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth!  I am 100% bogged down in stacks of paperwork and other tedious, time-consuming end-of-year teacher 'stuff' that has to be done by Tuesday.  Unfortunately, that means that my holiday weekend won't be much of a holiday!  I am a participant in the SecretKeeper Game for the upcoming Pretty Little Liars ABC Family series too, and I am doing my best to keep up with that.  Sigh... I PROMISE to get my blog back into shape soon! I will have my IMM post up this weekend and possibly one review if I get time to finish it. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and school is out in about 10 days (squee!!!).  My bookshelf is beckoning me with all of the wonderful books that I haven't been able to even crack open yet and I look forward to tackling my tbr stack!  Anyway... I just wanted you guys to know why I have been M.I.A. lately!  Thanks for sticking with me!

I am a Pretty Little Liars Secret Keeper!

Last week I received an e-mail from ABC Family inviting me to participate in a 3 week online game that revolves around the upcoming tv series "Pretty Little Liars".  As all of you know, this series is based on the wildly popular YA books in the "Pretty Little Liars" series by Sara Shepard!  I will be honest with you, I was a little skeptical about accepting since I haven't read the series myself (hangs head in shame!), but the rep from ABC Family assured me that it wouldn't be a problem and that I could always ask you guys for help!  So PLEASE help me!!!  Anyway... the game consists of 10 groups that have 4 people in each group (each group member plays one of the four main characters).  Essentially I will be competing against only 3 others (I think!).  We will be given daily challenges/quests/scavenger hunts etc. that are solved using clues we are given through the new SmartPhone that was sent to each participant.  My phone (Motorola Droid) came loaded with pictures, contacts and more that belong to Aria, so until June 18th my alias is Aria!  Each player is responsible for protecting 10 secrets about themselves from the others.  "A" is calling the shots and will be trying her best to get us to reveal our secrets!  I am excited about the game and will post updates/questions etc. on the blog as needed.  I did take some pictures of my "game kit" that came today.  The packaging was very cool and very messy!  When I opened the box I realized that it was FULL of dirt!! There was a piece of plastic on top of the dirt that said "Some secrets you have to dig for" -A... So yes, I dug in the dirt and found my phone, charger and an extra little clue that I am not divulging at this time!  I included some pics for you below.  I did get my first challenge today and solved it all by myself!  "A" did make a point to tell me not to expect them to be so easy from now on!  So any of you out there that are PLL experts- LET ME KNOW because I will need your help! :)

*FTC Disclosure: The Smartphone has been provided free of charge to the participants for game play by ABC Family.  Participants will be allowed to keep the phones after the game is over.

Award Time!

I have a couple of new awards that I need to celebrate and pass on!

The Bodacious Award was given to me by Aleksandra at Aleksandra's Corner.  Thanks so much Aleksandra!!

Here is how this award works:

If you are given this award you must first accept it by leaving a comment on the post you were nominated on. Then copy and paste the post and add it to your own blog. Make a list of the last 5 books you read and pass the award on to 5 other bloggers (no backsies!). Please also identify the blog from which you got the award and don't forget to tell them they have a blog award! 

The last 5 books I read:

1. Arson by Estevan Vega
2. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
3. The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
4. Lover Mine by JR Ward
5. Hex Hall by Rachel Ward

I nominate the following blogs for this award:

1. Eleni @ La Femme Readers
2. Elie @ Ellz Readz
3. Tizrah @ The Compulsive Reader
4. The Gang @ Teens Read and Write
5. Yan @ Books By Their Cover

The second award I received was The Versatile Blogger Award! This was given to me by Jessica @ A Fanatics Book Blog.  Thanks so much Jessica!

The Rules for the award are:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (in no particular order…)
4. Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

7 Things About Me:

1. I am ready for summer break!
2. I LOVE to sleep late but never get to because my 5 year old doesn't believe in it!
3. I wish I had more time to read!
4. I am in the very early stages of writing my own ya book!
5. I blow my book budget within 2 days of payday (every month!!)
6. I have a teaching degree and a degree in anthropology with a specialization in archaeology (that I will probably never use!)
7. I hate talking on the phone!

I nominate the following blogs:

1. Darcy @ Library Lounge Lizard
2. Steph @ StephTheBookworm
3. Vania @ Reverie Book Reviews
4. Abra @ My Life in Short Stories and Long
5. Brenda @ Brenda Pandos
6. The Serpentine Library
7. Isalys and Vanessa @ Book Soulmates
8. Adriana @ *Loves To Read*
9. Mel @ He Followed Me Home.... Can I Keep Him?
10. Jen @ Book Crazy
11. Sara @ The Hiding Spot
12. Sammee @ I Want To Read That
13. Nicole @ Word For Teens
14. Reggie @ The Undercover Book Lover (Not Really)
15. Lauren @ Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

*Thanks again to Jessica and Aleksandra for passing these awards on to me!

In My Mailbox (30)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**
 
"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme that spotlights the new books you received for review, swapped, or bought!  Have a look at what I got!

For Review:

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (Thanks to Alice @ Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)  
My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking (arc provided by author in exchange for an honest review)

Bought:

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Wereling by Steve Feasey
Glimmerglass by Jenna Black
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Flawless by Sara Shepard

Swapped:

Morpheus Road: The Light by DJ MacHale (Thanks Katie!)

*Now you know what I got!  What did you get?

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking The Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.  It is always so hard to decide which books I want to feature on Wednesdays.  There are so many wonderful books coming out this year.  Waiting is such torture!  Here are a few that I am waiting for:

Bloody Valentine 
(A Blue Bloods Novella)
Written by Melissa De La Cruz
Release Date: December 28, 2010
Published by Hyperion Books

Summary from Goodreads:

"Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. InBloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series."

*Is this an incredible cover or what?! 

Immortal Beloved (Immortal Beloved, #1) 

Written by Cate  Tiernan

Release Date: September 7, 2010

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary from Goodreads:

"New name, new town, new life. Nastasya has done it too often to count. And there’s no end in sight. Nothing ever really ends... when you’re immortal. But this time is different: Nastasya knows that this new town must hold her salvation—or her death.

Nastasya was born into darkness, and has embraced it her whole life. Four hundred years ago, a tragedy robbed her of her birthright, and she’s been living a lie ever since. Now, four centuries of exploring the depths and limits of dark power has left Nastasya feeling sickened unto death. If she continues down this road, she will end up as a very dark, twisted, evil thing—with unthinkable power. Or she can begin the long, painful road toward light, and reclaim the destiny that others tried to destroy.

They’re rare. You may have never met one, never sat next to one on a plane, never eaten in the same restaurant at the same time. But the Immortals are there. Have always been there. Will always be there. Moving among humans, playing out their own cursed fate. Sometimes subtly, sometimes with huge, sweeping implications for mankind. But no one will ever know. Except you."

The Candidates (Delcroix Academy, #1) 

Written by Inara Scott
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Published by Hyperion Books

Summary from Goodreads:

"Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt.  So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden. But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies.  So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome. And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what.  But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy."

*These books sound amazing!  I can't wait to get my hands on them!  What books are you waiting for?

NEW CONTEST!! Win "The Emerald Talisman" by Brenda Pandos!

I recently read and reviewed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos and I LOVED it!  This is the first volume in a new YA vampire series that is sure to be a hit!  If you haven't checked this book out yet or if its on your wish list here is your chance to score a copy!  One lucky follower will win a signed copy of The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos and a signed bookmark!  This contest is open internationally and will run until midnight on Saturday, June 5th.  To enter you must be a follower and fill out the form below.  That's it!!  If you would like to learn more about this book or if you want to read my 5 star review click HERE.

Winner of "Radiant Shadows" by Melissa Marr!!!

Congrats to Andrea!  

You are the lucky winner of Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely #4) by Melissa Marr! Yeah!!  Thanks to all that entered.  If you didn't win- no worries- I will be posting a new contest this week!  I also wanted to take a moment to apologize for my absence lately and my lack of posts and reviews.  The close of every school year is aways super hectic and this one is no different!  I have been so busy over the last few weeks and it won't let up until I am out for the summer (thats only about two weeks away - so please bear with me!).  I promise to tackle my review stack with renewed zest and get back to posting regularly.  Thanks!

*You can check out my review of Radiant Shadows here!

Review: The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos

 
The Emerald Talisman
Written by Brenda Pandos
Release Date: Available Now!!
Published by Obsidian Mountain Publishing

I am always excited when I find a book that I know nothing about before reading and end up loving!  Well, that is what happened when I read The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos.

Summary from Goodreads:
"To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves."

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed reading this book!  Brenda Pandos did a wonderful job creating a fresh and exciting new vampire world.  I loved the characters in this story (good and evil) and the suspense had me turning pages way too late for a few nights! I found Julia (the main character) very interesting.  She was an empath, meaning that she could sense and feel the emotions of those around her.  Her gift definitely came in handy on more than one occasion in the book, but remained a secret to everyone.  Her family doesn't even know that she possesses this gift.  She also seems to be a magnet for vampires- which sucks (bad pun I know:D)- unless you have your own super hot half vampire/half human vamp slayer as your knight in shining armor!  Nicholas is the gorgeous, yet dangerous, bad boy that Julia falls for.  At the beginning of the book she finds herself in a pretty hopeless situation that Nicholas saves her from.  They spend a little time together that evening and then he disappears for quite awhile.  Julia is immediately consumed with thoughts of him.  She finds herself completely in love with him, despite the fact that she only spent a few hours with him.  I found this a little confusing, but as I read on, I began to understand the connection between Julia and Nicholas better.  Both of them had mysteries in their lives that I really wanted the answers to.  Julia had the mystery of her mother's disappearance, her empathic gift, and the mysterious message given to her by a fortune teller concerning her destiny.  Nicholas' character didn't lack in the mystery department either!  As the only known half vamp/half human in the world, and the only vampire slayer, he is one of a kind.  That definitely holds some major intrigue!  I enjoyed learning about the emerald talisman that he wore, and about the reasons behind his connection to Julia.  His character is really cool, calm, and collected in the face of danger and is quite a force to be reckoned with!  Did I mention that he is completely gorgeous too?  Oh yes... totally swoon-worthy!

The book moved at a good pace and the ending was fantastic!  The stage was set up perfectly for another volume in the series.  There was enough resolution at the end to be satisifying, yet the unanswered questions make me pine for the sequel!  Some of the things that I am anxious to learn more about include the history of Nicholas' parents (especially his vampire father), Julia's true destiny in the fight against the vampires, and the course that Julia and Nicholas' relationship will take after the events at the end of the book (hint.hint... Brenda PLEASE cover these in the sequel!:D)  I really did love this book and would recommend it to all YA readers that enjoy good vamp fiction!

*This book was provided to me for review by the author.  Thanks Brenda!

In My Mailbox (29)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**
 
"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme that spotlights the new books you received for review, swapped, or bought!  Have a look at what I got!

For Review:

The Reckoning (Darkest Powers Book 3) by Kelley Armstrong
The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey Book 2) by Julie Kagawa

*Thanks to Elyse at HarperCollins for providing the arc copy of The Reckoning and thanks to Carly at Harlequin and NetGalley for providing the arc copy of The Iron Daughter!

Bought:

Sunshine by Robin McKinley
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
White Cat by Holly Black
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow
Spells by Aprilynne Pike
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong


*The pins, bookmarks, and school kit were all given to me by Kelley Armstrong at her signing event this past Thursday! So now you know what I got in my mailbox!  What did you get in yours?

ANNOUNCEMENT: Winners of the MEGA-Swag and More Giveaway!!

Sound the trumpets...... I am FINALLY able to announce the winners of my MEGA-Swag and More Giveaway! You guys would not  believe how many people entered! There were over 2200 entries!!!  Thanks so much to all of you that entered, helped me spread the word about the contest, and became followers of my blog!  You guys ROCK!!!  So here is the moment you have all been waiting for.....
*all winners were picked using Random.Org- so if you didn't win you can't blame me- just blame the random number generator!! :) I will be sending emails to the winners shortly, if you are a winner please reply to the email and verify your correct shipping address (international winners...please type your address in the manor it should appear on the mailing label-thanks!!)

1. The Pace Prize Pack (includes a signed copy of The Pace by Shelena Shorts, stuffed koala bear, signed The Pace bookmark, and  The Pace pin) goes to entry #1417- Ursina @ The Farmer's Daughter's Bookshelf (Canada)
2. The Forest of Hands and Teeth Prize Pack (includes a signed copy of The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, bookmark featuring hardcover design, bookmark featuring paperback design, The Dead-Tossed Waves bookmark, sticker, and business card) goes to entry #309- Leigh-Ann (USA)
3. Ink Exchange Prize Pack (includes a copy of Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr, Ink Exchange temporary tattoo, and a Solitary Court band) goes to entry # 1225 Stella @ ExLibris (Hungary)
4. Wicked Lovely Prize Pack (includes a copy of Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, a Summer Court band and a Winter Court band) goes to entry # 1792- Enyl (USA)
5. Prophecy Of The Sisters Prize Pack (includes a signed copy of a Prophecy Of The Sisters audiobook by Michelle Zink and a matching bookmark) goes to entry # 1676- Yan  (USA)
6. Vampire Academy Prize Pack (includes copies of the first two books in the series by Richelle Mead -Vampire Academy and Frostbite, Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark, Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White postcard and signed bookmark, and signed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos bookmark) goes to entry # 1578- Holly (USA)
7. Swag Pack #1 (includes full size signed Arson by Estevan Vega poster, signed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos bookmark, Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus magnet, The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sticker, and a Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia reading group guide) goes to entry # 1320- Marianna Gizzarelli @ babylikeahoney (USA)
8. Swag Pack #2 (includes a signed The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting poster, a The Body Finder tote bag, and two different The Body Finder stickers) goes to entry # 1353- Christa Holland (USA)
9. Swag Pack #3 (includes a signed The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting poster, a The Body Finder sticker, and a Beautiful Creatures reading group guide) goes to entry # 787- Jessica Rodriguez @ Jessica's Vision (USA)
10. MEGA Swag Pack #4 (includes a Change of Heart by Shari Maurer soccer stress ball, a signed Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark and pin, an Everlasting by Angie Frazier signed bookmark and pin, a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan bookmark, a signed The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan bookmark featuring the hardcover design, a The Forest of Hands and Teeth bookmark featuring the paperback design, a The Dead-Tossed Waves 2010 calendar magnet, a signed Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader bookmark, a signed The Mark by Jen Nadol bookmark, a Forget -Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White postcard, pin, temporary tattoo, and signed bookmark, a signed The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting bookmark and sticker, Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia signed bookplate, bookmark, and Octogram explanation card, and a Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia reading group guide) goes to entry #334- Nikki @ Bookizzle (USA)
    
11. MEGA Swag Pack #5 (includes a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White postcard and signed bookmark, a Change Of Heart by Shari Maurer soccer stress ball, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting signed bookmark and sticker, a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader signed bookmark, an Everlasting by Angie Frazier signed bookmark and pin, a signed Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark and magnet, a The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan bookmark and a The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan sticker, and a signed bookplate by Carrie Ryan, a The Mark by Jen Nadol signed bookmark, a Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia reading group guide, an Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia bookmark, a The Pace by Shelena Shorts signed bookmark, and a The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos card) goes to entry # 50- Maura @ Monster of Books (Canada)
12. Swag Pack #6 (includes a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White bookmark, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark, a The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan sticker, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sticker, a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo, a Forget-Her Nots by Amy Brecount White temporary tattoo, an Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia sticker, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus pin, and a The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos card) goes to entry # 2174- Kiara(Cristina Faundez) (Chile)
13. Swag Pack #7 (includes a Change of Heart by Shari Maurer soccer stress ball, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sticker, a signed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos bookmark, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark and magnet, and an Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia card and author business card) goes to entry # 130- Kathrin @ Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic (Germany)
14. MEGA Swag Pack #8 (includes a Change of Heart by Shari Maurer soccer stress ball, a The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan bookmark, sticker, and signed bookplate, a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White signed bookmark and temporary tattoo, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a signed The Mark by Jen Nadol bookmark, a signed Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader bookmark, a The Body Finder signed bookmark and sticker, a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo, an Everlasting by Angie Frazier signed bookmark and pin, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus signed bookmark and pin, and a signed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos card) goes to entry # 1399- Elizabeth E (USA)
15. Swag Pack #9 (includes a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White postcard, pin and bookmark, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sticker, a Prophecy Of The Sisters by Michelle Zink bookmark, and a The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos signed card) goes to entry #410- Colleen Kosinski (USA)
16. Swag Pack #10 (includes a The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan bookmark, a The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos bookmark, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting signed bookmark, a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White bookmark, a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark and pin, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, an Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia sticker, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting sticker, Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White temporary tattoo, and a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo) goes to entry # 356- Ruth (New Zealand)
17.  MEGA Swag Pack #11 (includes a Prophecy Of The Sisters by Michelle Zink bookmark, an Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia bookmark and author business card, a The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan bookmark(PB version) and a signed bookplate by Carrie Ryan, a preview booklet of Fang by James Patterson and a Fang temporary tattoo, a preview booklet of Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia with a reading group discussion guide and a Beautiful  Creatures dogtag necklace, a The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting signed bookmark and sticker, a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White postcard, signed bookmark, and temporary tattoo, a signed The Mark by Jen Nadol bookmark, a signed Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess, and The Pace by Shelena Shorts signed bookplate and pin) goes to entry # 1218- I luv hersheys_and books (USA)
18. Swag Pack #12 (includes a Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus bookmark and pin, a Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White pin, two different The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting stickers and bookmark, a Fang by James Patterson temporary tattoo, a Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia preview booklet and group discussion guide,  a Fang by James Patterson preview booklet, a Prophecy Of The Sisters bookmark, a Mistwood by Leah Cypess bookmark, a The Forest of Hands and Teeth (PB version) bookmark and a The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan bookmark, and a signed The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos bookmark) goes to entry #1860  Mountie9 (Canada)

Thanks again to all of the authors and publicists that donated the goodies for the giveaway!  Don't forget to enter my current giveaway for a copy of Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr.  It runs until May 15th.  You can get to the entry form by clicking on the 'Contest' link in the right sidebar!  Happy Reading!!!!

Kelley Armstrong Signing Event!

Last night I was fortunate enough to be able to attend an author reading/signing event featuring Kelley Armstrong at Park Road Books (an AWESOME indie bookstore in Charlotte, NC).  It was great!  I love The Darkest Powers books (The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning) and couldn't wait to meet Kelley!  We were told that she would be doing a reading followed by book signing and swag!  I was totally expecting her to read an excerpt from The Reckoning (the 3rd book in The Darkest Powers Trilogy which released this month),  but before she started reading she said that she wanted to address the loose ends that she left at the end of The Reckoning.  She promised us that she would never leave so many loose plot threads without a means of addressing them later.  You may be asking yourself, "I thought that The Darkest Powers books were a trilogy?"  Well, her next book will be titled The Gathering and will be set in the same world as the first three books, but the character set will be different.  The unresolved plot threads from The Reckoning will be addressed in this 4th novel, however, she did say that this trilogy will not be The Darkest Powers books 4,5, and 6, but will be an all new trilogy set in the same world.  Kelley said that we will learn that 'The Edison Group' had more than just 'The Genesis Project' (the project that included the experiments conducted on Chloe and her friends) going on.  This next trio of books will be focusing on 'Project Pheonix'.  We tried to wiggle some more info out of Kelley about 'Project Phoenix' but she stayed pretty tight-lipped!  She did give us a hint.... She said that 'Project Phoenix' is based on Vancover Island and the supernaturals featured will have powers that we may not have seen before!  She said that this project was concerned with resurrecting extinct supernaturals from the past (hence 'phoenix'!) and that she took the powers that these characters have from old mythology and folklore!  Pretty Cool, right?!!!  The excerpt that she read was intense and suspenseful.  I really can't wait to meet these new characters!  If you would like to read the excerpt that she read to us just go to www.harpercollins.com/kelleyarmstrong.

After her reading, she did a Q&A session, gave out some cool swag, and signed books.  I had her sign all three of my hardback copies and I also had her sign my arc copy of The Reckoning because I am going to be giving it away to one lucky follower (along with some of the absolutely adorable character pins that she gave me!).  I will post details about this contest soon!  Carrie Ryan, author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves, also came to the signing since she lives in Charlotte. It was great getting to hang out and talk to Carrie and Kelley after the event.  It was a perfect booklover's evening... meeting cool authors, meeting fellow booklovers, hanging out in an awesome indie bookstore, and then hitting more bookstores after the event!  Sigh....

**The top picture is of me and Kelley, the middle pictures are (1) me, Kelley, and Carrie Ryan (2) Kelley discussing her books and answering questions, the bottom pictures are (1) my signed books, my signed arc that I am giving away and my swag ( includes the character pins pictured above and a cute little school kit that is a ruler with The Darkest Powers written on the top that opens up and has paper clips, sticky notes, and colored sticky tabs in it)- Yeah! Yeah! If you have followed this blog at all, then you know I LOVE me some swag!!**

Author Signing Tonight!

I am so excited!  Tonight I am headed to a reading/signing event for Kelley Armstrong (author of The Darkest Powers Trilogy)!  If you live in the Charlotte NC area and want to come out, then meet me at Park Road Books at 6:00pm!!  Hopefully Kelley will be doing a reading from the newest installment that released this month titled The Reckoning, with a Q & A session to follow.  I hope I will see some of you guys there tonight supporting an awesome ya author and a wonderful indie bookstore as well!

Update!

Hi!  I just wanted to give everyone a quick update.  I am still not done organizing the entries from my MEGA-Swag and More Giveaway.  I am making sure that each person that entered gets the correct number of entries and I am ensuring that I have them all numbered right.  I've gotten the first 300 people's entries organized and after giving each of those entrants their correct number of entries I am up to 2000 entries!!  I still have 200 more to get organized so hopefully (time permitted) I will have some winners posted by Friday.  I appreciate all of your patience and I can't wait to send out the goodies!!!  This contest was so successful and I thank all of you and all of the rockin' authors that donated the swag.  I definitely couldn't have done it without you!  I know that the blog has been a little slow lately and for that I apologize.  With the school year winding down, I tend to have an increase in activities that eat into my 'free time' (aka: time that I am not doing school work, fixing dinner, going to T-Ball, chasing my child or doing laundry).  I promise to be back in full force soon!  I have lots of reading to catch up with and many reviews to write and post- so bear with me for a few more weeks?!  THANKS!!

In My Mailbox (28)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**
 
"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme that spotlights the new books you received for review, swapped, or bought!  Have a look at what I got!

For Review:

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas


Bought: 
Lover Mine by JR Ward
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Sent *The Missing: Book 2* by Margaret Peterson Haddix


**I received the Barnes and Noble giftcard and the Amazon giftcard as birthday gifts from a couple of my friends!  My friends know me so well!!!

**Now you know what I got! What did you get?