Mockingjay and Low Red Moon Giveaway!!

I now have 52 followers!! 52!! I can hardly believe it! You guys are so amazing-- I wish I could thank each one of you personally. But I'll have to settle for giving away some great books, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin. I decided to combine the two giveaways because I didn't get many entries for Low Red Moon last time, but now that I have more followers, hopefully there will be more!! Just leave a comment with your e-mail address and which book you'd like to win. Also, you must be a follower to enter and it ends April 14th. Good Luck, and happy reading!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, which allows bloggers to share the books they're eagerly anticipating to be released in 2011. I love doing this and checking out all the upcoming books bloggers find to share with everyone! Here's mine!

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

This sounds so intriguing and intense! I love the title and how it's implied the next words will be, as the nursery rhyme goes, ''we all fall down''. Books about the end of the world just fascinate me for some reason, in a wow-that-could-totally-happen-to-us kind of fascination. Plus this cover just completely draws me in-- I love how it shows the two kids with all the destruction looming over them. Very powerful!! This book comes out June 1st, 2011.

Have a wonderful reading Wednesday everyone!

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs. But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Raised by Wolves is by far one of the the best werewolf novels I've read out there. Barnes takes the meaning 'werewolf' to a whole new level, melding common mythology and ingenious, believable new ideas into a seamless narrative that made me laugh and exclaim in the oddest of places. The wolves aren't sugarcoated either-- I found their animalistic, dominant natures to be totally realistic, much closer to their true wolf selves than human. I really liked the underlying message of being your own person, not letting others control you, yet still being part of something larger than yourself; it gave the book a deeper, more mature feel. The overall writing style was quite easy to read and very descriptive, allowing the reader to really get a sense of the characters and community in the story, and the twist at the end will keep you wide-eyed and ready for the next installment.

I loved all the characters in this book. Their personalities were written so perfectly: Bryn especially made me grin with her shrewd, sarcastic observations, lightening up the most dire of situations. Even the more minor characters, like Lake (Bryn's reckless, faithful friend) were bursting with individuality. Devon loved Broadway, Lake named her gun Matilda, ecetera. You can really relate with all of them, which I think is important in a book. Rebellious Bryn learns a lot from when we first meet her in the beginning, to the last scene in the end. Her identity is called into question, and she realizes she is strong enough to break away from the restrictive pack bonds that she is constantly fighting against. Her feelings of Callum's betrayal are very easy to relate to, as he is more of a father figure to her than anyone else. The only problem I had with the character relationships was between Bryn and Chase. Their sudden connection seemed a little forced, and although Barnes gives us plausible reason for this, I still felt Chase should have been more developed before he and Bryn were suddenly thrust into their intricate 'bond'. Although I have to admit, I was pleased Bryn didn't turn into one of those dependant, washed-out girls that rely completely on male companionship throughout the story-- the author manages to throw the romantic element into the story and still keep Bryn's snappy personality in there too. She was a breath of fresh air.

My Favorite Quote: "Lake breathed out a happy sigh as she approached the row filled with guns. "Matilda was my first, but ladies, you know how to make a girl want to stray." (I love Lake!)

About the Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen. Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She spent the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. (from Goodreads)

Upcoming Book: Trial by Fire, sequel to Raised by Wolves, coming June 14, 2011! So excited!! 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading, where bloggers share a quick excerpt from the book they're currently reading. Here's mine, from Raised By Wolves, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:

Callum snorted. "Bryn, when you were six years old, you tried to bungee jump off a jungle gym by connecting the straps of your overalls to the bars with your shoelaces. Caution has never been your strong suit." 

Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!

In My Mailbox

Yay!! I'm happy to be participating in The Story Siren's In My Mailbox to showcase the books I have recieved this week! First off I have:

Plague by Michael Grant (for review)
 

         

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn  Barnes (won) 

 

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (bought) 

 

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (bought)

 

Well, that's it for today! Happy Reading everyone!

Goal is Reached!!

Wow. I just have to say I love each and every person who has started following me!! I didn't expect to get such a great response and such amazing feedback!! I now have 30 followers:) *happy dance*. Thank you everyone for being so supportive and giving freely of your blogging knowledge-- I couldn't have done it without you. I wish I could do international, but sadly I am very broke. I'm sorry! Someday in the near future hopefully I'll be able to do an international giveaway. For now, all you have to do is leave your name and e-mail address in the comments and the winner will be chose randomly on April first. Good luck! 

Followers Contest!

Hello everyone! 

Lately, I've been feeling kinda depressed at my lack of blogging buddies. I only have six right now-- you guys are amazing by the way-- so I have decided to do a contest/ giveaway. I know, I know, it's a totally lame way to get people to read my blog, but I'm desperate. So I cleaned out my bookshelf, and I think I've got some great stuff to give away! 

When I reach 25 followers I'll be giving away a hardcover copy of: 

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin!

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans.

When I top 50 followers I'll give out a hardcover, never-been-read copy of: 

 Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins!

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young (and old!) hearts pounding.

And finally, when I get 75 followers, one lucky winner will receive an ARC copy of: 

  Forgotten by Cat Patrick (read my recent review here)! 

 Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future. Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

**love this book! It comes out in June, and they're also in the throes of producing a movie based on it.

And if I reach *gasp* 100 followers... well, we'll see when we get there:)

So,does it seem like good stuff? I'm pretty new at blogging so give me some feedback! When I reach the amount of followers for the books above, I'll start a contest form, so stay updated, and get the word out there about this for me! Thanks everyone, you're awesome!

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

What if every night when you woke up, you had no recollection of the days before? What if instead, you could 'remember' the future?

Each night when sixteen-year- old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating the hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about a past she keeps forgetting-- before it destroys her future.

This book started out a little slow for me, but I soon got caught up in the mystery and intrigue of London Lane's mind- boggling life. I can't imagine waking up every day and forgetting the people I'd met and the experiences I'd had, it's just... unfathomable. But the unique thing about London's predicament is she actually has memories of the future, just like we have memories of our past. These memories flit through her mind as if they'd happened yesterday, when in reality they will really occur a day, a month, even years from when she 'remembers' them. The only way she can recognize people is through these 'memories'. It's really quite an original idea, and the mystery aspect of the novel, if sometimes predictable, is compelling, with a hopeful ending that hints towards a sequel.

London herself desperately wants to be what she considers 'normal', and works as hard as she can to hide the fact that she's different. The only people who know of her strange memory problem are her mom and her outspoken, stubborn best friend, Jamie. It's hard for London to have relationships when she knows every horrible thing that will happen to a person and be helpless to do anything about it. And then there's Luke, the gorgeous boy who she doesn't see in her future, but who she feels an undeniable attraction to nonetheless. Every morning she forgets him, and has to read her notes from the days past in order to act as if she remembers him. Their romance is sweet and fascinating with this constant cycle of whenever-I-look-at-you-it's-like-the-first-time, in the very literal sense. Together, they figure out the tangle of London's past and what caused her to be the way she is. London realizes she doesn't have to let the future dictate her present life, that she can change it for the better, a concept that will resonate clearly with young adult readers. This fresh combination of fantasy and psychological thriller will keep it's reader's eyes glued to the pages and inspire thoughtful questions about one's destiny. 

My Favorite Quote: ''But what I need to remember most is this: Only I can change the future''

About The Author: Ten Interesting Facts about Cat Patrick:
1. She has lived in both the least and most populated states in America (and a few in between).
2. Her first novel—Dolly the Purple Spotted Dolphin—was self-published and distributed strictly to members of her household. She was eight at the time.

3.When she was younger, she was in a traveling sign language troupe like the one in Napoleon Dynamite (for reals!).
4. She was also a cheerleader.  

5. Beyond the obvious, a few of her favorite things include: coffee, nonsensical shoes, funny people, movies and wine.  A day with all of the above, she says, is golden.
6. She's currently giggling her way through co-raising two tiny genius supermodel rocket-scientists (fraternal twin girls).

7. She would rather be cold than hot any day.  She's most at home—and most productive—in the fall. 

8. Her first concert ever was Neil Diamond, and he rocked.  Her favorite concert ever was Arcade Fire at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.                                                                                                                    9. She got the idea for Forgotten when she forgot what she was doing mid-activity. She wondered how awful it would be to have amnesia, then mused about what it would be like to remember forward, instead of the *usual* way.
10. She has a terrible memory:) 

**This book comes out June 2011
***Forgotten is going to become a movie, with London played by Hailee Steinfeld!! Check it out here!

The Art of Racing in The Rain by Garth Stein

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.

This is actually my third time reading this book, but it is truly one of those novels that changes you profoundly each time you read it. I would whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone and everyone! The Art of Racing in The Rain is gorgeously written, inspirational, and absurdly funny. I personally think Garth Stein captured the life of this unique dog perfectly: Enzo's doggish voice leaves the reader glancing thoughtfully over at their own canine pet, wondering at his secret ambitions. I love how the constant connections of racing to life aren't forced, but flow with the story, and will make sense to both younger and older readers. Enzo, I feel, has a better grasp on life than most humans do. His lessons will stay with the reader for years to come. 

 

I fall completely in love with Enzo and his whole family each time I read about them. How can you not? The simple way Enzo views people makes it easy to see who they really are.  Danny is an ideal owner and treats Enzo with adoration and respect, and his struggle to keep custody of his young daughter after his wife dies Zoë is incredible. It was touching when Enzo stayed awake all night to watch over Eve, and guard her from the 'monsters' brought on by her sickness. And yet, despite his amazing grasp on humanity, Garth Stein doesn't overlook the fact that Enzo is a dog, and therefore, has doggy instincts. There is a hilarious scene where Enzo believes a stuffed animal has viciously torn itself apart, when, in truth, it was actually him who destroyed the innocent toy after he was mistakenly left behind by his family. The ending broke my heart then re-mended it. I have never, and I don't think I ever will, come close to finding a dog book as heart- wrenching as this one.  Enzo is a truly special character: you won't ever forget him or his clear, honest perception on life. And you'll definitely never take opposable thumbs for granted ever again!

My Favorite Quote: "There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose."

(There's so many lovely quotes in here I just had to put another one!) "We too, must shatter the mirrors. We must look in to ourselves and root out the distortions until that thing which we know in our hearts is perfect and true, stands before us."

About The Author: Garth Stein is the author of the New York Times best selling literary novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Now published in 23 languages, The Art of Racing in the Rain was the #1 BookSense selection for June, 2008, the Starbucks spring/summer 2008 book selection, and has been on the IndieBound™ bestseller list since its publication. Stein's previous novel, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets won a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, and was a BookSense Pick in both hardcover and paperback. Raven Stole the Moon was Stein's first novel. He has also written a full-length play, Brother Jones, and produced a number of award-winning documentaries. With an M.F.A. in film from Columbia University (1990), Garth worked as a documentary film maker for several years, and directed, produced, or co-produced several award winning films. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Seattle, Garth's ancestry is diverse: his mother, a native of Alaska, is of Tlingit Indian and Irish descent; his father, a Brooklyn native, is the child of Jewish emigrants from Austria. After spending his childhood in Seattle and then living in New York City for 18 years, Garth returned to Seattle, where he currently lives with his wife, three sons, and their dog, Comet.

Other Books You May Enjoy: Marley and Me by John Grogan, A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron, Racing in The Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein ( this is a children's version of The Art of Racing in  The Rain), The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

''LOS ANGELES, CA, March 17, 2011- Lionsgate and the filmmakers of “The Hunger Games” are pleased to announce that Academy Award® nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence will assume the coveted role of Katniss Everdeen in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games.”

The film will be directed by Gary Ross, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force. Collins’ best-selling novel, which has over 3 million copies in print in the United States alone, is the first in a trilogy of science fiction/action novels which have developed a global following. Lionsgate will release “The Hunger Games” on March 23, 2012.
Newcomer Lawrence’s meteoric ascent began in earnest with her breakout role in last year’s “Winter’s Bone,” and culminated in an Academy Award nomination. This summer, Lawrence will star in Matthew Vaughn’s “X Men: First Class” and in “The Beaver” directed by Jodie Foster. Later this year, she co-stars in the Sundance Grand Jury winner “Like Crazy”.
Author Suzanne Collins weighed in on the selection of Lawrence, “Jennifer’s just an incredible actress. So powerful, vulnerable, beautiful, unforgiving and brave. I never thought we’d find somebody this perfect for the role. And I can’t wait for everyone to see her play it.”
“I’m so excited work with Jen and see her bring this character to life. Katniss requires a young actress with strength, depth, complexity, tenderness, and power. There are very few people alive who can bring that to a role. Jen brings it in spades. She’s going to be an amazing Katniss.” said director Gary Ross.''

                                                                        --From ''The Mockingjay.net'' (http://mockingjay.net/)

I'm so excited! She seems amazing, and if Suzanne Collins loves her, so do I!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

  Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

  I have to admit, I kinda did judge this book by it's title. I mean, The Body Finder? It sounds creepy and morbid, yet in reality it is anything but. The suspense began on the very first page when Violet finds the body of a murdered girl behind her home, in the woods. I was a goner. Kimberly Derting really knows how to tell a good story, weaving and building up the mystery and romance elements together perfectly. You think you have it figured out and then suddenly you realize it's not that way at all. The way the book changed from Violet's point of view to the killer's was just perfect, and terribly thrilling-- let's just say I'm carrying pepper spray in my purse from now on. 

  I have to say I like Violet as a character very much. She isn't stuck up or self- righteous, she just wants to do the right thing, and the author captures these emotions very nicely. And Jay (sigh) is, well, wonderful, charming, and protective-- what more could a girl ask for? I firmly believe that people who are friends first have the best relationships, simply because they truly know each other. Even the minor characters, who quite often get pushed to the side in some books, were bursting with personality: I personally adore Violet's outspoken, say-it-like-it-is friend Chelsea-- she cracked me up with her constant bring it on attitude. I can guarantee everyone will find something in common with at least one person in the novel.

  All in all, this was a completely original, chilling and mesmerizing book that I will definitely want to read over again. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Desires of the Dead! 

My Favorite Quote: "She needed Jay to go with her. Because despite her bold words about doing it by herself, it was all just a bluff. She really wasn’t sure if she could do it on her own. 

 '“All right,” he finally agreed, flashing her the same stupid grin that always made her heart stutter, even though he still seemed uncertain. “How about we start by going to the movies tonight? We can make sure the theater is safe."'

About the Author:  Kimberly Derting was born and raised in the Seattle area, with the exception of a few short stints in Phoenix, Boise, and San Jose. She had a colorful childhood, raised by a single mother who worked her head off to make ends meet. She showed her and her brother how to enjoy life on a shoestring budget. She was the kind of person who, given the choice between paying a bill and taking them to the circus, would always opt for the circus...and somehow, she always managed to pay the bill. She was the one who taught Kimberly how to laugh. 

  She first fell in love with writing (giving up my childhood dreams of being a Veterinarian, and then her later aspirations of "lady trucker") when she signed up for Journalism as her 7th grade elective. It was supposed to an easy A, but it soon became her passion. She moved on to be Copy Editor of the high school yearbook so that she could correct other people's writing mistakes and fill in when they missed their deadlines. 

   She still lives in the Pacific Northwest, which she says is the ideal place to be writing anything dark or creepy...a gloomy day can set the perfect mood. She lives with her husband and her three beautiful (and often mouthy) children, who serve as an endless source of inspiration for her writing.

Other Books You May Enjoy: 7 Souls by Barnabas Miller and Jordon Orlando, The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan,The Wake series by Lisa McMann, The Awakening by Kelly Armstrong.

**Thanks for Reading!**

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

What started out as girls' games became a witch hunt. Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials told from the perspectives of three of the real young women living in Salem in 1692.
Ann Putnam Jr. plays the queen bee. When her father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann grasps her opportunity. She puts in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of the people around her forever.
Mercy Lewis, the beautiful servant in Ann's house, inspires adulation in some and envy in others. With a troubled past, she seizes her only chance at safety.

Margaret Walcott, Ann's cousin, is desperately in love and consumed with fiery jealousy. She is torn between staying loyal to her friends and pursuing the life she dreams of with her betrothed.

With new accusations mounting daily against the men and women of the community, the girls will have to decide: Is it too late to tell the truth?

When I first picked up this book and found it was in verse, I thought, Nah, no way I'll like this book. But it sat there, taunting me, until I finally sighed and grabbed it, planning to glance at it on my way to school. And, much to my surprise, it was good: the verse aspect gave an even more riveting and fresh view on The Salem Witch Trials. The author does an amazing job of weaving the story through with historical elements, which I love. I have trouble with history sometimes-- well, all the time, really-- because it's just not that interesting. And I often have the distorted illusion that people back then were totally different from us, just a face in a textbook, and I'll never be able to relate to them. But Stephanie Hemphill cleverly injects the plot line with honest-to-goodness intriguing facts, and you soak it up without even meaning to. Her characters are completely relateable. And the Salem Witch Trials are something to learn about, let me just say. Who knew it was a couple of girls who wanted attention and power that started it all? It really goes to show you what a tangled web humans can weave before they're caught in it.  

In Wicked Girls, the character's voices are all very real and very believable. In those days, girls were pretty much powerless and swept aside unless they did something that merited attention. It was easy to understand the girl's motives for their appalling actions. Ann Putman, the youngest of the girls, is startlingly powerful and convincing despite her youth, spurned on by her desperate need for love from her indifferent parents. It's actually a little frightening to realize what this seemingly- innocent child was capable of. Her passion is only matched by her cousin Margaret's violent envy of any girl her unfaithful betrothed, Isaac, glanced twice at. You can actually see the mind- numbing jealously working it's way through her, clouding her vision and eating away at her common sense. So infuriated was she that she joined her cousin in the false accusations, battling for the attention of Isaac against the dazzling servant girl Mercy. Of all the girls, Mercy is the one I emphasize most with. An orphan, she spends most of her time fending off the advances of leery men and keeping out of the way of women who feel threatened by her looks. In the beginning, she only joins the two cousins to protect herself against unwanted attention by making people believe she is possessed, and therefore untouchable. But she, too, is infected by the promise of power, pointing fingers at those who'd done her wrong in the past, claiming them to practice the black arts. It's hard to imagine people could do such a thing, and that other people would believe it, and enjoy it even, but these girls-- who were nonfictional characters, by the way-- prove it. Stephanie Hemphill only guessed at their true thoughts and feelings, but in my honest opinion, she came pretty spot-on.

About the Author: Stephanie Hemphill's first novel in poems, Things Left Unsaid, was published by Hyperion and was awarded the 2006 Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Excellence in Poetry by the Children's Literature Council of Southern California. Her second novel, a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath, Your Own, Sylvia, was published by Knopf in 2007 and received a 2008 Printz Honor and the 2008 Myra Cohn Livingston Award. Stephanie's latest book, Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials, was published by HarperCollins and has received 5 starred reviews. And two verse novels, an Austenesque tale of romance in Renaissance Venice called Sisters of Glass and Hideous Love: The Lost Poems of Mary Shelley are forthcoming in the next couple of years. Stephanie Hemphill chaired the 2005 PEN Award's Children's Literature Committee. She has been writing, studying and presenting poetry for adults and children at UCLA, the University of Illinois (where she received an award from The Academy of American Poets), with Writer's at Work, in classrooms, and at conferences across the country. Stephanie presently lives in both Chicago and Los Angeles. She is a poor-man's Martha Stewart in that she enjoys baking and crafts, but admits she truly excels at neither one. She's also an avid sports fan and very excited that right now she can enjoy football, baseball, hockey, golf, and basketball, not to mention the lesser sports. Autumn, she firmly believes, is a very exciting season. 

Other Books You May Enjoy: Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill, A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Oh My Gosh-- Check this out!

If you are dying to get your hands on a copy of Maria V Snyder's Hunger Games-like new novel Inside Out(as I am--desperately), head on over to Pensive Bookeaters blog to win a copy! It looks absolutely amazing!  

Win Demon- Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver!

Ahhhh! I know, I know, another giveaway. What can I say? I'm a sucker for them, and this book looks so amazing. Plus it's signed and personalized-- you can't get much better than that. Check out Icey Book's awesome site and enter the giveaway here!  

Win Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton!

No, this is not my giveaway, but I thought I'd share it with everyone! Book Flame is giving away a copy of Angelfire, the highly anticipated new YA book by Courtney Allison Moulton! Who doesn't love free books? So go over and check it out here! and support this awesome blogger!