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!