Book Review: Arson by Estevan Vega

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy/Paranormal Romance with a touch of Horror)

Arson is a seventeen year old who was born with the ability to create fire, but is lacking the ability to control it. After the death of his mother during his birth, he is raised by his abusive and crazy grandmother who rarely let's him forget how dirty and evil she thinks he is. Aside from working at a local ice cream parlor, he spends most of his time alone. When Emery, who hides behind a mask, moves in next door with baggage of her own, a friendship forms as they learn to cope with the lives they were given.

This was a very hard book to rate. It left me very undecided. While I enjoyed the growing relationship between Arson and Emery. Their conversations and actions were entertaining to read. However, there were aspects to the story that really brought it down for me. Throughout the story, there was so much build up around Arson's ability, I expected some crazy action to start happening all through the book. Then the scene or point of view would change, and that "Wow" moment never came. I'm still not sure where the plot was hiding, but in the last few chapters the action picked up it's pace quite a bit. By that time, it was a little late and left many unanswered questions, but it did give me higher hopes for the sequel. There is a moment in the book that may be better suited to a more mature young adult audience depending on parental preferences.

Overall, I enjoyed the author's writing style. Reading the different perspectives on many of the characters in the book was very unique. You weren't limited to only Arson and Emery's point of view. You got to see life through the eyes of Arson's grandmother as well as Emery's parents. This gave you a wide understanding of the lives involved in the story. The cover is eerily attractive and combines aspects of both Arson and Emery very well.

To learn more about this book and the author, visit the Estevan Vega's website. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Read my review on Ashes, Book 2 in the Arson Series.

This book was sent to me from the author for review. The opinions are my own.

You can also find this review on Examiner

Win 2 signed Blood Bound Bookmarks! (International) {CLOSED}

Daniele Lanzarotta, author of the Imprinted Souls Series and Academy of the Fallen Series, has kindly donated 10 signed bookmarks to giveaway! Each Winner gets TWO!

GIVEAWAY UPDATE!! If we get 50 individual entrants(not entries) for the Blood Bound Bookmark Giveaway, Daniele Lanzarotta is going to offer up a signed copy of Imprinted Souls to giveaway as well!!

How to Enter:

The Rafflecopter form will guide you through the entry process. 

For your entries to qualify, you MUST complete the first 4 items on the form. Once you do that, you have 4 entries. Plus, there are opportunities for more entries if you choose to fill out the entire form! (The form may take a moment to load.)

We will be giving away these bookmarks through this blog and through The Sisterhood of the Traveling Vamps. We will be using the same form, so you can enter through either blog. Please do not enter at both!

If the Rafflecopter form confuses you Watch This.

Book Review: Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder

 Genre: Young Adult/Children's Fiction

Bigger than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder is the story about a family on the verge of falling apart. Twelve year old, Rebecca, loves her family, but when her mother moves them from Baltimore to Atlanta with barely a chance to say good bye to her father let alone anyone else, Rebecca's world turns upside down. They move in with her grandmother where she finds a bread box in the attic that seems to grant any wish that can fit inside of a bread box. Rebecca soon finds that magic can't fix everything, and it can even make things worse than she ever imagined.

Through Rebecca's adventures and misadventures, lessons are learned that are valuable to both children and adults alike. This is a wonderful book for parents and teachers to read to their children or classrooms, especially if they are going through a divorce or separation. Rebecca is a perfect example of the average kid who doesn't quite know how to handle such a change. Who does? From being separated from her father and uprooted from her home to making friends in a new school, she is learning to cope with similar problems that many children are faced with. Whether you are a parent or child, no one is perfect. This story exemplifies that through characters you will grow to know and love. Bigger than a Breadbox was a quick and uplifting read that will grab your attention and take you back to your childhood.

To read more about this book and the author, visit Laurel Snyder's website. You can also find her on Twitter.

Source: This book was sent to me from the author for review. The opinions are my own.

You can also view this review on Examiner 

Last Call Giveaway!! (International){CLOSED}

Thank you for joining us on this stop off of the Last Call Blog Tour! Our stop on the tour has been broken up into three sections: The Review, Author Interview, and now two lucky readers have a chance to win an eBook version of Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt.

This giveaway is open internationally. Everyone is welcomed to enter!

Thank you for stopping by and a special thanks goes out Jennifer Schmidt and TWCS Publishing House for allowing us to be a part of their blog tour.

Summary via the TWCS website:

While on vacation, a night out turns into a drunken haze and Novalee Jensen wakes up hung over, confused and…married? Fleeing Nevada, Novalee returns home to Montana to hide out, dreading the moment when her husband will show up to take her hard-earned business. But after two years, just when Novalee thinks her secret is safe, guess who walks through her door? Now, face to face with the man she left in a hotel room two years ago, Novalee discovers the difficult part isn’t having to explain her actions that night, or the questions that arise about the sexy stranger’s arrival, it’s keeping her hands off of her husband. And what’s Novalee to do when the hardest part turns out not to be confronting her past, but facing a possible future without her soon-to-be ex-husband?

Multi-millionaire Dean Philips wakes up in a Las Vegas hotel room to find the pretty blond he married the night before gone. The piece of paper he possesses proves she served her purpose and, guilt ridden over his actions, Dean begins a battle with his father for a fight for his grandfather’s fortune. When Dean is ordered to have his wife appear in court, he finds himself in a small town in Montana looking for the woman who ran off two years ago. Caught up in secrets and lies of his own, he has to find a way to persuade her to come back to Vegas with him without having her find out that she’s the missing puzzle piece to everything he’s been fighting for. But when Dean decides to mix a little pleasure with business, he suddenly finds himself in unfamiliar territory that could cost him everything.

<center><a href="http://whatsbeyondforks.blogspot.com/2011/10/last-call-giveaway-open-internationally.html" target="_blank"><img alt="What's Beyond Forks?" src="http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd477/whatsbeyondforks/Giveaways/giveawaybutton.jpg"/></a></center>

The giveaway will last from October 25th - November 4th. The winner will be announced on November 5th. This giveaway is open to everyone Worldwide!

How to Enter:

The Raffelcopter form will guide you through the entry process.  
For your entries to qualify, you must:

1. Follow this blog.
2. Like our Facebook Page
3. Follow Jennifer Schmidt's Blog

Once you do that, you have 3 entries. Plus there are opportunities for more entries as you finish filling out the form! (The form may take a moment to load.)

If the Rafflecopter form confuses you Watch This.

Have you read our review for Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt?

Last Call Giveaway!! (International){CLOSED}

Thank you for joining us on this stop off of the Last Call Blog Tour! Our stop on the tour has been broken up into three sections: The Review, Author Interview, and now two lucky readers have a chance to win an eBook version of Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt.

This giveaway is open internationally. Everyone is welcomed to enter!

Thank you for stopping by and a special thanks goes out Jennifer Schmidt and TWCS Publishing House for allowing us to be a part of their blog tour.

Summary via the TWCS website:

While on vacation, a night out turns into a drunken haze and Novalee Jensen wakes up hung over, confused and…married? Fleeing Nevada, Novalee returns home to Montana to hide out, dreading the moment when her husband will show up to take her hard-earned business. But after two years, just when Novalee thinks her secret is safe, guess who walks through her door? Now, face to face with the man she left in a hotel room two years ago, Novalee discovers the difficult part isn’t having to explain her actions that night, or the questions that arise about the sexy stranger’s arrival, it’s keeping her hands off of her husband. And what’s Novalee to do when the hardest part turns out not to be confronting her past, but facing a possible future without her soon-to-be ex-husband?

Multi-millionaire Dean Philips wakes up in a Las Vegas hotel room to find the pretty blond he married the night before gone. The piece of paper he possesses proves she served her purpose and, guilt ridden over his actions, Dean begins a battle with his father for a fight for his grandfather’s fortune. When Dean is ordered to have his wife appear in court, he finds himself in a small town in Montana looking for the woman who ran off two years ago. Caught up in secrets and lies of his own, he has to find a way to persuade her to come back to Vegas with him without having her find out that she’s the missing puzzle piece to everything he’s been fighting for. But when Dean decides to mix a little pleasure with business, he suddenly finds himself in unfamiliar territory that could cost him everything.

<center> <a href="http://whatsbeyondforks.blogspot.com/2011/10/last-call-giveaway-open-internationally.html" target="_blank"><img alt="What's Beyond Forks?" src="http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd477/whatsbeyondforks/Giveaways/giveawaybutton.jpg"/></a></center>

The giveaway will last from October 25th - November 4th. The winner will be announced on November 5th. This giveaway is open to everyone Worldwide!

How to Enter:

The Raffelcopter form will guide you through the entry process.  
For your entries to qualify, you must:

1. Follow this blog.
2. Like our Facebook Page
3. Follow Jennifer Schmidt's Blog

Once you do that, you have 3 entries. Plus there are opportunities for more entries as you finish filling out the form! (The form may take a moment to load.)

If the Rafflecopter form confuses you Watch This.

Have you read our review for Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt?

Meet the Author: Jennifer Schmidt

The Last Call Blog Tour has been a fun little adventure! Our stop on the tour has been broken up into three sections: The review, giveaway, and this interview with Jennifer Schmidt! This is all thanks to Jennifer Schmidt and TWCS Publishing House.



 
How long have you been writing?
The first novel I wrote I was 15. I recently just found it again, and even though it’s not that bad for a 15 year old, it will never see the light of day. I started writing short stories when I was about ten though, so sixteen years now. The first novel I wrote I was 15. I recently just found it again, and even though it’s not that bad for a 15 year old, it will never see the light of day. I started writing short stories when I was about ten though, so sixteen years now.

What inspired you to write The Last Call?
Too much alcohol and followed by too many one night stands. (Kidding mom!...sort of) I thought of Last Call while I was in the middle of writing a different story. I stopped only long enough to take notes and then suddenly the last chapter was there needing to be put on paper. Once it was down I went back to my original story but it kept nagging at me until finally I scratched what I was working on and picked up with what would be Last Call. Funnily enough the last chapter that started it all didn’t end up in the final cut.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Well, I definitely haven’t gotten drunk and married in Vegas – at least not yet anyway. There are some parts that hit a little too close to home, thankfully not as horrible as the book betrays though.

If your real life was a fictional novel, what would you, the main character, be like?
I think I’d be a lot like Abigail was in Last Call, with a little bit of mix of Cali. I’ve been told I can come off as having a cold exterior like Abby did in the book, but I’m also feisty and incredibly loyal and protective of my friends like she is. I also have a big mouth like Cali and tend to say whatever is on my mind regardless of how appropriate it might be. It gets me into trouble quite often.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to read, shocker for an author who loves to read, right? Since I’ve had children I’ve learned to love to cook and bake, something I hated to do before. And I also get to sit through vast amounts of Scooby-Doo marathons with my boys, whether I like it or not.

What project are you working on now?
I’m writing my second book Playing With Fire. It has a scheduled release date for September 2012 if all goes well and I can hit my deadline on time. I’m an extremely slow writer. I also have an idea for a third book that is completely different than what I’ve done so far. I’m really excited to get started on that one.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Just because you don’t know about the subject, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write about it. If there’s an idea in your head and you really want to go with it, even though you don’t know much about the topic, just do it. There’s always ways to educate yourself with what you need to learn.

What is a little something about yourself you'd like your readers to know?
I am a hopeless non-romantic! Just because I write about the sappy love stuff, doesn’t mean I believe it. I also have an unhealthy addiction to Crystal Light, have to dry my plates four times counter-clockwise and hate feet.

Don't forget to enter to WIN a free e-book version of Last Call

Have you read our review for Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt? 

Book Review: Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt

We are so glad to be a part of the Last Call Blog Tour. This review is just one of the things we'll be posting today for our stop on the tour. We'll also be bringing you an interview with the author, Jennifer Schmidt, plus two lucky readers will have a chance to win an eBook version of Last Call. This is all thanks to Jennifer Schmidt and TWCS Publishing House.

Let's get this show on the road, starting with a review of Last Call by Jennifer Schmidt.

 Genre: Adult Fiction (Romance) (recommended for readers 18+)

Novalee woke up married to a handsome stranger after a drunken night in Las Vegas. She flees home to Montana where she hopes she keep her secret safe. Dean wakes up to an empty hotel room. The pretty blonde he married the night before is gone, but she served her purpose in a plan to help Dean fight his father for what was left to him by his grandfather. When the judge orders Dean to bring his wife to court, he is forced to go to Montana to persuade Novalee to return with him to Nevada. Once in Montana, he starts to feel more than he bargained for.

Last Call is a pleasant little escape from reality. Both characters were strong individuals who survived traumatic experiences in their lives and came out stronger as a result of them. Through this strength they are still flawed making them very believable characters. The plot fluctuates between flirty and fun, like the cover suggests, to serious and back again. The author teases you throughout the book by gradually revealing details. The more you read, the more secrets you learn making it hard to put down. Romance fans will thoroughly enjoy Last Call. Dean and Novalee swim in chemistry, and as their relationship grows, the plot becomes addictive in a guilty pleasure kind of way.

The Giveaway! Don't forget to enter to WIN a free e-book version of Last Call

Would you like to get inside the head of Last Call author, Jennifer Schmidt? The fun of the Last Call Blog Tour continues as you check out our interview with her!

Source: This book was sent to me from the publisher for review. The opinions are my own.

Teaser Tuesday: Bigger Than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 My teaser this week is from Bigger Than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder:

 I'd never be able to show anyone, because I'd never be able to explain it. But then, I didn't have to. Not here, not in Atlanta. This could be my secret. Because who did I have to tell? There wasn't anyone.

 Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: The Burn by Annie Oldham

Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian)

Terra was taught how horrible The Burn is her whole life. Still, she feels miserable in her colony deep under the Pacific Ocean where everything is 'perfectly' controlled to sustain life. Terra finds a way to the surface, but her escape comes at a price. Once on the surface, she soon learns that life on The Burn is one living nightmare after another.

Terra was determined to make it to The Burn at all costs. I can't say that I would be able to sacrifice what she did to leave the comforts of home for a place so unknown. It was pretty shocking. Both in her colony and on The Burn, Terra seems to fluctuate between feeling like she belongs and feeling like an outsider. This is something that is very relatable to most teenagers and even adults. The other characters were well built. They all had something lovable and endearing about them, and I enjoyed learning their stories.

Annie Oldham's writing paints such a clear picture, it's like you're looking through Terra's eyes and seeing the events unfold for yourself. The Burn pulls you into their world as you escape the Colony with Terra and fight for survival with her on The Burn.

 To read more about this book and the author, visit Annie Oldham's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: This book was sent to me from the author for review. The opinions are my own.

Enter to win a signed copy of The Burn!

Check out my reviews of other books by this author!

Teaser Tuesdays (The Burn by Annie Oldham)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 My teaser this week is from The Burn by Annie Oldham:

“When I woke up, all I saw was the most beautiful face with dark hair looking over me. Only for a second, and then she was gone, and now I’m not even sure she was there. I was so out of it. I love that face. Not in love, I don’t think. But I love her. Does that make any sense? She looked at me like I was the first and last person she ever wanted to see."

Like what you read? Enter to win a signed copy!

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Book Review: Hexult by Perry Aylen

Genre: Young Adult  (Adventure)

Hexult is the first book written by UK author, Perry Aylen. Hexult is a world frozen over with ice. Much knowledge has been lost over time. When Aulf and Ingar rescue two shipwrecked twins who look very different from anyone they know, but have a surprising resemblance to a prophesy that threatens the icy land, people fear them. The twins, Jacob and Elya, possess knowledge and items that are unheard of and seemingly magical to these people putting them in danger for their lives.

"When the seas rose and the Earth froze much knowledge was lost. And in this world of ice a little knowledge goes a long way." This quote from the summary of Hexult was all it too to peak my interest in this book. Hexult is a highly original story of adventure. It shows us a World where ignorance is not always bliss. With the loss of common knowledge among the people, it reminded me of our own histories where innocent people were falsely accused of witchcraft because they were a little different from the rest. A simple compass is seen as something magical.

Hexult was an enjoyable story. This is the type of book I would have loved to read in Elementary or Middle School and is highly appropriate for that age group.

To read more about this book and the author, visit The Hexult website. You can also find it on Facebook.

You can also view this review on Examiner 


Source: This book was sent to me from the author for review. The opinions are my own.

Teaser Tuesdays (Hexult by Perry Aylen)

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Hexult by Perry Aylen:

"Eventually we found him, almost under the boat, but he wasn't breathing. We tried everything we could, we really did! In the end, we had to leave him there on the ice."

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

The Burn Giveaway {CLOSED}

I'm super excited to announce that we are hosting our very first giveaway! What do you win, you ask? You could win a signed paperback copy of The Burn by Annie Oldham!

Summary via Annie Oldham's website:

The Burn is full of nuclear fallout, roving gangs, anarchy, unreliable plumbing. That's what Terra's father tells her. She has lived her whole life in comfort in a colony at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. She hates it. And she would pay any price to leave. But when Terra finally escapes the colony, she finds out her father is right.

She finds a group of survivors that quickly become friends, and every day with them is a race for survival. When she witnesses and commits unspeakable acts, she has to decide where her loyalty lies: with the colony she despises or The Burn, where every day is filled with nightmares.

<center> <a href="http://whatsbeyondforks.blogspot.com/2011/10/burn-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img alt="What's Beyond Forks?" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z265/APawsInTime/Blog/Burn2.jpg"/></a></center>

The contest will last from October 10th - November 10th. You have a whole month to enter and tell your friends about this giveaway! The winner will be announced on November 11th. A special thank you to Annie Oldham for making this possible.

For your entries to qualify as you fill out the Rafflecopter form below, you must:
1. Follow this blog.
2. Like our Facebook Page
3. Like Annie Oldham's Facebook Page
4. Follow Annie Oldham on Twitter.

Once you do that, you have 4 entries. Plus there are opportunities for more entries as you finish filling out the form! (The form may take a moment to load.)
If the Rafflecopter form confuses you Watch This.

The Liebster Award

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Danica Page for awarding the Liebster Award to my blog! This made my day!

 The Liebster award (“Liebster” is the German word for friend or love) originated in Germany.
The aim of the award is to bring more attention to blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:
1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your 5 picks on your blog with links.
3. Let the winners know by leaving a comment on their blog.
4. Post the reward on your blog

Time to pass the love on to some very deserving blogs!

1. Alyssa Rose Ivy
2. My World of Books
3. The Story Seekers
4. Just Read
5. I Write. I Read. I Review.

Book Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Genre: Young Adult  (Fantasy/Paranormal Romance)

Everything about Helen Hamilton makes her stick out like a sore thumb on the small Nantucket island. Nightmares haunt her during sleep and hallucinations haunt her while awake. When a new family moves to town, Helen has feelings of anger and hate towards them like she has never felt before. This is not your typical love story as the Fates put a whole new meaning to history repeating itself.

Josephine Angelini blended her present day fictional story with the legends of Greek Mythology extremely well. I have always had a huge interest in Greek mythology, and I felt the plot brought the legends to life in a very believable alternate reality. This isn't a mushy, love at first sight kind of book. It's nice to read something every once in a while where love doesn't come so easy for the characters. Without giving too much away, Starcrossed puts a couple nice spins on the love story aspect of this book. There is hardly a dull moment throughout the whole thing. For readers who crave some action, you will be thoroughly pleased. This was a very hard book to put down, and it just may be my favorite book of 2011 so far. It will be a very long wait for the release of Dreamless in May 2012.

To read more about this series and the author, visit Josephine Angelini's website. You can also find her on Facebook.

You can also read this review on Examiner

Meet the Author: Mary Ting

Mary Ting, author of Crossroads, is a mom and school teacher who used life experience and a dream to spin a wonderful story about Angels, love, and adventure.

How long have you been writing?
I actually started writing about 3 years ago. I had my first rough draft done. I took the story seriously about a year ago.

What inspired you to write Crossroads?
My grandmother and a dream I had in high school inspired me to write. When I started writing, it helped me heal the loss of my grandmother. The character Gamma is inspired by my grandmother. Chapter one and two are my real dreams, except there was no Michael…too bad…lol!!! I have always wondered what it would be like if I stayed at that place I call Crossroads. Since I’ll never know, I created a world.

When you first started writing Crossroads, did you plan for it to be a series?
I hoped there would be. I decided it was up to the readers. If I got positive feedbacks, then I knew there would be a sequel. I will make it at least a trilogy.

What can you tell us about the sequel?
More angels on Earth. More of Austin…hehe!!! And the sequel will be told in different points of view. And of course, lots of action and romance.

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
Though I don’t like to admit it, Claudia is a lot like me and shares many experiences I did in high school…too bad there was no Michael…lol!!! Her first death, her friend who had the same name, the church she attended, her first car, her first job, camping, her relationship with Gamma, it all came from my experiences.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
Several things. First, I didn’t know how much I would enjoy writing. I enjoy making jewelries, oil painting, teaching dance routine to children at my school, but never did I imagine how much I love creating stories. Second, I never knew I would meet so many incredible friends all over the world. It’s been an amazing experience!!!

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
I love this question!!! Okay…getting excited. I definitely need to be someone down to Earth, but I would like to have a little attitude too…this would be fun. Some who is independent, caring, devoted to her friends and family. And someone with super powers…lol!!!

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Besides spending time with my family. I enjoy shopping…hehe!!! I enjoy reading, listening to music and watching movies. Also when I get a chance, I like to make jewelries and oil paint. I once painted a picture of the cover of New Moon and sold it for $100 at a Twilight convention. I wished I had taken a picture.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Have an outline of the story you want to tell. I think it’s an excellent advice, but I don’t follow it…lol!!!
I took on a journey not knowing how rewarding it would be for me. I’ve meet so many wonderful people from all over the world through facebook, twitter, goodreads and blog sites. I’ve made everlasting friendship where friendship knows no boundaries. And I have to thank my grandmother who continues to watch over me from Heaven.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!
Thank you so much for having me!!!

Check out my review on Crossroads by Mary Ting and also the sequel, Between!

Crossroads is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and World Castle Publishing.

To learn more about this book and the author, visit the Mary Ting's website, Twitter, and Facebook page.

You can also view this interview on Examiner

The Versatile Blogger Award

I found a happy little surprise in my Twitter! Thank you Lady Krishna from Journey With Books, Bee's Buzz gone AWOL and Chick Lit=The New Black for the award! Not only is this my first award, but two different bloggers awarded me with it. I feel very loved! All who read this need to check our their blogs!

The Rules

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave the award to you.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Give the award to 15 other bloggers.

Now for the 7 Things about me...

1. I love animals!

2. I'm originally from New York.

3. People who don't know me think I'm quiet; people who do, wish I was. 

4.  I used to work in radio.

5. Sweet Tea is my anti-drug.

6. I'm an only child.

7. I hate winter.

And now for the fun part!!! Here are the 15 blogs I'd like to pass the award to:

1. Can't Put it Down
2. She Who Blogs Behind the Rows
3. Reflections of a Bookaholic
4. Pen to Paper
5. Beauty and the Bookaholic
6. Bodacious Bookaholic
7. BookHounds YA
8. Jersey Girl Book Reviews
9. Books Ahoy
10. Books Over Boys
11. It's a Vol
12. In Between the Pages
13. My Life. One Story at a Time
14. Jean Book Nerd
15. Sparkling Book Reviews

Teaser Tuesdays (Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini:

"He smiled down at her innocently, as if to let her know that he was just playing a little trick. She met his eye, but she also took a step back-- which meant she was brave but scared. Creon liked to see those two emotions together; it made him feel like he had won something."

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Meet the author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Alyssa Rose Ivy is the author of Beckoning Light, the first book in The Afterglow Trilogy and the upcoming Crescent Chronicles.  She grew up in New York, but while living in the South during college she fell in love with the area. After college, she decided to start writing.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a child I loved creating imaginary worlds and the habit never disappeared. Most of my earlier writing was shorter in nature. Beckoning Light is the first novel I finished.

What inspired you to write Beckoning Light?
It all started with a dream. Although the scene that inspired it all never made it into the actual book, it gave me the idea for the hidden world and one of the narrators (Charlotte).

What can you tell us about the sequel, Perilous Light?
Perilous Light picks up about a year after the end of Beckoning Light. There is a lot of action and romance, and most of the major characters return along with some new ones.

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
I probably relate to Charlotte the most. Although I wasn’t as shy as she is when I was in high school, I can definitely relate to the social anxiety. I can also relate to having to deal with an older brother.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I was surprised by the challenges of creating a fantasy world. Most of my previous writing was more realistic (which had its own challenges) but it takes a lot of work to effectively paint a picture of a fantastic world.

On your blog there is a "Coming Soon" on the "The Crescent Chronicles" page. Is this a new series in the works? Can you tell us anything about it yet?
The Crescent Chronicles is an urban fantasy series set primarily in New Orleans. The main character is a college student. I hope to have the first book out late summer/fall 2012.

If your real life as a teenager was a Young Adult book, what would you, the main character, be like?
Although I wasn’t as shy as Charlotte, I usually preferred smaller groups to large ones. I was a good student and spent a lot of time on writing and theater.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to spend time with my family, read, and enjoy the outdoors when time permits.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Some of the best writing advice I ever received was to embrace constructive criticism. It may not be easy at first but it makes all the difference. Other great advice is that the hardest part of writing is sitting down to do it. If you have an idea, go with it.

A special thank you to Alyssa Rose Ivy for taking the time for this interview.

Read my review on Beckoning Light, the first book in The Afterglow Series by Alyssa Rose Ivy.

You can also read this interview at Examiner.
To learn more about this author and her books visit her blog or check her out on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

If you haven't done so already, you need to read Alyssa Rose Ivy's books!! While you're at it take a peek at my reviews too!