The Blog Hop (21) and Feature and Follow Friday (10)

It's been a couple weeks since I did the Hop and Feature and Follow Friday.  I got in the routine of hopping on Fridays so I'm ready to go again!  

This is a great way to meet new bloggers and find new blogs!

The Blog Hop is hosted by Jenn at Crazy-For-Books.  Each week Jenn also  picks a question to be asked, and answered (it's always nice to have more to say in the comments!) and this week she asks:

How do you spread the word about your blog?

Crazy enough this is something I've been thinking about and discussing with others.

First of all, I've promoted my blog by doing the blog hop and Friday follow since pretty much the beginning.  Secondly I participate in activities like giveaway parades.  Twitter is also amazing.  But visiting other blogs is definitely the best way to get your blog out there.  Now Jenn brought up a point of something I've been discussing with others because it's become an issue, kind of.  And that is when you visit someone's blog is it polite to leave a comment saying something like "Nice review, check out my blog at..."  I say no.  But the worst is when people come to my blog say "Nice review, check out my giveaways here, and I do blog design here if you want a new design..." Keep in mind that's just examples, but it's getting more and more frequent and in my opinion, that's spam and it goes in the spam filter.  Now that is just MY opinion and I'm not in any place to set rules.  Just keep in mind when your visiting blogs that they can find you through your profile.

Now, there are exceptions.  You can link to your blog through the hop and through certain meme's.  But on a review or an interview?  Maybe not so much.  And no matter what, leaving a quality comment is always welcome.

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by the lovely Rachel at Parajunkee's View.  

She asks: 

What books have bitten you??

Hmmm.... well, I think I'll say Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series is one I'll read over and over.  I know some of you are sick of hearing it, but it's true!

 I've reached 1,000 followers!  In celebration, and thanks, I'm hosting a giveaway so check it out.  There's also other giveaway's going on so check them out at the top.

Also on Saturdays Lori at Pure Imagination and myself are hosting Saturday Situation which is linky's for those neglected reviews and other posts (maybe interviews?) that just didn't get the love.  And a linky for book related giveaways. 
Also for a few weeks we'll be doing giveaways for participating.  In participating I mean that if you visit blogs in the linky of neglected posts you can be entered to win whatever we have that week.  Until the new linky goes up I'm giving away Crank by Ellen Hopkins.  On Saturday morning Lori will host the next weeks giveaway.  We will both have the linky's on our blogs though. You can find it each week by the button on my right sidebar at the top!  I hope you'll participate.  Last week (this week, I guess) a few hopped around on the linky, including myself.   I'm hoping it'll become even more popular!

Also, I'm reading Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey and I just finished Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers.  It was very good!  And I've just started Hearts at Stake but it's good so far!  So what are you reading?

1,000 Follower Giveaway! *ENDED*

This Giveaway is closed
 Okay, I've reached over 1,000 followers and it's time to do an awesome giveaway to say thank you!

So I'm not rich and I can't afford to buy anyone a kindle or an iPad or anything.

But we're always happy to get some new books, right?

Duh!  Of course!

So I will have a FOUR winners.

First person drawn has first choice and then so on.

The first part of the giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

It is a book from The Book Depository of your choice under $15.

OR it can be a gift card to a bookstore of your choice if you prefer.

Next up is a list of books for you to choose from.

Each person gets ONE book.  There's more then four books to choose from though, so everyone should be happy.  It's a large selection!

This part is US ONLY. 

Folly  by Marthe Jocelyn

Delcroix Academy, Book One:: The Candidates by Inara Scott

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

 

Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Sisters Red  by Jackson Pearce

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1) by Kim Harrison 

 Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

These books are 18 and older only and the list is subject to change.
The Hypnotist (The Reincarnationist, Book 3) by M.J. Rose
The Book of Unholy Mischief: A Novel  by Elle Newmark

More books may be added.
Must be 13 or older to enter.
Contest ends 10/22 at midnight

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Details: Paperback, 377 pgs
Published: September 7th, 2010 by Simon Pulse

isbn: 1416996095 (ISBN13: 9781416996095)

Reading Level: Young adult

Received From: Loaned to me

Description:

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don't know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith's final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.
 

My Thoughts:

I think I went into this book without any real expectations.  My friend Angela LOVED it, but then my friend Lori only liked it.  So that made me think I'd maybe be somewhere in the middle.  I was right.  Actually maybe a bit closer to loving it.  

I thought it was realistic.  I know that some felt like Brie's grief wasn't real.  That she should have been more devastated.  But I think the way she dealt with it all was pretty real and we don't all deal with grief the same way.  She was incredibly strong through everything, while her family was drowning in sorrow and her friends turn against her.  I loved that she was strong enough to recognize everything that was going on though.  That her parents needed some time, but yet she didn't really make too many excuses for them.  She felt like they needed to deal with it and find a way to move on.  

When her friendship and relationships turned to crap she was smart enough to know that she deserved better.  That they weren't good friends, or boyfriend and that she could have better.  I loved that she didn't grovel just so she wasn't an outcast.

The mysteriousness of the death of her sister was pulled off phenomenally.  I was constantly guessing why so and so was so mysterious.  Why so and so ran away, or wouldn't talk to her.  Things turned out a little different then I expected, and Brie found some great new friendships and a relationship that are so much better then her old circle.  

Over all I thought this was a great read and I definitely recommend it!

I give it 4/5 moons. 

You can find Denise Jaden on her website  | Twitter  

Steampunk Month for November is on!

I've had this idea in my head for awhile that I would love to do a bunch of Steampunk features one month.  Spotlight Steampunk books, give some Steampunk books away, maybe have some guest posts... and maybe someone would even sponsor a Steampunk jewelery giveaway.  

I can't do it on my own though.  So I'm hoping some authors and some Steampunk fans would be willing to pitch in for Giveaways, Reviews, Guest Posts, etc.  

If I get enough interest I'll have a button made and make it a big event! 

UPDATE: It's on!  I've got some guests posts, some giveaways, and some reviews already lined up.  But I need MORE!

Also, I know of many Steampunk Novels, but I'm sure I'm missing a few as well.  So if you could list some of your favorite Steampunk novels in my comments section, that would be awesome!

If you want to participate or have questions please email me at candace_redinger(at)yahoo(dot)com

Review Archive

This is where I archive all my reviews.  I'll do my best to keep it up to date, but I can't promise anything!

I've barely gotten started, and it'll take me awhile to get them all up, so this is a work in progress!

All of these are listed from the oldest (on the bottom) to the newest.  

So far all these are old reviews though and before I found a format I actually like.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake #3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

 Fledgling by Octavia Butler

 The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton

 Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

  The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

 Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

 The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

 Soulless by Gail Carriger

These are all from my earliest days and are HORRIBLE!

 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta 

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Dead Girls Dance (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine

A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix

Changeling (Sister's of the Moon) by Yasmine Galenorn

Tall Dark and Dead by Tate Hallaway

Witchling (Book one of Sisters of the Moon) by Yasmine Galenorn

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin

Heir to the Shadows (Black Jewel's Trilogy) by Anne Bishop

Queen of the Darkness (Black Jewel's Trilogy) by Anne Bishop

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Teaser Tuesday (14)

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!

 This weeks teaser is from To Kill a Warlock by HP Mallory.
 
 "Well, now we know who can hold their potions."

I looked at Knight who seemed to regard me with amusement- a raised brow and broad grin.  There didn't seem to be any sign of the creature in him.  Just the same cocky bastard he always was.  As for me, I couldn't say I felt any creature stirring within me either.

 
 
 
 

The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose

Details: 416 pgs, Hardcover
Published: May 1st, 2010 by Mira

isbn: 0778326756 (ISBN13: 9780778326755)

Reading Level: Adult
Series: Reincartionist #3
Received from: Publisher for Review

Description:

In Vienna a clandestine robbery inside a locked library leads to a brutal murder. A 1,500-year-old sculpture holds the Metropolitan Museum of Art hostage.
A young woman’s fatal accident gives two lovers a chance to meet again, against all odds. A centuries-old massacre in Persia has modern-day repercussions in Iran. In New York City a Matisse masterpiece surfaces after twenty years, mutilated and vandalized.
A modern-day reincarnationist is hell-bent on finding tools to aid in past life regressions no matter what the cost—in dollars or lives.
Everything rests on the shoulders of Lucian Glass, special agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, who himself is suffering from the aftermath of a brutal attack, impossible nightmares and his own crisis of faith.
If reincarnation is real, how can he live with who he was in his past life? If it’s not, then how can he live with who he has become in the present?

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in the Reincarnationist series and I haven't read the others.  The beginning of the story was a little hard for me to follow as there were so many characters to get to know.  It was hard to follow them all as it switched to different story lines and characters.  But as the story went on I got pulled in and found myself enjoying the story and watching the twists and turns, as there were many!  

The story line itself and the concept of reincarnation is quite interesting and that aspect definitely had my attention.  I also loved how much the Metropolitan Museum of Art was in the story.

This book delivered in many different ways.  It felt like several stories in one and as one piece would start to piece together it would jump to another and I couldn't help but keep reading just to find out what would happen next.  

I give this one 4/5 moons.

You can find M.J. Rose on her website.

Disclaimer: I received this book for review purposes.  The opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.