My Favorite Things: The Big Birthday Giveaway! Boxes of Books Ready For YOU to Win!

My Favorite Things has been a wonderful event that I've had fun celebrating with all of YOU!  It's now winding down to the last couple days (BOO) but the one big reason I like to celebrate this month is because it's my birthday month, well TODAY is my actual birthday!!!  Woo hoo!  I'm actually on vacation right now so as I type this it's still way in the future, but how I imagine the day is going is that my mom, sisters, and I go to Rapid City (I'm visiting SD) and eat at a restaurant like The Olive Garden or Red Lobster (I'm vegetarian but eat fish once in awhile) and then go SHOPPING!  So I'm sure a trip to the mall is in order as well as to B&N, their only bookstore.  I just know that I'm buying (and getting) all kinds of awesome things.  So I have a present for three of YOU.

The first one is a box of YA ARC's (I think there's one finished copy) of assorted genres (contemporary, horror, paranormal) that have released this year (one was maybe late last year).  There's 6 books in the box now, but there's room for one more so I might squeeze one more in there for you. 

Next up is a box of adult books.  This is a mix of ARC's and finished copies.  It's mostly urban fantasy but there's at least one contemp romance.  I'm still adding to it too.  It currently has 9 books, but could end up with more.

The last one is $10 for one international winner. I will send it via paypal (I've been having some issues paying TBD) so you can buy your own book.

The boxes of books are open to US addresses only (unless you pay for shipping, in which case I will ship overseas).

You must be 13 or older to enter the YA box and the international giveaway and 17 or older for the box of adult books.

This giveaway ends July 14th, 2013.

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My Favorite Things: Fiona Paul's Top Ten Places to Travel + a Review of Belladonna & Giveaway!

 I'm really excited to have Fiona Paul on the blog today for My Favorite Things, the month long celebration of my birthday, summer and June (the best month of the year).  Fiona Paul is the author of Venom and Belladonna, the first two books in the Secrets of the Eternal Rose series.  I LOVE these books so I was tickled pink when Fiona agreed to put together a post with her Top Ten Places to Travel.  I LOVE travel posts and I adore the pictures!  So let's welcome Fiona to the blog!

Fiona, Tiger, Thailand

Fiona Paul's Top Ten Places to Travel

Hi everyone! I was torn between doing a Top Ten of my fave places to vacation or a Top Ten of places I still want to visit, but I decided to go with ten places I've already been. These are in no particular order because to pick between some of them would be like comparing cupcakes to book boyfriends--life

Iceland Geyser

1. Thailand. Thailand is a perfect mix of jungle, beaches, and big cities. You can get up close and personal with snakes, monkeys, elephants, and tigers. You can swim, surf, snorkel, parasail, etc. for a fraction of the cost of doing it in the USA. The people are friendly and the food is delicious.

2. Iceland. I just returned from a trip to Iceland and I am already formulating reasons to return. Let us dispense with the whole 'Greenland is ice and Iceland is green' myth right now. Iceland is gray-black lava fields and snowy glaciers and deep turquoise seas. Sure, there are some green places too, but not too many in or around Reykjavik. Bring your layers because the wind and rain can be brutal, but the scenery is unmatched. Think

3. Southern Utah. The area that encompasses Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks is the most beautiful place I've ever encountered within the USA. If you're looking for peace or God or the answers to life, you should probably make a life-changing trip to Southern Utah and its red cliff faces and dazzling rock formations.

New Zealand Fjords

4. Australia & New Zealand. I put them together because if you go to see one, it only makes sense to see both. Beaches, cities, fjords, the Outback...need I say more? Yes? All right then. The sexiest accents EVER.


5. Venice. There's just something about the mix of gorgeous architecture, twisting streets, and narrow canals that hypnotizes you. Add to that amazing food and friendly people and Venice is a winner.

Oregon Coast

6. Oregon. The state of Oregon has EVERYTHING: mountains, beaches, forests, waterfalls, cramazing indie bookstores, world-famous donut shops--I could go on. And Portland is absolutely the chillest place I've ever been. Think about it. Have you ever heard anyone say "I don't really like Oregon." Me neither, dudes. Me neither.

7. Hawaii. If you don't know where to go, Hawaii can feel like one big tourist trap of overcrowded beaches and overpriced souvenir shops. Get yourself to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling and to the Big Island to see Volcanoes National Park.

Seoul cityscape

8. South Korea. Seoul is like a present-day dystopian city that's five years ahead of the US in technology. A short train ride brings you to gorgeous mountains, and if you feel like flying you can check out Korea's own little Hawaii, Jeju Island. Also, out of 30+ countries I've visited, Korean food wins hands down. Don't miss the hoduk, rice flour pancakes stuffed with melted brown sugar and roasted sesame seeds.

Dublin Street

9. Ireland. I only spent one day in Dublin, but there was just something about Ireland that got to me. It's so lush and green and so laid back. I love how it rains all the time and people just duck into doorways and wait for the rain to stop instead of freaking out about getting a little wet. Also, castles, beer factories, and more sexy accents.

10. St. Louis. Okay, so I live in St. Louis and therefore am biased. But seriously, we've got a free zoo, free science museum, free art museum, free history museum, kickass sports teams, and like 50 flavors of gooey butter cake. Seriously, the gooey cake alone makes STL worth a visit :)
just isn't complete without both.
Hawaii meets Alaska meets Middle Earth.
lush and green and so laid back. I love how it rains all the time and people just duck into doorways and wait for the rain to stop instead of freaking out about getting a little wet. Also, castles, beer factories, and more sexy accents.

Candace here now.  Yeah, so all these places look great, but she said OREGON! I live in Oregon!  Okay, so I actually live in Washington, but I'm just over the bridge.  I mean, I'm right next door.  And Oregon DOES rock.  No one EVER says they don't like Oregon...
Also, I SO want to visit almost all of these places she mentioned.  Seriously, I SO want to travel the world, PRONTO!  Someday....

Belladonna (Secrets of the Eternal Rose #2) by Fiona Paul

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: July 16th, 2013 by Philomel

Source: Gifted by another blogger

In Renaissance Italy, love, lust, intrigue and secret societies converge to stunning results!


In the second in the stunning Secrets of the Eternal Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose—the only evidence that will prove he’s innocent.

So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.

Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

I love, love, love the setting and time period of these books!  But that's not all, I also love the characters and the mystery.  The books tend to suck me in immediately and don't spit me out until the end.  The first book takes place in Venice in it's entirety and this one brought us to Florence for a good chunk of it.  I do love Venice but it was interesting to see a bit more in this one, to have some new scenery and some new characters for awhile.

The book starts out with a bang and Cass is immediately needing to save Luca from certain death.  This lends a sense of urgency to the book as we are with her as she makes the journey to Florence where she's sent on a wild goose chase to try to figure things out.  While in Florence she starts unraveling some mysteries, and discovering some new ones.  She also 'runs into' Falco, her love interest from the first book (not a spoiler).  Cass is extremely determined to save Luca and will do anything.  This leads to some not-so-smart choices but also some extremely brave ones.  At times I was torn about whether I wanted to shake her for this, or wanted to hug her for her bravery.  I did feel that there were a few things she should have figured out and maybe avoided, like she was a bit too trusting of people that she originally knew not to trust.  However, this was a very minor issue for me and one I got over quickly.  I admired Cass for her strength and determination and the lengths she would go to for a man she cared for but wasn't sure whether she loved (at least romantically).

I had some mixed feelings about the romance in this one.  I loved Falco in the first book though he was a bit TOO mysterious at times, I really loved his character.  In this one I felt like I really wanted more from him but he just wasn't very present and he didn't give much to Cass.  He seemed more like he was into her more physically and that's more where his love for her lay, in her body and not so much just for HER.  Luca on the other hand, while not on the page real often, was definitely a character I loved when he was there.  I wasn't a big Luca fan in the first one but now I'm more mixed up inside.  While I'm not a love triangle fan, this is a love triangle that I think actually works.  It's realistic and I 'get' why Cass likes each of them.  I think her heart belongs to one, and I think I know which one, but I do have mixed feelings about it and get how and why things may or may not work for each of them.

The mystery of it all still has a ways to go.  We uncovered a lot of stuff but this is a complicated thing and there's no rushing it.  It's secret society secrets and takes some digging for things to come together.  I am VERY anxious to see where things go in the next book.  Don't worry about a cliffhanger though, the main issues in this book are resolved (at least enough for now).

This book is pretty dark.  There's lots of death and scary things happening.  It wasn't depressing though and never seemed heavy to me.  I read the book quickly and shed a tear or two before I finished.  I recommend this book to mature YA readers that enjoy historical fiction.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from a blogger who hadn't read the series, it was a gift.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

 

Fiona is offering up a hardcover *signed* copy of BELLADONNA.

Open to US addresses.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Ends July 14th, 2013

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My Favorite Things: Guest Post {Top Ten Favorite Book That I've Read This Year} by M.L. Brennan & Giveaway!

I'm really excited to welcome M.L. Brennan back to the blog for My Favorite Things, the month long celebration for my birthday, summer and cause June is awesome!  You may remember ML from her previous visit to the blog where she answered some questions for me (find this interview, one of my favorites, HERE).  She's also the author of Generation V, an urban fantasy book that I absolutely loved (review is in the same post as the interview that I previously linked to).   Today she's going to tell us her...

Top Ten Favorite Books That I’ve Read This Year

Have you ever been asked to list your top ten favorite books of all time? It’s horrifying. Ten isn’t enough. I start sweating just thinking about it – how could I choose between the books that I love passionately, and the ones that influenced me deeply? And the moment I picked ten, I know I’d immediately start thinking of all the amazing books that I forgot about.

But the top ten favorite books that I’ve read this year? That I can actually get a handle on. It’s halfway through the year, so the number is still manageable. Thanks to Goodreads, I can actually review what I read in that span, so there’s less chance of me missing something. And best of all, I don’t have to stress out over whether to lean toward classics or newer stuff, because my reading decisions over the last six months already made those decisions for me!

So here they are, in very particular order:

10. The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

It’s a novella, but it’s tightly written with beautiful worldbuilding, actual stakes, and an ending that feels earned and interesting. I’m a Sanderson fan, but I’d initially been a bit leery about this one. I was delighted to be proven wrong about it.

9. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

This is a dystopian novel originally published in 1955. It’s post-nuclear war, set in small and technologically restrained communities that have embraced religion in their efforts to avoid mutations. It’s very classic dystopia, and a little heavy on the ultimate one extreme of society or another, but there’s a certain underlying cynicism that Wyndham shows at times through the speech of his characters that I liked a lot.

8. Lookaway, Lookaway by Wilton Barnhardt

This is set to be published in August, but I got my hands on an advanced reader’s copy and really enjoyed it. It’s a Southern family saga, full of old resentments and hidden secrets, and each section is told from one character’s point of view. What I really enjoyed about this was that no character had more than the single section, and it was extremely immersive – all characters had their own prejudices or resentments or misunderstandings about themselves or others, and several times I’d actually dismissed a particular character as useless until I actually got to their section and was amazed at what I hadn’t realized about them.

7. Miserere by Teresa Frohock

I almost dumped this book in the second chapter, when a character from contemporary Earth showed up in this alternate world fantasy. I’m never a fan of that happening (it’s possible that Andre Norton’s Witch World scarred me for life on this one), and if the back cover had even hinted at it going on, I know I never would’ve picked up the book. But. Frohock actually incorporates this situation into her world – people from Earth showing up as foundlings is actually usual – and I’d enjoyed the first chapter so much that I gritted my teeth and kept going. I’m so glad that I did, because this is such a fascinating book and world.

6. The Big House by George Howe Colt

This is a memoir of the summer house that Colt’s great-grandfather built, and which generations of the family returned to every summer for over a century. It begins during the last summer that Colt will go to it, bringing his wife and two small children, because the family is having to sell it. This was a beautiful book about what the house had meant to the family, the history and secrets it contained, and the wrenching feeling of losing that common touchstone. This was also a fascinating book because it was written about that most classic of Boston Brahmin situations – the family who had great wealth a few generations ago, and now cannot afford their inheritance.

5. The Thousand Names by Django Wexler

This will be published on July 2^nd, and I got to read an advanced reader’s copy. It’s amazing – an epic military fantasy debut that combines brilliant worldbuilding, sharp characterization, a mysterious magic system, and an amazing incorporation of solid historical knowledge and research. Amazing, amazing stuff, with one of the best-written heroines I’ve seen this year. This also has a sense of gritty realism without being trigger-happy (*cough* George R. R. Martin *cough*). Highly recommended.

4. The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling

You can’t go into this book wanting to see another Harry Potter – this isn’t that book, and I’m glad that it isn’t. What it is is an absolutely humanistic and brilliant tragedy that stems from the beautifully rendered banality of small-town life. I just could not put this book down until the end.

3. Idlewild / Edenborn / Everfree by Nick Sagan

 

Yes, it’s a trilogy. Yes, I’m counting it as one book. I’m doing that because I couldn’t just recommend the

first book – in my opinion it was the weakest of the trilogy. Not because of the writing, but since it was doing the heavy lifting of establishing and laying in character and situation. It was a neat idea, and well-executed, but it’s the second and third books that are utterly amazing and fantastic, with an incredible weaving between utter cynicism in human nature and pure survival of idealism. Idlewild is okay, but Edenborn and Everfree were just hands-down amazing. It’s about the ruin of society, the challenge of the individual, and it’s wonderful.

2. Written In Red by Anne Bishop

I’ve read and loved Bishop’s Dark Jewels books as well as her Tir Alainn series (couldn’t get into Ephemera), and I have to say – I think Written In Red is the best book I’ve ever read from her. The peril, the balance of power, the characters, the worldbuilding, the use of the re-thought contemporary setting – it’s working on every level right now. I’ve re-read this book a handful of times already, and the sequel just can’t come fast enough.

 

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Dreamlike and beautiful, with a sense of wonder and a star-crossed love story – it has all the elements that I

loved about Neil Gaiman’s Stardust years ago, but I think that Morgenstern’s is actually better. If you haven’t read it, than you must.

Candace here now, Written in Blood is on  my wishlist.  I ADORE Anne Bishop and am SO upset I haven't yet got my hands on it!  It IS my birthday in a few days so my fingers are crossed that this is one gift I may get!  I have The Thousand Names on my shelf to read so I'm happy to hear that it's great!  And I've had The Night Circus for well over a year and still haven't read it!  Such a great list of books!  Thanks for sharing with us ML!

About Generation V:

Reality Bites

Fortitude Scott’s life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn’t paid rent in four months, and he’s also a vampire. Well, sort of. He’s still mostly human.

But when a new vampire comes into his family’s territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can’t ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he’s crazy for wanting to get involved. So it’s up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn’t quite sure how.

But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort’s rescue mission might just kill him.…

Also, some big news, the cover for the 2nd book, Iron Night, has been revealed along with the book description:

 Underemployed by day. Undead by night.

Underachieving film theory graduate and vampire Fortitude Scott may be waiting tables at a snooty restaurant run by a tyrannical chef who hates him, but the other parts of his life finally seem to be stabilizing. He's learning how to rule the Scott family territory, hanging out more with his shapeshifting friend Suzume Hollis, and has actually found a decent roommate for once.

Until he finds his roommate’s dead body.

The Scott family cover-up machine swings into gear, but Fort is the only person trying to figure out who (or what) actually killed his friend. His hunt for a murderer leads to a creature that scares even his sociopathic family, and puts them all in deadly peril.

Keeping secrets, killing monsters, and still having to make it to work on time? Sometimes being a vampire really sucks.

The amazing M.L. Brennan is giving away a *signed* paperback of Generation V to one of you!

Open to US addresses only.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Ends 7/7

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MyFavoriteThings: Guest Post by Jenny from Supernatural Snark + a Giveaway!

Today I'm really excited because I've invited one of my most favorite bloggers ever to the blog for My Favorite Things {the month long celebration of my birthday, the start of summer and just cause I love June!}.  She's hilarious and so much fun, she's Jenny from Supernatural Snark!

Before I get to my list of favorites, I want to thank Candace for letting me take over her blog today and ramble on and on about characters that just make me happy!

I’m a lover of romance, all different genres and types, so it’s usually the number one thing I look for when choosing my next read. I don’t need the romance to be the main focus necessarily, but I like for there to at least be a touch of underlying tension that comes from the potential for a relationship. It sucks me in every time. As a result of this love of love, I thought I would compile my list of top romantic pairings in young adult or new adult fiction; those books I return to again and again to relive the relationship (and maybe drool over the hero, but that’s a whole different post entirely).

I’ve broken my romantic pairings into categories just to keep things organized, and to help any of you who have yet to pick these books up figure out if the romance might be one that works for you as well as it did for me!

Category 1: The Comfort Read Romance

Anna and the French Kiss – I think this book pretty much tops any YA lover’s list of adorable books, but I simply couldn’t create a post about favorite relationships without including Anna and Etienne. I read their story with a stupid grin on my face the entire way through, and that smile returns every time I feel the need for a re-read.

The Mythos Academy Series – So, the books in this series probably don’t bring to mind the word “comfort” to anyone who’s read them as there is plenty of darkness and more than a few punches to the gut, but Gwen has a good head on her shoulders and doesn’t let her feelings for Logan overwhelm her. When I pick one of these books up, I know I’m going to get a strong, smart heroine who kicks as much ass as the boy she loves, and while there may be drama, the pull-your-hair-out angst is thankfully missing.

True – Much the same as the Mythos Academy books, True provides a romantic pairing that’s delightfully angst-free. Rory is perhaps my newest favorite heroine, someone who never plays games, teases, or seeks to hurt the boy she’s interested in even when she herself gets hurt. I felt safe the entire way through this book knowing the drama, when it came, would be dealt with logically and rationally, and no strange emotional curveball would knock me off my axis.

Category 2: The Friends-To-Lovers Romance

Imposter – Tessa and Alec have known one another for years when we first meet them, and there is so much tension thrumming between them I could hardly turn the pages fast enough to find out if they ever get out of their own way to be together. The relationship in this one is secondary to the mystery plot, yet just prominent enough to satisfy my need for a little romance.

Shadow and Bone – Alina and Mal have grown up together, and poor Alina has had to watch as Mal’s charmed what seems like every girl except for her. While the Darkling definitely steals the show in this first book, Mal makes his presence felt at the very end and throughout book two, leaving me absolutely DYING to see how they fare in the final book.

The Demon Trapper’s Series – I will be honest and say I got off to a very rocky start with Riley and Beck in this series as the two of them are downright cruel to one another at times, but with each book they take baby steps toward one another, overcoming their painful history and owning up to the feelings they’ve both had all along. LOVE.

Category 3: The Bad Boy or Bad Girl Romance

Sweet Evil – If there is a bad boy sexier than the son of the Duke of Lust, then I have yet to meet him in YA fiction. The contrast between Kaidan–hot, dark, and sinful–and Anna–sweet, fair, and innocent–is beautifully depicted, and for all the dangers they face and the horrors they both witness and cause, the two of them together simply radiate warmth and hope.

Alice in Zombieland – Cole gives Kaidan a run for his money in the hotness department, and while he could have easily overshadowed Alice with all his sexiness, she holds her own and doesn’t let him walk all over her. Much like Gwen Frost in the Mythos series above, she fights with him side by side and proves they are a pair to be reckoned with.

Dare You To – Beth is every bit the bad girl from the outside; a smart mouth and an abrasive personality making me shy away from her in Pushing the Limits for fear of getting sliced to ribbons by her cutting words. In Dare You To though, the parallels between her life and Ryan’s despite their drastically different family situations make these two an unforgettable pair, smoothing some of Beth’s edges while sharpening a few of Ryan’s points.

I of course have about another 30 couples on my List of Awesome, but these young men and women are some of my absolute favorites! Thanks again to Candace for having me.

I'm giving away a signed ARC of Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo to one of you!

Open to US addresses only.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Ends July 7th, 2013

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My Favorite Things: Lori shares her favorite places to visit + Giveaway!

 

I'm really excited to invite Lori from Pure Imagination here today.  She's one of my best friends and we've known each other since before we even started blogging.  No event is the same without her, so without further ado, here's Lori!

I'm so happy to be a part of Candace's Favorite Things event! For my post I decided to talk about a few of my favorite places to visit. I'm not a very well traveled person--I've never been on an airplane and I've never been farther west than Nashville. However, I know the south east and especially east Tennessee like the back out my hand. So, without further ado here are a few of my favorite places:

Great Smokey Mountains
I think of the Smokies as a second home. I basically grew up in Gatlinburg because my parents were friends with someone who owned a hotel so we stayed for free. We went twice a month for years. Now we still go at least once or twice a year. We love to hike there.

Decatur, GA
I didn't discover this gem until I started attending book events. It's an Atlanta suburb, but has this small town feel. I just love everything about Decatur, but Little Shop of Stories and the Decatur Book Festival really put it on my list.

Cherokee National Forest
This is my backyard. Literally. You can take 5 steps off my parents back porch and be in the national forest. It's home to the Ocoee River. The most visited/rafted river in the US. Also home to the 1996 Olympics. I've never rafted it and probably never will. It's a little too intense for me. But we do camp, swim, and hike there often.

Charleston, SC
We visited Charleston for the very first time 2 years ago and we've been a bit addicted ever since. It's such a great spot for everything. We are old souls and joke often that we like doing old people stuff. So the historical elements (and there are many) of Charleston are so fun for us. There plantation tours, tours of the gorgeous downtown area, and also places like Fort Sumter. Then there's the beach and the gorgeous low country scenery. It really has everything. Well, except lots of vegetarian restaurants, but what can you do?

Various other hikes:

Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness in Dayton, TN

Virgin Falls

Okay, I could probably go on and on and on, but I'll spare you. I hope you've enjoyed looking at some of my favorite places!

Okay, I SO want to go visit, PRONTO!  Thanks so much for sharing Lori!

Today I'm giving away one of Lori's favorite road trip books to one of you!  This is open internationally to where The Book Depository ships.  You must be 13 or older to enter.
Ends July 7th, 2013
Books you can pick from are: (Each one links to Lori's review)

1. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

2. Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard

3.  Just One Day by Gayle Forman

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

5. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Maston

6. Saving June by Hannah Harrington

7. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

8.  How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

9.  In Honor by Jessi Kirby

10. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

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