Happy Birthday to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter!

Happy Birthday to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter who shares the same birthday, July 31!

We will be forever thankful to J.K. Rowling for sharing with the world her story about the boy who lived and is continuing to live in our hearts.

by sacasmandee

The memories of the waiting, reading, and aftermath are some of the things that I'll treasure because of the series.  I am proud to be part of the generation that welcomed Harry Potter and fell in love with the wizarding world.

August Reminders ^_^

 August is here!  Which means release of some awesome books is at hand! 

The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey, #2) by Julie Kagawa - August 1

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love - August 3

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legends, #1) by Pittacus Lore - Aug 3

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins - August 24

The Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare - August 31

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - August 31

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - August 31
Halo by Alexandra Ardonetto - August 31 (thanks, Danya for reminding. :)

Did I miss anything? :)

Than for some other important news and reminders:

Cassandra Clare is having a live chat on August 4, 5PM EST over at Simon & Schuster.

This is a MUST-NOT MISS event.  Cassie has something up her sleeves, we better get ready!

Click here to be redirected to UStream and RSVP.

Then there's also the Twitter Party for Iron Daughter release July 31, 8PM EST We are all waiting for The Iron Daughter so might as well party together as it comes out!

For the much awaited release of Mockingjay, there will be a Mockingjay Blog Tour in which 13 blogs are selected to represent one district.  Awesome!  Check out the confirmed blog Districts:

District 1: Galley Smith
District 2: SciFiGuy
District 3: Word for Teens
District 4: Green Bean Teen Queen
District 5: Dear Author
District 6: Hey Lady
District 7: Novel Novice
District 8: Jenn’s Book Shelves
District 9: The Compulsive Reader
District 10: Presenting Lenore
District 11: Mundie Moms
District 12: The Book Smugglers
District 13: Beth Fish Reads

I'm still waiting for the two other districts to be confirmed. :)

They will have something in-stored each stop, with exciting posts, discussions and even giveaways!  So better check them out. :D

Saturday Sharing: Alice and Jasper

I'm Team Alice and Jasper all the way!!!

Ashley Greene as Alice and Jackson Rathbone as Jasper

They're just the cutest.  I love, love, love Alice's character.  I want to find my own Jasper too.
I think they are the most overlooked couple in Twilight.

I find their love story is sweet and touching at the same time.  I mean, Jasper's backstory is dark and tragic, same with Alice.  She knew they will end up together so she waited for him.  When Jasper saw Alice, he knew she was the one because as he said, he felt hope after not feeling it for a long time. 

Ok I'm gonna stop now and I might get all swoony and mushy. :p

Note:  The Norwegian Book Girl is having a contest!  Check it out here.

Book Blogger Hop Friday! (July 30-Aug2)

It's time for the hop again!  Thank you for dropping by the blog and I hope you enjoy looking around. :)

Feel free to comment on this week's book blogger hop question:

Who is your favorite new-to-you author so far this year?

Hmm.  I read a lot of books of my first-time-to-encounter authors so that's hard.  But I guess I'll guess I'm leaning towards Julie Kagawa.  I read her first novel, The Iron King earlier this year and I love, love it!  And I can't wait for the second book, The Iron Daughter, which is due August 1.  Meaning that's almost here!

Top Ten Literary Crushes

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme started out at Random Ramblings.  It's my first post for it and I'm excited to catch up.  I hope I could do the past topics because I would love to list my top ten! :)

This week's topic is actually Top Ten Pics for Male Literary Characters, but I'm having a hard time thinking (@_@ --> this is my face while thinking).  Then I realized it's hard for me because I'm confusing my "crushes" from the just males who's stood out in books.  So I decided to pick on a past topic which is *gasp* Top Ten Literary Crushes. :)  In no particular order:

1.  Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings - A reluctant king, with a penchant for dirt and action.  He was willing to let go of the woman she loves for her to live away from the certainty of death and war.  For a 80+ year old guy, I'm in-love.

2.  Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments - Who wouldn't drool over Jace?  I think most of the people who have read Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments would agree with me when I say that Jace is HOT and a must in every literary crush list.  He's a worthy opponent of the underdog, Simon whose fans I know will beg to differ.

3. Nick Ryves from The Demon's Lexicon Trilogy - We all love bad guys.  Nick personifies not just bad ass-ness but also hot-ness.  I wouldn't want to spoil the fun with Nick.  Read the book and be burned. SRB definitely knows how make it steam.

4. Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games Trilogy - Sweet baker boy with charm that can make Panem lend their ears.  He was all mysterious in the first book but he definitely made a mark there.  He went all out in Catching Fire and I swooooooned!  I'm all for Team Peeta! 

5. Sirius Black from Harry Potter series - What's with guys with age and me?  I realized I'm crushing over Sirius at the end of the third book.  My smile was almost at my ears. Charming, wickedly devious, and an ex-convict.  He might still live with his deranged mother (as a painting), but at least he has his own pad, has a hot ride (a hippogriff), tattooed body, and I know would be loyal to me.  I guess J.K. Rowling thought Sirius is too hot to handle to be let loose after book 5.

6. Niall from The Wicked Lovely series - His dark nature can bring you lusting over him.  But I think with or without his nature, you'll fall for Niall.  Dark, determined, and loyal - I think Leslie is an idiot letting go of him.  Irial is fortunate to have him back though.  Lucky bastard.

<---Niall from the Casting Couch Hot, right?

7. Po from Graceling - He's such a cutie! If he's real, he might be someone I can bring home to my mother.  Or just bring home.  Period.  :p  A guy who can commit but won't force you; who knows how to have fun and still fight.  Ridiculously sexy and charming.  Love.

8. Patch from Hush, Hush - Becca is evil for bringing Patch and I will forever love her for it.  I think Patch is bringing sexy back and is a piece of heaven here on earth, reminding girls that it's not all air up there because angels can be hot as well.

9. Alan Rvyes - Ok, I got the two brothers here.  Sorry, what can I do? They're both hot!  Nick is hot and nasty, whereas Alan is hot and sweet.  He has a few shadows and skeletons in his closet but it doesn't change the fact that he's abnormally sweet and nurturing.

<--- (I know the book cover is still Nick. Hehe). 

10.  Jasper Hale from Twilight series - I'm for Alice and Jasper!  He was a tormented soul until he found Alice.  He's so sweet with her I wanted to be Alice and find my own Jasper (or wait til my Jasper find me?).  I think he was one of the misunderstood and undermined characters in the adaptation of the book to movie.  I'd pick him over Edward anytime.

Iron Daughter Twitter Party & Iron Queen Cover Revealed!

Gail from the Ticket to Anywhere, Pam from Bookalicious, and Erica from The Book Cellar are hosting a Twitter Party for the release of Julie Kagawa's Iron Daughter!

The party will be this Saturday at 8 PM EST. The party will last 1.5 hours. For the first half hour, we will be discussing The Iron Daughter and the last hour will be a Q&A with author Julie Kagawa. Join us for this fabulous event celebrating The Iron Daughter and we will be giving away all sorts of goodies, I hear there might even be a Grimalkin Rock given away.

Follow the chat on twitter using the hashtag #ironfey

And Julie just shared the cover for The Iron Queen:

Pretty!!

Gets you all excited to read it! At least you know, the Iron Queen is almost ready because I feel that by the time you finished Iron Daughter, you'll be wishing for it already!

August 1 is almost here!  I can't wait for Iron Daughter!

Contest Happenings

Just some of the contests I found happening around:

1. For What It's Worth is giving away a book of your choice via Book Depository. (8/1)

2. The Norweigan Book Girl is giving away books for her 100 followers giveaway via Book Depository. (8/27)

3. Misfit Salon is celebrating a one year anniversary with a giveaway.  (8/24)

4. La Femme Readers is having a 2011 YA releases giveaway! (9/2)

Check them out!  Some of them are giving away fab ARCs and books that are must-haves!

Waiting on Wednesday: I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (and update on set)

I am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1)
Pittacus Lore
August 3, 2010
HarperCollins

"Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next." (Goodreads)

I was surprised that the movie adaptation came rolling first before the book is published.  I can't wait to read the book because I'm not really into sci-fi novels, but I find the story interesting.  Besides, if the producers and Dreamworks' Studio bank on it before it's released, then it definitely got my attention.  Just look at the book trailer:



If that doesn't get your attention enough then would the idea of Alex Pettyfer playing the lead role seal the deal?  And Glee's Diana Agron is there too as a potential love interest of Number Four.  Check out the update on the set:



Note:  La Femme Readers is having a fabulous contest where you can win finished copies of much awaited books!  Check out the blog for the contest details as well as the prizes.  It runs until September 2 and is International (as long as Book Depository ships to your place)!

Demon's Lexicon #3 Cookie!!

Coldwater High eZine, the news wings of Fallen Archangel, had a Q&A with Sarah Rees Brennan!  She covered topics from writing, tips, background of The Demon's Lexicon & The Demon's Covenant, characters, etc.  This is where she shared a cookie from the third book!

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'Sin walked along the water’s edge, the lights of the Market behind her, sea and sand stretching to either side, and waited until the moon-iced surface of the ocean broke.

Nick pushed back black hair, drenched and sleek as seal fur, and smiled at her. He might as well have beckoned. The angles of his face looked more sharply cut than ever, his shoulders white and wet, all the planes of his body given gleaming definition by moonlight.

She walked into the surf and he walked out of it towards her: the water of the English Channel was cold even in August, rushing up to meet Sin mid-thigh almost at once and hitting her at waist-height as she waded in deeper, washing the sweat off her skin and all the tiredness out of her muscles, leaving her with nothing but a sweet ache along her body.

She reached out and trailed her fingertips down the ridges of Nick’s stomach, curious, until her hand met the cool shock of water and the leather of his belt.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Sin said.

Nick smirked. “I’m a little shy.”'

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Read the whole article at Coldwater High eZine where you can ask Sarah a question that she can answer when she returns this Wednesday.

Tuesday Trailer: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff and Mockingjay!

The Replacement

by Brenna Yovanoff

September 21, 2010

"Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?" (from Goodreads)

I haven't seen a book cover so creepy like this one.  And it's effective because even if you find it creepy or weird, it already has your attention and somehow you want to know what the book is all about for it to have such a cover.  It definitely caught my attention and I want to read it despite it being far-off my reading genre.

The plot can be familiar to a changeling idea but we'll see how Brenna Yovanoff makes this book different.  It's definitely dark as seen in the book trailer:

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The official book trailer for Mockingjay is here!!  This was posted by Scholastic:

Are you ready for August 24?  We only have less than 30 days of waiting!

Break free!

Blog Tour Stop with Tricia Rayburn (SIREN)

From The Story Siren, Tricia Rayburn is stopping by here for her Blog Tour.  It's a pleasure to have you here, Tricia!  

Tidbits on Tricia:  Author of several tween and teens books' such as the Maggie Bean series.  Her latest works, Siren and Ruby's Slippers are released last July 13 and 20 respectively. 

Connect with Tricia on:  Facebook  |   Twitter   |  Blog 

Check out our review of SIREN here

"Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything—the dark, heights, the ocean—but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff-diving one night near the family’s vacation house in Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.

Though her parents hope that they’ll be able to find closure back in Boston, Vanessa can’t help feeling that her sister’s death wasn’t an accident. After discovering that Justine was keeping a lot of secrets, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor, hoping that Justine’s boyfriend might know more. But Caleb has been missing since Justine’s death.

Soon, it’s not just Vanessa who’s afraid. All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes host to a string of fatal, water-related accidents in which all the victims are found, horrifically, grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa turns to Caleb’s brother, Simon, for help, and begins to find herself drawn to him. As the pair try to understand the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance—and will change her life forever." (Goodreads) 

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Interview with Tricia on Siren:

How was the feeling of moving from writing the Maggie Bean series to Siren?

It was a really fun shift.  My Maggie Bean books were inspired by some of my own childhood experiences, while Siren was very much a product of my imagination.  It was great taking the story to places it would never go in a contemporary realistic novel.


How long did it take you to write Siren?
Five months, off and on.  Then my agent and I revised for a few weeks before submitting it to editors.


What was your favorite or the challenging part in writing Siren?

I loved exploring Vanessa and Simon’s relationship.  The toughest part was probably writing underwater scenes.  That was definitely a first for me!

If you're not writing, what usually do you do?

I read, cook, hang out with my friends and family, and brainstorm future projects!

Do you have plans for any future novels?
Yes!  Siren is the first book in a trilogy; Siren 2 will be out next summer, and Siren 3 the summer after that.  I’m also working on a fun, new middle-grade idea. 

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Thanks, Tricia!  It's really a pleasure having you here. Can't wait for the next Siren novels.  

Check out Tricia's next blog tour stop on The Neverending Shelf.