Winner!

Random.org worked it's little magic, and the winner of the 300 Followers Giveaway is....

suzie townsend!!

Congrats Suzie! Just shoot me an email: justyourtypicalbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)com with your name and mailing address by Thursday and it's all yours!!

Thanks again to all who entered!

YA Book Shopping Guide

Don't know what to buy someone for Christmas? Can't figure out what you want on your own list? How about a book? We all know books make a great present! Over at Michelle's Minions, she's posted a fantastic YA book shopping guide that covers all genres. Click here to check it out!

Candor by Pam Bachorz

Candor by Pam Bachorz

Released: September 2009
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 256
Publisher: Egmont
From: 1 ARC Tour

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

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This is the first time I've read anything that had a Sci-Fi vibe to it. It's also been a while since I've read a book that had an all male point of view to it. I'm glad I stepped out of my little comfort zone of reading because this book was great!

You get a very creepy vibe while reading what's going on in Candor. While being around people that are very perky and polite might sound ideal - it's actually quite freaky. Plus the fact that everyone wear pastels makes me think Easter threw up on the place.

I really liked Oscar and his daily fight against the Messages. When bad girl Nia showed up, I instantly liked her. At first I thought the relationship between the two of them was rushed. But the more I read, the more I realized that Nia was the only thing close to Oscar's type of normal. She also carries that head strong trait that Oscar had, and I was rooting for both of them throughout the book. Pam did a wonderful job building both these characters up, and even the side characters like Mandi and Sherman. I never found them to be background noise like some novels I've read.

By the time I reached the last couple of chapters, my eyes weren't able to read fast enough. The plot was fantastic, but in the back of my head I just knew I had this book pegged on what would happen. When I reached the end, I was completely surprised! Candor is definitely a book you need to pick up.

♥amber

Rock This! Thursday with The Ultimate Dumpees

I've been a horrible to Rock This! Thursday. It's been two months since I've posted anything! If you're new to the blog, Rock This! Thursday is a weekly feature where I discuss books that are about or centered around another thing I love: music! I also throw in some interviews with authors and bloggers, share some concert stories, and might even just mention a band that I think you should hear. If you would like to participate in Rock This! Thursday, shoot me an email: justyourtypicalbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)com


This week I am interviewing a fellow blogger and a good friend of mine, Brittany who runs The Ultimate Dumpees. Britt just started her blog not too long ago so after this interview you should all head over to her blog and show some love.

You're walking down the street, what song is following you?

If You Only Knew by Shinedown. That so follows me right now, lol. Lyrics fit perfectly with my life right now.


We're always up for new music. Tell us five songs we should definitely be listening to:

Breakeven by Script
Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory
Candles by Hey Monday
Second Chance by Shinedown
Bad Romance by Lady GaGa


What song do you think would make a great book?

Oh, hard! Humm, maybe So What by Pink. Lol, that would be a great, fun book to read.

Do you have a favorite book that is about or centered around music?

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway. Thanks to you, I read the book and loved it! I've read it like twice since then, and it never gets old.


What was the first tape or CD you bought?

OMG, so embarrassing. NSYNC and Gloria Estefan. That duet they did forever ago, lol.

If you could hang out with one musician - living or dead - who would it be and why?

Wow. Ummm, John Mayer. He's just, like, a God. Lol! I love his music. His songs are touching and so personal. So relatable.

Tell us about the first concert you attended.

Also, embarrassing. A free Aaron Carter concert. I went with my friend, who was obsessed with him. We got to meet him and he signed our Pooh Bear school notebooks, lol. Luckily, he was our age, which was like 10 or 11, so he didn't think it was odd.

Who's your favorite band/singer? Why are they your favorite?

That's hard. Right now my favorite band in Thriving Ivory. They are such a good band, with good music and amazing lyrics. I can really relate to a few of their songs and it's good writing and reading music.


Lastly, what is one thing you love most about music?

I love how it calms me. I can always find a song that fits my mood and that it great for me. I'll sing it out loud and I'll feel so much better after that. It's like therapy.

2010 Debut Author Challenge

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge is being hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

The objective is to read a set number of YA (Young Adult) or MG (Middle Grade) novels from debut authors published this year. I'm going to challenge everyone to read at least 12 debut novels! Click here to read all the details.

Here is my list of books (in no special order) that I'm super pumped to read for the challenge:


1. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
2. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
3. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
4. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
5. Dirty Little Secrets by Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
6. Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton
7. Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White
8. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab
9. Bleeding Violets by Dia Reeves
10. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
11. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
12. Sea by Heidi R. Kling
13. A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
14. The Mark by Jen Nadol
15. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
16. Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
17. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell




As the year goes on, I will contuine to put books up that I've read. But don't be shy. If there is a book you're thinking I should be super excited about - leave me a comment! If you're an author, feel free to pimp out your book on this page!
 
♥amber

Waiting on Wednesday

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

Release Date: August 2010

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteenth sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.



Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. And a boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride… but they MUST STOP. Because when she was 15? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her.


And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.

I really enjoyed Mandy's debut novel, Prada & Predudice, and already marked her as an author to look out for. This book sounds like it's going to be very cute and funny! If I woke up and a life sized My Little Pony was standing outside my window, I'd freak!
 
♥amber

300 Followers Giveaway!

When Cheryl and I first started the blog, I thought if we got 50 people we'd be doing good.  But now we have over 300 stalkers followers?!  That is insanely AWESOME! Even Dean agrees with me!








To celebrate we're having a little giveaway to thank you guys!  I was debating on what book should be the prize then I thought, ya know what? Let the winner choose!  Here are all the details:


- You MUST already be a follower to enter this giveaway. Anyone who started following after 11/16/09 cannot enter. And yes, I will be checking.

- There will only be ONE winner.

- Please list up to 5 books - each being under $15 - that you would like to own. If you are chosen, I will pick one book out of your list to send to you. Depending on the price range, you might even get two. Basically it's a SURPRISE!!

- Here's the catch. I will be purchasing the winner's book(s) from The Book Depository. Please check out the site first before listing your books.

- The giveaway will end November 30th at 12:00pm central time. Giveaway is over - thanks to all who entered!  Due to the recent privacy issues, please do not leave your email address here. The winner will be announced on December 1st here on the blog and will have 48 hours to contact me with their mailing address. If I'm not contacted by then I will choose a new winner.

- GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO EVERYONE BECAUSE I ♥ YOU ALL!!

And the Winner is....

A big thanks to Nancy Holder for donating five of her books for this contest, and for also making it an international one!  To be able to enter, you had to take a stab at the following question:

What is the name of Lindsay's roommate's stuffed unicorn?

The correct answer was Caspian or Caspi  Everyone who left a comment had me cracking up! Princess, Uni, Star/Starry, and Rainbow were some popular ones too. 

Here are a few of my random favorites:

Mike
Madonna
Corny
Cornhead
Mr. Pointy
Vonda Lou
Jace *sighs*
Auntie Em
Hokey Pokey
Supercalifragilesticexpialidocious
Charlie (as in Charlie, Candy Mountain)

Then there were two in a row that made me go o_O! then bust out in laughter:

Horny and Horny the Unicorny

All together I had a total of 61 valid entries and headed over to random.org to pick the winner.  And that lucky winner would be....

Kate!

Congrats Kate! I'm going to be sending an email to you shortly. Thanks to everyone who entered!

It has also come to my attention I have over 300 followers! Can we say holy crap?! Back when I 200 followers I was going to do a giveway, but then got side tracked.  While 200 followers is a big deal, 300 followers is just plain freakin' AWESOME! So by the end of this month I will be having a speical contest just for you awesome people who have been stalking me :)

Waiting on Wednesday

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin Benway

Release Date: August 2010

Three sisters, three extraordinary, life-changing powers!

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Robin Benway immediately became one of my favorite authors with her debut novel, Audrey, Wait!  (If you haven't read it, you're on crack. Go pick up a copy - it's awesome!) So to say I'm beyond a doubt extremely excited to read this book would be the understatement of the year!  August just seems like a million and ten years away, but I know it will be well worth the wait!

♥amber

Review - Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen

Released: September 2009
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal
Pages: 274

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her gowing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?

---

When I started reading this book I thought it would be more on the serious and dark side, but it wasn’t at all. But ya know what? I was pleasantly surprised with it. Who knew a book about demons could be so fun and sassy!

Lately I’ve been kind of a stickler when reading. It seems like I can’t find the right balance of a story with characters and a plot. This book takes place over just a week’s time so at first I wasn’t for sure how I’d like how everything was just thrown at me…but (and excuse the fan girl here) I LOVED it!

The characters are so fantastic! Nikki has the sassy and quick witted attitude that had me cracking up. And Michael? Um, hi, I heart you like no other right now. The attraction and chemistry between the two is perfect. I love it when he calls her Princess. The side characters including her dad, her aunt, and even her best friend brought a great mix of things to the story. Little things were dropped here and there, and I’m beyond curious of what will be happening to her best friend in the next book. Also Rhys, I need to know much more about him!

The plot flowed nicely and kept me completely glued. I ended up reading this book in one day! I’m becoming a major fan of paranormal books, and I love how this series is focused on demons in a more light hearted way.   I made the mistake of reading the teaser chapter for the next book, and I already want to read more! So basically if you’re in the mood for a mixture of sass, fun, and the paranormal then you need to pick this one up!

♥amber

Writers Wednesday - NaNoWriMo Style

Back when Cheryl and I first started this blog we had all these great ideas of daily slogans.  Writers Wednesday was one of them.  Every week we were going to post about some of our favorite writers we stumbled across whether it be fanfiction.net or fictionpress.net.  Needless to say, it didn't last long nor did the other slogans.

With NaNoWriMo going on I decided to bring it back with a twist.  Every Wednesday I'm going to post a snid bit from my NaNo novel, and hope that those that are also writing this month will join in!  Think of it as a Teaser Tuesday.


I'm going to be sharing two different snid bits this time.  If you want to know what my NaNo novel is about click here.  The first one is my opening lines to The Unexpected Clash of Strangers.  (I always love the first paragraph of a book.)   The second part is where my main character Grace snags a fake boyfriend off the street.

And a head's up...I'm well aware my grammar needs work.  I would appreciate any sort of feedback whether it's good or bad!

So....*takes deep breath*....here they are:

Snid Bit One:

There is nothing worse than getting caught in a random winter storm. Especially if by some weird coincidence you’re wearing a red sequin flapper dress and reeking of tequila. How I even get myself in these situations is beyond me.

Snid Bit Two:

It’s time to strap on my thinking cap. There has to be a guy out of this crowd I can just grab by the arm and start to walk with. It’s the city for crying out loud! He’s not even going to notice me at first. By then Stephen and Fake Boobs will be on their merry little way.

So who’s it going to be? I start to scan the crowd. There’s an old guy that looks exactly like my dead Uncle Arty. Woah, that’s a little freaky. I mean, he looks just like him. Suspenders and all! He did die, right? No time for that. I’ll have to ask my mother later. I eyeball a guy in a yellow hat, and am about to grab him when I realize it's not a guy, it's a girl.  Oops!

Well what do we have here? A guy so drop dead goregous I'm about to melt at the knees....and he's holding hands with another supermodel type girl who is giving me a death glare.  Damn. Do I know how to pick a crowd or what?

“Gracie, are you sure you don’t want to join us?” I hear Stephen ask from behind me. I stop in my tracks. Hell to the no, he did not just call me Gracie! I open my mouth to tell him to stick it up his butt when I spot my fake boyfriend.

He’s about six foot tall; medium built with messy light brown hair, and sporting a five o’clock shadow on his face. He doesn’t exactly look the part of a big time lawyer with his tan colored sports jacket and a faded Rolling Stones shirt. But desperate times call for desperate measures so he’ll just have to do.

He’s talking on his cell phone so he doesn’t notice me as I push myself through the crowd to grab him. “Ethan!” I shout, placing my hand on his arm. “There you are!"
The guy narrows his eyes at me and says, “Excuse me?” Thankfully he has a light voice or my cover would already be blown.

“Listen,” I whisper harshly, “I’ll pay you fifty bucks to pretend to be my boyfriend for the next few minutes.”

“You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?” he repeats, pulling the cell phone away from his ear.

“What are you, dense? You want the fifty bucks or not?”

“Dude!” a male voice screeches on the other end. “Do it! She sounds hot!” I have no clue who this guy is, but I like him. Too bad he’s not standing out here instead.

“Yeah,” I say, pointing at his phone. “You should listen to your friend.” Glancing behind my shoulder, I see the happy couple approaching us. I gasp and spin back around. “It’s too late. You’re going to have to just play along.”




****For everyone who is doing NaNoWriMo and would like to do a Writers Wednesday of their own, leave me a link in the comments so I can go check out your post! 

♥amber