Thursday, December 1, 2011

The blog is MOVING!

Yep. You read that right.

After many debates in my head for the past few months, I've decided that I'm going to merge JYTBB into my other blog: Adventures In Amberland.

My main reason of doing this is because even though I have LOVED running this blog for almost 3 (!!) years, I just don't have time to keep up with being an actual reviewer. Instead of making up excuses, making posts about how I will come back, and doing everything half-way, a merge just makes things easier.

I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone who has been a follower here, left comments, sent me an e-mail. I really enjoyed running JYTBB, reading amazing books, talking to authors, and meeting some awesome bloggers that I have become friends with. I do plan on still discussing books on the other site. Just not in a review style, and they'll come whenever they come. I want to keep doing Rock This! Thursday though so if you have ever wanted to participate, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.

I've been debating on changing my twitter name and e-mail address, but right now both names I tried to enter in Twitter have been taken. And I'm kind of lazy to set up a new e-mail account. So for the time being you can reach me in the same places. (And my Twitter name is: @JYTBB in case you didn't know.)

I hope a lot of you will follow the new blog. I promise I will not feel your reader with pointless posts. It'll take me a bit, but I'll be re-following other blogs too, and catching up on many upon many of your posts. And if you don't want to follow the new blog because you are a strictly book blogger reader only - that's cool. I understand. For everyone else, this link below shall lead the way:

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Blog Tour: Little Women and Me Character Interview



What's so bad about being the middle sister? 
Have you ever seen The Brady Bunch? Oldest siblings get special privileges for being the oldest; youngest siblings get special treatment for being the youngest and for still being cute, like little puppies; middle siblings get to be Jan Brady. It's not easy.

Any advice to give other middle sisters? 
Yes! Get over it! It's taken me my whole life - which is the 14 years before I got sucked into Little Women plus the time afterward - to learn to accept that I'm a middle and stop using it as an excuse for whatever's wrong with my life. It's not my sisters' faults that things are the way they are and if I want my life to be better, it's up to me to change it.

What do you love most about the novel, Little Women?
People are going to think this is corny but it's all the love the main characters have for one another and even some of the supporting characters. Like, in my real life, if the boy next door's grandfather gave a piano to my little sister, everyone'd be all, "What's up with the creepy old guy?" But when Mr. Laurence gives Beth the piano in Little Women, it even puts a tear in my eye.

Who is your favorite March sister?
Even though she started getting on my nerves once I got to meet her up close and personal, it has to be Jo. She's the most alive plus she's interested in writing like I am. Oh, and how can anyone not love Beth?

What was the hardest thing to cope with when you were transported into the era Little Women was written? The lack of decent indoor plumbing. I suppose I missed my family a bit too.

One piece of advice to give those that get sucked into a story and try to change things? 
Accept that you will occasionally experience "story amnesia," even if this later surprises others who read about your adventures. You ever hear the phrase "can't see the forest for the trees"? Well, getting sucked into a book, no matter how well you think you know the book, is like that. It's a lot different, living through a story firsthand as opposed to reading about it from the comfort of your bedroom; and you find yourself so busy dealing with and reacting to whatever in the story is happening to you at the time that it becomes difficult to focus on anything else.

Don't forget to stop by Just Another Book Addict tomorrow to see what Christy thought of Little Women and Me!


♥amber

Monday, October 31, 2011

NaNoWriMo. Are you down for the cause?

I've never exactly "won" NaNoWriMo. The first time I did it, I think I made it to about 35K then said screw it. The 2nd time I went over the 50K mark with The Unexpected Clash of Strangers, made a ton of progress on it, but then crashed miserably in the end. Each time I've done NaNoWriMo, I've never had a fresh new idea. I know that's the jist of things, but really who the heck is going to kick me out for NOT having a fresh new idea? Exactly.

Last year while having the flu I read some of The Iron Fey series and watched an ABC Family movie about a princess and it struck me that I wanted to write my own world. I've never been a big fantasy reader, but I absolutely loved fairy tales as a kid. My favorite show? Grimm's Classic Fairy Tales. I would come a runnin' full force into the living room when I heard the theme song. The idea, like most of my ideas, kind of deflated after a month or so. Who was I kidding? ME write a fantasy book? I've only read contemporary novels forever. I had no business trying to come up with kingdom names. So I moved on to other stories then to a few months of not really giving a crap if I ever wrote again (that's for another post). Last month, my characters were tugging at my mind. I went back over what I had written (about 80 pages of stuff), and I picked it apart. Took the good out and left the bad in another file and started tackling the sucker.

I have a new plot.

A few new characters.

A whole lot of bloodshed.

And some awesome creatures lurking through my fairy tale realm.

And most of all, I have a kick butt MC who is about to go on a ride of her life.

Oh, and I have boys. Hot boys.

For my NaNoWriMo, I am working on what I've always nicknamed: Fairy Tale. I suck completely at writing a synopsis, but here's the jist:

Gabby stopped believing in fairy tales the night her father was brutally killed before her eyes. What she saw was a creature in a red hood, but that's not what the cameras caught. Nearly 10 years later, Gabby cannot help but notice how things are starting to get strange. She's seeing things she saw as a child. Like a fairy in her locker, trolls tripping the basketball players, and then the biggest nightmare of all: the creature who killed her father. The moment Gabby thinks she's safe, a realm opens up, and suddenly her and her best friend, Jesse, are sucked in to it. 


Determined to get back home, Gabby takes on the help of a guy named Mason and his band of not-so-merry men. But Mason seems to have his own agenda, and when they're found by a dark prince, Gabby is starting to realize that her father had failed to ever tell her the truth of who he really was. Who her mother was, and who Gabby is destined to be. 

Hey. Don't say I didn't warn you I suck at writing summaries. What about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? Find me: sammyjones57 and let's cheer each other on! If you want to keep up with my updates, go check out my other blog (Which will probably soon JYTBB's new home by next year. Running two separate blogs seems a bit silly, and let's face it, I am not the best book blogger anymore.)

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Crossroads: Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ashby + Giveaway!!



You have two series – one in YA and one in Adult – is it hard juggling the two? 
It’s pretty challenging to keep up with competing deadlines, but I love having the variety of two different sets of characters. My adult series is a bit lighter than my YA, so it’s fun to have that as a change in mood once in a while.

If you could jump into either series and be apart of the story, which one would it be? 
Wow, good question! Do I want to live in a world where ghosts are everywhere and known by the public, or a world where vampires are living in secret? I guess it would depend on which one of the guys I’d be allowed to date. If I could be Ciara (from the WVMP RADIO series) and have Shane as a boyfriend, that would be ideal.


Do you have any other series you’re planning on starting? 
After SHINE, the third book in the SHADE trilogy, I’m writing a stand-alone YA contemporary. We’ll be announcing details about it later in October (probably by the time this interview is out!), but I can tell you this much: 1) it’s a boy book, and 2) I am SO, so excited about it!

Is there any book you wish you would have wrote? 
There are books I’m in awe of, like IF I STAY by Gayle Forman or LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green. But if I’d written them, they would’ve been different books. Every author brings his or her own voice and life experience to a book, which is why two novels can treat the same subject and be totally different.

Want to win one of Jeri Smith-Ready's books? Just leave a comment below with your e-mail address (no e-mail, no entry). This is ONLY open to those with a US mailing address. The winner will be chosen at the end of the tour. 



You have a great mix of all sorts of paranormal, is there one myth or creature you think you won’t ever write? 
I probably wouldn’t ever write vampires, not because they’ve been done to death, but because I love Buffy far too much to ever want to create a new vampire world. In fact the whole reason I wrote Zombie Queen of Newbury High was because I was looking for an alternative to all the vampires that were around at the time!

What is your favorite paranormal creature? 
Demons! They are smart and evil but I like to think that they have the potential for good as well.

Do you plan on writing any sequels to any of your books? 
No plans at present though I have been receiving a few emails asking for a follow up to Fairy Bad Day, so perhaps in the future that might be on the cards?!

Favorite thing about Halloween? We don’t really celebrate Halloween in Australia though I do buy lots of candy in case we get trick or treaters so I guess I like to eat as much of that as I can before I have to give it away!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Crossroads: Joy Preble and Dawn Dalton



Do you always remember your dreams? 
Yes, absolutely. I still remember dreams I had when I was five years old. I am a vivid dreamer. I really did give that to Anne. Like Anne, I’ve had numerous dreams in my life that were more like movies – I was clearly not dreaming as myself. (although interestingly, since I’ve been writing the series, I’ve had fewer of those!)

Oddest dream you’ve ever had? 
Hmmm…. Once I dreamed that I swallowed a bird. It was black bird – like a crow maybe? – and it walked right down my throat. (I was sick with strep when I dreamed this so probably my throat hurt!)


What do you want readers to take away from your series? 
That there are second chances in this world. That destiny exists but we can miss it if we’re not watching carefully. That we can change our path. And that it’s never too late for love.

If you could jump into your book at any time, would you? 
I’d jump into almost any scene in book 3, especially the time travel ones. And the ending to book 3 – oh my! I hope you guys love it.

What do you love about the paranormal genre? 
I was actually late to jump on the paranormal bandwagon – authors were putting out amazing fiction I glossed over because I didn’t understand what I was missing. And then I read Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten. The book kind of changed my life – and turned me on to the paranormal genre. I love the great world building that happens in paranormal fiction, and the flexibility with characters. Somehow the romance seems hotter, the issues edgier. Truthfully, they’re highly addictive.


Why should we pick up your books? 
Hopefully because they pique – and then hold – your interest.

Favorite scary story? 
My favorite scary stories are the urban legends my uncle used to share around the campfire when I was a kid. He was born with one hand and used a mechanical hook – which made the “Hook” legend one his greatest stories. He should have been a writer. Amazing storytelling ability.

Did you always want to be an author? 
Not until Grade 6 when a teacher steered me down that path. My best friend in elementary school was an amazing artist. She could draw anything. From scratch. Another friend could sing like an opera star. I remember thinking then, “what if I don’t have a talent?” Mrs. Kratky was tough, but she was a fabulous mentor, and she believed in her students. She dragged me out of self-pity mode and into a creative writing class.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Crossroads: Kitty Keswick and Linda Joy Singleton



Give us four reasons why we should pick up your book: 

1. It’s a fun paranormal romp.
2. British lingo and hot hero!
3. It is a series. You’ll have a chance to get to know the world longer.
4. Werewolves are a howl.


What is magic to you? 
Magic is something I wish were real. I think that’s why I write about it so much, trying to make my own wishes come true. Do you listen to music while you write? No. I usually have TV on in the background for company since I’m alone a lot.

Have you experienced any ‘rock star’ writing moments? 
Yeah, and I loved it. The first was when I was invited to BEA in Chicago, my air and room paid by my publisher, and my editor led me to the “Green Room” where Newbery winner (and online friend) Linda Sue Park was just coming out. Books were waiting for me on a signing table. Also signing were writing stars that dazzled me, like Daniel Handler and Meg Cabot. I had 30 minutes of floating on stardust. Amazing!

What’s next for you writing wise? 
I just finished a science fiction YA (mystery-romance) and my agent is shopping it to editors. Since it’s the first book in a trilogy, I need to get started on Book 2 soon, so I’ve started writing down ideas for the plot. I have a general idea of what will happen but expect lots of surprises along the way. I hope it sells soon – check my Facebook for news!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Crossroads: Shannon Delany and Carrie Harris



What do you say to the people who think stories about vampires or werewolves are overrated? (For the record: I still love vamp and wolfie stories!)
Two things: don’t read what you don’t want to (and for heaven sakes, don’t complain about what you don’t know) AND consider the author’s reason for using a vehicle like a werewolf or vamp to tell their tale. We don’t randomly plunk a paranormal into a world because we think it’s “hawt”—the vast majority of us do it because of the subconscious meaning attributed to that vehicle.

Is Bargains and Betrayals the last book in the 13 to Life series? 
NOPE. Originally the series was set to end at three but after 13 to Life hit stores my publisher asked to add two more novels to my contract bringing our total to five. We still have Destiny and Deception and Rivals and Retributions (both releasing in 2012).

Who is your favorite character out of the series? 
Max. What?! Eh, I don’t know. I love and get ticked at them all equally most days. I want to shake Jess from time to time and throttle Pietr because they make some stellar decisions, you know? Max is easier to deal with in some ways because there’s not much subtext with Max. He’s just Max. He’s the guy I’d hang out with.

What upcoming project(s) can you tell us about? 
I’m actively developing two stories right now (both VERY different). One’s science fiction/cyberpunk and I’d like to see it as a trilogy. It connects to my short story in the Leap Books charity anthology SPIRITED: 13 Haunting Tales and is set in the future (beyond what’s popularly being termed “the Singularity”). The other one goes in the absolutely opposite direction and takes us into the past approximately 170 years to deal with an amazing moment that’s often overlooked in history. Both include rebellion. And kissing.



Would you survive the Zombie Apocolypse? 
I’d TOTALLY survive. I mean, I’m an expert on the subject! Not only do I write monster books, but I have a ninja doctor husband. No, seriously. He has a fourth degree black belt in ninjutsu, and I’ve actually seen him knock shuriken out of the air with his hands. It’s surprisingly sexy. Ahem. Anyway. I am not a black belt. I have a green belt, which means that I should be able to fall down without hurting myself, although sometimes I think that’s debatable. So my survival strategy is to stand behind my husband and yell helpful tips like, “GET IT IN THE HEAD! NO, IN THE HEAD!!!!”

What was the first idea that sparked Bad Taste in Boys? 
My books are less AN idea and more a BUNCH of ideas all mashed together like an algebra equation gone out of control. So I started off thinking I wanted to do a book about the dead football players from Beetlejuice. And I wanted to do a book about a rational person who became convinced that zombies were attacking her town. And I wanted to write a book in which the geek saves the day. And I think mad scientists are awesome. So you put all those things together, and the result is BAD TASTE IN BOYS.

Best thing about writing? 
Frankly, I still can’t believe that I get paid for making up stories about supernatural beasties. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?! My job can be hard and sometimes frustrating because I am impatient and things happen so bleeping slow. But more than anything, it’s fun. I never know what the day will bring. I might get into a heated debate with a copy editor over whether the word “awesomesauce” is one word or two (and clearly, it is ONE). I might finally figure out who the bad guy is. I might crack myself up with a scene and spit Dr Pepper all over my computer. And that is just plain awesomesauce. Which is one word, damn it.

Any new projects you can tell us about? 
I’ve just finished the copy edits for my sequel, which is called BAD HAIR DAY and will hit the shelves in November 2012. It’s about werewolves and nanotechnology and blueberry flavoured astronauts and killer coconuts, and it makes me snarf things out my nose when I think about it. I’m also working on some shorter Grable projects that I hope to release in the meantime through my website, because I AM IMPATIENT AND I’M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT. Ahem. Sorry.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Crossroads: Rachel Vincent + Giveaway!



Did you always set out to write series? 
The Soul Screamers books were always intended to be a series, yes. I like too dig deeper into the characters and world than a single book will allow.

Hardest part of writing a series? 
I actually find sequels (with a continuing POV character) to be easier to write than standalones or the first in a new series, because with sequels, I already know the characters and their world.


Do you have one character your favor from all the others?
No. I have some that are more fun to write, but I like all the characters. Sabine and Tod are particularly fun to write from Kaylee’s perspective, but difficult to write from their own. I love writing Nash, because he’s so angsty.


What is your favorite thing about Halloween? 
It’s a great excuse to put a skeleton on my front yard.


To win a copy of one of Rachel Vincent's books, just leave a comment below with your e-mail address. (No e-mail, no entry!) ONLY open to those with a US Mailing Address! (Sorry outside of the states readers!). If you do not want to leave your e-mail in a comment, just shoot me an e-mail. Winner will be chosen at the end of the Crossroads Blog Tour.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Crossroads: Lucienne Diver and Jackie Morse Kessler


Is Book 3 going to be the last book in Vamped series? 
Nope! I’m pleased to say that Flux Books has also picked up the fourth in the series, Fangtabulous, which I’m writing now. It’ll be set in Salem, Massachusetts, the most haunted town in America.

Did you always plan on this being a series? 
I didn’t even know that Vamped would be a novel. When it first came to me I didn’t even really have a story in mind. Just the idea of vamping out a teen fashionista whose own personal hell would involve the eternal lack of a reflection, giving her no way to check her hair and make up. I loved the idea of the initial freak out, having to dig her own way out of the grave, totally ruining her manicure and discovering that her parents had buried her in the one dress in her closet she literally wouldn’t be caught dead in. At most, I had in mind a vignette. But when my writers group wanted more, I had to give it a lot more thought and my heroine more dimension. My Gina, she’s tough. When life gives her lemons, she uses them to combat freckles. Unfortunately, she gets a lot more than she bargained for in the first book when she decides her first order of business is to turn her own stylist and start an undead entourage.

Favorite thing you love about the world you’ve created? 
I love that the way I’ve set things up. I can take my characters to a new location with each book and explore the personalities of the places as well as the people.

Any upcoming projects you can tell us about? 
Once I finish the fourth book in the Vamped series (books 1 and 2, Vamped and Revamped are out, and book 3, Fangtastic, will be released in January 2012), I’m onto the sequel to my adult urban fantasy Bad Blood, which came out in digital in June and will be out in print in May 2012. Bad Bood and the sequel, Crazy in the Blood, feature a Los Angeles P.I. Tori Karacis, who has the ability to literally stop men in their tracks due to some gorgon blood way back in the family line. She’s dealing in murder and mayhem from Greek gods in modern day who’ve decided they want to stage a comeback. Ready or not, here they come….



Do you relate to any of your characters? 
I relate to ALL of them! That sounds weird, maybe, but there’s a part of me in all the characters I create, from the heroes to the jerks to the villains to everyone in between.

What is your favorite thing about writing? 
There’s nothing quite like creating a story word by word. Everything from the visualization to the actual crafting of sentences is just intense. Okay, sometimes that intensity is another word for insanity, but hey, that’s part of the process. :P I especially love dialogue – when the right character says the right thing at the right time, I just want to cheer. Sometimes, I even do. Loudly. The neighbors don’t like it.

Favorite Halloween movie? 
If you’re talking the series Halloween, the first one. Utterly terrifying, in a cheesy, over-the-top way. I also love The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Why should readers pick up your book? 
Because I would love them forever. Also, Death rocks. And sings.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Crossroads: Angie Frazier and Kiki Hamilton


Do you have a certain writing schedule you stick to?
 I would love to have a set schedule, but I’m stuck with grabbing my writing time whenever I can get it. Lately, I’ve been doing most of my writing at night after the kids are in bed. I require caffeine at that point! 

Favorite book you’ve written so far? 
A YA fantasy that is currently with my agent. I am so proud of this novel. It is such a departure from Everlasting and I really hope it sees the shelves some day. Wish I could say more, but…

What was the first story you ever wrote?
My first completed novel was a time travel romance that I wrote in high school! It was a terrible, historically inaccurate book, but I caught the writing bug and haven’t been able to stop since.

Your favorite thing about writing? 
I love escaping into new worlds, different times, and developing characters and watching them play out their stories.


Have you always had a fascination with the faerie world? 
I can’t say that I’ve always been fascinated with the faerie world, but what does fascinate me is the idea that there are other worlds or planes that intersect with our own, but remain unseen.

Is there one character in your story you relate to more than others? 
I do love all of my characters, and relate to them on one level or another but I’d have to say that I relate to Tiki the most.

If your series was turned into a movie or TV show, who would you cast? 
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. The girl in my trailer is close to how I’d imagine Tiki and I saw a shot of a model once that was a dead ringer for Larkin, but I couldn’t pick any actors to portray the characters right now. Plus, I wouldn’t want to change someone’s own mental image they get from reading the book. If Hollywood comes knocking then I’ll figure it out then!

Favorite book of all-time? 
The Harry Potter series, which is (as we all know) actually seven books. Thanks so much for having me over! xo Kiki

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Crossroads: Stacey Kade and Judith Graves


What is your favorite quality in your character Alona? 
She often says what people are thinking. And there’s a freedom in that. However, a lot of what she says isn’t very nice which is WHY people aren’t saying it.

What do you love about writing the paranormal world? 
What I love about writing the paranormal world is that there’s still room to explore, discover new things/creatures/phenomena. But you can still blend it with the known world. A balance between the exotic and the ordinary. That’s what I like to read and write!


One book or series you think is highly over-looked? 
Well, it’s not overlooked so much as it is new and I LOVE IT and want other people to love it: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake. It rocks, you guys. And it’s super scary.


I loved Anna Dressed In Blood! Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? 
I just turned in the first book of a new series, The Rules. It’s the first book in a new series. It’s about a girl who was raised as a genetic experiment hiding from her creators under the guise of being a “normal” sixteen-year-old, and the boy who tempts her to break the rules that confine her existence and keep her safe.


Tell us about a scary encounter.  
This isn’t quite the scary story you’re expecting, but it’s terrifying nevertheless. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that, “Approximately 50 percent of the nation's unemployed youth age 16-21 are functional illiterate, with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs.” Illiteracy is a scary thing. And it’s global. In the U.S. organizations like 826 National have rallied behind literacy awareness. “Author Dave Eggers and award-winning educator Nínive Calegari co-founded 826 Valencia as a place where students, parents, and families from the under-resourced schools nearby could access after-school tutoring, workshops, field trips, and writing programs, all for free.” How’s that for sending terror into the heart of illiteracy? Leap Books is doing its part in publishing Spirited: 13 Haunting Tales (set for release October 31, 2011), an anthology with proceeds going to 826 National. Particiapaing authors include, me...lol…and a bevy of big name authors: Maria V. Snyder, Candace Havens, Jill Williamson, Shannon Delany, Kitty Keswick, Linda Joy Singleton, Dawn Dalton and more! Check out the trailer: http://youtu.be/-9yZlLasZ7Y

Did you always set out to write a series? 
SKINNED was always a series, yes, however, I’ve since expanded the overall story arc and the third book, Skin of My Teeth, may not be the goodbye to the macabre world of Redgrave that I originally intended. That being said, the establishing plot has remained consistent, there are just many more twists and turns before the dramatic ending I’ve planned.

Where do you find your best inspiration?
Anywhere.

But I’m usually struck by amazing plot twists while in the shower – the dogs know to clear the path for the babbling woman bolting from the steaming bathroom for the coil notebook and pen ever present on my nightable. Hmmm….now that just makes me sound a bit crazy. If your series were to turn into a movie, who would you cast? Oh, that would be cool! I’d probably hope the director cast a bunch of brilliantly talented unknowns and together we’d take the world by storm. ;)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Blog Tour: Amplified by Tara Kelly

If you were to have a teenage garage sale, what would be in it? As part of the Amplified Blog Tour, author Tara Kelly is here to tell us what would be in her's!


This is hard since I didn't have a lot growing up. Most of what was precious to me I'd made or wrote in (like a notebook)

A skateboard
Fishnet tights
Fishnet shirts made from fishnet tights
Vinyl pants
Chainmail chokers
Knee-high Docs
Flannels
Vintage Levi's with my art drawn all over them
Several dozen band T-shirts
Manic Panic hair dye in every color the rainbow
About 1000 books, heavy on the horror A plastic red lunchbox decorated with white-out, band stickers, and marker drawings
Drumsticks
Loads of CDs, mostly of every goth and industrial band ever in existence.
Oh, and some local punk thrown in for good measure.

Tara Kelly adores variety in her life. She's a YA author, one-girl-band, web designer, video editor, digital photographer, and literary agent intern. She lives in Portland with her ten guitars, supercool bf, and a fluffy cat named Maestro. Wanna learn more about Tara and her books? Make sure to swing by her website. And don't forget to pick up your copy of Amplified!


When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it...

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake


Released: August 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: Young Adult - Horror - Ghost
Pages: 316
Buy: Amazon
Source: Around the World Book Tours


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 


So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. 


 When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. 


 But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.


---

Here's something you may not know about me: I love a good ghost story. I may not read that many books anymore that revolve around ghosts, but growing up any sort of scary/ghost/legend story was my cup of tea. It's funny how after years and years of reading you forget how much you loved a certain genre. Anna Dressed In Blood was that wonderful reminder that I need more horror in my reading pile.

No doubt what made this book so appealing and freaking fantastic was the writing. You have this narrator, Cas, who is a complete kick-butt main character with a lot of snark, witty comebacks - ya know, my type of guy. But he also has all of these elements and layers a main character should have. He's brave, yet not. He has a great heart yet has trouble letting those in. For good reason considering what he does for a "living". The way everything is told through Cas, I could have seriously lived in his character forever. All the descriptions, action, and the SUSPENSE! Where has this author been hiding?! She writes a book how it should be read. No long dull fillers. No unnecessary crap you need to know. The plot is constantly moving, new clues are being brought to life, and somehow in the mix of the horror - she can throw in a genuine love story. Can we say genius? Cause I know I sure can.

Now that I've gushed on the amazingly awesome (I wish I could freaking write like that) author, let me discuss the horror part of this. I've read some people say they got scared reading this. I am a wuss. I will not deny it. I wouldn't go as far to say that I was scared during the story, but when I was reading this curled up in bed with my little book light, I would kind of peak around sometimes cause it did give me the heebee jeebees once in a while.

Let me take this back to the characters real quick. I already professed my love for Cas, but I need to point out how well Anna was written into this story as well. You would think a psycho murdering ghost was well...a psycho murdering ghost. Not in this story. Anna is terrifying, but she is so interesting. Her life. Why she is in that house. What Cas has to do to figure out her mystery will keep you glued until the end. When you get to the end, you'll want to go back.

♥amber

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Hiii. I'm back!

Yep, you read that right. I'm sure you were all just wondering if I had fallen off the face of the Earth. (Okay, more in likely only a handful of you may have been slightly curious, and I doubt there was even a handful of you, but a girl can make believe she's loved, riight?)

Anyhoo.

I hope you are all doing fantastic! I'm doing mucho better (at least 75% better) than I had been all summer. If you would have asked me two weeks ago if I was coming back to blogging, I probably would have told you no. Even though I said I missed it on Twitter, there was a big chunk of me that really...well...didn't. All of last week, as I was setting up my office (Oh btw, I moved into my very own house. I have an office where all my pretty books are now stored. It's so nice), I realized: Wow. I really freaking miss blogging! I miss talking to bloggers, finding new books, and actually reading (I've only read 1 full book in almost 2 months!!)

So, I'm back. I plan on writing up a bunch of posts tonight and getting them scheduled. I've still gotta kind of navigate my way around this whole new layout on blogger. When the crap did this happen? I also have to figure out why Blogger doesn't allow me to leave comments on anyone's blog. Anyone have that problem? Anyone want to fill me in on what the crap to do?  Problem solved.

I've also decided to make some changes to the blog, but more on that later whenever I get things in order better. Hhmmm...I guess that's all I've got to say. See y'all around!

♥amber


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Blog Tour: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Character Interview with Chloe from Kody Keplinger's second novel, Shut Out.

Describe yourself in three words
Awesome, awesome, and awesome?
Okay, fine, whatever. That's cheating. Um . . .
Honest, loyal, and sexy.

What are some of your hobbies?
Do boys count as a hobby? Because I think they take up most of my free time. But otherwise, I'd say just hanging out with Lissa, watching high school football games, and driving my car around. I'm pretty chill.

There's no doubt you are a blunt girl. Why do you think it's important to never hold back?
It's just a waste of time. Like, seriously, beating around the bush on things just sucks up time for all parties. Why not just get the truth out there and get it over with? Yeah, maybe some people will get upset, but it's bound to happen anyway. Rip off the band-aid already.

What is your favorite feature on a guy?
Oh, the answer to this question isn't entirely appropriate for all audiences, if you know what I mean. So I'm going to give the G-rated version and say hair. A boy with good hair is a boy I like.

What makes you a good friend?
Other than being one of the coolest people they know?
Haha, I'm kidding. Seriously, though, my friends are the most important people to me. Like LIssa? She gets on my nerves sometimes, sure, but I would anything for that girl. Including going on a stupid no-boys strike. I can't believe she talked me into that one. But it was important to her, and she's important to me. So I'd say that what makes me a good friend is devotion. My friends come first, even over boys.

Anything you wish you would have done differently during the strike?
I wish I hadn't given Kelsey such a hard time all the time. Okay, that's sort of a lie, I love picking on Kelsey. But I got to know her a little during the strike, and she's not quite as bad as I thought. So I wish I'd been a tiny, TINY bit nicer to her in the beginning. Not much, though. Let's not go overboard here or anything.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Blog Tour: Anna Dressed In Blood

Anna Dressed In Blood was one of my favorite ghost-type stories I have stumbled upon in a long time. A review will be posted up later (ya know when I actually get back to using this blog). Today I'm excited to have Cas, the main character who has such depth to him he'll surely be a favorite among readers, here with us!


10 Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About Me


1. I am no fan of spiders.

2. I listen to modern rock, and don’t really like classic. Except for The Rolling Stones. My Dad and Gideon’s influence.

3. When I was a kid, my mom and dad taught me to read using The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. It’s still my favorite book.

4. I am basically addicted to Saskatoon jam.

5. Of my two namesakes, Theseus the Greek hero and Cassio from Othello, I would rather be more like Cassio.

6. I can identify every one of my mother’s candle spells just by scent.

7. One of my favorite movies is Tarantino’s Death Proof. I’d never seen it until Carmel brought it over and made me and Thomas watch it.

8. I like to rock climb.

9. I’ve never been to a concert. (Amber: It's okay Cas, I will take you to one.)

10. My dad is buried at his family plot in Massachusetts. Aside from the funeral, I’ve never been to the grave and neither has my mother.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce


Released: August 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown
Genre: Young Adult - Fairy Tales - Series
Pages: 320
Source: Dark Faerie Tales Blog Tour


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.


Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.


Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.



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Jackson Pearce has got to be one of my favorite authors. I absolutely am in love with her storytelling. Yes, not just writing, but her ability to really tell a story. Fairy Tales are something all of us know well, and there are tons of re-tellings out there, but I swear this woman is the Queen of them. Not to mention she wrote such a kick ass opening that sucked me in!

Sisters Red was a favorite for me, but I think Sweetly topped it. I loved Gretchen and Ansel, and them stumbling into this town where secrets are being kept. There is something out there taking girls, and everyone wants to point the finger at Sophia, the young woman who hold an annual Chocolate Festival every year. Sophia had me curious from the moment she came into the story. Her house may have not been made of candy and sweets, but was a baker. The way it was written, I felt like I was there smelling all the goodies and tasting them. I seriously was craving sweets through this book! I liked seeing the side of Ansel that Sophia brought out. He was more quiet and timid character, but it was cute seeing the way he acted around her.

Then there was Samuel. Oh, Samuel. I swear my inner character whore was swooning over this boy. I loved the relationship between him and Gretchen. Gretchen was so tired of being scared of the witch that took her twin sister. Instead of relying on Samuel to be her protector like a lot of girls in stories would do, Gretchen wanted to learn how to fight for herself. It was refreshing to see such a strong-willed character that wasn't overly stubborn and could have her sensitive side as well.

The setting was perfect. I still felt as if I were reading a fairy tale, yet it was done in modern times. It's something very tricky to do when you think about. Between the characters, suspense, and the fact I was craving chocolate throughout this book the best part was the outcome. Jackson gave such fantastic twists - I did not see all those answers coming out like that! The balance she had for both plot and characters will make any reader fall in love with this re-telling. I hope Jackson continues to do some more re-tellings in the future. She rocks them!

♥amber

Monday, August 1, 2011

Saying goodbye......for at least a little while.

Hi kids!

I don't like flooding the blog with reasons of why I've been so absent, but life has a way of sticking its nasty little nose in my reading/blog business and sadly JYTBB is the last thing on my mind. I don't really want to go into detail, but let's just say things have been very chaotic lately. Some of it's good. Really good. And some of it...well, it's bad. Really bad.

My big master plan was to get SO MUCH reading done, but that didn't happen. Here it is August and I've got plans for the entire month....writing plans that is. Yep, I'm doing something crazy and I'm going to Camp NaNoWriMo. I know there will still be some scheduled posts coming up, but besides that, I guess I will be seeing y'all in September! Enjoy the rest of your summer :)

♥amber

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rock This Thursday with Alyxandra Harvey

You're walking down the street - what song is following you?
“Trouble is a friend”, Lenka ;)

What was the inspiration behind Haunting Violet?
The idea for Haunting Violet popped into my head when I was reading about fake séances in the 1870’s. I could picture Violet reluctantly working for her mother and how confused she would be if she ever found out ghosts were actually real. Once I had that question in my mind, I just felt compelled to answer it!

Did you make a playlist for Haunting Violet? If so, can you share a few tracks with us?
I do usually make playlists for my books. I wasn’t in the habit of it back when I wrote Haunting Violet, but I did listen to a lot of Classical music, especially Baroque.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
So many! So, so many! A smattering includes Jane Austen, Mary Oliver, Holly Black, Terri Windling, Charles de Lint, Patricia McKillip...

What is a genre you don't ever see yourself writing?
Gory horror. Heavily Science-based Science fiction. Crime novels.

Was the switch between vampires and ghost easy for you?
I actually wrote and sold Haunting Violet to Bloomsbury before I’d even written the first Drake Chronicles, before I even knew there would be such a thing as the Drake Chronicles series.
I really love the paranormal genre and all of the great mythic creatures we can play with. I’m grateful to be able to explore it more fully!

What was the first story you ever wrote about?
I can’t really remember since I was about 9 years old. But by thirteen I was writing these long fantasy quest books and “myths” explaining why leaves turn red in autumn and stuff like that. Also, very bad rhyming poetry. Just saying.

Tell us five random facts about yourself:
1- I don’t like using exclamation points. But for some reason on blogs and interviews I! Keep! Using! Them!

2-I helped a big weird looking turtle cross the road today

3-I hate coriander. With a deep and abiding passion. Hate.

4-I am a vegetarian

5-Best dessert: my mom’s apple pie

A lot of songs tell a story of some sort. What's one song you think would make a good YA novel?
A fab question! I used “Killing Moon” by Echo and the Bunnymen for “Hearts at Stake”/ ‘My Love lies Bleeding” but I tend to choose songs like that midway through a book. Maybe a Morrissey song. I know people say he’s depressing but he makes me laugh.

Have you experienced any 'rock star writing' moments since you've been published?
I think my rock star moments would include seeing reader-made videos for the books, a song someone wrote for The Drake Chronicles and signing someone’s arm. Very cool! Also, once, on book tour, I actually had no idea what city I was in.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Alyxandra! If you would like to know more about her and her books, please check out the following links:

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard


Released: July 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 300
Source: Around the World Tours

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. 


But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?





---


I really enjoyed Mandy Hubbard's first two books. They were cute and perfect for those days that you'd like something fun and light to read. Ripple has definitely topped both of these books. Somehow she managed to make a book that seems like it would fall under the paranormal genre into a contemporary one. I love that because contemporary is my all-time favorite.

I just want to gush about how much I loved this book. I read it when I was in a reading slump and it yanked me right out of it. The beginning had such a somber tone, you could really feel what Lexi was going through. She used to be popular. Used to have a slew of friends to hang out with every weekend. Then she fell in love with Stephen and killed him. Because of the guilt, she let everyone blame her. She pushed them away, and instead of having those friends in her corner, they're against her, taunt her sometimes. All except for Cole.

Cole is straight up smexy. Sure he could make a lot of people walk into the room and swoon, but he cares for people. He's not afraid of pushing Lexi either. He knows there is something going on, and he wants that wall that she has built up to be brought down. Obviously, I just loved seeing these two characters together. I loved the resistance that Lexi had and how badly she wanted to tell her secret and all the reasons why she couldn't.

Then came Erik There are so many things I would like to say about him, but I can't due to giving one of the biggest parts of the book away. Let's just say I could feel the connection and almost spell he seemed to put on Lexi. What makes his character so great is what he brought to the plot. Mandy really surprised the heck out of me in the last few chapters! At one point I actually yelled: WHAT?! 

This book had such great elements to it. Great characters, easy visuals, and a plot that keeps moving with great twist. And Mandy has said that she would like to expand on it and turn it into a series which I think would be awesome! These characters and her own spin on Sirens was fantastic, and I'd love for there to be more about them. So go buy this book so it can happen!

♥amber

Sunday, July 17, 2011

In My Mailbox

Since I haven't been posting that regualary, I didn't want to fill the blog full of just IMM posts. So here is the past couple weeks:

For Review

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (TBS Tour)
Overbite by Meg Cabot (Publisher)
Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe (Tour)
Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (TBS Tour)

(Does anyone else get weird random adult titles sent to them? I have a stack going on. I never post them here because I'm not interested in reading them so I doubt y'all are.)

Bought 

Swapping Lives by Jane Green
Bookends by Jane Green
Second Chance by Jane Green
Straight Talking by Jane Green
Bare Necessity by Carole Mathews
Earth to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Shout Down the Moon by Lisa Tucker

More Bought/Swapped

Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (review here)
Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Gifts From the Lovely YA Bliss

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Not pictured: LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR BY STEPHANIE PERKINS!! IT WAS EXCELLENT!! AND YES I SQUEALED OUT LOUD WHEN I OPENED THE PACKAGE AND SAW IT!

You might be thinking...wait a minute, Amber. Isn't This Lullaby your favorite book of all time? How could you NOT have your own copy already? Oh, but I do. This is actually my second copy that I sent to Sab because.....

SHE MET SARAH DESSEN AND GOT IT SIGNED FOR ME!!


Well that's it for me. What did you guys get this week?

♥amber