WHITE CAT and Mythcreants Winners!

Blessed Samhain and Happy Halloween. To celebrate I had two giveaways that ended today.

First up... WHITE CAT by Holly Black. And the winner is... 

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Ananda W

Secondly, I have my favorite CD, Mythcreants by Tricky Pixie. And the winner is...

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Ashley G

Congrats, ladies!

Meeting Authors: Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce

Today was one of the best days ever! Fountain Bookstore in Richmond Virginia was hosting a Halloween event with Maggie Stiefvater (author of LAMENT, BALLAD, SHIVER, LINGER, and FOREVER) and Jackson Pearce (author of AS YOU WISH, SISTERS RED, and SWEETLY). I've met Maggie a few times. And she is always a delight. Jackson was very funny also, which I know from her vlogs. 

They were late as Maggie's car died on they way. Meaghan looked up awful Halloween jokes to keep us entertained. And when Susan returned with Maggie and Jackson, Maggie offered her dead car as the first door prize.

The two of them together... OMG! They were hilarious together. Lots of joking and teasing. They talked a bit about why they wrote werewolves, and, apparently, they both hate horror movies.

Maggie said she wrote a werewolf short story for a contest, and she had gotten the idea after a dream. She also said she doesn't really consider them werewolves. They are shapeshifters and while they are human, they are human. While they are wolves, they are just wolves. And I completely get what she's saying because they are very much unlike other werewolves.


Jackson said that she wanted to write scary, killer werewolves because so many of the werewolves being written aren't. They are normal guys who tend to turn into wolves, play the guitar, work at bookstores and... more teasing Maggie.


While at the signing I picked up toxic mold. Really. Look below. I also won a gift card to Fountain Bookstore. Woot! more books. It was the first of two prizes from the store.

Then Maggie and Jackson pulled out their prizes! They gave away 1 prize to each name drawn. Lucky for us, there were not a bunch of people there. To be honest, I was very surprised. I thought for sure there'd be more people. Prizes included: SISTERS RED audio CD, Japanese SHIVER, a wolf book annotated by Maggie, SWEETLY arc (sequel to SR, first to be given, and it has an awesome cover), folklore tarot, US ARMY WEREWOLF SNIPER MANUAL, and a few more things. Then... the final prize! They put my name back in the basket because I won the drawing for Fountain Bookstore. Which means there were about four names in the basket. And they drew me again. I won this! *points below* The absolutely coolest thing I've ever won!!!

The adorable, Sam Roth... my biggest YA crush. He plays the guitar and works at a bookstore.

His girl Grace. Maybe now I won't keep forgetting she's a blonde.

My favorite female character, Isabel. 

And Cole... poor Cole... who has no clothes to color in.

And what is that Cole is hiding behind?

Since all of my Maggie books are signed, I brought KISS ME DEADLY which has a short story by her. And I bought AS YOU WISH and SISTERS RED both by Jackson Pearce. And pictured with the books, the event ticket. 


Jackson: Have you read them?
Me: No.
Jackson: *pouts* You don't need them signed then. *pushes books away* 
Me: Hehehe
Jackson: Kidding. I know you'll read it eventually.

Release Day (1)

Welcome to my new feature: Release Day! Every Tuesday a slew of new books come out. As much as I'd love to highlight them all, I just can't. There are too many. So here are a some YA and MG books that you'll see hit shelves today!

First up is MISGUIDED ANGEL by Melissa de la Cruz. This is book five in The Blue Bloods series. If you love this series, be sure to pick up the latest installment.

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence--with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the seven gates that guard earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silverbloods.

As the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler closer to a terrifying crossroads--and a choice that will determine the destiny of all vampires.

GHOST TOWN by Rachel Caine is book 9 in The Morganville Vampires series. It also marks the switch from paperback to hardback for this series. Congrats to Rachel for such a successful series! I'm not caught up with the series, but I have to say that this is my favorite cover yet.

While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.

But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville...

Book three in the Warrior Princess books by Frewin Jones is THE EMERALD FLAME. I have not yet read any of his book, but he sure gets some amazing covers.


The Emerald Flame of her people.


Branwen has finally accepted that the Shining Ones have chosen her to save her country from the Saxon invaders. But the next stage in her journey includes a seemingly impossible mission, and the path before her is filled with darkness and danger. Branwen is pushed to the brink of disaster, and with each step she takes, she is being pulled farther from the life she once knew—the life she still desperately misses.


Guided by the spirits, with both her fearless friend Rhodri and the dashing, sometimes maddening Iwan by her side, Branwen must overcome terrifying odds if she is to succeed in her quest. But a true Warrior Princess won't back down . . . even when an old enemy returns.

THE PROPERTIES OF WATER by Hanna Roberts McKinnon is the only 

When Lace's older sister, Marni, falls victim to a summer swimming accident, it paralyzes Lace in time. For Lace, there is only a before--can there be an after? But as the summer surges on, she learns that she must return to the water, the very thing that tore her family apart. This beautifully crafted novel explores the boundaries of family and friendship, the greatest griefs that knock us down, and the smallest kindnesses that guide us to safe harbors.

A TALE DARK AND GRIMM by Adam Gidwitz is a middle grade debut that looks to be a lot of fun. What would happen if Hansel and Gretel decided to visit other Grimm Tale?


In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.


Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

THE BOY WHO HOWLED by Timothy Power is a middle grade book about a little boy named Callum who is raised by wolves. And this tells the funny story of how he learns to live with humans.

As far back as Callum can really remember, he's been living in the Wild as the furless mascot of a wolf pack. But when his pack sends him back to live with his own kind—humans—fitting in is quite a challenge. He doesn't remember English very well, so he accidentally says his name is "Clam." He's spent most of his life eating fresh-killed elk, so dining with vegetarians is tricky. And when he tries to impress the Alpha student in the school cafeteria by stealing food, people seem offended!


A mix of wildness and humor, Timothy Power's inventive writing makes him a debut author to watch. And Callum's quest to find his place in a strange world will have readers rooting for him—when they're not howling with laughter.

THE COMING OF THE DRAGON by Rebecca Barnhouse is a middle grade version of the infamous BEOWULF. Definitely one I want to read. Also... the cover is amazing.


Rebecca Barnhouse weaves Norse gods, blood feuds, and a terrifying dragon into this spectacular retelling of the end of the Old English poem Beowulf.


When he was a baby, Rune washed up onshore in a boat, along with a sword and a pendant bearing the runes that gave him his nickname. Some people thought he was a sacrifice to the gods and wanted to send him right back to the sea. Luckily for Rune, King Beowulf disagreed. He lifted the boy from the boat and gave him to Amma, a wisewoman living on a farm far removed from the king’s hall, to raise as she saw fit.


Sixteen years later, Rune spends his summers laboring on the farm. And at King Beowulf’s request, he comes to the hall each winter for weapons training. But somehow he never quite fits in. Many people still fear he will bring a curse on the kingdom. Then a terrible thing happens. On a lonely crag on a mountain that belongs to the giants, someone awakens a dragon. It is time for Rune to find the warrior inside himself and prove to the doubters once and for all that he is a true hero.

UNDER THE GREEN HILL by  Laura L Sullivan is a middle grade story with faeries... making it the book on this list I want to read the most.




Meg and her siblings have been sent to the English countryside for the summer to stay with elderly relatives. The children are looking forward to exploring the ancient mansion and perhaps discovering a musty old attic or two filled with treasure, but never in their wildest dreams did they expect to find themselves in the middle of a fairy war.


When Rowan pledges to fight for the beautiful fairy queen, Meg is desperate to save her brother. But the Midsummer War is far more than a battle between mythic creatures: Everything that lives depends on it. How can Meg choose between family and the fate of the very land itself?  


















Some other books you may be interested in:
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA 60TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by CS Lewis
EDISON'S GOLD by Geoff Watson
ORPHAN OF DESTINY by Michael Spradlin
THE 39 CLUES: THE BLACK BOOK OF BURIED SECRETS by Rick Riordan
THE FLEDGLING HANDBOOK 101 by PC and Kristin Cast
RED SCARF GIRL by Ji-li Jiang
DASH AND LILY'S BOOK OF DARES by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
A GOOD HORSE by Jane Smiley
THREE QUARTERS DEAD by Richard Peck


New to kindle:
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE AWAKENING by LJ Smith
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE FURY by LJ Smith


New to paperback:
DARKLIGHT by Lesley Livingston
I SO DON'T DO SPOOKY by Barrie Summy

Meeting Authors: Julie Kagawa

The wonderful Susan of Wastepaper Prose set up a signing for Julie Kagawa at Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia. Fountain Bookstore is a small indie store. It's very charming and small and cozy. The owner and staff were very friendly, and if you are ever in the area, check it out! You can order signed copies of her books online. As you can see, there are many in stock, but order fast as they are sure to go quickly.

Those of us that were lucky enough to make it to the signing got to hear chapter one of THE IRON QUEEN, the third book in The Iron Fey series. It hits shelves February 2011. After the reading, Julie opened the floor for questions. Um... there were seven book bloggers and several teen fans and none of us had questions. I was secretly happy about this because I was worried about being spoiled on THE IRON DAUGHTER, which I am currently reading.

Julie had two giveaways. She gave a copy of THE IRON DAUGHTER with the first chapter of THE IRON QUEEN inside. She also gave away a Grimalkin rock. There were swag bookmarks (which will be included in several of my upcoming giveaways) and candy since Halloween is coming up soon. It was a great event, and I got to meet several cool people.

The best part of the signing was afterwards. Julie, her husband, and several book bloggers (including moi) went out for pizza at a place called Bottom's Up. We had a lot of fun. Our topics stuck most often to books, but we (occasionally) talked about other stuff... like blogging about books.

And here we are!!! On the right, wearing the "Book It" shirt is Meaghan from A Bookworm's Haven. And on the left Team Zombie member, Monica, from Bibliophilic Book Blog. In the back right, wearing the peach shirt is Susan from Wastepaper Prose. And next to him, our lone guy, James from Book Chic Club. On the back left is Christin and in the front with the grey is Louise, both from Between the Covers. In the front with the black shirt is the lovely Julie Kagawa, and that's me (kind of) hiding behind her. And thanks to Julie's husband for taking the wonderful picture.