Christmas Cards Anyone???

I don't know about you, but I love getting Christmas cards in the mail...so....if any of you would like to exchange cards this year, shoot me an email at willowwind@gmail.com so we can exchange addresses!!

Oh, and I know you're all dying to know the winner of the Gratitude Giveaway...I'll announce it in a day or two, there were over 200 entries (WAY more than I was expecting!) and it's taking me awhile to make sure I get each bonus entry counted. Hang in there and thank you all so much for entering!! And a big hello to all the new followers here...I know a lot of you came for the contest, hope you stick around and make yourselves at home!!!

Review: Angel by L.A. Weatherly

Angel

By: L.A. Weatherly

Published by: Usborne Publishing Ltd.

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

I bought this book

5 stars

From Goodreads....

In a world where angels are beyond redemption, Alex thinks he's found one that might deserve mercy. Alex is a ruthless assassin - of angels. Forget everything you've heard about them before. Angels are not benign celestial creatures, but fierce stalkers whose irresistible force allows them to feed off humans, draining them of their vitality until there is barely anything left. As far as Alex is concerned, the only good angel is a dead angel...until he meets Willow. She may look like a normal teenager but Willow is no ordinary girl. Half-angel, half-human, Willow may hold the key to defeating the evil angels. But as the hunter and the hunted embark on an epic and dangerous journey and Willow learns the dark and terrifying secrets of her past, Alex finds himself drawn to Willow...with devastating consequences. Eoin Colfer reinvented the fairy, Stephenie Meyer reinvented the vampire, L.A. Weatherly reinvents the angel! This is a heart-pounding, knuckle-whitening, paranormal romance action-adventure for fans of the "Twilight" series. This is the first in a devastating new trilogy.

Why I picked it up...I read several glowing reviews of this one and loved the unique angle the author chose for her angels.

Why I couldn't put it down...Loved the unique angle on angels...first time I have ever read a story where the angels were the bad guys. There was also a well developed and realistic romance in Angel. None of that "love at first sight cause he's hot" crap in this one. The characters spent time together and actually TALKED to each other AND based their emotions on each other's inner qualities...the way it is supposed to be!!! *Faint*

That being said, I have to be honest and turn this into the weirdest 5 star review I have ever done. For some reason or other, that's really all I can say about this book. It never actually sucked me in...as a matter of fact it took me almost 2 weeks to finish it. And it's not that there's anything wrong with the book...honestly, I can't put my finger on anything that I didn't like about Angel. I just never felt compelled to read it. Let me put it this way...ever meet a guy who's got everything going for him...nice, good looking, great job, funny, all your friends think you should hook up with him...but you're just not into him? For whatever reason, the chemistry just isn't there? But you know there are a ton of girls who would think he 's the perfect catch? That's how Angel was for me. The chemistry just wasn't there, but I know it's gonna be perfect for a whole lotta people.

My Interview is Up!

Hi my fellow book lovers and friends, hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! As for me, I had to work until 4:30 (darn casinos never close) but I managed to get home and get Thanksgiving dinner done in a record hour and a half. Of course, as a vegetarian I don't do turkey so that saved me a massive amount of time. I make this every year instead...

It's delicious and really does come close to tasting like the real thing!

Anyway, not too long ago I was asked by Kathy over at Reads, Reviews, Recommends if I would be part of her blogger interview series and that interview appears today! Click the link and hop on over! It was the first time I'VE ever been interviewed and it was a lot of fun =)Thanks to Kathy...and check out her site while you are there, it's a great blog!!

New on My Shelf: Zombie Moon

Zombie Moon

By: Lori Devoti

Published by: Harlequin

Publication Date: July 1, 2010

283 pages

From the back cover....

Caleb Locke lived for one thing—killing zombies. And this man—this legend—was exactly what Samantha Wagner needed. In mist-shrouded alleys, hunted by zombies, haunted by fear, she vowed to find Caleb and convince him to help her. But she hadn't counted on falling in love….

Caleb kept his own secrets—like the one he couldn't hide when the moon was full. But his wolf was drawn to Samantha, recognizing her as his mate. With her in his arms, Caleb reveled in passion…and rued his deception. Would she still love the man who fought by her side if she realized that zombies weren't the only monsters? Samantha would have to make a choice—and she only had till the next full moon.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

The Story Siren is hosting the third annual Debut Author Challenge and it's sign-up time! What is this you ask??? Well, the goal is to read at least 12 books in the YA or middle grade category by previously unpublished authors. You can click on the pic to get more info and sign up. I'm participating in this year's challenge, and while I am a little behind on my goal, it's still been great fun and great way to discover new books and authors.

My tentative list of books to read for this challenge...

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
2. Choker by Elizabeth Woods
3. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
4. Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
5. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
6. So Shelly by Ty Roth
7. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
8. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
9. Blood Magic by Tessa Gatton
10. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
11. Timeless by Alexandra Monir
12. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Kach

Tyger Tyger Trailer!

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton remains one of my favorite books of the year and I just love this trailer for it! I first reviewed it back in August, but I think it deserves a repost!

Summary from Goodreads…

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.
Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

There was SO much I loved about this book, but for me, good characters are the heart and soul of any story so let's start there. Teagan has taken over as my favorite YA protagonist because she breaks all the stereotypes. Unlike a lot of girls in YA, Teagan has more on her mind than the hot boy. She has a job (working with animals,) goals, a great family that she actually likes, and a best friend with mafia ties who can always make a call....she KNOWS people. And Finn...sigh. You can just hear his Irish accent when he's talking and when he calls Teagan "girl." It's enough to make you a little weak in the knees. And he breaks the stereotypes too. He's not a bad boy (although his past is a little mysterious) and he never resorts to treating Teagan badly. He's the kind of a boy a girl SHOULD fall for.

As for the story itself, Kersten Hamilton weaves some mighty fine magic with her words. Tyger Tyger has its roots firmly planted in Celtic folklore and mythology, drawing upon tales of the Sidhe and of goblins and the legend of Fionn Mac Cumhaill. I wasn't familiar with any of these stories before, but I'm dying to get my hands on some more Celtic mythology now. I don't want to give away too much, but man, that summary leaves out SO much that it makes it really hard NOT to talk about other aspects of the book. Suffice it to say there is some excellent world building here, replete with supernatural creatures I haven't come across in any other books I've read. I found myself completely immersed in this magical world as I was reading and I gladly went along for the adventure. Here, you'll find a world where there is magic to be found in songs and promises, where the creatures in the shadows just might be real, and where you never know when a roll of duct tape might come in handy...so be prepared!

All in all, Tyger Tyger gets a solid 5 stars from me. I really loved this book and I hope you will too!

Gratitude Giveaway Time!!!

I'm so excited to be a part of the Gratitude Giveaway...it's a way of saying thanks to all my lovely blog followers and all the awesome people I have had a chance to talk to since starting Vampires and Tofu. This event is hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer (click the pic to visit) and will run from November 17 thru November 28. There are more than 175 blogs participating, you can find a list at the bottom of this post...visit and enter!! There are tons of awesome giveaways.

And now for my giveaway....

Winner gets his or her choice of these boxed sets....

1. The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (books 1-4)

2. The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel (books 1-3)

3. The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld (books 1-4)

To enter, simply be a follower of Vampires and Tofu and leave a comment with your email address. That's it!! Giveaway is open to anyone 13 and over. Shipping is to the US and Canada only BUT if you're international, don't despair...you'll get $25 worth of the books of your choice as long as Book Depository ships to you!

Opportunities for extra entries...
+1 if you were a follower before this giveaway
+1 for tweeting this giveaway
+1 if you post it anywhere else (your blog, facebook, etc.)

Lemme know your extra entries in the comments, good luck, and thanks for reading Vampires and Tofu!!

Follow Friday 40 and Over

I just discovered this through Allison's Attic It's where bloggers over 40 can share a link to their site and since I am over 40 I'm in! It's hosted by Java at Never Growing Old

Click the pic and discover some new blogs!

Review: Feed by Mira Grant

Feed

By: Mira Grant

Published by: Orbit

Publication Date: May 1, 2010

608 pages

I won this in a contest

Book #1 of the Newsflesh Series

From Goodreads....

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

NOW, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

Why I picked it up: In anticipation of the new Walking Dead series based on the comics by the same name and the fact that I truly love zombie stories but was so disappointed in the last one I attempted to read, I decided it was high time to get back on the zombie train.

Why I couldn't out it down: Cause it was damn good!! THIS is a zombie story done right. Keep your zombies with a conscience, I want my zombies to remain mindless feeding machines. And I want intelligent writing, and does this book ever deliver!!! It's been a few days since I read this one and I am still blown away by the detail and believable world-building in this book. While many zombie stories focus on the actual zombie uprising, this book happens 20 years later and is a fascinating look at how things have changed since society has had to adjust to zombies being a part of life. Grant does an incredible job of showing us a world that has changed yet is still familiar. Blood testing kits, the threat of diseased animals changing the diets of millions, houses with smaller windows, a zombie attack at Comic-Con and Urban Survival Barbie are all part of the landscape in this new world. Not just that though, I really love that Mira Grant has given a believable explanation for the rise of the zombies. The author has studied virology and it was evident in the scientific explanations given. I could almost believe this could actually happen.

The main characters Georgia (George Romero is now considered a hero for his zombie movies and it's quite common for parents to name their children after him,) Shaun and Buffy are bloggers (and since a lot of us here are, this added a very interesting component to the story.) In Grant's future, blogging is taking over as the most reliable news source and I found this to be a fascinating take on the media. These aren't just casual bloggers, the news and the truth and getting it out there means everything to these kids and when they get a chance to be the first blogging team selected to be part of one of the presidential candidates press pool, they jump on it. This decision puts them smack dab in the middle of danger, political conspiracies, terrorism and heartbreak.

Feed is a wonderful story of zombies, social commentary, politics, religion and the struggle to hold onto the ideals of a nation. It is intelligent and heartbreaking and don't be surprised if you find yourself shedding a tear when you read it.

5 Stars!