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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Book Review: Zombies Don't Cry

Author: Rusty Fischer
Publisher: Medallion Press
Release Date: May 1, 2011
Pages: 371
Read it in: 2 days

SummaryIn the sleepy small town of Barracuda Bay, Maddy Swift leads the life of a fairly typical teenager, but while attending a party one night, Maddy is struck by lightning and awakens to realize she has been reanimated and turned into a zombie. While becoming acquainted with her new "lifestyle," Maddy stumbles upon two unexpected undead chaperones, fellow students Dane and Chloe, who begin to teach her the ways of zombie life, including defending the populace from Zerkers—the bad zombies. Together, on prom night, the three teens must ultimately defend Barracuda Bay High from an all-out zombie Armageddon.

LC's Take:

OK, so-- this book was pretty much fa-reaking awesome. Now, I'll be totally honest-- zombies? Not so much my fave paranormal creature (SORRY Ashley!) But this book-- the story, the characters, the dialog-- I don't know which one I liked more. Zombies Don't Cry was so much fun to read, and I'm really glad I decided to pick this one up as my first ever zombie-themed book!

Maddy Swift is just your typical high-school girl. She's not popular, but she's not an outcast, she's not gorgeous, but she's not ugly-- just an average chick, who happens to have a huge crush on Stamp, the new guy in town. That is, until the night Maddy sneaks out of the house to go to a party, gets struck by lightning, and wakes up feeling... different. Like, stone-cold, no-heartbeat kind of different.

Maddy was so funny-- her snarky attitude had me laughing throughout the entire book, and it was beyond hilarious to read about life as a teenage zombie-- who knew? Poor preppy Maddy has to turn Goth in order to hide her "zombiness" from everyone, she can't date any "Normals" (AKA living, breathing humans) meaning Stamp is out of the picture, and she can't even cry about the injustice of it all because-- zombies have no tears!

The thing I loved about this book was how Rusty Fischer actually managed to make you able to relate to zombies. They weren't your typical clumsy, lurching, brain-crazed creatures-- they actually had personalities, coherent thoughts, and a conscience (well, the good ones anyways). This is the first time I've ever seen zombies from this kind of human perspective, which was really cool. I mean, I never thought I'd actually be feeling sorry for a zombie!

The character dialog is something else I want to point out, because it rocked-- it was just done so incredibly well. I've read quite a few YA books and I don't think I've ever read dialog quite this witty and still have it come across as being natural. There was nothing contrived about it-- and I always notice when dialog sounds fake or like the author is trying too hard to sound "hip" (jeez, did i just use the word "hip?") But yeah, awesome dialog made this story that much more amazing, and I was pretty much doubled over in laughter throughout the whole thing.

All in all, this book was just so fantastically original and creative. Seriously, I can't even pick what part I loved more-- the fact that Maddie eats lamb brains chilled on ice and seasoned with spices? That there's a Zombie Guide that every Good Zombie has to follow? (not to be confused with the Zerkers!! They're the BAD zombies that eat human brains!) That Stamp AND Dane were the cutest guys ever and I completely felt Maddie's pain in having to choose between the two? Yeah, total win right here. The only one **small** thing I would bring up for the faint-of-heart is the gross-out factor-- I know, I know, I can be such a wimp, but be prepared for lots o' gore if you read this one.  Otherwise, all I have to say is: Read this book. Like, now. Like, really. It was amazing. You are gonna love it, I promise!

LC's Rating:
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This book was so much fun to read! The story line was absolutely brilliant, the characters were interesting, and the author's sense of humor had me laughing out loud. This is a MUST for any zombie fan out there, and a great pick for everyone else who loves a quick, fun read that you cannot put down!

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Sunday, August 28, 2011

ARC Book Review: Deadly Cool

Author: Gemma Halliday
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Pages: 272
Read it in: 1 day
Source: Chelsey from Starry Sky Books

Summary: Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

LC's Take:

First of all, I have to send out a big thanks to the lovely Chelsey from Starry Sky Books for lending me her ARC copy of Deadly Cool. She is just too awesome for giving me a sneak-peek of this new release!

So I finished this book in one afternoon, and it was definitely a quick, easy read that kept me fairly entertained.  The murder mystery plot centers around Hartley, a 16-year old from Silicon Valley, California. Hartley has just found out that her boyfriend Josh has been cheating on her-- with the president of the Chastity Club. Then, she accidentally stumbles upon a dead body in Josh's closet while trying to bust him. Yeah, not a good day. It's now up to her to find out who the killer is and prove that Josh is innocent of the murder, despite his betrayal.

Even though the story line of Deadly Cool was-- in my opinion-- somewhat unoriginal, I thought that the narrative was really funny. Told from Hartley's humorous POV, it kept me reading. Along with her charming and snarky attitude, I loved all of the over-the-top, ridiculous high school drama (ex. getting dumped via Twitter!). I couldn't tell if the author was being serious or was making fun of her characters and their dysfunctional teenage lives. Anyways, whatever Gemma's intentions, I was definitely laughing throughout the whole story, wondering to my self: is this supposed to be taken seriously or treated like a high school parody? I'm going with parody!

Some people have said that the ending was too obvious, but honestly, I had no idea who the killer was until the final chapters. (But then again, I'm always horrible at guessing the endings to books and movies!) I think that for awhile the plot dragged a little, but the ending was exciting, action-filled, and all the loose ends were satisfyingly tied up. And the parts that were slow were at least made fun with Hartley's sense of humor. While I wasn't totally blown away, I think that the quirkiness of the characters made up for the lack of originality, and the pacing was quick enough that I never felt bored or like I had to put it down. Overall, this was a fun read, despite some flaws and staleness in the plot.

LC's Rating:
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I can't say that this book was exactly brilliant, but it was definitely entertaining. If you're looking for a quick read with quirky characters, an unsolved mystery, and a narrative that'll make you laugh out loud, Deadly Cool is a good pick!

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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Book Review: Shadow Kiss

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: #3 in Vampire Academy
Publisher: Razorbill
Release date: November 13, 2008
Pages: 443
Read it in: 4 days

Summary: Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret .... She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

LC's Take: 

Holy. Freaking. Crap. I just finished this book and I'm pretty much speechless right now. I can't even... wow. Haha, this was one of the craziest book endings I've ever read, and I am really understanding now why everyone is so in love with this series!

First of all, I was so happy to finally see Dmitri and Rose get together, after holding back on their feelings for each other because of their duty as guardians to the Moroi. We all knew that they were meant to be together, and it's so satisfying to see things finally happen between them! Of course, their relationship takes a huge turn for the worst (to say the least) but still, I'm glad that I got to see them have the chance to at least let each other know how much they love and care about one another.

We also got to learn more about the larger, outside vampire world in this book-- the Moroi Royal Court, all of the politics and corruption going on, the power struggle between the Moroi and the Dhampirs... it was really interesting to see that bigger picture. At this point in the story, there is a huge argument going on about whether the Moroi should fight and defend themselves along with the guardians, or continue to rely on them like they always have. These larger dynamics really help to flesh out the story and the world of Vampire Academy.

I'm pretty sure I will never get tired of Rose's snarky attitude and remarks. This girl seriously had me laughing out loud throughout the entire book, even though the plot itself dealt with many heavier and darker issues. I think that Rose's humorous point of view balances perfectly with all the serious themes this series deals with.

But I would have to say that probably the best thing about reading this series-- and what makes it so interesting-- is seeing the characters develop and mature throughout the books. Richelle does such a great job of developing her main character, Rose, and making sure that she learns from her mistakes and grows into a better person throughout the struggles and conflicts she faces. In Shadow Kiss, we see Rose growing up, taking on more responsibility as a guardian to the Moroi, and learning to not act on impulse. Reading from Rose's POV, we get to follow her throughout the story, get to know her strengths and weaknesses, and cheer her on the entire way. I feel connected to this main character-- and that's probably the #1 most important thing an author can do, is make her readers feel closely connected to the characters. Bravo, Richelle! :)

And OMGosh, the ending. I feel like I should have seen it coming, but it totally threw me for a loop. Like, I'm still in shock. I have no idea what's coming next in this series, but I'm pretty much dying to find out! And can I just say? Adrian turned out to be so freaking adorable-- even though he definitely has his flaws-- I loved seeing that vulnerable side to him and hope we see it more in the later books. I'm also looking forward to seeing exactly where Rose and Lissa's friendship goes from here, now that Rose has such a seemingly impossible task ahead of her. I think it goes unsaid that I am definitely planning to read the next book in this series really soon!

LC's Rating:
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This is definitely my favorite book in the series so far. The character growth and development, the twists in the story-- and the heart-stopping ending-- all made this an amazing book. I'm really starting to see just why everyone loves this series so much!
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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Follow Me Friday (14)

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Follow Me Friday is a fun book meme hosted by the fabulous Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View AND Allison over at Allison Can Read. Have a book blog? You can play with us too! Just visit Parajunkee's site by clicking on LC's Follow Friday icon-- be sure you are a follower of her blog and the blog she is featuring for the week, put your name in the Linky, create your own FF post on your blog, and then start commenting and following whomever you wish!

This week's Follow Friday question:
In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

Um... haha, I'm not sure I totally understand what this question is asking, but I guess I would say that, if I had to choose one type of "mythological creature" to make itself known, my first answer would be vampires, due to the fact that I'm reading the Vampire Academy series right now by Richelle Mead, and they're all I can think about! But obviously, they would have to be the incredibly sexy Moroi and Dhampir kinds-- not those gross, icky Strigoi!! ;)

I wouldn't choose fairies because fairies-- in every book I've read about them so far-- have annoyed the crap out of me. Same goes with mermaids. But vampires? Yup, I would take a smokin' hott vamp any day :D

**PS~ OK, I have to clarify, because people are wondering: I'm not annoyed by ALL mermaids (and probably not by all fairies) but just based on the books I've read about them so far-- they annoy me. Lost Voices was a great book, but trust me, if you read it, you will get super annoyed at mermaids too lol! I haven't found a really good fairy book I can relate to yet, besides maybe Tithe by Holly Black... Don't worry guys, I plan on reading many more books with both fairies and mermaids, until I find something I like!




<--------------  Oh, and speaking of Vampire Academy-- has anyone gotten their hands on the VA graphic novel yet?? I am pretty much dying to read this!!

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Author Search

~A~
Acosta, Marta
   Dark Companion
Angelini, Josephine
   Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1)
Archer, Jennifer   
   Through Her Eyes
Armentrout, Jennifer L.
   Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

~B~
Bacigalupi, Paulo
   Ship Breaker (Ship Breaker #1)
   The Drowned Cities (Ship Breaker #2)
Banks, Anna
   Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon #1)
Benoit, Charles
   You
Black, Holly
   Tithe
Block, Francesca Lia
   The Frenzy
Bradbury, Jennifer
   Wrapped

~C~
Calonita, Jen
   Belles
Carson, Rae
   The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
Carter, Ally
   Heist Society (Heist Society #1)
Cashore, Kristin
Cass, Kiera
   The Selection (The Selection #1)
Childs, Tera Lynn
   Forgive My Fins (Fins #1)
Clare, Cassandra
   City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
   City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2)
Collins, Suzanne
   The Hunger Games
Condie, Ally
   Matched (Matched Trilogy #1)
   Crossed (Matched Trilogy #2)
Cruz, Melissa de la 
   Blue Bloods 
    ~D~
    Davies, Jocelyn
       A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1)
    De Pierres, Marianne
        Burn Bright (The Night Creatures #1)
    Derting, Kimberly
       The Body Finder
    DeStefano, Lauren
       Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1)
       Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2)
    Dixon, Heather
       Entwined

    ~E~
    Etienne, Sara Wilson

    ~F~
    Fantaskey, Beth
       Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2)
    Fischer, Rusty
    Fitzpatrick, Becca
       Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1) 
       Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2)
       Silence (Hush, Hush #3)

    ~G~
    Garvey, Amy
       Cold Kiss
    Gaughen, A.C.
       Scarlet
    Godbersen, Anna
       The Luxe (Luxe series #1)
       Rumors (Luxe series #2)
       Envy (Luxe series #3)
       Splendor (Luxe series #4)
       Bright Young Things (BYT series #1)
    Gray, Claudia
       Fateful
    Grosso, Alissa
       Popular

    ~H~
    Habel, Lia
       Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration #1)
    Haber, Leanna Renee
       Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)
    Halliday, Gemma
       Deadly Cool
    Harrington, Kim
       Clarity (Clarity #1)
       Perception (Clarity #2)
    Hawkins, Rachel
       Hex Hall
    Hellisen, Cat
       When the Sea is Rising Red
    Hunter, C.C.
       Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)

    ~J~
    Jordan, Sophie 
       Firelight (Firelight #1)
       Vanish (Firelight #2)

    ~K~
    Kagawa, Julie
       The Iron King (The Iron Fey Trilogy #1)
    Kate, Lauren
       Fallen (Fallen series #1)
       Torment (Fallen series #2)
       Passion (Fallen series #3)
    Kitanidis, Phoebe
       Glimmer
    Kirby, Jessi
       In Honor
    Knight, Karsten
       Wildefire

    ~L~
    Lindsey, Mary
       Shattered Souls

    ~M~
    Marr, Melissa
       Wicked Lovely
    Martin, Alexa
       Girl Wonder
    Mead, Richelle
       Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
       Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) 
       Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) 
    Meadows, Jodi
       Incarnate (Incarnate #1)
    Metcalf, Dawn
        Luminous
    Meyer, Marissa
       Cinder (Cinder #1)


    ~O~
    Oliver, Lauren
       Delirium

    ~P~
    Paolini, Christopher
       Eragon (Inheritance #1)
       Eldest (Inheritance #2)
    Peterfreund, Diana
       For Darkness Shows the Stars
    Porter, Sarah
       Lost Voices


    ~R~
    Revis, Beth
       Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1)
    Roth, Veronica
       Divergent

    ~S~
    Schreck, Karen
       While He Was Away
    Simmons, Kristen
       Article 5
    Shirvington, Jessica
        Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1)
    Stampler, Ann Redisch
       Where It Began

    ~W~
    Westerfeld, Scott 
        Leviathan (Leviathan #1) 
        Behemoth (Leviathan #2)
       Goliath (Leviathan #3)
    White, Keirsten 
       Paranormalcy
    Williams, Kathryn
       Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous

    ~Y~
    Yovanoff, Brenna

    Tuesday, August 23, 2011

    Waiting on Wednesday (17)

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    For those who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we get to let everyone know about what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Want to participate? Grab the logo on her page, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link on her blog!

    *****
    So, can I just say how much I LOVE the cover for this book?? It is so freaking gorgeous! I love the poison green color of the snake wrapped around the girl's neck and how she's hidden in shadow. Seriously, this cover alone makes me want to read this book, but then the synopsis also sounds amazing! Arcadia Awakens centers around a girl from a Mafia family, which is something I've never read about, especially not as a theme in a YA book, so I am pretty psyched! Also, I'm not sure, but this book may have been originally written in German?? Goodreads says that it's original title was Arkadien erwacht. Look below for more details!

    Title: Arcadia Awakens
    Author: Kai Meyer
    Publisher: Balzer + Bray
    Series: #1 in Arkadien
    Release Date: February 14, 2012
    Pages: 464

    Summary: To Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where centuries of family secrets await her.

    Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.

    Hidden caves, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a history of familial bloodlust mean that Rosa can’t trust anyone. Torn between loyalty to her family and love for their mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love…or run as far and as fast as she can.

     ***UPDATE: Yep! This book was originally written in German and was translated into English to be published in the UK and US. Sa-weet! That makes me want to read it even more!! To see Kai Meyer's website (in English) click the link here! :)

    What is everyone else waiting on this week??

    *****

    Also in other blogging news...

    LC's 500
    <-------- Click! :)
    To enter my 500 Follower Giveaway! 
    Going on NOW until AUG 31st!

    hop
    <-------- Click! :)
    To join us in the "Bright, Young & Luxe" Giveaway Blog Hop!

    Sign-ups: NOW until Sept 5th
    Hop event: Sept 10th-20th 

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    Monday, August 22, 2011

    Book Review: Frostbite

    Author: Richelle Mead
    Series: #2 in the Vampire Academy series
    Publisher: Razorbill
    Release Date: April 10, 2008
    Pages: 327
    Read it in: 6 days

    Summary: Rose has serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor, Dmitri, has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

    Then a nearby Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose-- and her heart-- are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

    LC's Take:

    In the second book of the Vampire Academy series, the strigoi (bad vamps) are out to kill the moroi (good vamps) again-- and this time they are targeting the royal families. Lissa Dragomir is the last in her royal clan, and Rose needs to protect her best friend as more and more families end up being brutally murdered. The students are moved to a luxurious ski resort to hide out until the culprits are hunted down. Meanwhile, Rose and Dmitri's forbidden romance flares up again, even though they're both trying to move on...

    Rose is such an awesome main character. This book dealt more with her struggle of keeping her emotions under control and not acting without thinking first, like she did in the first book. You could see her growth as she tried to overcome some of her greatest weaknesses, trying to do the right thing instead of whatever she wanted. I was really impressed by how clearly and strongly Rose's thoughts and emotions came through in this book-- her bitter frustration and anger towards her guardian mother (who left her when she was little), her confusion over whether to just go with Mason (her friend who's pretty much head-over-heels for her), and her inability to stop thinking about Dmitri (her off-limits older but insanely hott trainer).

    Speaking of, I really liked how Rose's "forbidden" relationship developed with Dmitri in this one. It is so obvious that they're still completely into each other, even though they both try to deny it and find other distractions! I love the tension that has built up between them, and then of course there's the whole thing with bad-guy Adrian (who also happens to be, *gasp!*, incredibly hott). I still hope Rose and Dmitri end up together. The end scene with them made me melt... go Team Dmitri! (Oh, crap- did I just become a fangirl?!? :)

    Lissa had more of a background role in this book, which was OK since it gave Rose more attention. However, I do wish that Rose and Lissa had been closer-- they just seemed kind of distant and disconnected with each other. I get that Lissa is a moroi and is involved with Christian, and Rose is a damphir and has her own personal life to deal with, but I hope that we get to see them talk and interact more as friends in the later books.

    I don't know how I felt about Isiah, the big, bad evil strigoi in this one. Clearly he was a serious threat and I wondered how Rose and the others would escape in the end, but he was also a pretty cliche villain-- complete with sidekick-- and that made him seem less "villainous" and more comical than scary.

    Finally, I liked how we get the whole back story between Rose and her mom in this book-- it always makes a character seem so much more real and multidimensional when we have past stories and hang-ups explained about them. It was great to see their rocky relationship turn into something where they could finally reach an understanding about who they each are and the decisions they've made in the past. I hope they will continue to grow closer!

    Altogether, I'm thinking that VA rocks. I'm really happy I started this series and can't wait to get into Shadow Kiss!
    LC's Rating:
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    Frostbite was another awesome book in the Vampire Academy series! Highly entertaining with a kick-ass storyline and sexy characters, VA is a lot of fun to read. I definitely recommend it to all my vampire and paranormal lovers out there!

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    Friday, August 19, 2011

    Announcing the "Bright, Young and Luxe" Giveaway Hop: Sign Ups Now Open!!

    Are you a "Bright Young and Luxe" kind of girl? 

    *****
    Well then you have come to the right place! 

    Welcome to the deliciously decadent "Bright, Young and Luxe" Giveaway Hop, hosted by Tiffany at For Those About To Read and Lea at LC's Adventures in Libraryland! In celebration of the anticipated release of Anna Godbersen's newest book "Beautiful Days," we invite all of you to the party!




    If you're a relatively new blogger, this is a great opportunity to gain new followers!

    If you've been in the blogosphere for awhile, this is an awesome way to support one of your favorite authors!


    If you would like to participate, you can sign up using the linky below! Please just keep the following in mind:

    1.) The "Bright, Young and Luxe" Hop Button-- or Image-- must be a part of your giveaway post (grab the button below!)
    2.) You must either include the linky list with all participating blogs at the end of your giveaway post OR link to the giveaway hop page of one of the hosts. (This is so your followers can easily see and enter all of the giveaways!)
    3.) Your giveaway prize should be related to either Anna Godbersen's books OR similar books (ex. Vixen by Jillian Larkin) that you think AG fans would like.
    4.) Please try to keep your giveaway rules as simple as possible! (Try not to go overboard with the extra entries :)
    5.) Your giveaway may only run on the same days as the Hop (September 10th - September 20th)
    6.) Please keep your giveaway visible to your followers throughout the entire hop by posting a link or a button to it at the top of your blog in the sidebar.

    Official Bright Young and Luxe Giveaway Hop Button:

    hop

    We will send out an email to all participants a few days before the hop begins (Sept 10th) as a friendly reminder!

    In the meantime, grab the "Bright, Young & Luxe" button to display on your own blog, to get your followers in the know about your giveaway!

    The last day to sign up for this hop is Sept 5th.

    OK, so are you ready?? Here we go!



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    Thursday, August 18, 2011

    Follow Me Friday (13) AND Library Crush Week!!


    So this week I am honored to be a guest blogger at the lovely Trish's blog Just A YA Girl!! I am super-excited to be over there during Library Crush Week, talking about what it was like to be a library school student and what I love about my local libraries. Be sure to click on the image above to stop on over and check out my post, along with Trish's beautiful bookish blog!
    *****

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    Follow Me Friday is a fun book meme hosted by the fabulous Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View AND Allison over at Allison Can Read. Have a book blog? You can play with us too! Just visit Parajunkee's site by clicking on LC's Follow Friday icon-- be sure you are a follower of her blog and the blog she is featuring for the week, put your name in the Linky, create your own FF post on your blog, and then start commenting and following whomever you wish!
    This week's Follow Friday question:
    If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play?


    Hmmm... it's one of those "thinking questions" this week... OK, so I HAD to come up with another answer to this one because apparently EVERYONE is choosing Lizzie Bennett from P&P and I didn't want to be the like 300th person with the same answer-- so SECOND answer is this: I would write myself as some super-hott and classy Victorian Cyber Steampunk Chick-- out to save the world through science, technology and sophisticated English manners! I'd have a wardrobe full of tight leather corsets, flouncy skirts, top hats and-- of course-- goggles for when I'm driving and flying around in my steam contraptions!! HA!! There-- no one is copying that answer lol ;)






    <------- Aaaaaand... here is me (not really, but I DO have red hair!) in full-on Steampunk get-up! Woohoo, check out those googles, hott right?!? Yeah, you know you're jealous ;)


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    The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme for all of us awesome book bloggers, where we get to chat about all things "Bookish" over the weekend! It's hosted by the lovely Jennifer over at Crazy for Books. Feel free to click on LC's Book Blogger Hop icon to join in this week's Hop!     ------->





    ~This Weeks Question~

    What is the LONGEST book you have ever read?

    When I was in high school, I was A LOT more ambitious when it came to reading-- I think the longest book I've ever read is The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky (how's THAT for a name??) Apparently, in order to become a famous Russian author, you need to write books nearly as long as the Bible, because that's exactly what this one was-- not quite as long as War And Peace, but the paperback copy comes in at a whooping 1072 pages!! And it was pretty heavy reading too, as I recall. Now I stick more to my YA fiction which reads a lot faster!

    hop

    ATTENTION ALL BOOK BLOGGERS!!

    Are you looking for a great networking opportunity? 
    Want to get your name out in the blogosphere? 
    Interested in participating in a Book Blogger Event?!



    Well then look no further!! The lovely Tiffany from For Those About to Read... and Lea from LC's Adventures in Libraryland will be hosting an AWESOME Giveaway Hop in celebration of Anna Godbersen's latest book release: Beautiful Days!! Come join in the fun by hosting your own giveaway-- sign-ups start TOMORROW so stay tuned! We're looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful faces there! :)

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    Wednesday, August 17, 2011

    Waiting on Wednesday (16)

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    For those who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we get to let everyone know about what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Want to participate? Grab the logo on her page, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link on her blog!

    *****
    So I'm pretty sure that everyone who has read Delirium by Lauren Oliver is pretty much dying to get their hands on the sequel, Pandemonium! Unfortunately we have quite the long wait ahead of us before we can get our hands on the rest of Lauren's beautiful yet tragic dystopian love story... here are the details for this upcoming book!

    Author: Lauren Oliver
    Publisher: HarperTeen
    Release Date: March 6, 2012
    Pages: 448

    Summary: Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free.

    Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again.

    Full of danger, forbidden romance, and exquisite writing, Lauren Oliver’s sequel to Delirium races forward at a breathtaking pace and is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes action of The Hunger Games and the bittersweet love story of Romeo & Juliet.

    Falling in love again?? Whaa?! Oh my gosh, I seriously need to find out what is going on in this book! Also, I'm very surprised by the cover... not really sure what to think about it, it just looks so completely different from the first one, and what's up with the weird gigantic flower? Did I miss something? Anyways, I'm sure Pandemonium is going to be a great continuation no matter what, and I am really looking forward to it!!

    What is everyone else waiting on this week? Leave me a link so I can check out your posts! :)

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    Monday, August 15, 2011

    Book Review: The Frenzy

    Author: Francesca Lia Block
    Publisher: HarperTeen
    Release Date: September 28, 2010
    Pages: 258
    Read it in: 2 days

    Summary: Liv has a secret. Something happened to her when she was thirteen. Something that changed everything. Liv knows she doesn't belong anymore-- not in her own skin, not in her family... not anywhere. The only time she truly feels like herself is when she's with her boyfriend, Corey, and in the woods that surround her town.

    But in the woods, a mysterious woman watches Liv. In the woods, a pack of wild boys lurks. In the woods, Liv learns about the curse that will haunt her forever. The curse that caused the frenzy four years ago. And that may cause it again, all too soon.

    While Corey and Liv's love binds them together, Liv's dark sercret threatens to tear them apart as she struggles to understand who-- or what-- she really is. And by the light of the full moon, the most dangerous secrets bare their claws...

    LC's Take:

    Alrighty, so I was interested in reading this book, first because I think the cover is just gorgeous (redheads unite!), and second because I had never read a book about werewolves before. I have heard very mixed reviews for The Frenzy, and now that I've read it, I guess I fall somewhere in the middle... it definitely wasn't a favorite, but I didn't absolutely hate it either.

    First, I want to talk about what I did like about this book. I really like plots where the heroine is struggling to find out who she really is and where she fits in and how she can be happy in her own skin-- those kinds of themes really resonate with me and I think they're a lot of fun to read about, too! Liv is, on the surface, just a normal teenage girl, but there is another, darker side to her that she's afraid of, and doesn't really know how to control. The main plot of the book focuses on Liv being able to come to terms with who she is, and still find happiness. That was pretty cool-- I liked the main plot.

    One big problem I had with this book was how disconnected it was. The writing seemed to jump all over the place, and that got very difficult to follow after awhile. Another major issue I had was the side-story with Pace, Liv's homosexual best friend, and the haunted house. First of all, this did not fit into the whole werewolf story at all-- it seemed like it was just added in-- and second, I was not a fan of how Pace's story turned out. I think a lot of readers had the same negative reaction to it as I did, and I don't want to give it away, but basically, it was incredibly dark and disturbing, and I felt like it should have been dealt with in a much different way, instead of coming across as almost romantic. There are certain things that need to be handled with great care, especially for the YA audience, and I just didn't like how this part of the book was handled.

    The Frenzy did read very quickly, and that, I think, made me not dislike it too much-- if it had gone on for 400 pages, my rating might have been much lower. However, given that this was such a quick read, and that there were some things about it that I did like, I won't write it off as being horrible. The main story was engaging, the characters for the most part were interesting and likable, and the ending was reasonably satisfying. In the end, I would recommend this book only to my readers interested in werewolves and who can quickly finish it in a quiet, free evening. I for one am looking forward to reading other werewolf novels now!

    LC's Rating:
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    This was a quick, short read-- which I think helped to redeem it somewhat. The main story with Liv coming to terms with being a werewolf was good, but the writing seemed very jumpy, and the side-story with the haunted house was very vague and didn't match with the rest of the book. All in all, I wasn't a huge fan, but I've read worse!
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    Saturday, August 13, 2011

    In My Mailbox (6)

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    In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Kristi over at The Story Siren, where we get to share with our readers the books that we've gotten recently, whether it's in the mail, from the bookstore or the library!
    *****
    Um yeah, I went a little crazy at the library yesterday... and checked out a huge stack of books. However, this was due largely in part to the fact that I was hunting for the next book in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, and then stumbled across all of them-- brand-new, not yet read, freshly-processed-- behind the circ desk. Sa-weet!! So, of course, being the librarian and bookaholic I am, I swiped them all up :) Here are the other books I'm looking forward to starting! And of course because I'm awesome, there are links to their Goodreads summaries and reviews:


    Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (Not in love with the cover, but it's gotten some great reviews!)
    Wings by Aprilynne Pike (Mixed reviews on this one, but looking forward to seeing what it's like)
    Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (LOVED Hex Hall, can't wait to read this sequel!)
    Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer (Thanks to my girl BookishBrunette who says this one is freaking amazing!)
    The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (Looks like I'm on a zombie role!)
    City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (As if I don't have enough series started already, but I had to get it!)


    Aaaaand... now for my Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead!



    *****

    I'm only missing Last Sacrifice, but I think all of these will keep me my busy in the meantime, don't you?Looking forward to seeing what everyone else got this week! Until later my lovelies! :D


    LC's 500


    Also-- I know a lot of you are already aware-- but if you haven't had the chance yet, be sure to enter for your chance to win FREE BOOKS through my 500 Follower Giveaway going on now until the end of August! You can click the image to the right to enter!

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