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Monday, November 30, 2009

Contest @ Extreme Reader Book Reviews

Extreme Reader Book Reviews is having a Big Holiday Contest!

* The first prize pack is Hardback copies of the first four "Pretty Little Liars" books by Sara Shepard!

* The second prize pack contains the first three books in "The Blood Coven" series by Mari Mancusi!

This is one contest you don't wanna miss!
This contest is open to everyone and ends December 19.

Click HERE to enter the contest!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

In My Mailbox: Week 48

IN MY MAILBOX
* Hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie *

Won:

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

I'm super excited about this one - I've heard lots of great things about it!

I won this at The Epic Rat's Monthly GRaB.


From the Library:

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy—spending time with her friends in the city, attending balls in fancy gowns with plunging necklines, and dallying with the handsome Lord Denby. Yet amid these distractions, her visions intensify—visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened that only the realms can explain.

The lure is strong, and soon Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world that Gemma takes them to. To the girls' great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship.

But all is not well in the realms—or out. Kartik is back, desperately insisting to Gemma that she must bind the magic, lest colossal disaster befall her. Gemma is willing to comply, for this would bring her face-to-face with her late mother's greatest friend, now Gemma's foe—Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task. . . .

Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella
Becky's life is blooming! She's working at London's newest fashion store The Look, house-hunting with husband Luke (her secret wish is a Shoe room) .... and she's pregnant! She couldn't be more overjoyed- especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery, to the latest, coolest pram, to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician. But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be Luke's glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble. She's shopping for two...but are there three in her marriage?


That's it for this week! I'm really excited about Graceling. I haven't read the first book in the Gemma Doyle trilogy, but I still borrowed the second, Rebel Angels. I hope that'll be okay! What did you get in your mailbox this week?

P.S Don't forget to enter MY CONTEST! D.S

Saturday, November 28, 2009

International GIVEAWAY: Buy Books For $16 at the Book Depository

-- CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED --

I'm having my first giveaway!
Why? Cause I've reached 41 followers, been blogging for 3 months plus it's almost Christmas! :)

The Prize:

* One person gets $16 to buy books for at the Book Depository, this should give you at least one book, and perhaps a total of two books (depending on the prizes)!

If I get more than 25 entries in this contest, I will add a second winner, this person wins:

* A Paperback of her/his choice from the Book Depository

The Rules:

Leave a comment on this post with your E-MAIL ADDRESS. If you're not comfortable with leaving your e-mail address, please e-mail your entry to sosarora_11(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Please try to keep all your entries in one comment!

Extra Entries:

+2 New Follower
+3 Old Follower (If you followed me before Nov. 28 - I know who you are!)
+2 For posting this contest on your sidebar (Leave a link!)
+5 For writing about this contest in an actual blog post (Leave a link!)

Special Entries (+1 If you entering my contest) goes to:

Eleni @ La Femme Readers for being my first AND top commenter!
Brizmus @ Brizmus Blogs Books for being the second best commenter,
and to Mandy and Shauna for posting the third most comments!

Thank you girls! I love getting comments :)

Bonus Entries:

There will be opportunities for you to get more entries in the future (i.e. questions to answer). Keep reading my blog through December so you don't miss those opportunities!

* This contest is open internationally to all countries the Book Depository ships to. Contest ends on New Year's Eve, December 31. *

-- CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED --

Have fun & Good Luck to you all!
- Sara

Friday, November 27, 2009

Contest Alert!

I've got two big international contests for you:

Reading with Tequila
is having an awesome, international contest! Take a look:

20 Books to Chose From

3 Winners
1st winner = 3 books
2nd winner = 2 books
3rd winner = 1 book

But That's Not All
Reaching 150 followers will add another winner = 1 book
200 followers adds another
250 followers another
300 followers and another
For a Total of 7 Winners

Head over to her blog and enter!


Tynga is celebrating 300 followers with an amazing contest!
Head over to her blog, Tynga's Urban Fantasy, to enter!

There will be a total of 4 winners

1st winner - 3 books of their choice
2nd winner - 2 books of their choice
3rd winner - 1 book of their choice
and the 4th winner will win a custom-made blog button!

Spotlight: Vamps Series by Nancy A. Collins

The Vamps series by Nancy A. Collins consists of three books so far; Vamps (2008), Vamps: Night Life (2009) and Vamps: After Dark (2009).

About the Books: When the sun goes down, New York's true elite all head to one place: Bathory Academy, where the young ladies of the finest vampire families are trained in shapeshifting and luring their prey.

Bathory's reigning queen, Lilith Todd, is the daughter of a powerful vampire businessman, and she knows exactly what she wants from life. She wants to look beautiful for eternity and party till the sun comes up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Jules. And she doesn't want any New Blood upstarts standing in her way.

Enter Cally Monture, an unexpected threat from a trash zip code. When their first meeting leads to tragic results, Lilith is hungry for revenge.

About the Author: Nancy A. Collins (born 10 September 1959) is a United States horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has also written for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason Vs. Leatherface, Predator: Hell Come A Walkin and her own one-shot Dhampire: Stillborn.

My Thoughts: Based on the summary this series sounds like a mix between vampires and Gossip Girl. The concept doesn't seem very original, the series is set among New York's elite just as many other resembling series, Blue Bloods, Gossip Girl and The Elite for example. And like those series there is a fight between the rich, popular mean girl and the kinder, poorer and shyer new girl.

To be honest, this series doesn't sound very interesting to me. . . I'm not a big fan of designer-dropping books like Gossip Girl and Privileged. But what do I know? This series might surprise me!

Have you read any Vamps book? What do you think, is it worth reading?
Fan(g) Girl

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thoughts about New Moon: the Movie

So, I went to see New Moon on Tuesday night, and what can I say about it?



Well, New Moon was A LOT better than Twilight:

* The movie wasn't as rushed as Twilight
* The special effects were great and very well done (I even noticed the sparkling this time!)
* The movie stayed very true to the book

The Pros:

* Taylor Lautner did a great job as Jacob Black, he was probably the best actor in the movie
* The chemistry between Jacob and Bella was great
* The fighting scenes + other special effects
* I loved the wolf pack, those guys were funny, and you know well-built ;)
* Jacob's muscles and body!

The Cons:

* I wasn't that impressed with Rob Pattinson's job as Edward in this movie, he had one facial expression - suffering
* Bella's nightmares. Does anyone really scream that high when they have nightmares?
* I wanted to see more of the wolf pack, and more of the Cullens
* It was so sad to watch Bella break Jacob's heart over and over again...
* Edward's muscles (fake!) and body (pale & hairy)


So to sum it all up - New Moon was great, and I wished the movie had been even longer...
Jacob was adorable - especially in the rain scene.
Bella was sissy and selfish as usual,
and Edward wasn't hot at all in this movie. Is it just me or does he always sound superior and disparaging when he speaks?

I'm so Team Jacob in the movies!
Fan(g) Girl

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday (11/25)

Hearts at Stake: House of DrakeHearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey-Fitzhenry

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.
Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.
Even fans of the genre who’ve seen it all will find a fresh read with kick-butt characters and family dynamics that ring true for all brothers and sisters—vampire or otherwise.

This book sounds really good! I like that there is two different stories in this book - one with Lucy & Nicholas and one with Solange & Kieran.

I've seen two different release dates for this book - as well as two different titles and two different covers! I still don't know the official title/release date (Hearts At Stake Dec. 22 or My Love Lies Bleeding on Jan. 4) does anyone know?
Here's the two different versions:

My Love Lies Bleeding Hearts at Stake: House of Drake

Which do you prefer?
I think I like Hearts at Stake the best!
Fan(g) Girl

* Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine *

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Contest Alert

Psst! Kate @ The Neverending Shelf is having an awesome Thank you contest!
There will be 17 books going out to 5 winners, amazing, right?
You could win Scarlett Fever, Crazy Beautiful and Ruined, just to name a few, so head over to her blog and enter!

And, best of all? This contest is international! Everyone can enter :)

New Moon Tonight!

I'm finally going to see NEW MOON! I'm so excited!



I've heard that New Moon is a lot better than Twilight, so I'm really looking forward to seeing it. :) Have you seen the movie already? Did you like it?

I'm going tonight at 9.30 p.m, so I'm probably going to post my thoughts about the movie tomorrow! Hope you'll have a fun night, I'm sure I'm going to!

Fan(g) Girl

Vampire of the Week

Week 48's Vampire of the Week is. . .



. . . Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries!

Damon is mean, nasty and dangerous - and yet incredibly sexy! He is a vampire who feeds from, and kills humans, without hesitation, and he is always trying to get his brother, Stefan, to do the same. Damon is very unreliable, he goes from fun and charming to a dangerous cool-headed murderer in less than two seconds.

So why do we like him? Let's face it - Damon is HOT and sexy, he is the ultimate bad-boy. We know that he is dangerous, but that just makes him even more attractive. And just like Stefan, we're hoping that there is a trace of humanity left in Damon, and that we can change him into a "good" vampire.



Do you wanna know more about Damon? Of course you do! Make sure you watch the Vampire Diaries, Thursdays at the CW. You can also read the Vampire Diaries books, written by L. J. Smith.



Damon is played by Ian Somerhalder. Ian was born in Louisiana, USA, in 1978. Before the Vampire Diaries, Ian was mostly known for playing Boone in Lost (a favorite of mine already back then!).


Who's your favorite Vampire? And what do you think about Damon? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Chack out my previous Vampires of the Week! Click HERE and scroll down!

Fan(g) Girl

Monday, November 23, 2009

Review: The Vampire Diaries (TV)


Is anyone watching the Vampire Diaries? If you are, what do you think?

I was kind of anxious about the TV series not being good after I had read, among other things, this from the author L. J. Smith's website:

September 10: The Vampire Diaries TV Show on the CW at 8 Pacific and Eastern, 7 Central!
"May I make a plea for everybody to try to be patient (especially with the pilot episode)? The Twilight Zone feeling rapidly diminishes after that. Ian Somerhalder is being recognized as a superior villain; and I feel sure that under those brown curls Elena's scheming mind is simply waiting for an opportunity to emerge. Really, guys, the series people have been nice to me lately and I get to hear about (and I hope get, to give to you) freebie things like posters and "sunscream" and "Fang" dental floss, all part--along with a blood drive ("Starve a Vampire: Donate Blood!) in New York. Even Brazil is all het up about the books and the show. I've waited this long to speak out, and my verdict is: give it a chance. "

I've just recently started watching the The Vampire Diaries (one of the many negative things about not living in the US), I have seen four episodes so far - and I have to say that I love it!! The first episodes aren't slow at all - they are fast-paced, dramatic, creepy, addictive and fun! If you haven't watched it yet - start doing it! You won't regret it.

There are, of course, some things that separates the TV series from the books;


* First, they have changed Elena, the main character, a lot. And no, I don't mean her hair color (Oh my God - they've changed Elena's hair - she is supposed to be BLOND! I can't watch this show!), I mean her personality. To the better, I have to say. Elena is much more likeable in the TV series; she's not bitchy or selfish at all, she is instead very kind, a bit guarded and shy.

* Elena now has a brother, instead of a sister. His name is Jeremy and he became a drug addict after their parents death. Elena and Jeremy's parents died in a car accident a few months ago, so they are now living with their aunt, Jenna Sommers.

* Vicki is now Matt's sister, instead of just another friend.

* Meredith, one of Elena's best friends in the books, is not a character in the TV series.

* Stefan is apparantly keeping a journal too, which actually makes sense when the name of the series is The Vampire Diaries.

THE CASTING:

The Excellent:

Ian Somerhalder is perfect in the role as Stefan's dangerous bad-boy brother DAMON. I love his temperament swinging - he goes from kind and gentle to angry and death-dangerous in two seconds. I also love his sarcasm, cockiness, face expressions and charm. Damon was my favorite character in the books - and he is by far my favourite character in the TV series!

The Good:

Candice Accola portrays Elena's childhood friend CAROLINE Forbes perfectly. She is blond, dumb, naive, and insecure. And she hates when Elena gets all the attention (and all the boys).

Both Steven R. McQueen and Kayla Ewell are doing great jobs with their characters JEREMY and VICKI. They are very believable in their roles, Steven as a grieving and troubled teenage boy and Kayla as an insecure, troubled girl torned between two guys.

The Okay:

Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley who play the main characters, ELENA and STEFAN are doing an okay job so far. Elena is, like I said, far from the Elena we saw in the books, so it's hard to judge Nina's job portraying her.

Paul's Stefan, on the other hand, is close to the Stefan we saw in the books, he's struggling with his past, and with resisting human blood.

Michael Trevino is doing a great job as TYLER, the popular jock and "mean guy" in the series. I can't see him changing into a werewolf though, but maybe they'll skip that part in the TV series.

The Bad:

Zach Roering is playing MATT Donovan, Elenas friend and ex-boyfriend. Zach is very different from the Matt I saw in my head, but he is doing an okay job portraying him.

Katerina Graham, who plays BONNIE, is as far as you can come from the Bonnie I had in my head while reading the books. Bonnie is supposed to be a small, wimpish and scared girl, but you see nothing of that in the TV series. Katerina is probably doing an okay acting job - I just can't see her as Bonnie.


So, honestly, this is a great TV show - if you don't already do so, you should watch it!


Rating: 5 of 5!
Fan(g) Girl


P.S. Remember this post I did about True Blood, the True Blood: Hotness factor? Chances are high that I will do a similar post about the Vampire Diaries, so keep your eyes open for that one - you don't wanna miss it! D.S.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

In My Mailbox: Week 45-47

IN MY MAILBOX
* Hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie *

This is what I got in My Mailbox during the last three weeks:



Bought:


The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols

Cute, available, and one cabin over. . .

Lori lives for summertime at her family's lake house. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming. and hanging with her friends - including the two hotties in the cabin next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy, This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard. . .



To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker

Once caught, it’s harder still to let a pirate go

When Annalisa Townsend’s ship is set upon by pirates in search of her father’s treasure, one of the crew, James Sterling, discovers her in the hold. When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exchange for the necklace. “A fair trade, m’lady,” he tells her afterward, before disappearing.

A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and reclaiming her father’s treasure from him. But now she’s in danger of him stealing something far more vulnerable this time: her heart.

I've been wanting to read these two for years, and I finally bought them at The Book Depository! Both of them were really good - I especially loved the Boys Next Door. It was a fun and cute read, and Adam was sooo sweet!

From the Library:

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

"Special Circumstances":

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

I've read all three Tally Youngblood books, and "Specials" is probably the one I liked the least... I've heard that there is another story, "Extras" set in the same world, but with another main character. Has anyone read it? Was it any good?

So three books during the three last weeks - not that good! The book supply at my library sucks! (
the YA department is minimal and I have read pretty much every interesting book there). I have high hopes for the coming weeks though!

Fan(g) Girl

Friday, November 20, 2009

Spotlight: Never Bite a Boy On the First Date


Title: Never Bite a Boy On the First Date
Author: Tamara Summers (pseudonym
for Tui T. Sutherland.)
Pages: 288
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publicati
on Date:September 29, 2009

About the Book:
  1. I've got a few issues:
  2. I'm a vampire now.
  3. One of my classmates was found dead, with telltale fang marks.
  4. I didn't do it! (really!)
  5. Nobody believes me, so . . .
  6. I'm going to have to find the real killer. I've already got three suspects. (three very cute suspects.)
  7. One more problem: I am seriously falling for one of them . . . but what if he's the killer?
Newly turned vampire Kira has earned a reputation for breaking the rules. So when a student is murdered at her high school, via fang-bite, all fingers point to Kira. But she swears she had nothing to do with it! In order to prove her innocence she has to show her family that there’s another vampire in town. She’s pretty sure it’s one of three new guys who’ve moved in recently—so she goes about dating them all. Dating three cute boys may be fun, but which one is the murdering vampire? And what if he’s the boy she’s falling for...?

About the Author:
Tamara Summers grew up overseas and now lives in Boston with her husband, their impending baby, and their perfect little dog. Her favorite things include funny love stories (like To Say Nothing of the Dog or How I Met Your Mother) and anything to do with vampires (especially the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Tamara is the author of romantic beach reads for teens, including He's with Me and the bridesmaid-themed Save the Date. Her newest title is a vampire murder mystery/humorous romance entitled Never Bite a Boy on the First Date.

My Thoughts: Doesn't this sound like a cute, fun and light vampire book? I'm putting it on my wish list right now!

Fan(g) Girl

Want to learn more about Never Bite a Boy On the First Date?
Browse INSIDE the book HERE at Harpercollins.com

The Undercover Book Lover posted a great review of this book HERE and rated it A+!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

What does Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy and Kate Beckinsale have in common?

What does Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy and Kate Beckinsale have in common?



They have all played vampires on the big screen.

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire from 1994


A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.


Eddie Murphy in Vampire in Brooklyn, released in 1995
Maximillian is the only survivor from a race of vampires on a Caribbean Island, and as a vampire, he must find a mate to keep the line from ending. He knows that a child had been born to a woman who had a vampire father, and he searches for her in Brooklyn. Rita's mother, who has died in an asylum, was that woman and Rita has nightmares that she does not understand. Not knowing that she is part vampire, Max woos her and attempts to bring her to her blood sucking destiny. Even though Rita has strange dreams and actions, Justice, her partner, has feelings for her and does not want her involved with this stranger Max. But it is Rita who must decide her destiny.



And Kate Beckinsale in 2003's Underworld and 2006's Underworld:Evolution
Vampires and Werewolves have been sworn enemies for hundreds of years. Now fought in a Gothic-like setting, the conflict takes an unexpected and deadly new turn. Selene, a beautiful vampire warrior, uncovers a Lycan plot that could prove fatal for her entire race. She shadows a human, Michael, the Lycan's supposed target. Although she finds herself becoming attracted to him, he becomes infected with the lupine disease during a violent struggle with the Lycan overlord, Lucian, long thought to be dead. Now both sides must decide how to end the conflict and save their species as new and terrifying secrets unearth themselves and threaten their entire existance


So tell me, who makes the best vampire? Have you seen any of these movies, and what did you think about them?

Fan(g) Girl

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday 11/18

It looks like Santa comes early this year!
Most of us celebrate Christmas December 24 or December 25, but this year you might want to start celebrate already on December 1.
Why? Because there are not only one, but three great-looking YA books being released in early December! Take a look at the following titles, you might want to put them on your wish list!


Title: Ex-Mas
Author: Kate Brian
Release Date: December 1

Two Exes. One holiday adventure. Merry Ex-Mas?

Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's all set to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa.

Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother, Beau -- a.k.a. Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend.

It'll take more than a Christmas miracle for Lila and Beau to overcome their differences and find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love...all over again?


Title: Beautiful Creatures
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Release Date: December 1


There were no surprises in Gatlin County
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.


Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.




Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate

Release Date. December 8


There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.



Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Vampire of the Week


In honor of this week's premiere of New Moon: the Movie, here's this week's VoW:


Emmett Cullen!

Emmett Cullen (born Emmett McCarty) is Rosalie's husband, Carlisle and Esme's adopted son, and Edward, Alice, and Jasper's adoptive brother. Emmett is described as being tall, burly, extremely muscular, and, to most humans, the most intimidating of his adoptive siblings. He has slightly curly dark hair and dimpled cheeks, and is incredibly strong. You will never see Emmett saying no to a fight or challenge.


Emmett is played by Kellan Lutz. Kellan was born 1985 in North Dakota. He has starred in several TV series, including 90210, The Comeback and Generation Kill.

Who's your favorite Vampire? Tell me!


Check out my previous VoWs from the Twilight Saga:
Edward & James

And all other VoWs:
Angel,Dimitri, Spike, Mick, Stefan & Eric

Fan(g) Girl


Spotlight: The Blood Coven by Mari Mancusi


Have you read the Blood Coven books by Mari Mancusi? I haven't - but I really want to. The two first books were released in 2006, the third in 2007. The fourth book, Bad Blood, will be released in January 2010. The three first books have recently gotten brand new covers, aren't they beautiful?And I have to admit that I love the titles of the books;
Boys That Bite, Stake That, Girls That Growl and Bad Blood. Catchy, or what? So seriously, these books have beautiful covers, cool titles AND sounds really good judging from the summaries - why haven't I (and you?) read them?


BOYS THAT BITE

Two sisters—as different as the sun and the rain. For one, getting into the Blood Coven is to die for. But for the other, getting out could be lethal…


When Sunny McDonald gets dragged to Club Fang by her twin sister Rayne, she doesn’t expect to find anything besides a bunch of Goth kids playing at being vampires. But when some guy mistakes Sunny for her dark-side-loving sister and bites her on the neck, she finds out that his fangs are real—and deadly.

Now, Sunny has less than a week to figure out how to reverse the bite, or else she’s going to end up as the perpetually undead. And not only will she be a vampire, she’ll also be bonded to Magnus—the bloodsucker who bit her—forever. And forever is a really long time…


STAKE THAT

Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she’s a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad.

After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?


GIRLS THAT GROWL

Rayne McDonald thought getting into the Blood Coven was the hard part. But now there’s a new breed of trouble in town…and the former slayer and her vampire boyfriend may be the only ones who can stop it.

Now that she’s an official vampire and full-fledged member of The Blood Coven, Rayne assumes her vampire slaying days are over. Sure, she doesn’t have any vampire powers, thanks to a mutated blood virus, but she and Jareth can go out in the sun, which is a pretty good trade-off.

But just when Rayne’s starting to enjoy her afterlife, she’s contacted by Slayer Inc once again. It seems that a member of her high school’s football team has disappeared—and the powers-that-be think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now Rayne has to infiltrate the squad before the cheerleaders have a chance to sink their teeth into someone else...

BAD BLOOD

Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend Magnus is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood Coven. Their differences have never been an issue, until now…

When the Blood Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny’s humanity puts her out of the running. The Coven’s chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of Oxford University who just happens to look like a vampiric celebutante.

Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes Scholar who can’t answer the most basic poly-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention—where Magnus and Jane’s bonding ceremony will be the main event—Sunny and her sister Rayne secretly tag along. And Sunny’s not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas—especially bad blood…


To learn more about the Blood Coven books, the author Mari Mancusi AND read excerpts from the books, visit Mari's website: http://www.marimancusi.com/

Monday, November 16, 2009

New Moon



Just four days until the New Moon premiere! Are you excited?
I'm sure that this movie is going to be much better than Twilight, Twilight was a bit rushed, and let's face it, the special effects were bad. (Seriously, did anyone see any sparkling?)

Nope, me either.

I think the special effects in the New Moon movie is going to much better, the Jacob-turns-into-a-wolf thing in the trailer is pretty well done, for example. So, yeah, I'm going to the movie theater to see New Moon. What about you?



What are your thoughts on New Moon? Are you going to see it? Any special parts you look forward to seeing adapted?

Check out the New Moon movie site here: www.newmoonthemovie.com

I'm gonna finish this post with one big reason to go see the New Moon movie:

Hot


Shirtless


Guys



I've got you convinced, didn't I?
Fan(g) Girl

Sunday, November 15, 2009

More Anthologies - The Eternal Kiss

An anthology is one book with several short stories in it (mostly by different authors). You get several short "books" in one single book. Great if you don't have too much time to read (i.e. when traveling, before going to bed, etc.) or if you want to discover new authors. This week on YA Vampire Books, I will future several anthologies with a supernatural theme.

Titel: The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
Authors: Holly Black, Libba Bray, Melissa de la Cruz, Cassandra Clare, Rachel Caine, Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie, Cecil Castellucci, Kelley Armstrong, Maria V. Snyder, Sarah Rees Brennan, Lili St. Crow, Karen Mahoney & Dina James
Publisher: Running Press Kids (July 2009)
Pages: 416

There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephanie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!

This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including:
• Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
• Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
• Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
• Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
• Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
• Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
• Kelley Armstrong (Women of Otherworld)
• Maria V. Snyder
• Sarah Rees Brennan
• Lili St. Crow
• Karen Mahoney
• Dina James

They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

- This is the last post of Anthology Week - and you know me, always saving the best for last! What about an anthology with no less than 13 short stories, and all of them about Vampires? Doesn't sound too bad, huh? One negative thing though - this cover is just. . .weird. And ugly. -

Saturday, November 14, 2009

More Anthologies - Love Is Hell

An anthology is one book with several short stories in it (mostly by different authors). You get several short "books" in one single book. Great if you don't have too much time to read (i.e. when traveling, before going to bed, etc.) or if you want to discover new authors. This week on YA Vampire Books, I will future several anthologies with a supernatural theme.

Titel: Love Is Hell
Authors: Scott Westerfeld, Laurie Faria Stolarzs, Gabrielle Zevin, Melissa Marr & Justine Larbalestier
Publisher: HarperTeen (Nov. 2008)
Pages:

Supernatural romance is the well-chosen theme of five original stories by as many authors. After her family moves into a house where a boy was murdered, Laurie Faria Stolarzs protagonist finds herself falling in love with his ghost; Gabrielle Zevin introduces a high school student who may (or may not) be overidentifying with the book she is reading; and Scott Westerfeld looks into a future where hormonal balancers tamp down teen romances and bioframes obviate sleep and dreams. Melissa Marr and Justine Larbalestier reinterpret folklore conventions, Marr writing about selkies and Larbalestier about faeries. Theres enough variety to round out the central theme, and consistently supple storytelling will lure readers through all five entries.

- Another good-looking anthology with many different takes on the theme. I'm curious about reading
Laurie Faria Stolarzs' ghost story! -