Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier: Giveaway

Ruby Red

by: Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

 

---

This book originally was published in Germany, and I must say that I am quite taken with the description. Time travel, mystery, and a little bit of genetics. Love it.

Check out the trailer, and enter via the form below for a chance to win a copy of this book. Giveaway ends Friday, June 10. US/Canada residents only!

Can't see the form? Enter here.

Tighter Blog Tour: Top Ten List and Giveaway

Top Ten Scary Movies:

1. The Orphanage -- this is a tie with 2.

2. The Others

3. The Shining

4. Rosemary’s Baby

5. Ghost Story (not total terror, but a great story)

6. Carrie

7. Pet Sematary

8. Blair Witch Project (I know, I know. But I was scared!)

9. Amityville Horror

10. Seven

Top Ten Hang-out Spots (In your hometown or Little Bly)

Five in Little Bly:

The RickRack on Wednesday and Friday nights when it's easy carding

Sunshine Cleaners (when Sebastian is about to go off-shift)

The Mud Hut, for the huge Cobb salads and sweet iced-tea

Jessie Feathering’s house—before Jessie died. She threw crazy parties.

The lighthouse opposite Skylark. Remote, romantic.



Five in my town (Brooklyn)

Either of the Tazzas – on Atlantic Ave or Clark Street. One word: cupcakes.

My house -- seriously, come over. Though it's usually got sticky three-year-olds running around.

BookCourt -- enthusiast booksellers, amazing readings, lots o' seats.

Anywhere along the Promenade -- you can see the NYC skyline and Statue of Liberty and right now 3000 tulips are in bloom.

BAM -- Brooklyn Academy of Music always has something weird and wild going on.

Top Ten Favorite Songs:

Kids -- MGMT

Bigmouth Strikes Again – The Smiths

All These Things That I’ve Done – The Killers

Australia –The Shins

Bring It On Home to Me – Sam Cooke

Creep – Radiohead

Hook – Blues Travelor

L’amoureuse – Carla Bruni

Mexican Radio – Wall of Voodoo

Perfect Day – Lou Reed

---

Tighter
By: Adele Griffin

Synopsis:
When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Brilliantly plotted, with startling twists, here is a thrilling page-turner from the award-winning Adele Griffin.

---

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt: Review

Sean Griswold's Head
By: Lindsey Leavitt

Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Published: March 2011; Bloomsbury USA
Source: ARC from publisher

author website | author blog | author twitter

---

Summary (from Goodreads): According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

My Review:

Oh gosh I loved this book. I try really hard when I read a book I love not to gush all over it, but somewhere deep down inside my tender little heart, this book struck a chord.  I feel like in many ways, Lindsey Leavitt perfectly captured my high school experience.  Oftentimes when I'm reading a YA book in which a good portion of the book takes place in a high school setting, I think, "Umm... Who in the world had a high school experience like that? I didn't!"

I didn't have anything nearly as traumatic happen during my high school years as Payton did with her dad; however, I had my fair share of drama.  There were times my relationship with my parents was strained. I felt guilty that it was strained, I wanted it to be the perfect relationship that I saw with my friends, but it just wasn't.  Over and over again in this book I found little bits of truth in what Peyton was going through.

Jac was a great best friend character. Was she over the top? Yes, at times. But, she was Peyton's cheerleader and pushed her to places that she wasn't comfortable.  But, Peyton needed it.

Another thing that rung true for me in this book that I don't often see in fiction is that while all Peyton's family issues are going on, her grades slip. As you would expect for a teenage girl going through an intense time of grief and change. And yet, it is so rarely mentioned in fiction. The high school experience of test-taking, homework and academics is so consuming when you are involved in it, and I certainly don't expect that a novel should burden itself with mentioning the hum-drum of every aspect of daily life, but in a story like this one, it was absolutely important.

And then there is Sean.  I think part of the reason that this book endeared itself so much to me is because of Sean. He reminds me so much of my husband.  I met my husband in high school, although we didn't know each other well. When I met him again as an adult I remember saying to someone that I remembered him, he was quiet, nice, and a little dorky. But I really didn't KNOW him.  The progression of Sean and Peyton's relationship is so natural it's like pure gold.  And I loved every minute of it.  And, like my husband, Sean is so kind, caring and while not perfect, he is perfect for Peyton.

I really hope you all will get a copy of this book.  I loved it, and I can't wait to read more from Lindsey.

My Rating:

  

I also have a copy of Sean Griswold's Head to give away courtesy of Bloomsbury USA! This giveaway is open to US addresses only, and will close on Friday, March 18 at 12 pm EST. Fill out the form below to enter, or by clicking here:

Happy Birthday, and you get the presents

Today is my 24th birthday.

Already it is shaping up to be the best one yet.

I'm one step closer to being able to rent a car by myself.

No one is in the hospital or on cancer treatments. (Three cheers to my husband, the brain cancer survivor!)

And this morning my baby sang me a special song. (as she is wont to do in the wee hours of the morning)

In celebration of all this, I thought it was appropriate to have a little present for all of my dear readers who make my life so special with your kind and thoughtful comments.

On Thursday I went to Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's signing in SLC. (Video and pics coming of that next week).  They were very generous with their SWAG, and I got a bunch of bookmarks, key chains, dog tags, and buttons.

I am going to give a swag pack to one lucky commenter. Just leave a comment below, making sure I have an email to contact you. (Connecting your email address with blogger is sufficient).  It can be about your favorite birthday, a birthday wish for you, or something unrelated.  I will go ahead and ship internationally on this one. I'll pick a winner at 11:59 pm on Monday.

Oh! And thank you so much for the beautiful birthday cake:

Via cakewrecks.com

You shouldn't have...

Interview with Ally Carter and Giveaway

Ally Carter is the author of the best-selling Gallagher Girls series and Heist Society. She loved school so much she kept going...and going...and going...until finally she had to graduate. Now she has degrees from Oklahoma State University and Cornell University and a house and a job and other very grown-up things.

Her life is either very ordinary or the best deep-cover legend ever. She'd tell you more, but...well...you know...

Website
Twitter

---

I absolutely loved the Gallagher Girls series, and was beyond excited to do an interview with Ally Carter.  Welcome to the Reading Room Ally!
 

Is there a spy academy for college-age girls? If so, how do I apply?

Not to my knowledge, no.  Drats!

What has been your biggest challenge in dealing with two series at once?

Time.  Always time.  People frequently ask where authors get their ideas or their character names or their inspiration.  What people forget (or simply don’t know) is that one of the most important ingredients is time.  And when you double the number of books you’ve got to keep up with that just cuts your time in half.  Without a doubt, that’s the hardest thing.

Cammie and the Gallagher Girls series is very clean and innocent. Was it a deliberate decision to make the series this why? If so, why do you feel that it was important to write it that way?

It just came out that way.  I don’t know if I could write “edgier” or “darker” if I tried.  But while it wasn’t a conscious decision, I’m very grateful that it worked out the way it did because there is a subset of the reading public that wants a clean read.  I think a lot of people assume it’s the “gatekeepers” that are really looking for that, but I’ve found that a lot of teens do as well.  It’s a misnomer to think that all teens want to push all barriers at all times.  Are there 12-yr-olds out there looking for gritty, edgy stuff?  Sure.  But there are also 17-yr-olds who enjoy a book with no cussing or adult content.  In publishing we need to have something for everyone.  I’m very happy that my books fit within a very valuable and in-demand niche.

Have you ever thought that maybe a career in writing wasn’t worth it? What do you do when you get discouraged during the publishing process?

Every single day.  This is a hard business—it really is.  The pressure from fans to write faster, the pressure from publishers to deliver, and, most importantly, the pressure from ourselves to make each book better than the one before.  It’s a lot to process some days.  And on the days when the characters and plot just aren’t cooperating it’s very tempting to dream about the day when the series is over and done and you can go back to accounting or whatever it was that paid the bills before starting on this crazy adventure.

What is one thing that you wish people knew about publishing or writing?

It’s a job.  It’s work.  It can sometimes be a very exciting job and very fun work, but it’s an occupation nonetheless, and like most jobs it’s not very glamorous most of the time.  Also, I can’t get anyone a role in any movie.

Name one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to learn.     

I have terrible, awful—I mean truly hideous—handwriting.

Thanks to Ally for joining us today. And, now I have a fantastic giveaway that is going to rock your socks off.  Included in this prize pack is:

Gallagher Girls Tote

Gallagher Girls Hair Pin 

Signed Gallagher Girls 4

Signed Heist Society

Heist Society sunglasses

Holla! All you have to do to enter is fill out the form.  Giveaway ends October 27 at 12:01 am. US Residents 13 and older only.

Guest Post and Giveaway: Natalie Standiford on Censorship

About Natalie

Natalie Standiford, author of "How to Say Goodbye in Robot," "Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters," and the popular "Space Dog" and "Dating Game" series, has written picture books, nonfiction, chapter books, teen novels, and even horror novels for young adults. Standiford also plays bass in the rock band Tiger Beat, with fellow YA authors Libba Bray, Daniel Ehrenhaft, and Barnabas Miller.
Find out more at her web site, www.nataliestandiford.com.

---

To me the central issue behind censorship is respect. Dictators who don't want their people to read what they please, who are afraid that exposure to new ideas will undermine their power, don't respect the people they rule. They don't respect their intelligence; they don't want them to develop intelligence. They only want obedience.

I studied Russian in high school and college and spent some time in what was then called the Soviet Union. Books, movies, music, news, and all kinds of art were heavily censored in Soviet Russia. The leaders wanted to control how their people thought—but it didn't work. The Soviet people knew they were being lied to. They were hungry for new ideas and forbidden books and found ways to gain access to them in the face of huge obstacles. The leadership could not stop them from thinking, no matter how hard it tried. And at last the Soviet regime collapsed. No amount of censorship could keep it going. In the end, censorship is futile.

Adults need to respect the intelligence and sensitivity of young people and allow them access to whatever books they want to read. Yes, words can be powerful; they can make people think. But they can't change who a person fundamentally is. Books cannot turn a good person into a bad person. But they can turn an ignorant person into a thoughtful person. The role of young people in our society is not to obey us blindly or to be who we want them to be. It's to explore who they want to be. They should be allowed to do that exploration freely, and part of that process is access to all kinds of ideas, all kinds of books and people, so they can sort out this crazy world for themselves. They are perfectly capable of doing this without adults controlling everything in their environment. Guidance is fine, but dictating will backfire, just as it did in the Soviet Union.

---

Giveaway

Enter to win a finished copy of HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT and CONFESSIONS OF THE SULLIVAN SISTERS by Natalie Standiford

Rules:

• US Only
• Fill out entry form
• Must leave comment on this post to be eligible to win
• Giveaway ends October 6, 2010 11:59 PM MST

Tell Me What to Read Winner

Thanks for all the awesome suggestions everyone! Random.org picked number 44 which was:

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld suggested by Button


Luckily I've already read Uglies, and I own a copy of Pretties. So, this will be easy-peasy. Want to know what others suggested?

Rebecca/Readerly Person    Soulless by Gail Carriger
Jamie    The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Paula; Tiffany Harkleroad    Jane Slayre by Sherri Browning Erwin and Charlotte Bronte
Shamara    Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught
KMichelleC87    Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Adventures in Children's Publishing    The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Mandi    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Angiegirl    Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
@sbjames    Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff
Taylor    Lamb by Christopher Moore
Chachic    The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Raíla Soares    Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
Christie (The Fiction Enthusiast)    A Spy in the House by Y.S Lee
Alison (Alison Can Read)    The President's Daughter by Ellen Emerson White
erika lynn    Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
sandyg02    Hunger by Michael Grant
Gabrielle    The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams
Caitlin George    Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Gina/GMR    Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick read (review)
Holly    Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Kisha    A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
Stella (Ex Libris)    Promise by Kristie Cook
Page Inman    Beastly by Alex Finn read (review)
Janssen    These is My Words by Nancy Turner
Misha Mathew    The House At Riverton by Kate Morton
Rae Reads    Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
Melissa (Mel's Books and Info)    Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Tanu    Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Kami    The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Alison    Other by Karen Kincy
Faith    This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti
MikeMagpuyo    The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer read (review)
Caroline    The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale read (review)
Nastassia D.    Vintage (A Ghost Story) by Steve Berman
Sam-I-Am    The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Jennifer-Girls Gone Reading    A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
Gamila    Airman by Eoin Colfer
Michelle M    The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness read (review forthcoming)
AngieO    I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
Daniel    Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
throckmorton36    Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Tabitha    The Only Alien On The Planet by Kristen D. Randle
Nastassia D.    Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley
Cass    If I Stay by Gayle Forman

And, I just realized that I forgot to announce a couple blogiversary winners. The winner of the Heather Zahn Gardner giveaway is:

Rosalia

The Hunger Games Charm Bracelet by ColdHandsWarmArt:
Stacey Smith

Library Tote by Gewwybeans:
Throuthehaze

Twilight Tammy Bracelet and Earrings Set:
Mystee

Mistwood Bookmarks:
Caitlin
Melissa @ 1lbr
ChaChic
Kami
Darlyn
Juliana
Tiger Holland
P
Mountie9
Erika Lynn

And that's the end of the contests for now! I'm going to be participating in Got Books? in a few weeks, so be watching for that one!

Now, I'm off to read Pretties!

(By the way, The Provo City Library just announced yesterday that Scott Westerfeld will be headlining their Teen Book Festival in October. I'm SO there!)