2010 Wrap-Up

Jamie at The Perpetual Page Tuner came up with an End of 2010 Survey, and I thought it would be fun to participate! Here's what I've experienced in my reading this year...

1. Best Book of 2010

This is really, really difficult, because I've read so many great books this year. And I'm going to cheat a little and make this the "Best Book I Read in 2010" and say The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

2. Worst Book of 2010

I don't think it's fair to categorize any book this way - just because I didn't like something doesn't mean that someone else didn't enjoy it.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010

I have to say the Nightlight parody by Harvard Lampoon. I love Twilight, but I can enjoy a good parody - there are so many great things that could have been done, but I found this book simply ridiculous rather than amusing.

4. Most Surprising Book (in a good way!) in 2010

This was easily Wildthorn by Jane Eagland. Even though I definitely wanted to read this one, after a few chapters I realized that it wasn't at all as I had been expecting. Still, the more I read, the more lost in the story I was, and it ended up being a great book.

5. Book You Recommended to People Most in 2010

I'm cheating and using the series I recommended the most: The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward, and the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

6. Best Series Discovered in 2010

Along with the two I mentioned above, I'd say the Study Series by Maria V. Snyder and the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I know, I'm quite behind the times!

7. Favorite New Authors of 2010

This is nearly impossible! Once again, I'm bending the question a little...for favorite new author, I'd have to say Andrea Cremer, and for favorite new-to-me author, J. R. Ward.

8. Most Hilarious Read of 2010

Even though the plot of this book wasn't humorous, I'm going to say Solid by Shelley Workinger - I loved the constant sarcasm and jokes of the characters!

9. Most Thrilling Unputdownable Book of 2010

I'm jumping on the bandwagon here - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

10. Book You Anticipated the Most for 2010

Even though I didn't have to wait long for this one, I'd have to say Lover Mine by J. R. Ward. And I'm rather impatiently awaiting March 2011, when Lover Unleashed comes out!

11. Favorite Cover of a Book You read in 2010

There are two - Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, and the re-release cover of If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

12. Most Memorable Character in 2010

These questions are tough! Brothers aside, I'm going to say Valek from the Study Series by Maria V. Snyder and Skeeter Phelan from The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

13. Most Beautifully Written Book in 2010

Hands-down, this would be Erekos by A.M. Tuomala. The prose was absolutely incredible.

14. Book that had the Greatest Impact on You in 2010

I think this would have to be Annexed by Sharon Dogar. The last third of this book was especially heartwrenching.

15. Book You Can't Believe You Waited Until 2010 to Finally Read

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I borrowed it from a friend because I needed something to read on a flight, and I'm glad I did!

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There's my look back at 2010 - there are always so many great books and so little time! I can't wait to see what the books of 2011 have in store!

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer

Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy

Pages: 454

Publication: October 2010
(Philomel)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

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Nightshade is one of those books that got tons of hype around the blogging community before its release, and even more after - and in this case, it was 100% deserved. Although Nightshade is about werewolves, it really has something for everyone - great characters, well-developed setting, fantasy, a little history, and a lot of romance. And look at that cover - is it not beautiful?

Calla has never questioned what life has in store for her - she loves being a Guardian, and the Keepers provide for everything her family could want. She's always done what she should, until she reveals her true nature to save a strange boy from certain death by a bear. Though worried, she thinks nothing will come of the incident - until the boy shows up in her class at the Mountain School the next day. It soon becomes clear that Shay plays a much larger part in her world than Calla ever realized; in fact, her world is not even what she imagined it to be. As she learns more of the Keepers' secrets, she finds herself drawn to Shay; but she is mated to Ren, the alpha male. Throughout the book, the tensions and romances heat up, all coming to a head on Samhain, the day of the union - the day for which nobody is prepared.

The world of Nightshade was excellently created. I loved the blending of actual history with a fantasy world. But more than that, I loved the characters. The Nightshade and Lumine pack members were quite diverse and yet all believable. Calla is definitely a strong, independent character, though not without her flaws and unique traits. And Ren and Shay - how could anyone choose one?

Occasionally parts of the story were a bit confusing, but as the reader learns along with Calla, that is to be expected. And the ending...well, all I can say is that I needed Wolfsbane yesterday.

Nightshade kept me turning page after page, eager for more, with its engaging story, sweet (and sometimes steamy) romance, and imaginative world. Andrea Cremer has a brilliant style, and I cannot wait to read more!

Rating: 5 stars

Teaser Tuesday (16)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:


"I took the box, because deep down I knew what she was saying, even if I didn't know anything about Galileo and knew even less about Oscar Wilde. I was part of all this, whether I wanted to be or not. I couldn't run from it, any more than I could stop the visions.

Now I had to decide what to do about it."


p. 271 from Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

You can see Christin's review of Beautiful Darkness HERE.

Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

Happy Holidays to All!

Winter vacations are such a great time to curl up with a good book and a mug of something warm. Looking back on the past few months, it's hard to believe that Between the Covers has grown so quickly. We just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported our blog, whether through following, visiting, or offering advice and encouragement to two new bloggers. Also, we have some exciting events in store next year that we cannot wait to share with you all!

With that said, we hope that you are finding time to relax, enjoy your holidays, and maybe even do a little reading; and we wish you and yours very happy holidays!

Christin and Louise

Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Pages: 503

Publication: October 2010
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

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Welcome back to Gatlin, where the sweet tea contains a pound of sugar, gossiping is the favorite town activity, and Casters walk alongside Mortals.

I loved returning to the world that Kami and Margaret created in Beautiful Creatures. Everything is so descriptive that the setting truly comes alive when reading. It was also great to see the same cast of characters back - to see how they had changed, and to see how they reacted to the new characters.

The way that the history of the Caster world is woven into the history of Gatlin is brilliant. That things are hidden in plain side, and nothing it what it seems, makes for very interesting reading. Woven with the suspense are moments where the reader gets to learn more about the characters' inner thoughts and feelings. I wondered and worried along with Ethan about how things will work out between him and Lena. I sympathized with Link, who's not over Ridley but suddenly has to see her all the time. Lena has to deal with more than any sixteen-year-old girl should, so while her actions are frustrating (especially through Ethan's eyes) I couldn't help but wonder how I would react in such a situation. And although Liv was new, I couldn't help but be sad with her when she sacrificed not one but two things she wanted to help others.

I will say that part of the middle of the book seemed to drag, but as events began to spiral in the Caster world, the book quickly picked up again. And though some things were predictable, plenty of others were not. Beautiful Darkness shows just that - an even Darker side to the Caster world, while still retaining some aspect of the Light. Even in the Darkness, there is Light, and it is this balance, as well as the blend of Mortal and Caster, that makes Beautiful Darkness such a compelling read.

Given all that unfolded at the end of Beautiful Darkness, I will be impatiently awaiting the third book in the Caster Chronicles!

Rating: 4 stars

Teaser Tuesday (15)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is my teaser:



"'Cassia,' he whispers. 'I am giving you something you won't understand, yet. But I think you will someday. You, more than the rest. And, remember. It's all right to wonder.'"


p. 83 from Matched by Ally Condie

You can see Christin's review of Matched HERE.

Please leave us a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers...post them, or link to your blog.

And the winners for BIR2010 are...

We're so excited to finally announce the winners! Among all the blogs in this event we've given away over 400 books - you can see a complete list on the Best I've Read blog later today. Once again, thank you to everyone who participated and entered this event!

And now, without further ado, the winners are:

Val @ Truth Be Told - SIGNED copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Josie Baker - My Double Life by Janette Rallison, and My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite

Elizabeth L. - SIGNED Fallout & swag

Jeremy West - Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, and Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Jessica M. - Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Belle Decouverte - Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

Taffy L. - The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

msdarcy - The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima, and Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Carolynn H. - SIGNED Julie Kagawa bookplates

Belle Decouverte - SIGNED ARC of Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer

Eli Squared - The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg, and Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Mishel Z. - Everlasting by Angie Frazier

nfmgirl - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Anna Heinemann - Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs, and Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Belle Decouverte - Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Laura H. - Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Beverly Archer - Deception by Lee Nichols, and Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

Lucia Hua - Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Katie Stout - The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Lisa P. - Dust City by Robert Paul Weston, and The Familiars by Adam Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

Candace R. - Erekos by A.M. Tuomala

Autumn Frailey - Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card, and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Theresa M. - Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

PinkStuff28 - International Prize Pack

Jessica M. - Contemporary Prize Pack

Katie P. - Paranormal Prize Pack

And the Between the Coves Grand Prize Pack winner is:

Brooke Anna

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Congratulations and thank you for participating in BIR2010! We look forward to seeing you again next year!

If you have won a book (or books) here, you will by emailed by the end of the day today. Due to the large number of books being given away, as well as the various sources from which they will be shipped, please allow ample time for the books to be shipped and arrive. If you still have not received your book by February 1, then please email us so that we can check the status of your shipment. Thank you for your patience, and congratulations!

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

MATCHED by Ally Condie

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Pages: 366

Publication: November 2010
(Dutton Juvenile)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

These are the words that haunt Cassia, that start to turn her world upside down. She has always been content with the Society, content to follow their plans and rules, grateful for the benefits and security the Society offers. But when she sees a second Match on her microcard, and her grandfather gives her powerful, forbidden words of long-lost poems, all of that begins to change.

Cassia is a sorter by nature (and perhaps by choice of the Society) - she is quick to recognize patterns and/or inconsistencies in data and draw conclusions. Once she gives herself permission to wonder, she starts to question the beliefs that she's held all her life. She begins to wonder what it would be like to have a choice.

Condie's writing style is clear and simple, and that definitely works with this story. The reader is quickly drawn into Cassia's world, learning, questioning, and growing along with her. Cassia's emotions definitely transferred from the page, making me want to rage, run, cry, and savor with her. In addition, I enjoyed learning about all of the characters, who all had their own unique traits and talents despite the Society's attempts to equalize everyone and everything.

And then there's the love triangle between Cassia, Xander, and Ky. I have to say that the development of these relationships seemed a little unbelievable, though I'm not sure whether that was because the descriptions were so very chaste or because of the context in which these relationships had to develop. Nevertheless, I'll be very curious to see how this plays out in the next books - for Cassia, it will definitely be a choice between more than just two people she loves.

The ending of Matched definitely left me wanting more. I will be impatiently waiting for Crossed, the sequel!

Rating: 4 stars

In My Mailbox (16)

We're very excited to be part of the many blogs who participate in In My Mailbox! IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, so be sure to check out her blog to find out more details and see what other blogs are participating!

Each week we will post books (or book-related things) that we've bought, checked out from the library, won in contests, or received in the mail.

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For review:




Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Received courtesy of Harper Teen via Netgalley





Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Received courtesy of Harper Teen via Netgalley


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Christin's Mailbox:

In honor of Jane Austen's birthday this past week, many stores offered both e-books of her novels, as well as various spinoffs, for free. I went a little download-happy and now have lots of reading to do (like I didn't have enough already)!










The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange
What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown
The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview
Two Shall Become One: Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Sharon Latham
Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken


And I bought one other book - this one was long overdue.



Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl


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So what did you get this week? Please leave us a comment letting us know and link to your own IMM post!

Book Blog Hop (9)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books. In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So visit Crazy-for-Books to grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list there!

This week's question:

"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

This is hard! I usually choose books based on the plot, but it is the characters that keep me reading and make me love the book. I will say, though, that it's much easier to overlook a weak plot if the characters are well-developed than it is to overlook poor character development, no matter how exciting the plot is. To be really great, a book needs both an engaging plot and compelling characters.

Happy Hopping!

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

IF I STAY by Gayle Forman

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Pages: 234

Publication: April 2009
(Dutton Juvenile)

Source: Bought


Goodreads Summary: In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

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I heard so many good things about this book, and I was not disappointed. This book was beautifully crafted, by turns amusing, poignant, and touching.

If I Stay shows Mia throughout the course of a day while she’s in a coma. Told in a mixture of present events and various flashbacks, the reader follows Mia’s thoughts as she tries to decide the most important question — will she stay?

The narrative is completely engaging. Even though times and events are not always clearly delineated, the story is never confusing, and the fluctuation fits the character and story very well. Each event recounted was important to Mia’s decision, fully creating her world, her family, and her life. I especially liked how even the minor characters were given their own scene, their own place in Mia’s memories.

As a musician, I loved that Mia was a cellist, and I loved the juxtaposition of classical artists with rock bands. Mia has a passion for music, but she is truly in love with her boyfriend—but he is also a musician and pursuing his own career. This is always a problem for musicians, so this issue really hit home. But even though there are musical references throughout, it doesn’t take a musician to appreciate the book. The characters are all relatable, and the lessons that Mia learns are applicable to many situations.

Because of the nature of this book, I’m not sure that saying I loved is it the right expression, but it is truly a wonderful book. Moreover, it offers lots of food for thought amidst a well-written narrative. I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, Where She Went, due out in February next year. Gayle Forman delivered a compelling book and one that will stick with me.

Rating: 4.5 stars

BIR2010 Wrap-Up

Best I've Read 2010 has come to an end. We'd just like to take a moment to thank everyone who has made this event a success: the authors and publishers who donated books, swag, and time to do interviews and guest posts; Cindy at Books Complete Me for developing and organizing this event; and you, our followers, for taking the time to visit the blogs, read the posts and enter our giveaways.

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If you have missed any of this event's posts, below is a complete list.

~ SIGNED Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
~ My Double Life by Janette Rallison and My Ridiculous, Romantic Obessions by Becca Wilhite
~ SIGNED Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
~ Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson and Rot and Ruin by James Maberry
~ Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
~ Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst
~ The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
~ The Exiled Queen by Cinda Chima and Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
~ SIGNED bookplates from Julie Kagawa
~ SIGNED ARC of Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer
~ The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg and The Unwritten Rule OR Grace by Elizabeth Scott
~ Everlasting by Angie Frazier
~ The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
~ Forgive my Fins by Tera Lynn Childs and Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
~ Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton - International
~ Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
~ Deception by Lee Nichols and Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
~ Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
~ The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
~ Dust City by Robert Paul Weston and The Familiars by Adam Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
~ Erekos by A.M. Tuomala - International
~ Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
~ Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
~ Paranormal and Contemporary Prize Packs
~ International Grand Prize
~ Between the Covers Grand Prize Giveaway

A note about the giveaways: All giveaways end December 15 at midnight. Winners will be announced by December 20, but prizes will not be mailed until after the holidays. Because many of these books are being sent by authors and/or publishers, please be patient and allow time for these prizes to be mailed and arrive.

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Thank you all for making BIR2010 a success! We will see you all next year!

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY - Between the Covers - BIR2010

These books were all chosen as part of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer


Nightshade
By: Andrea Cremer
Published by: Philomel / Penguin
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

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Firelight by Sophie Jordan


Firelight
By: Sophie Jordan
Published by: Harper Teen
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide

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13 to Life by Shannon Delany


13 to Life
By: Shannon Delany
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent—he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid…

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Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready


Shade
By: Jeri Smith-Ready
Published by: Simon Pulse
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

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No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon


No Mercy
By: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Live fast, fight hard and, if you have to die, then take as many of your enemies with you as you can. That is the Amazon credo and it was one Samia lived and died by. Now in contemporary New Orleans, the immortal Amazon warrior is about to learn that there’s a worse evil coming to slaughter mankind than she’s ever faced before.

Shapeshifter Dev Peltier has stood guard at the front of Sanctuary for almost two hundred years and in that time, he’s seen it all. Or so he thought. Now their enemies have discovered a new source of power--one that makes a mockery of anything faced to date.

The war is on and Dev and Sam are guarding ground zero. But in order to win, they will have to break the most cardinal of all rules and pray it doesn’t unravel the universe as we know it.

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Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus


Shadow Hills
By: Anastasia Hopcus
Published by: Egmont USA
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

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Intrinsical by Lani Woodland


Intrinsical
By: Lani Woodland
Published by: Pendrell Publishing
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly.

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to offer this Grand Prize Giveaway here on Between the Covers. This giveaway will include the following books and swag:

- 1 SIGNED copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
- 1 SIGNED ARC of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
- 1 SIGNED copy of Firelight by Sophie Jordan
- 1 SIGNED copy of Limited Edition Book 2 by Shannon Delany
- 1 copy of Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
- 1 copy of No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon
- 1 SIGNED Shadow Hills poster from Anastasia Hopcus
- Name to be used in the upcoming novel by Lani Woodland

Open to US addresses only.

In the interest of fairness and sharing the wealth, if you enter and win this giveaway, your entry in the giveaway for the contemporary and paranormal prize packs will be forfeit. This will in no way affect your entries in the other event giveaways.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY - Book Spotlights - BIR2010

These books were all chosen as part of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens


Penitence
By: Jennifer Laurens
Published by: Grove Creek Publishing
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Seeing good and evil spirits is a gift Zoe guards with her life.
Despite her guardian angel's disappearance, Zoe forces herself to accept that she still has a purpose-but how does she carry the weight of her brother's drug abuse, the hardship of living with an autistic sister, and a best friend who's obsessed with a guy who only wants Zoe?

She's never felt more alone.

When a mysterious spirit appears, Zoe thinks she has a new guardian angel. Instead, her brother's addiction worsens, her parents are on the brink of separation, and her best friend tries to kill her. The spirit she thinks is her new guardian isn't there to protect her: he's out to destroy her family and seize Zoe's soul. . . for Hell.

Will Matthias' return mean that he is Zoe's guardian angel again? Or is their love the reason the jaws of Hell now gape open?

Absolution by Jennifer Laurens


Absolution
By: Jennifer Laurens
Published by: Grove Creek Publishing
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Zoe’s secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell’s most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.

Albert, Matthias’ father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.

The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she’s brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

Penitence and Absolution are the second and third books of the Heavenly trilogy. We are also featuring Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens, the first book in this trilogy.


Heavenly
By: Jennifer Laurens
Published by: Grove Creek Publishing
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

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White Cat by Holly Black


White Cat
By: Holly Black
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry / Simon & Schuster
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to be able to offer an international prize pack! The books included in this giveaway are:

- 1 copy of Heavenly OR Penitence OR Absolution (winner’s choice of one [1] of the listed books) by Jennifer Laurens
- 1 copy of Erekos by A.M. Tuomala
- 1 SIGNED copy of White Cat by Holly Black

Open to addresses outside the US only.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

GIVEAWAY - Book Spotlights and Prize Packs - BIR2010

These books were all chosen as part of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare


Clockwork Angel
By: Cassandra Clare
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry / Simon & Schuster
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

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Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink


Guardian of the Gate
By: Michelle Zink
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants: There's also Lia's boyfriend James.

Lia and Alice always knew the Prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.

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The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff


The Replacement
By: Brenna Yovanoff
Published by: Penguin
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

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Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber


Once in a Full Moon
By: Ellen Schreiber
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.

Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.

Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon.

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Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin


Extraordinary
By:Nancy Werlin
Published by: Dial / Penguin
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself?

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Matched by Ally Condie


Matched
By: Ally Condie
Published by: Dutton Juvenile
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins


Anna and the French Kiss
By: Stephanie Perkins
Published by: Dutton Juvenile
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We are very excited to have one (1) copy of each of these books, as well as extra copies of other books from this event, to give away! We have divided them as follows:

Paranormal Prize Pack
- 1 copy of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
- 1 copy of Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
- 1 copy of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
- 1 copy of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
- 1 copy of Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

Contemporary Prize Pack
- 1 copy of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
- 1 copy of Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
- 1 copy of Matched by Ally Condie
- 1 copy of Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
- 1 copy of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

These ten (10) books have been divided into two (2) giveaways for five (5) books each. Our two (2) winners...one (1) for each prize pack...will be chosen by random.org.

In the interest of fairness and sharing the wealth, if you enter and win the Between the Covers Grand Prize, that will negate your entry for this giveaway. However, winning either of these prize packs will in no way affect your entries in the rest of the event's giveaways.

Open to US addresses only.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

GIVEAWAY - Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry - BIR2010

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Beautiful Darkness
By: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

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Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.


Secondhand Charm
By: Julie Berry
Published by: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
In a secluded village, magic sparkles on the edges of the forest. There, a young girl named Evie possesses unusually strong powers as a healer. A gypsy's charms—no more than trinkets when worn by others—are remarkably potent when Evie ties them around her neck. Her talents, and charms, have not escaped the notice of the shy stonemason's apprentice. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next-door. When the young king's carriage arrives one day, and his footman has fallen ill, Evie might just get her chance after all . . .

Berry's debut novel garnered glowing reviews and strong sales—and now she's done it again with a beautifully woven tale to keep all readers, young and old, absolutely charmed.

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have one (1) copy of Beautiful Darkness, and one (1) copy of Secondhand Charm to give away. This giveaway is for two (2) books, and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

Open to US addresses only.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

GIVEAWAY - Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card, and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Deception
By: Orson Scott Card
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Author Website)
Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg's strange talent for seeing the paths of people's pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him -- secrets about Rigg's own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.

Rigg's birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent . . . or forfeit control of his destiny.

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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

The Scorch Trials
By: James Dashner
Published by: Delacourte Books for Young Readers
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have one (1) copy of Pathfinder, and one (1) copy of The Scorch Trials to give away. This giveaway is for two (2) books, and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

Open to US addresses only.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY - Erekos - A. M. Tuomala - BIR2010

Erekos by A.M. Tuomala was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Erekos
By: A. M. Tuomala
Publisher: Candlemark & Gleam
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
For three hundred years, Erekos and Weigenland have fought to hold the borderland between the two nations. As the first storms of the flood season scour Erekos from the swamplands to the feet of the mountains, the Erekoi king discovers a dangerous new weapon that might be able to end the war: the witch Achane, who has raised her sister from the dead.

Achane and her sister, dragged apart on the very doorstep of a temple, must work to find each other again before the magic that binds them also kills them. In the process, Achane must overcome her grief—and the temptation of the king's plans for Erekos.

Meanwhile, on the mountainous border between the two warring lands, the student Erlen finds his research interrupted by the encroaching conflict. Driven by a militant love for this neutral territory and its people, he determines to defend his newfound homeland at any cost.

In a land where gods walk the earth and myth manifests along the rivers and in the mountains, ordinary men and women must fight to make their own stories before the war unwrites them all.

You can read Christin's review of Erekos here.

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~ ~ ~ INTERVIEW ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have A.M. Tuomala with us today! She was truly awesome, and answered some questions for us when she stopped by BtC. Take a few moments to learn more about this wonderful author.

1. Erekos is definitely unique it its story and blended style. What inspired you to write this book? How did the idea take shape?

My stories always start with setting; I built these two nations and mapped out their geography, structured their religions and tried to understand their history and their political conflicts. Once I had cultures in which to situate a story, I could then start to examine the lives of ordinary people within them. At that early stage, I was interested in border states, and what it meant to exist on the edge--mountain lands between warring nations, a woman halfway between life and death, edges of desperation and madness. Originally, I was planning to make Achane and Erlen oppositional forces (a necromancer and a vivomancer) and to direct the plotline toward their meeting and conflict; however, I quickly realized as I was writing that two of them had a great deal in common, and moreover, that the commonalities between them extended to the rest of the cast. The story ceased to be one of opposition, and instead became a story of how all of the characters negotiated the borderlands between their power to sustain life and their power to bring death.

2. There is little dialogue in this book, and yet the reader knows the characters are communicating. What was the reason for this stylistic choice?

Partially the low dialogue arises from the combinations of characters; often, one of the characters in a two-character scene will not speak. Shabane doesn't speak because she can't, Carisica because she won't, Achane because she refuses to speak to the king. In a world where the magical systems are so strongly verbal, the choice to speak or not to speak is often an exertion of power--when Achane does speak to the king, it's to interrogate or accuse him. In the same way, though, speaking can create vulnerability; Erlen and Jeiger, for example, speak to demonstrate their trust in one another.

On a stylistic level, though, I'm partially pastiching eighteenth-century novels, which are often a bit maddening about quotation marks and dialogue tags. These novels frequently have intrusive narrators who comment on the social foibles of the characters, and in that capacity, they will even take narrative control over the characters' speech, so that it becomes difficult to separate paraphrase from direct quotation. I chose this mode because, in contrast to the default "medieval" fantasy setting, this world fits much more nearly between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries--there are steamboats and clocks and coal mining; all that's wanting are guns.

3. Your characters so easily inspire empathy: I wanted to reach out to the Erekoi queen; when reading about Erlen and Jeiger I couldn't help but smile; and anyone who has suffered loss can sympathize with Achane. Is there a character that you relate to more than the others??

I relate very strongly to Gamela--the other characters have violence and lightning and mystical ceremonies in the depth of a thunderstorm, but Gamela's a much more solid sort of person. She's been given a task that she doesn't know how to perform, one which pits her against not only her own rural inexperience of the world outside but also against the very head of her nation's government. Naturally, all of this daunts her and terrifies her. Faced with the impossibility of what she's trying to accomplish, though, she faces each challenge one at a time, chipping away slowly at her tasks until she's made headway. I deeply empathize with this response, low-key as it is; to me, it feels far more true than any of the grander emotional arcs within the novel.

4. Shabane is not a typical zombie. How did her characteristics come to be?

Some of Shabane's characteristics derive from my curiosity regarding the zombi lore of Vodou; of particular interest to me is the relationship between the soul--or one of many animating spirits within the person--and the body, in that mythos. I'm also fascinated by the relationship between the person who commands and/or raises the zombi and the person compelled to become the zombi, which is a much more nuanced relationship in the Vodou tradition than in your average shambling-zombie flick. However, as a non-practitioner, I didn't want to disrespect or appropriate this complex belief system and to pass it off as my own. Therefore, instead, I took my concerns with the body/soul, sorcerer/zombi relationship and placed them within the Erekoi mythological and magical system I'd created. What emerges there is a strangely sympathetic zombi: raised in the name of gods who are focused on sustaining life, and kept alive by the love of her sister, Shabane isn't a body without a soul or a self. In many ways, she's almost a soul without a body--the part of her that is Shabane is just a witness to the experiences that her decaying body undergoes.

5. What are some books that you've read that made a lasting impression on you?

As a reader, I'll always be indebted to Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn and Terry Pratchett's Small Gods. They opened me up to how stories are told and consumed and retold, and how believing makes stories meaningful. As a writer, I've learned a great deal from reading Dostoevsky--he has a marked skill at writing milieux, the intersections between people and places and cultures, with such vividity and deftness that I can only envy his abilities. Pat Barker's Regeneration is particularly striking, for me, as an example of how to write about characters first and plot second; Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has some of the most compelling world-building I've ever seen.

6. What are some little-known facts about you?

I grew up on an ostrich farm; I'm mad for art nouveau; I learned to solder for reasons involving nasturtiums.

7. Are you working on any new projects that you would like to tell us about?

I know that I really ought to be writing a sequel to Erekos, but on a whim, I've started writing something else entirely. It's a steampunk Russian family drama, with a lesbian dragonslayer and a theology student solving academic mysteries.

8. Is there anything else you would like your readers to know?

I'd like them to know how very grateful I am for the time they've invested in my story, however they felt about it by the end--it might be difficult to write, but it's difficult to read, too; it means taking the time to open yourself to someone else's stories, not knowing whether they'll make you afraid or sad or hopeful (or bored, or disappointed). For everyone who's given me that time, thank you.

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have one (1) copy of Erekos to give away. The winner will be chosen by random.org.

Open internationally.

Erekos is available as an e-book only (ePub, PDF, Mobi).

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY - Dust City by Robert Paul Weston, and The Familiars by Andrew Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

Dust City
By: Robert Paul Weston
Publisher: Razorbill
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Simon & Schuster)
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City; a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf?

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The Familiars by Andrew Epstein and Andrew Jacobson was chosen as one of our Best I've Read 2010 selections.

The Familiars
By: Andrew Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
Published by: HarperCollins
Author website

Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
Is the kingdom's fate in the hands of an orphan cat?

Running fast to save his life, Aldwyn ducks into an unusual pet store. Moments later Jack, a young wizard in training, comes in to choose a magical animal to be his familiar. Aldwyn's always been clever. But magical? Jack thinks so and Aldwyn is happy to play along.

He just has to convince the other familiars the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert that he's the powerful cat he claims to be.

Then the unthinkable happens. Jack and two other young wizards are captured by the evil queen of Vastia.

On a thrilling quest to save their loyals, the familiars face dangerous foes, unearth a shocking centuries-old secret, and discover a destiny that will change Vastia forever. Their magical adventure an irresistible blend of real heart, edge-of-your-seat action, and laugh-out-loud humor is an unforgettable celebration of fantasy and friendship.

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~ ~ ~ INTERVIEW ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have Andrew Epstein and Andrew Jacobson with us today! Please take a moment to learn more about these authors.

1. What is your favorite quote?

Andrew - "The time is always right to do what is right." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Adam - Me Fail English? That's Unpossible. Ralph Wiggum

2. If you were a super hero what would your kryptonite be?

Andrew - Exceedingly spicy food

Adam - Rain

3. You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?

Adam - Dinner for my wife at restaurant of her choosing

4. What do you do in your free time?

Andrew - Hang with my wife and dog

Adam - Go to Birthday parties with my daughters

5. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

Andrew - Predictably Predictable

Adam- You Can Always Get What You Want

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~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~

We're very excited to have one (1) copy of Dust City, and one (1) copy of The Familiars to give away. This giveaway is for two (2) books, and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

Open to US & Canada addresses only.

OPEN TO BLOG FOLLOWERS ONLY.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2010 at 12:00 midnight EST.

Please fill out this form to enter.