Waiting on Wednesday: Movie Edition!!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

Today I've decided to shake things up just a bit. Instead of showcasing a book I'm dying to read (and believe me, there are plenty!), I decided to turn the spotlight on a movie I seriously can't wait to see. And I know I'm not alone. So today, enjoy the tiny teaser revealed on the VMAs just this past Sunday. Yep, I'm talking about...

The Hunger Games - 2012

Even though this teaser was pretty lame (I mean, not one shot of Peeta or Gale? Not even one?!), it still got me all excited for March 2012 to roll around. How about you? Are you as excited as I am for this one?

Tune in Tuesday (5)

Today it is once again time for Tune in Tuesdays, a really cool meme created by my friend Ginger (or "G" as I like to call her!) over at GReads! This is a super fun meme that is filled with all sorts of music sure to give you a boost of energy and make you smile.

And right now, Ginger has taken it once step further by running a Tune in Tuesdays: 90s edition! How awesome is that?! Music from the 90s was some of the best (esp. to those of us old enough to remember it as it happened!), and I'm so stoked about Tuesdays now! So please, head over to her blog and join in the fun, and enjoy my choice from the 90s this week...

Blaze of Glory - Bon Jovi

One of my favorite songs ever. I don't know about you, but I can't help but jam any time I hear this song. It just pulses with excitement and energy and makes you wanna jump around like a crazy person! (no offense to crazy people...but you guys jump around a lot. just sayin')

Monday Must Reads...ENTHRALLED!

Monday Must Reads! is a feature I created to showcase books that I think you, well, Must Read (ha!).

Today's selection is a compilation of short stories from some of YA's biggest names (think Jeri Smith-Ready & Carrie Ryan just to name a couple). I've only just begun this one (thanks to my pal, Ginger!), but so far these stories are awesome. So be sure to pick up a copy of...


Enthralled
By Various Authors

product description from goodreads.com

A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.

Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new land-scapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart.

Suspenseful, funny, or romantic, the stories in Enthralled will leave you moved.

Like I said, I've only just begun this short story collection, but so far I'm loving it! I recommend you snag a copy today!

When life throws you lemons...throw them back!

So we all know about stress, yes? In some form or other, we deal with it on a daily basis. Stress from family, stress from coworkers, stress from the J.O.B. (which is the worst kind of stress ever, because we have to work!) No matter the source, stress is there. Constant, relentless, ready to destroy. Do we let it? Sometimes.

But most often, we do our best to cope. We find ways to relieve said stress, whether it be quiet time, yoga, murder. Okay, so that last one is only a select group of social outcasts, but still, I'm sure they were stressed (not that I'm saying it's okay to murder someone because you're stressed--or ever, really. Oy. Moving on.) Someone even created a nifty little graphic to show you some various things to try when you get overstressed. See?


Now, I know there are things on there you won't do (like smoking, drinking, gambling?), but there is some stuff on there that sounds good to me (like eating, hobbying, shopping!).

The point being...don't let stress get you down. Don't let those crazy, frantic motorists make you want to run them off the road, or that rude cashier in the checkout line make you want to toss your cookies...in her face. No, definitely don't do that. Instead, pick something from the list and give it a shot. Listen to music, exercise (ugh), or Read (yes)!


And if none of those things make it any better, you can always try this:

And remember...When life throws you lemons, don't make lemonade. Pick up those lemons and throw them right back!

Waiting on Wednesday: ETERNAL STARLING!!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

Today I'm sharing some more love for my pal Angela Corbett. In case you didn't catch it yesterday (or Monday, or Sunday), the cover for Angela's upcoming YA debut has been revealed, and it's gorgeous. I mean, really. Beautiful. It's one of those I-can't-wait-to-hold-it-and-touch-it-and-swoon-over-it covers that we all know and love. And I'm sure you all are gonna agree once you see it. So here it is...




Eternal Starling
By Angela Corbett
pub date 12/6/2011

product description from goodreads.com


Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.


For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie—but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society—the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance—the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.



Come on, isn't that just plain awesome? Beautiful color choices, beautiful model, that whole antique, ethereal quality? Outstanding!

Normally I don't include the author's photo in my WoW posts, but since Angela just had some new ones taken (and since they're just as beautiful as this cover), I thought I'd give it a shout out, too. See...

Told you it was pretty!

Now all we need to do is figure out a way to teleport ourselves to December 6th. So start brainstorming!

Tune in Tuesday (4)

Today it is once again time for Tune in Tuesdays, a really cool meme created by my friend Ginger (or "G" as I like to call her!) over at GReads! This is a super fun meme that is filled with all sorts of music sure to give you a boost of energy and make you smile.

And right now, Ginger has taken it once step further by running a Tune in Tuesdays: 90s edition! How awesome is that?! Music from the 90s was some of the best (esp. to those of us old enough to remember it as it happened!), and I'm so stoked about Tuesdays now! So please, head over to her blog and join in the fun, and enjoy my choice from the 90s this week...

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

This is another one that just stays with you after you hear it. It instantly takes me back to the 90s, and to all the times I would crank up the volume in my car and just jam out to this song...love it!

A couple things...

First off, thanks for stopping by! You guys are truly the best.

Okay, so today I wanted to give a little love to my friend Angela Corbett on the reveal of the stupendously awesome book cover for her YA debut, Eternal Starling. The wonderful Krista at Cubicle Blindness hosted the reveal yesterday, and I must say that this cover is Gorgeous with a capital G! Beautiful colors, hues, fonts...this one has it all! Didn't see it yesterday? No fear, here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Isn't that outstanding? I just love it, truly. Makes me want to read the book even more than I already did (yeah, I'm a bit of a cover nerd)! And be sure to pre-order your copy of Eternal Starling right here.

Also, I had the esteemed pleasure of being interviewed by Black Fox Literary Magazine, and they posted the interview on their site today. Wanna check it out? Great! You can do that here!

And lastly, my publisher sent a mock up of the cover for Blood Born, and I must say I am liking where it's going. I hope to have a finished product to show you guys really soon, so be watching!

TGIF over at GReads!

The awesomeness that is Ginger (or G, as I like to call her) over at GReads! has created a great meme that is tons of fun. Each Friday, she poses a question for anyone to answer. Go check her out and join in!

This Friday's Question:

The Reviews We Don't Write:

Have you ever read a book and
not wanted to review it?
Are some books too personal that we
want to keep our thoughts our own?

I tell ya G, you should've been a reporter. You have a knack for asking the tough questions! This one, I have to admit, is a toughie for me. I haven't been reviewing books that long, and you could probably add up the amount of times I've written reviews on both hands. That being said, there is one book that in no way would I ever try to write a review for, and that book is

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

As I've mentioned on this blog time and time again, To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite book. EVER. It's eloquently, masterfully written in a timeless way that somehow manages to still surprise me over and over. It's sad and happy and gut-wrenching and heart-breaking and every other adjective you can think of all rolled into one. I just love it.

And I'm also no moron. I wouldn't even attempt to write a review for this masterpiece of art. I would have to write a book review every day for at least 20 years to feel qualified enough to even try, and I probably still wouldn't have what it would take to convey what this book has inside its pages. So no, this is one review that will never be written--at least not by me!

Review: EDEN by Keary Taylor

EDEN
By Keary Taylor
page count 408
Release date: 6/6/2011


product description from goodreads.com

Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality.

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.

The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.


My Review:

please note: This review was written before the book was made into a trilogy, so the title and some information has since been changed.

EDEN marks yet another great self-published book by a truly talented author. This book tells the story of Eve and a group of humans struggling to survive in the chaos of a technological outbreak. The human race has been plagued by an Infection of technology, turning almost everyone into The Fallen--cybernetic monsters hell-bent on spreading their "disease".

From the very beginning, Eve is presented as strong, independent and loyal. But as the pages progress (and they do oh-so-well), we learn things about Eve that changes the reader's perception of her (in a good way). I'm not going to give anything away here for the sake of those who have yet to read it, but know that Eve is a brilliantly written character who struggles with the same issues all of us do...even in the midst of unimaginable circumstances. One of the issues she faces? Choosing between Avian and West.

Oh yes, Avian and West. Two guys who love Eve more than anything. One saved her, one is the only connection to her past. Both fill her heart and help her discover things about herself she never knew. Of course there is a love triangle (it's YA!), but please don't let that deter you (I know some people despise them, but I happen to enjoy the triangle!). This one is so touching and realistic that you can't help but feel for both guys and Eve all at once. Which will she choose? The caring, protective Avian, or the vibrant, loyal West? You'll have to read it to find out. And just so you'll have as hard a decision to make as Eve does, here's what the author imagines these two look like.

First up, Avian



Ahem.

And of course, West.



Ahem again.

So, you can clearly see Eve's dilemma, yes? Add into that fighting The Fallen, struggling with her own inner issues, and trying to save the world, and you'll be amazed that Eve has enough sense to wake up in the mornings.

And here's another really cool pic created by the author (she's super-talented at not only writing, but graphics as well. I mean, did you see the book's cover? To. Die. For.) She went so far as to imagine an actual movie poster for EDEN, and I can easily picture it hanging in theaters across the globe. I only hope that someone in Hollywood gets a copy of this book and reads it, because I would love to see this as a movie!

Isn't that awesome! Love it.

My Rating:

As I said at the beginning of this review, EDEN is a self-published title by a superbly talented author. But in my opinion, it ranks right up there with other traditionally published YA dystopians like Divergent with it's unique, clever plot, strong female heroine, and swoon-worthy guys--only proving once again that the publishing world is a-changin'. I'm not going to give anything away, but I am beyond happy to give EDEN 4 stars, and I urge you all to order a copy and join Eve in her fight against The Fallen!

Waiting on Wednesday: PANDEMONIUM!!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

This week's selection is one I know you all are waiting just as eagerly for. The cover was just revealed a few weeks ago, and I love it...makes me want the book even more. So, if you haven't already, please go add to your TBR lists my WoW this week,...


PANDEMONIUM
By Lauren Oliver
Pub date 3/6/2012

product description from goodreads.com


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

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

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



Just reading the names Lena and Alex gets me all excited! I can't hardly wait until March so I can jump back into the wonderful world Lauren Oliver created and stay there for as long as I can!

Tune in Tuesday (3)

Today it is once again time for Tune in Tuesdays, a really cool meme created by my friend Ginger (or "G" as I like to call her!) over at GReads! This is a super fun meme that is filled with all sorts of music sure to give you a boost of energy and make you smile.

And right now, Ginger has taken it once step further by running a Tune in Tuesdays: 90s edition! How awesome is that?! Music from the 90s was some of the best (esp. to those of us old enough to remember it as it happened!), and I'm so stoked about Tuesdays now! So please, head over to her blog and join in the fun, and enjoy my choice from the 90s this week...

More Than Words - Extreme

This is one of those songs that just takes you back, you know? Excellent harmonies, long-haired musicians, a cool black-and-white video...what more could you ask for from a 90s hit? Hope you enjoy!

Monday Must Reads...EDEN by Keary Taylor!

Monday Must Reads! is a feature I created to showcase books that I think you, well, Must Read (ha!). And today, I truly have a Must. It's YA (of course), dystopian (love!) and oh yeah, it's self-published (awesome!).

I'm sure most of you have never heard of it, but I honestly have a feeling you will...There's just no way that a book this good can stay hidden for long! Please, feast your eyes on...

EDEN
By Keary Taylor

product description from goodreads.com


Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality.



In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.



The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.



Sounds great, right? Trust me, it is. I actually have a review I'll be posting on Thursday, so swing back by for that (it has some really great photos I know you all will like!). And go here to order your copy of this outstanding book!

HUNTED Release Week Wrap-Up!!

Hello all, and welcome to the final day of HUNTED Release Week!! for my friend DJ DeSmyter's debut novel, HUNTED! It's been such a fun, exciting week, and my esteemed pleasure to help promote DJ's book. DJ, congrats once again on a job well done!

And I must give a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by this week, offering your congrats to DJ...you all are the BEST!

And now, to wrap up HUNTED Release Week, I'll announce the winner of a signed copy of DJ's book, HUNTED!

Via random.org, the winner is...

Mandie Baxter!!

Congrats Mandie!! I'm so happy you finally won one of my giveaways! =)
Please, email me your mailing address, and I will get your book out to you ASAP!


Again, thank you to everyone who stopped by and helped celebrate HUNTED's release! If you didn't win, that's okay, right? You can still go HERE to buy a copy...and be sure to stop by often, because you never know when I'll throw in a giveaway!

Interview with debut YA author, DJ DeSmyter!

Today is Day 4 of HUNTED Release Week!! for my friend DJ DeSmyter's YA debut novel, HUNTED! DJ is an awesome guy who I've gotten to know over the past several months, and I couldn't be more excited for his book's release.

And lucky for us, DJ was nice enough to do a quick mini-interview for the blog today. So please, say hello to DJ and enjoy (and be sure to read all the way through, because there's a chance you could win a copy of Hunted!!)

Welcome to my blog, DJ! So nice to have you here. First off, congrats on becoming a published author! I'm a ways behind you on that road and I'm on cloud nine right now, so I can imagine how great it must be! Tell me, how has being a published author changed your life?

Thanks for the warm welcome! :) My life hasn’t really changed much, except now I can go into a bookstore and be like, “Hey, you, you should read my book.” I now also think I should be exempt from the required composition courses I have to take in college, but I don’t think the school would agree with me on this.

I agree. I think you should write a strongly-worded letter to the board! :) I have been lucky enough to read HUNTED, and I must say I loved it. I'm a bit of a paranormal junkie, so it was right up my alley! But I must ask...were you concerned about writing for a genre that many claim is "on its last leg" (meaning YA paranormal)?

I’m so happy to hear that you loved it! A few other bloggers have told me the same thing and it just blows my mind!

I never set out to write YA paranormal-love stories because they are/were popular. It’s always been a genre I’ve loved, so when I began novel-writing, I couldn’t imagine myself writing anything else. But yeah, I was concerned and in some ways still am. I mean, no one wants their book to get lost in the shuffle. The good thing is there will always be readers who will continue reading these types of stories—and I’m one of them. So, I guess I’ll always have one reader/fan, haha.

I agree--there WILL always be readers who continue to read paranormal (lucky for us)! Your blog (which I love, btw) is filled with YA book reviews. Do you think your love of books/reviewing books helped get you to where you are now?

My love of reading has helped in countless ways. The best advice I can give to aspiring writers is to read and read and read. And re-read books, too. Re-read them and look at the way the author organized their words, how they revealed character traits and maintained the drama and suspense. My love of reading has introduced me to so many amazing authors and I’m always learning from them, even though they don’t know it, haha.

My blog has definitely helped me get to where I am now, as well. I have learned so much about the publishing industry through the community and I’ve made so many friends. I made my blog with the intention of getting my name out there and I do think it has helped because I’ve established a base for myself. I don’t think I’d have as many people interested in reading Hunted as I do now if I were just getting to know my way around the blogosphere, you know?

Oh I agree 100%. I'm relatively new to the blogosphere (a little over a year) so I know exactly what you mean! So tell us, what's next for DJ as far as writing? Any books in the works you can share with us here?

I’m currently working on a new idea that is not related to Hunted and it’s one I’m really excited about. It started off a bit rocky, but I think I’m finally finding my footing with it. I don’t talk about my projects while they’re in the works, though, so that’s all you’re getting! :)

And finally, the go-to question I ask all interviewees... If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one book to read, which would it be and why?

Oh, dear, this is a hard question to answer. If I could only have one book to read it would be—and I’m going to get a lot of flack for this—Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. As many know, this is the book that inspired me to start writing stories, so I owe a lot to this book and to Ms. Meyer.

I have to admit, that may be the one I would choose, too (or To Kill A Mockingbird)...so don't let the flack get you down!

Thanks so much DJ...you rock! I'm telling you guys, you're gonna love Hunted. And lucky for you, DJ has been kind enough to give away a signed copy!! All you need to do is comment on this post and tell me what one book you read this summer that I simply MUST read. Though I don't offer extra points, feel free to spread the word! I'll use random.org to pick a winner and announce it tomorrow (sorry, US only)!

(sort of) Waiting on Wednesday: HUNTED!!

Welcome to Day 3 of HUNTED Release Week!!, celebrating the debut novel HUNTED, written by my friend (and all-around-great-guy) DJ DeSmyter! Thank you all for stopping by!

Today, of course, is Waiting on Wednesday, created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a place for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on, and this week's selection should be pretty easy to figure out. Right? You guessed it...my WoW pick this week is...



HUNTED
By DJ DeSmyter
pub date Yesterday!!

product description from goodreads.com



Seventeen-year-old Lily Atwater has always kept to herself, living a lonely life with her workaholic dad. Not the most thrilling life, but it’s quiet and ordinary, two things she’s come to expect from living in Victor Hills, Michigan.

When kind and mysterious Alex takes refuge in her home, she is suddenly thrown into his world of werewolves, a world he wants to keep her safe from. But while the two of them grow closer, a relentless hunter continues his search, stalking the woods with hopes of catching the wolf that got away…




I know it's a bit weird that I chose HUNTED, a book that has already been released. But remember, this is my HUNTED Release Week Celebration!!, so naturally I couldn't sneak another book in here. But look at the bright side, you don't have to wait on this one...you can run out and buy a copy today!!

Teaser Tuesday...and Happy Release Day DJ!!

Today is day 2 in my HUNTED Release Week!! Thanks everyone for stopping by...I hope you enjoy this teaser, and I wanna give a HUGE congratulations to DJ on the release of HUNTED. Happy Release Day, DJ!!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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!

Dodging a bullet, I moved to my right and my tail brushed Christian's back. I stole a quick glance and saw he was dodging bullets, too. Our eyes met and we both knew what to do.

~pg. 223, Hunted by DJ DeSmyter





And remember, today HUNTED is released!! Congrats DJ on this milestone accomplishment...so proud of you! And to all of you, go check out the book on Goodreads and go here to order your copy. And be sure to stop by my blog tomorrow for day 3 of Release Week!

Monday Must Reads...HUNTED by DJ Desmyter!

Today I am over-the-moon happy to kick off Release Week for my friend DJ DeSmyter's debut YA paranormal, HUNTED!! There may be some of you out there who haven't heard of this book yet, so I've decided to devote an entire week to it's release.

Starting today with my Monday Must Reads! Yes, you Must Read HUNTED. Don't backtalk me, just go order your copy now and read it (you can order here). Wanna know what it's about before you order? Well here you go...


HUNTED
By DJ DeSmyter


product description from goodreads.com


Seventeen-year-old Lily Atwater has always kept to herself, living a lonely life with her workaholic dad. Not the most thrilling life, but it’s quiet and ordinary, two things she’s come to expect from living in Victor Hills, Michigan.

When kind and mysterious Alex takes refuge in her home, she is suddenly thrown into his world of werewolves, a world he wants to keep her safe from. But while the two of them grow closer, a relentless hunter continues his search, stalking the woods with hopes of catching the wolf that got away…


Doesn't it sound good? Well take my word for it, it is. So don't wait, order a copy now! (or stop by later this week for a giveaway of a signed copy of HUNTED!) And the good news is that you won't have to wait for long...HUNTED hits stores tomorrow!!

Congrats to DJ, and be sure to stop by tomorrow for more
HUNTED Release Week!!

TGIF over at GReads!

The awesomeness that is Ginger (or G, as I like to call her) over at GReads! has created a great meme that is tons of fun. Each Friday, she poses a question for anyone to answer. Go check her out and join in!

This Friday's Question:

Taking it Personal:

Which books have affected you on a personal level,
and lingered in your mind long after
you closed the pages?

Excellent question! There are two books that stand out in my mind the most, both of which are classics. To Kill A Mockingbird and Frankenstein. These two books have really affected me throughout my life.

To Kill A Mockingbird always reminds me of the genuine goodness that people can find in the most horrific situations, which comes in handy as we are inundated with the bad of the world on a daily basis. I see examples of Scout and Atticus all the time, people who stand up for what's right and help someone in need.

I was fortunate enough to receive a signed copy of this book for Christmas one year (thanks to my awesome aunt who went and stood in line for hours...love her!), and I constantly pull it out and look at it and let my mind wander through the pages and characters and hidden gems. I can't say enough how much I love this book. If you've never read it, you're missing out.

Frankenstein has had a lasting impression on me in a much different way. When I was in high school, we were forced to read a long list of "classics" that, at the time, seemed ridiculous and hard to read and even harder to understand. But one of those books stood out to me, and that was Frankenstein.

It's a masterful story of loneliness and heartbreak and longing and a plethora of other things hidden expertly well beneath the guise of a monster-creating doctor. Brilliantly written and littered with emotion and beauty, and the story behind it (Mary Shelley dreamed it. Hello, Twilight) makes it all the more mysterious to me. When I read this book for the first time, I knew then that I wanted to write--I also knew that I would never reach the level of creative genius that is Mary Shelley. But I keep trying (yet another lesson from Atticus and Scout and the gang. Told ya I love that book!).

Waiting on Wednesday: DARKER STILL

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

This week I've chosen a book that some of you may not have heard of (which is the point of this meme, right?) but one that I'm sure you'll enjoy. I had the pleasure of meeting the author at ALA this year and she is super nice and really funny! So please, check out...



Darker Still
By Leanna Renee Heiber
Pub date 11/1/2011

product description from goodreads.com



The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

I must say that I've never much been interested in historical fiction, paranormal or no. But after reading this blurb (and after meeting Leanna herself), I honestly can't wait to read this one! Even though I was able to snag an ARC from ALA (a signed one at that!), I still can't wait until the actual book comes out!

Tune in Tuesday (2)

Today is my second edition of Tune in Tuesdays, a really cool meme created by my friend Ginger (or "G" as I like to call her!) over at GReads! This is a super fun meme that is filled with all sorts of music sure to give you a boost of energy and make you smile.

My selection this week, like last week, is an oldie-but-goody. If you've been around for a while (like me) then you absolutely positively have heard this song. Either on the radio, or in a record/clothing/grunge store, or maybe just possibly on a cassette tape. Yeah, remember those?

And if by chance you haven't heard this one before, enjoy!

What's Up - 4 Non Blondes

Monday Must Reads!...

This week for my Monday Must Reads, I've gone old school. Well, not really "old". The book I've chosen today has been out for a couple of years, but to those who have read it, it may seem like an odd, old choice.

The reason I've chosen it is because I actually met someone the other day who hasn't read it. I was all like, "What?!! you've never read this book?!" and they were all like, "Um, no." So naturally I had to pick it for my Monday Must Reads this week, just in case there is another person out there who hasn't read it.

What book am I referring to, you ask? Why, none other than...

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

product description from goodreads.com

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Oh man, just reading that synopsis makes me wanna pick up my copy and start all over again. Now, for those few who haven't read this book, please go forth and get a copy today. I wanna remember what it feels like to read it for the first time via you!