Teens Read and Write

Valentine's Day with the Hex Boys

2012-02-14T01:18:00.000-08:00

We knew you all wanted to know, so we asked.

What would the Hex Boys do with their Valentine?
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Ayden: I'd borrow the family jet and take her to Paris.

Blake: Bring me back some ribs!

Ayden: Not Texas! Paris, France. We'd get there early so I could take her on a shopping spree on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré which houses designers like Versace, Hermes, Chanel, Christian Doir, and Yves Saint Laurent. She'd get all decked out in some of her new clothes and we'd take a luxurious boat ride on the Seine River. Afterwards we'd head up to the top of the Eiffle Tower and enjoy a romantic dinner at Le Jules Verne. We'd stay up all night exploring the City of Lights, have a delicious breakfast in a quaint cafe then hit the best chocolatiers in town to stock up for the ride home.

Blake: Paris? Psh, lame. I'd take my babe on horseback through the mountains up to the falls. Then we'd have a picnic on top of the waterfalls. She'll be so overwhelmed by my romantic side that she'll swoon into my arms and-

Ayden: Die because she ate something you made.

Blake: I'd never jeopardize my lady like that! I'd have Jayden make the picnic. He's my wing man.

Jayden: I'd cook for my Valentine as well after I took her to-

Ayden: You can't take her to a lab or conduct experiments on her.

Jayden: Who is to say my potential mate wouldn't like laboratories?

Ayden: Me. Not on V-day she doesn't. She wants romantic.

Jayden: A liaison of sorts. Hm...I'd commandeer the family yacht and set sail to a remote location where we could surf together. I'd ensure there'd be perfect waves. Look at me being whimsical!

Tristan: I'd keep my date low key. Buy out the theatre for the day and have them play all my Valentine's favorite movies. Space Odyessy, Ghost Busters, The Matrix.

Blake: Her favorites or yours?

Tristan: Hers. What girl doesn't like Star Wars?

Blake: Trust me, dude, stick to Rom-Coms.

Logan: We'd have dinner at the country club. And I'd have professional dancers come and reenact my Valentine's favorite dance number from her favorite musical. Then I'd dance her over so she could star in it.

Ayden: Are you going to dance too?

Logan: Of course. I wouldn't throw her up there and watch, I'd lead her through it.

Ayden: Tristan!

Tristan: Don't worry, I've already got the camera.

Matthias: *Crickets chirp in the silence*

Tristan: Come on, just answer the question.

Jayden: It's hypothetical.

Ayden: Especially since no girl is brave enough to get within a hundred yards of you.

Logan: *Mutters* Or insane enough.

Blake: Told you to work on your chivalry.

Matthias: *Sighs* England. I'd take my Valentine to England on a tour of the places from Jane Austen's books. Derbyshire, Mr. Darcy's house. Places like that.
Ayden: You're really milking that dark, brooding thing.

Thanks for stopping by boys!

We know plenty of ladies who would love to be your Valentine!

So we've got a question (and a contest) for you.

Which Hex Boy's V-day date would you go on?

Win a copy of Demons at Deadnight (ebook or paperback) by answering the question in the comments with your email (or if you're not comfortable, send your email to teensreadandwrite(at)gmail(dot)com)

Open International.

Ends Feb 29.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

***

And there's more - a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

To enter to win the Kindle Fire you need to know the secret phrase given out one word at a time by each blog tour host. Put the words together in sequential order and you'll eventually have the secret phrase! Right now you can Tweet and Follow on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page to get points but starting March 9 (at the end of the tour) you can enter the complete phrase on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page and earn BIG entry points! Your Kindle Fire will also include your choice of a DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT Skin. Either from the cover, or a Hex Boy group shot or individual "Team" skin of your favorite Hex Hunk!

Today's secret word is...

DEADNIGHT

DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT

by A&E Kirk

For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.
DEMONIC DESTINY. Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.
CHARISMATIC KILLERS. The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.
LETHAL ALLIES. The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

Available in ebook for $2.99 at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and $10.99 for the paperback at Amazon. And check it out on Goodreads.

Summer Movie Extravaganza!

2012-02-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Behold more great films to fill your summer with joy and excitement! The Amazing Spider-Man featuring Golden Globe Nominee Andrew Garfield and The Bourne Legacy starring Academy Award Nominee Jeremy Renner!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Shellee Roberts/Ivy Adams + Giveaway!

2012-02-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Today we're excited to have Shellee Roberts, who writes with Emily McKay and Tracy Deebs under the psuedonym Ivy Adams. She's answering some hard hitting questions about kissing, Texas, and TV!

******************

1) You're involved in an adultversion of the International Kissing Club (lucky girl!), who are your top 5international well-known guys/celebrities that you plan to smooch?

Brad Pitt (he’s American, but he’salways on my list), Colin Farrel (Irish), Alex Pettyfer (English), GuillameCanet (French), Ryan Gosling (Canadian)

2) We have come to (virtually) visityou in the awesomest city in the world, Austin, Texas. Take us on apersonal Shellee Roberts tour of the best places to visit, food to eat, andthings to do!

If youhave never been to Austin, you are missing out! This is not like the rest ofTexas, y’all. First, come in April or October when the weather is absolutelyperfect—unless you love live music, then you have to come in March for SXSW(South By, as we locals call it) or September for ACL (Austin City Limits). AndI hope you like Tex-Mex and BBQ, cause you’re going to eat it a lot, and loveit!

We’llstart with the Don Juan Taco for breakfast on the patio at Juan in a Millionbefore we have to go line up for BBQ at Franklins for lunch, cause it sells outquick. Afterwards, we’ll work off those calories with a brisk run around thehike-n-bike trail at Lady Bird Lake followed by a jolting dip in Barton Springspool’s constant 62 degree water. Late afternoon will call for a round ofmicheladas in the beautiful outdoor courtyard of the Hotel San Jose on SouthCongress (SoCo, for you urban hipsters), then we’ll make for chips and salsaand fajitas at Chuy’s. We’ll make it to the Oasis on Lake Travis just in timefor watching the sun set into the water and then end the day with some music,of course. Either rock out at Stubbs, two-stepping at the Broken Spoke, or someblues at Antone’s. This would be aperfect Austin day.

3) What are the easiest and hardestthings about writing a novel with a group of authors?

Theeasiest thing is the collaboration. Writing is usually so solitary, and it’s upto you to carry the entire book, come up with all the ideas, and you can’tcover up your weaknesses as a writer. But when you’re writing with othersthere’s always someone with a great new twist you hadn’t thought of, someonewho helps maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses and, mostimportantly, someone to kick your butt when you don’t feel like writing.

Thehardest part is actually getting any work done when we’re together because allwe want to do is gossip and eat and talk about anything but the book we’resupposed to be writing.

4) Who's your favorite kissingcouple in the book?

I cannotlie, I just love Lucas and Cassidy. About Lucas, when I wrote him I put everythingI would have loved about a guy when I was seventeen into him—he’s funny andflirty and affectionate, and he just really loves Cassidy.

Cassidy iseverything I wish I’d been at seventeen: strong, athletic, independent, notafraid to stand up for herself. And tall—I really wish I was tall. There’s alot about life that scares, Cassidy, not the least of which is her feelings forLucas, but I like to think that these two would make it work somehow.

5)You have just won the chance to be on your favorite TV show for one episode.You get to create your own character and what part they play. Which show is it,who's the character, and what happens?

This is the most awesome question! So, I thought about this probably alittle too much, but it was more fun than working on my real writing.

Okay, it’s Friday Night Lights (Season 1) and I’m the new girl in town,Shelby, who’s got a bit of a rebel streak not to mention a kicking leg thatwould make Phil Dawson envious. (Also, I’m about twenty years younger…andtall.) Any way, I walk onto the Panthers team and dazzle them with my consistent50+ yard kicking range and Coach Taylor makes me the first female team memberof the Dillon Panthers. This causes all kinds of uproar among the footballpurists of Dillon. However, I do catch the eye of shy and sweet quarterback,Matt Saracen, whom I adore, but realize sadly that he and the coach’s daughter,Julie, are truly meant to be. Heartbroken, I fall into the tanned, toned arms of resident bad boy, TimRiggins, and obliterate from his memory any thoughts of prissy Lyla Garrity.Then having won Tim’s heart of gold, I prove myself to the whole town bywinning the state championship in a clutch situation at the timer. All of thishappens in the season finale, but when the next season starts I’m nevermentioned again.

Thank you so much for having me today!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Shellee Wants To Know...

If you could be on any TV show ever, which one would it be? Tell me in the comments below (and leave youremail so we can contact you) to be entered to win the Around the World In 80Kisses daily and weekly prize and also become eligible to win the Grand Prize,a Kindle Fire. For a list of all our Smooch Posts you can visit and earn moreentries to win, visit us here.

**********

Great choices for a kissing spree! Can't wait to spend our day in Austin. We're hungry! And we'd love to see that episode of of Friday Night Lights.

Can't wait to see what TV show you want to be on! We dream about being on Hawaii 5-0, Castle, White Collar, Vampire Diaries, Glee, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, The Mentalist, Person of Interest, Justified, Bones, Fringe, ...we could go on and on!

Piper, Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy have been best friends their whole lives. And they've always agreed on one goal: to get out of tiny Paris, Texas, and see the world. The school's foreign exchange program seems like the perfect escape: Piper will go to the original Paris; Mei will go to China; Cassidy will go to Australia; and Izzy, unable to afford the program, will stay at home. To add spice to their semester away, and to stay connected to their best friends, the girls start The International Kissing Club, a Facebook page where they can anonymously update one another and brag about all the amazing guys they're meeting. After all, these girls are traveling abroad: amazing guys abound at every turn! But sometimes fun, flirty vacation flings turn into more serious romances, and sometimes you don't return from abroad the same person you were. Will the girls' relationships-and their friendships-be able to survive?

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK /

Avengers...ASSEMBLE!

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Movie trailer of awesome.

You're welcome.

YA Book Review and Tour: UNTRACEABLE by S.R. Johannes

2012-02-06T02:17:00.000-08:00

UNTRACEABLE

by S.R. Johannes

pub: Nov 2011

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords / Goodreads

16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Okay, so there are no lions. Or tigers. But Untraceable does have bears. So how about:

Bears and villains and mystery and drama and romance and heartache and surprises and...

This wilderness survival mystery thriller has punch! Grace is spunky and tough, and tends to get herself into trouble even when she knows better. Typical teenager. But it all stems from her love of nature and her determination to find her father.

Nature, a huge part of Untraceable. Vivid description took me right into the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee - that's where the bears come in. Grace offers up survival advice and each chapter is even titled with survival skills.

But it's the story that's the big draw.

A fast-paced thriller, full of interesting characters, and a never ending supply of unexpected turns. As Grace's investigation pulls her deeper in to a much larger web of lies and corruption, the intensity rises and just when you (and Grace) think you have it all figured out, Bam! you get side-swiped with a new twist.

The romance stars Wyn, Grace's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, and the new hottie in the woods, Mo. Wyn is sweet but has rebounded with the town mean girl, so that lost him points with me. Mo comes across as a terrific fellow, but harbors plenty of secrets.

Danger and suspense increase. Grace gets caught up with some nasty folk so be prepared for violence to escalate. And the emotional roller coaster ride becomes very intense, especially near the end.

The ending isn't quite a cliffhanger, but it does leave some questions that leave you ready to get answered in the next installment, Uncontrollable, due out this summer.

An absorbing suspense thriller with a wild(life) side, plenty of twists, a splash of romance, and a real treat for survival buffs!

Thanks to Mundie Moms for having us as part of the Untraceable Blog Tour. The full schedule and links are below!

The UNTRACEABLE Blog Tour

2/6- Teens Read & Write, review
2/7- Fire & Ice, character interview with Grace
2/8- I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, review
2/9- Reading Lark, character interview with Mo
2/10- Once Upon a Twilight, review
2/11- Mundie Moms, author interview
2/12- Eve's Fan Garden, guest post

Connect with S.R. Johannes

Website
Author newsletter
Twitter
GoodReads
Facebook
Marketing biz

2 Cello Hotties, Glee and Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal

2012-02-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

Anybody see the latest Glee episode with the the 2 Cello hotties, Sulic and Hauser. I didn't know who they were but I wanted to find out MORE because they were smokin'!

They're Croatian cellists Luka Sulic (left, 24 years old) and Stjepan Hauser (25). They study at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. They're going on tour with Elton John!

The video that went viral.

The Glee version.

The Glee "Behind the Scenes" clip.

I could look at and listen to them all day. I'm a huge violin and cello fan. Guess who's music I just downloaded? I may be a little obsessed.

I can't choose between them so I'll have to take them both. But don't tell Melissa or Missie about these guys. Those greedy gals will try to steal them for their harems. Like they don't have enough man-candy!

Oh, and these boys were made fun of in high school for playing the cello. HA! Who's laughing now! Not me. I'm drooling.

The Hunger Games Latest Movie Trailer

2012-02-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest trailer. Still looks epic!

Book Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

2012-02-03T00:30:00.000-08:00

Entwined

by Heather Dixon

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.
The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.
Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.
But there is a cost.
The Keeper likes to keep things.
Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Finally got to finish this! So happy! It lived up toeverything I hoped for before the library - with it's stupid rules about "deadlines for return" took it away from me.

Azalea was a wonderful character. She went from worryingabout balls and dresses to becoming all about courage, understanding and family.And you all know how I love family! While I was at first confused by all theother eleven sisters, by the end I knew each of them inside and out.

The love interests for Azalea and the girls were fabulously fleshed out. Some totally surprised me. Each had their quirks and personalities which meshed so nicely with a particular sister. And while they weren't Superheros, they certainly proved their metal as heroes in the end, bringing their individual strengths and bravery to battle to protect the ladies they loved.

And there was no instant love. Yay! Another reason I’m smitten with Entwined.

Keeper was fabulous! Why is it the clever,sexy ones are secretly evil?

The development of the father/king's relationship with his daughters was adorable. And the sisters' connection to each other warmed my heart. Very genuine.

I admit it started slow for me, but Azalea andher sisters were entertaining enough to keep me going.

Once Keeper showed thefirst hint of his true colors, things really picked up speed and I lockedmyself in my room until I finished.

Oh the twists and turns Azalea had to gothrough! So much fun!

An entertaining retelling of Grimm’s Twelve Dancing Princesses provides a fresh twist ona classic. Great humor. Loved the lively personality of the sugar tongs - a little bit Beauty and Beast movie-esque. All in all, it was a blast!

Do Book Bloggers Review Books? Guest Post & Giveaway

2012-01-31T00:36:00.000-08:00

Guest Posting today is the "E" in A&E Kirk. The fabulicious Eileen Kirk! We love her. Really and truly love and adore her. For our entire lives. She's like a mom to us. Oh, right. That's because she really is our mom!

******************************

Well, isn't that lovely. Hmmm. They must want something.

Anyway, hello, good day, and nice to "see" you all!

Since Alyssa and I are now authors as well as bloggers I decided to talk about a recent phenomenon churning through the blogosphere and get your opinion.

Do book bloggers review books? The answer may seem an obvious "Yes," but lately their has been some question. Rachel at Parajunkee, a long time blogging friend, gave me the first heads up on this.

The short version is that bloggers wrote some less than stellar reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. An uproar ensued on the web between some authors, agents, and bloggers. At times it got ugly and personal. (Check the links below for more info.)

So where to start? And let's be clear, the following is my opinion.

Reviews
Book bloggers have a right to their opinion. Call it a review, critique, judgment, expression, or whatever you like. Does it differ from a professional review? Sure.

Does it make it any less valid? Not when it reflects a reader's honest opinion.

Should authors engage in a battle with those posting negative reviews? Absolutely not.

Bloggers are the consumers. Belittling their opinion/review has no value. An author can't please everyone. Book preferences are just too subjective.

If you're going to put your novel out to the public, put out the best product you can, then be ready for the public, all of the public (that reads and reviews an author's book, anyway), to have their say.

The web has opened up a tremendous way for masses of book lovers to share and connect. It also provides a fantastic tool for authors and publishers to market their books to those masses. But the bad has to be taken with the good. And if a book gets reviews, some will be negative.

On Goodreads, THE HUNGER GAMES has over 5000 two-star reviews, CATCHING FIRE has almost as many, and MOCKINGJAY has nearly 15,000 one- and two-star reviews. One of the biggest sellers ever, a major motion picture, and it's been bashed by thousands of readers.

Do you think Suzanne Collins is tracking those babies? Doubt it. And she certainly isn't responding to any of them. She's too busy writing and picking out a gown for the movie premiere.

Will some opinions hurt authors' feelings? No question. Authors put their heart and soul into their books. But attacking a review or reviewer is unprofessional and reflects poorly on the author. And authors can always take Elana Johnson's advice to not read any of their own reviews.

Should bloggers be "professional"? Yes. And by this I mean focus on content, explain your reasoning in a well thought out manner , and refrain from personal attacks. The bloggers I follow do this extremely well. And make their reviews incredibly entertaining!

Do all bloggers act this way? No. But there are no official rules. I see some reviews that are full of hate and go off on some crazy tangent that has nothing to do with the book. I don't spend time on these reviews. Bloggers are free to write the way they want, and readers can choose who suits their fancy to follow.

I see the book blogging community as a big book book club where I get to hear about books from a great bunch of fellow book-loving maniacs. We have various opinions, we agree, we disagree, but we should always be respectful of each other.

There's no need for throwing stones. And if you encounter someone who is, just grab a good book and head to the high ground. Need directions? That's easy.

Just take the High Road.

Now it's your turn.

What's your opinion on all the drama?
Did you even know about it?
Do book bloggers actually write reviews? And if not, what would you call them?
What do you think about negative reviews?
How should authors and agents respond, if at all?

I've read through a lot of information so let me provide a few links that are pertinent to this issue. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Rachel - Parajunkee: What is a Review? - Where I initially heard about all the hoopla
Amelia - Imagination In Focus: Review vs Reaction
The Guardian: YA Novel Readers Clash with Publishing Establishment
Elana Johnson (Author) - What I Think About Reviews
Maggie Stiefvater - The Only Thing I'm Going To Say About Bloggers in 2012
Kat - Cuddly Buggery: The First Five Days on Goodreads
Goodreads: Controversial Review #1
Amazon: Controversial Review #2 , on Goodreads
Goodreads: Another One-Star Review that caught some heat

Thanks to you all for letting me shoot the breeze today. It's been fun and I can't wait to see what you have to say!

And a huge thanks for all the love and support you have given my kids over the years! This community has been the kind of positive influence that a mother dreams of! I adore you all!

Eileen

Oh, and about that giveaway...

Every tour stop will be giving away something fun. Today, you can win some key items that relate to Aurora, the Hex Boys and their adventure in DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT.

A Celtic Cross Necklace, handcuffs keychain, and one colorful feather hair clip. The contest is International and ends Feb. 24. Just fill out the form below. The only requirement is your name and email. You can tweet for a extra point.

And the giving doesn't end there!

Want a chance at a Kindle Fire!

To enter you need to know the secret phrase given out one word at a time by each blog tour host. Put the words together in sequential order and you'll eventually have the secret phrase!
Starting March 9 (at the end of the tour) you can enter the complete phrase on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page and earn BIG entry points! Your Kindle Fire will also include your choice of a DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT Skin. Either from the cover, or a Hex Boy group shot or individual "Team" skin of your favorite Hex Hunk!

Today's Secret Word is:

THE

Exciting right?

For all the Hex Boys Individual AB-tacular shots, and a list of all the Tour Stops, go the Blog Tour Page.

But for this week it's:
Jan 30: Natalie @ Mindful Musings - Review
Jan 31: Teens Read and Write - Guest Post
Feb 1: Missie @ The Unread Reader - My Book Boyfriend
Feb 2: Lea @ YA Book Queen - Author Interview
Feb 3: Ariel @ Must Love Books- Review

For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.
DEMONIC DESTINY
Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.
CHARISMATIC KILLERS
The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.
LETHAL ALLIES
The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

In My Mailbox: 1/28/12

2012-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hosted by The Story Siren

Just me this week - Alyssa - since super soccer star Gregory is off at some soccer showcase event, and Jake in "under the weather" with a fever/cough/cold. What a baby!

There were slim pickings this week. I think our library is holding out on me. There's a whole conspiracy against me I'm sure of it!

The Hunger Games

Bought this for our Kindle Fire to read before the movie arrives.

Gotta admit, I'm actually loving e-books. I was skeptical.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Picked this up from the library.

I know I requested more, but this one was the only one waiting for me. Ah, the woes of living in the middle of nowhere.

The Black Butler Volume I and II

Gifted to me by an awesome friend who knows my embarrassingly deep love of this anime.

Untraceable

Got this baby because we're reviewing it for an upcoming tour with Mundie Moms. So excited to start reading it!

That was it. I'll take quality over quantity any day though.

Been a busy week because we've been getting ready for two big events. The biggest is...

It's Jake's birthday! Yep, today he's 19 years old. A fact I doubt when his best comeback is, "Well...your FACE!"
I've spent all month trying to find the perfect gift for him and thank goodness Ash over at Smash Attack Reads tweeted about a zombie infested obstacle course. That's right, ZOMBIE INFESTED.

Run For Your Lives 2011

It's a ways off, but I got tickets for Jake, some of his friends, me, and Gregory to go. It looks so awesome!

Our second major event?

Natalie over at Mindful Musings is kicking off the Demons at Deadnight blog tour where we're giving away a bunch of prizes everyday, and at the end of the tour, a Kindle Fire along with a couple other awesome things. You just have to stick around to find out.

Where else will you find people who give you free stuff AND tell you about zombie infested obstacle courses?

Hope all your Sunday is IMMazing!

YA Giveaway Hop: Demons At Deadnight by A&E Kirk

2012-01-26T14:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the YA Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader Not a Writer and Down the Rabbit Hole. What shall we giveaway?

DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT, of course!

It's by A & E Kirk (the "A" is Alyssa for those who don't know.)

For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.
DEMONIC DESTINY
Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.
CHARISMATIC KILLERS
The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.
LETHAL ALLIES
The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

The paperback is open to US or International entrants.

The eBook is open to International entrants.

Three ways to enter just fill out the form below!

GOOD LUCK!

Giveaway Details:

Fill out the form below
Paperback and ebook for US and International entrants
Ebook for International entrants
Enter by Jan 31
Must be 13 or older

Check out THE LIST of all the participating blogs and their giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hot, Hunky Hex Boys Harem @ Books and Things!

2012-01-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

Just as we were setting up our Waiting on Wednesday post we spied some serious eye candy over with Melissa @ Books and Things. Little did we know that she was putting up a My Book Boyfriend post starring the entire Hex Boy team from Alyssa's book, DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT, by A&E Kirk!
The post is gorgeous! Here's a sneak peak at just one of the SIX Hex Boy Hotties!

Yeah, we just heard all you ladies sigh.

My Book Boyfriend is a drool-inducing, swoon-inciting meme by Missie @ The Unread Reader where every Wednesday clever bloggers bring the men of our literary dreams to life - at least in two-dimensional visuals that will make your knees weak!

The mega super-cool thing is that Missie is also going to be highlighting the Hex Boys on her Feb 1st My Book Boyfriend!

Missie and Melissa are always fighting over their handsome harems. (The greedy wenches!) And it's an absolute blast to have the Hex Boys in the middle! We're dying to hear what you think about Melissa's picks, and can't wait to compare them to Missie's.

REVIEWS ARE IN!
And check out these awesome ladies' squee-worthy reviews of DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT and even a couple of giveaways! We bow to their fabuliciousness!

Melissa @ Books and Things
Missie @ The Unread Reader
Lea @ YA Book Queen
Jen @ In the Closet With a Bibliophile

And a funny coincidence. Alyssa (with Jake's help) was up all night making "Team" buttons for all the Hex Boys. Now there are even more hot bodies to check out!
Oh, the heat is ON!

Waiting on Wednesday: 3 Hot Upcoming YA Releases!

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

THE IMMORTAL RULES

by Julie Kagawa

April 24

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Kagawa and Vamps - great combo!

THE SPHINX PROJECT

by Kate Hawkings

Feb 28

Not many people can say their entire existence has been one big lab experiment: poked and prodded by scientists, genetically modified to be the best and endure the worst, subjected to daily tests and trials that would kill a normal human. All Michaela wants is her own life, to be able to go to school, flirt with boys, maybe eat ice cream now and then. So when the chance to escape finally comes, Michaela and her sister grab it, taking their friends with them.

But they weren't the only ones to find their way out of those labs. Following close behind are another breed of creature, one that doesn't know the difference between right and wrong, who exist only to feed their own hunger. The appearance of a strange boy who seems too much like them to be a coincidence makes things even more confusing. But as the world begins to literally fall apart around them, Michaela must accept his help, especially when she could lose the very thing she holds dearest: her sister.

Sounds fun! A bit like Patterson's Maximum Ride series.

INSIGNIA

by S J Kincaid

July 2012

IT'S WORLD WAR III.
THE ENEMY IS WINNING.
WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT'S SECRET WEAPON IS YOU?
More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

A futuristic guy-spy thriller!

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday: 3 Hot Upcoming YA Releases (1/11/12)

2012-01-10T22:32:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

BITTERBLUE

by Kristin Cashore

May 1

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart

Loved GRACELING so very excited for this one!

CROAK

by Gina Damico

March 20

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.
Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.
Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

Who doesn't love a good-hearted reaper?

SLATED

by Teri Terry

May 3

Sixteen-year-old Kyla has been 'slated': all of her past memories erased, her entire personality wiped blank. She has been assigned a new name, a new date of birth and even new parents. The government that did this to her claim she was a terrorist, and that she has been given a second chance. But Kyla knows that the government has been lying. Without her memories, how will Kyla ever find the truth? And if her old self is really and truly dead, then what are the terrifying images that still haunt her dreams?

Maybe she'll go all Jason-Bourne on the bad guys!

(and is the author's name really Teri Terry?)

What are you waiting for?

In Our Mailbox Video - IMM 1/8/12

2012-01-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

Hosted by The Story Siren

We did a video this time.

You're welcome.

Warning!

Do not eat or drink while watching this video. Ensuing laughter may shoot milk from your nose. Because we're a-dork-able.

(And, no, we don't know what Gregory was doing with his hat.)

Goliath - from the library

Cinder - from Tara (Zeitghost Media)

Bad Taste in Boys - won from Carrie Harris

Hereafter - bought - 99 cents!

Entwined - bought - 99 cents!

Demons at Deadnight we wrote

And by "we" I mean Alyssa and Eileen. NOT Jake and Greg. They just played video games and told me to blow things up. Which I greatly appreciated, but...

HUGE thanks to:
Lea @ YA Book Queen for her DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT contest (which ends today, so hurry!) and her IMM post mentioning DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT and the swag package!

Melissa @ Books and Things for today's IMM post about her DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT swag package.

Felicia @ Geeky Blogger who mentions DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT in her IMM post because she bought the E-Book! Awesome!

You ladies rock! We love you and all of you who have shown us such generous support!

And our current contest are at:

Teens Read and Write

Alyssa and Eileen Kirk Author Website

Happy Sunday!

Alyssa's Book Release Day for DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT + Giveaway!

2012-01-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

Fabulous news! Alyssa's book is out today!

Yep, all those years of Alyssa's ceaseless babbling about demon invasions -- enough babbling to drive anyone but her amazing brothers (who practically wrote the book for her, but she doesn't see it that way) crazy -- has finally paid off. DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT has it's birthday today!

Thanks to Lea at YA Book Queen for her awesome Book Birthday post, AND she is also doing a giveway! For three ebooks of DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT!

To celebrate, we Kirk boys are hosting a contest!

1st Place Gets an awesome swag box complete with the paperback (seriously, its awesome. All these years of blogging she knows what swag we really want!) We can't tell you what's in it because things are wrapped as gifts and we don't want to ruin the surprise, but Lea @ YA Book Queen got one this week and proclaimed it as one of the best swag packages she's ever received!

2nd Place Two lucky winners get their choice of Demons at Deadnight ebook or signed paperback (We can get it signed. We know the author.)

What do you have to do to enter? Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. It involves tweeting and Liking our Facebook pages so thanks for helping get the word out!

Other details: Nothing's mandatory. It's International so everyone can join, and it ends on Jan 15. Oh, and if you check out Mom and Alyssa's new website @aekirk.com you might find another contest. Just saying.

But of course, if you can't wait to read it -- And why deprive yourself of such a genius book? - Just go grab it now! It's currently available on Amazon in PAPERBACK or EBOOK and should be on Barnes and Noble (available in ebook only) sometime tomorrow. It's also on Goodreads. And tell Alyssa and our mom that our names should really be on there.

J&G Kirk. Much better ring, don't you think?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Social Hop for Twitter and Facebook!

2012-01-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

Rachel @ Parajunkee has a fun new social hop for Twitter and Facebook.

Welcome to the Twitter & Facebook Hop on Parajunkee’s View.We are linking up our Facebook Fan Pages & our Twitter accounts so we can earn more followers and likes. Social networks are an integral way to get more exposure for your blog, so click away!

We haven't used our Facebook Page much before but we're changing that this year. So
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FACEBOOK
and
HERE FOR TWITTER

Check out The Hop if you want to participate!

Small Review's Tips and Tricks Challenge

2012-01-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

We are blatantly copying Small Review's post about her amazing Tips and Tricks Challenge. Small Review is one of the most generous bloggers with how she provides excellent step-by- step instructions on how-to's that will make your blog shine!
It's that kind of thing where you want to know how seemingly every other blogger in the universe knows how to do it, and you don't want to look like an idiot by asking how it's done. So here's the scoop!

Welcome to the first Tips & Tricks post of this year's Busting the Newbie Blues!Click to learn more about Busting the Newbie Blues!
Part of being a newbie is having a TON of questions (and, honestly, oldies have a lot of the same questions). I've answered a bunch of these questions last year through my Tips & Tricks series and I've compiled most of them here for you to browse through.
And, because January is all about signing up for challenges, I'm turning this into a mini challenge!
Don't worry, there aren't any big rules or requirements (I'm all about fudging challenge rules anyway). There aren't any levels or prizes. It's all very low key.
All you have to do is:1) Pick one thing (or more!) from the list below and DO IT
2) Come back to this post and leave a comment telling us what you did
3) Leave a link to your post/blog so we can all check out your results and give you lots and lots of praise!
Not sure how to leave a clickable link? Check out my Tips & Tricks post about anchor text.
What do you do?
Any of the following Tips & Tricks qualify, plus any future Tips & Tricks posted throughout this event. YOU CAN DO IT!
The List:
Blog Design
Basics
How to Make a Full-Screen Blog Header How to Make a Sidebar Header How to Fix Overhanging Sidebar Images
Icons and Buttons
How to Make a Button How to Make a Scrolling Widget for Blog Buttons How to Make Social Networking Icons (Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, etc)How to Make an "Email Me" Link and Icon
Personalize
How to Add a Signature to Posts How to Customize a Comment Form Message
More HTML (made super simple)
How to Make Colored Boxes How to Make Borders How to Make a Progress Bar (for challenges)How to Customize a Progress Bar

Attract Followers
Blog Promotion
How to Increase SEO with Post TitlesHow to Increase Blog Readership with Search Engines 4 Ways to Gain Readers Using Comments
Suck Readers in for Hours!
How to Make Anchor Text How to Make Named Attribution Jumps How to Maximize Links, part 1 How to Maximize Links, part 2 How to Use Labels (Tags) to Increase Blog Traffic
Now go ahead and pick one! Make sure to come back here and share your success with us!

Can you believe it? Small Review listed all her tip posts...with links!
If you don't take part in this challenge, you are nuts! Call the guys with the straight jackets and jump in their padded van. There has to be at least ONE How-To that you've been dying to know about. Us? We can't decide which one to try first! Seriously guys, take advantage of this outpouring of knowledge and generosity. We can't wait to see all you do!

10 Great Books for $10!

2012-01-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

If you've got an eReader you're in luck. These ten books are on sale for
99 cents each!

We took a snapshot so you can't shop from any of the links in the picture, but go to the Epic Reads Facebook page and they'll get you there!

We just bought Hereafter and also Entwined (which Alyssa wasn't able to finish before we had to get it back to the library). We'll probably get The Poison Diaries since we've heard it's very good. And if you haven't read UNEARTHLY, you should. Check out our UNEARTHLY review!
What might you be buying?

Happy Shopping!

Waiting On Wednesday: 5 Upcoming Hot YA Releases

2012-01-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine to showcase awesome upcoming releases!

THE HUNT

Andrew Fukuda

May 2012

Seventeen-year-old Gene struggles to survive in a society where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. When Gene is chosen to participate in the government-sponsored hunt for the remaining humans, he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow hunters whose suspicions about his true human nature are growing.

Sounds interesting. Just not sure what creatures the society is made up of since they aren't humans. Hmmmm.

MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

Bethany Griffin

April 2012

Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Other than the immediate set-up of a love triangle (which have become a bit annoying) it looks like an exciting dystopian! And pretty cover!

THE TEMPTATION

Alisa Valdes

April 2012

His touch was electric.
His eyes were magnetic.
His lips were a temptation....
But was he real?
After crashing her car on an empty highway, Shane is miraculously saved by Travis, a mysterious cowboy who walks out of nowhere. She is instantly attracted to him, and for the first time, she believes in “soul mates.” But Shane soon discovers that Travis is dead and that strict rules from the Underworld govern kindred spirits of different dimensions. Breaking these rules could destroy both their souls. And while Travis is almost impossible to resist, temptation proves to be the kindest enemy they encounter.
Can true love surpass the power of pure evil?

Immediately attracted to a dead guy? Shane needs to get out more often. But it still sounds fun and we'll have to read this to see how it all works out!

DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN

JA London

May 2012

The war is over. And the vampires won.
Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

A world run by vamps - nice twist! That cover is lovely. And is it just us or does it look similar to the FALLEN series. Like a combo of FALLEN and TORMENT.

MONUMENT 14

Emmy Laybourne

June 2012

Six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids are trapped together in a chain superstore. Together they build a refuge for themselves inside, while outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapon spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart

Stuck in Costco? Sounds like heaven!

What are you waiting for?

It's Small Reviews BUSTING THE NEWBIE BLUES

2012-01-02T23:34:00.000-08:00

Small Review is hosting the 2nd Busting the Newbie Blues

This event is designed to:

Put new YA book bloggers on the map
Increase blogger interaction
Start a discussion by sharing our experiences as new bloggers
Learn about what it was like for established bloggers when they were newbies

So how does this work? Simple:

Be a YA book blogger (oldie or newbie)
Select the questionnaire that best applies to you (there's no "wrong" choice, so just pick whichever one you feel most comfortable answering)
Create a post on your blog with the questions and your answers
Grab the button below to include in your post or sidebar
Link back to my post here so more people can join in
Sign the linky list below so we can all come and visit your blog!
Spread the word!

Established Bloggers:

Pick this questionnaire if you've been blogging for a while, have a decent sized group of followers and people commenting on your posts, and get a decent amount of traffic. Basically, you have some experience blogging and you've seen positive results for your efforts. You can define "decent" however you'd like.

1) When did you start your blog?

We started in the summer of 2009. Mom wanted us to have a summer project and she won't let us quit! Just kidding. She did have us start but we're happy and going strong.

2) Do you ever still feel like a newbie?

All the time because we see so many fantastic bloggers doing such amazing things. There is always more to learn.

3) What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

Mostly just being organized and finding time to do everything we want to do.

Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?

We were very intense over everything and felt like we had to post every day. But it's much better to post something that's interesting and relevant rather than just getting something up. People - especially book bloggers - can spot crappy content a mile away.

4) What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?

Wondering when, oh when, people would start to comment and interact with us!

How did you deal with this?

It's the simplest thing in the world. You just start interacting with other bloggers, commenting yourself, and suddenly there they are. Okay not suddenly. It takes time but reaching out to others is a whole lot of fun and what will bring others to visit you. But you have to be genuine. If you just leave something like "Love your blog. Come visit mine!" it won't work. Be thoughtful, interested, and engage in a personal way.

5) What do you find most encouraging?

The love and generosity of other book bloggers. They would answer any question we had or send us in the right direction. Everyone was awesome!

6) If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

Relax, calm down, be patient and put out quality over quantity. And don't be afraid to reach out to anyone, even if they're "big." It can be intimidating but 99.9999% of the time you'll meet a fantastic, down to earth person who'd love to help you out!

7) What do you like best about the blogs you read?

Humor. When posts are funny, make us laugh out loud, and full of energy, we're in love!

Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

Of course, but we never think we're as funny as our favorite humorous bloggers. Although Jake's pretty funny. Weird, wacky and original. Also annoying. Very annoying.

8) What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen?

We steer clear of blogs with lots of whining and complaining. Anyone can have a rant now and then but when it's a regular thing, we say good-bye. And anything negative about authors or bloggers, especially on a personal level.

Do you try to avoid this?

Absolutely. We see no use for that sort of thing. Our dad always said, "You're here to help push people up the ladder of life, not drag them down." We focus on being positive. And wish we were funnier.

9) How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?

Mostly commenting and communicating with other bloggers. Contests are always a good way to get buzz but they can be expensive and not everyone can afford to do that. Then there's Goodreads and Twitter. Social media is a great tool. Getting out and connecting with others works every time! And honestly (this was something we've learned) it's more important to have the fewer number of loyal people that keep coming back day after day, rather than the big numbers of people that may sign up to follow but you never hear from again. It's the regular interaction with your favorite folks that make all this work worthwhile!

10) When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

When we started blogging we had no idea what ARCs were or that they even existed. We happened to comment on a blog that was run by a bookstore owner. She had a bunch of books that she offered to send us because she couldn't get to read and review them. In that batch were ARCs and we were amazed. We had a book that the public didn't have access to yet? Wow. We felt like super spies!

Happy New Years!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We made it to 2012! What are your New Years resolutions?

Best Holiday-Break Movie Picks

2011-12-29T11:08:00.000-08:00

With only a few days left on the holiday break (and if you decide to take a pause from catching up on your reading) we thought we'd give you a list of the movies you don't want to miss before school and/or work rear their ugly heads!

BEST OVERALL AWESOME

(it's a tie!)

WARHORSE packs an emotional punch. We laughed, cried (tears of joy and sorrow), sighed, held our breath, cringed, had to close our eyes, cheered - you name it. Bring plenty of tissue and be prepared to be emotionally drained by the end. FYI: we think it's way too intense for younger children. We could barely handle it!

SHERLOCK HOLMES, GAME OF SHADOWS took everything we loved about the first movie and added more! More action, more drama, more humor, more Holmes/Watson interaction, more great characters (Sherlock has a brother - the magnificent Stephen Fry), and an awesome ending!

BEST ACTION

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL wasn't even on our "must see" list so we were surprised at how much we enjoyed it. Thrills, super stunts, humor, excitement, drama. Action junkies can't go wrong!

BEST THRILLER

Not for the faint of heart, but if you love suspense thrillers (and the book) GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a terrific edge-of-your-seat ride. Just don't expect Daniel Craig to be James Bond-esque. It's Lisbeth (Rooney Mara) that wears the kick-butt pants in this duo.

BEST FAMILY

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN captivates the whole clan!

MOST UNIQUE

HUGO was not quite what we were expecting but definitely interesting, unique and has a great message. But be prepared, Jude Law is barely in it at all, despite what you might think from the marketing campaign.

What movies have you enjoyed over the holiday season?

Blog Tour and Contest: Kathryn Miller Haines: THE GIRL IS MURDER

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

We're lucky to have the author of THE GIRL IS MURDER, Kathryn Miller Haines, joining us today to share a Blast Into Her Past with her favorite books from age 5, 11, 15 and 20.
*************************

At age five I was all about Dr. Seuss. The first book I learned to read, frankly because I memorized it after forcing my mom to read it to me so many times, was Green Eggs and Ham. Seuss’s whimsical drawings and catchy rhymes just hit a sweet spot in my little brain. Boy was I amazed to find out later on that he was a political cartoonist during World War II.

When I was eleven, I had two things I loved: books about dancers and mysteries. I read Just Like Jenny by Sandy Asher a thousand times (two best friends into ballet, one is better than the other) and bought every book Lois Duncan had out at the time. Probably my favorite book from this period, though, doesn’t fit into either category: it was Katherine Patterson’s Bridge to Terabithia. To this day that book makes me cry.

When I was fifteen, I started becoming obsessed with the lurid. I still liked mysteries, but I wanted more adult reads like V.C. Andrews’ smut-filled family sagas. Ditto Sidney Sheldon, and Stephen King. My older sister was into these as well, so my copies came from her. They were fat mass market paperbacks that smelled like her coconut scented sun-tan lotion. My favorite book from back then was probably Stephen King’s It. It was just such a huge, ambitious book and the notion of a monster that tapped into everyone’s worst fears and made them reality was terrifying to me.

By the time I was twenty my taste in books had greatly improved. Since I was an English in major in college I was reading a lot of historic lit (I was in an 18th century novel survey class that demanded I read a 400 page novel a week). I didn’t do a lot of reading for fun – everything seemed to be for school then. But my eyes were opened to a lot of fiction I’d never been exposed to.

In addition to the top sellers for 1787, I took a Jewish lit class and read my first graphic novel (Maus) and discovered wonderful writers like Philip Roth, Bernard Malamud, and Franz Kafka. I think the big important book for me though was Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Billed as the first non-fiction novel, I read the true crime book for “fun” that summer and was absolutely blown away. I think that’s when I really knew I wanted to be a crime writer.

**************************

Great picks! And we still adore Dr. Seuss. You can read our review of THE GIRL IS MURDER and sign up below to win a copy! Thanks to Teen Book Scene Scene for hosting The Girl Is Murder Blog Tour.

THE GIRL IS MURDER

by Kathryn Miller Haines

July 2011

Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business.

CONTEST DETAILS:
- Fill Out the form below
- Open Internationally
- Deadline 12/30/11

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It's Official! Alyssa's Book Coming Soon!

2011-12-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we haven't made any preparatory statements and we'll explain more later but...

The bottom line is we've been very busy due to something exciting.

Alyssa's book. Yeah. It's coming. Jan 7!

Here's the cover!

The summary/blurb...

For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.

DEMONIC DESTINY
Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.
CHARISMATIC KILLERS
The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.

LETHAL ALLIES
The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

We even have a trailer!

It will be available in paperback and ebook 1/7/12 but we've got to have some contests coming soon!

DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT is now on Goodreads so be sure to check it out!

Alyssa's the "A" in A&E, and we've got more coming on the "E" side of things. You can get info now if you like by checking out the newly revamped site of AEKIRK.COM

Yes, we know we should have said something sooner but Alyssa's ~~annoying~~ perfectionist persona had to wait until everything was ready to go.

We'll talk more later (we're heading out to see Sherlock Holmes) and in the meantime...

We'd love to hear what you think of everything!

Teen Fiction Review: THE GIRL IS MURDER by Kathryn Miller Haines

2011-12-15T02:05:00.000-08:00

THE GIRL IS MURDER

by Kathryn Miller Haines

July 2011

Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business.

Thanks to Teen Book Scene Scene for hosting the tour for The Girl is Murder. Check out the complete tour HERE.

A bit of noir is a refreshing change. The world of the 1940's was engaging, with Iris, our spunky teen trying to fit in at a new school and solve a who-dun-it. She's just moved from the expensive section of town to New York's lower socio-economic spectrum.

The time-frame is different, but many will be able to relate to Iris. She doesn't always make the best choices, but her heart is in the right place, which counts for something. And her flaws make her human.

Iris lies and manipulates. Not a smart decision but her actions are geared toward helping others and finding out what happened to the missing boy who happens to be from her new school. She's helping her down-on-his-luck detective father find out the truth behind his disappearance. Time to get sleuthing!

The writing was well done and the plot flowed smoothly. We are allowed to watch Iris make her mistakes and, thankfully, learn from them which provides character development.

The reveal of the mystery in the end while making sense, was a bit of a let down. After all the build-up, it didn't quite live up to the drama, but it was realistic.

The historical aspects of THE GIRL IS MURDER are unique. I haven't read much in this time period. I liked the slang and seeing life in the 40s. The overall flavor of that decade was pleasantly different, and the plot kept a steady pace.

THIS GIRL IS MURDER is a fun, quick read. The characters and the journey to uncover the mystery are engaging. I think historical lovers will find it a treat. It captured the feeling of the era and gave an original perspective in the YA mystery genre.

Waiting on Wednesday - 5 Hot YA Releases (12/14/2012)

2011-12-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

THE RAFT

by SA Bodeen

August 2012

Robie, 16, lives with her family on the Midway atoll, a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific. Her parents are scientists; it’s an isolated life. Robie enjoys visiting her aunt in Hawaii – she gets back and forth on a cargo plane that brings supplies to Midway.

During a visit, her aunt is called to the mainland for a work emergency, leaving Robie to get home on her own. On her flight back to Midway the cargo plane hits nasty weather, and goes down. It’s just Robie, the pilot, and Max, a co-pilot she’s never met till this flight, on board. Robie is pulled aboard a raft by Max, who is injured and slipping in and out of consciousness. They have a bag of candy and very little water between them. When they finally reach an island that seems abandoned, Robie hopes they’ll be found quickly. But she’s not sure she was even on the flight manifest. Her parents must be looking for her…aren’t they?

NIGHT SCHOOL

by Christie Daugherty

Jan 2012

Sometimes school is murder.
Allie Sheridan's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested.
Again.
This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers.
But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Its rules are strangely archaic. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch.

When Allie is attacked one night the incident sets off a chain of events leading to the violent death of a girl at the summer ball. As the school begins to seem like a very dangerous place, Allie must learn who she can trust. And what's really going on at Cimmeria Academy.

THE HUNT

by Andrew Fukuda

May 2012

Seventeen-year-old Gene struggles to survive in a society where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. When Gene is chosen to participate in the government-sponsored hunt for the remaining humans, he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow hunters whose suspicions about his true human nature are growing.

BREATHE

by Melanie McCullough

Dec 31, 2012

Life's hard. People make it harder. They tether you to them. Make it difficult to breathe, and damn-near impossible to leave...

Seventeen year-old Abby Rhoades knows this all too well. Born to a mother who could never love her and who vacillates between a sloppy drunk and a suicidal maniac, Abby's never had it easy. But Abby can swim. And Abby has a plan--win the state championship, earn a free ride to Penn State, and leave her small town and suffocating mother behind.

But then the body of Tom Ford, her mother's latest boyfriend and a man Abby adored, washes up along the shore of the Susquehanna River. His injuries suggest murder and suspicion quickly falls on Abby then on her best friend Garrett Scott, both of whom saw Tom the night he died.

They both know what happened that night, but neither one is talking. There's too much at stake and the truth could tear them apart.

BZRK

by Michael Grant

Feb 2012

Set in the near future, a conspiracy is afoot to create a perfect and perfectly controlled world. The Armstrong Fancy Gift Corporation is a front for the conjoined Armstrong twins, Charles and Benjamin, and the plot to create their own version of utopia.

A shadowy guerilla group known as BZRK form a nascent resistance movement. Both sides develop sophisticated nanotechnology to achieve their goals:

-The Armstrong twins develop the nanobot, a stealth device that latches onto the brains of unsuspecting citizens

-BZRK's DNA-derived biots are deployed to search out and destroy the insidious bots. If biots are destroyed, the brain cells of their DNA-donor also die. Hence the name BZRK.

What are you waiting for?

Cover Reveal: EMBRACE by Jessica Shirvington

2011-12-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

We're so excited to be part of the cover reveal for EMBRACE by Jessica Shirvington and here it is!

So pretty! Love the smoky look with wings and on the title font!

Wondering what it's about?

It starts with a whisper.
“It’s time for you to know who you are…”
Strange dreams leave her with very real injuries and there’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms. The guy she thought she could fall in love with just told her he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. And she keeps hearing a distant fluttering of wings.
Violet Eden is having a very bad 17th birthday.
But if angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Embrace Cover Shoot from Sourcebooks Inc on Vimeo.

Jessica lives in Sydney with her husband of nine years, FOXTEL presenter and former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington, and their two daughters. She has previously founded and run a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney.
Today, Jessica is a full time mum and author.

For more information:

AUTHOR WEBSITE

SERIES WEBSITE
FACEBOOK

Waiting on Wednesday: 9 Hot Upcoming YA Releases! 12/7/11

2011-12-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

THE SELECTION

release: April 2012

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

A literary version of The Bachelor!

SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY

release: July 2012

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Just one question. If her family has fallen on hard times, and she's chasing around zombies, what's she doing in that gorgeous dress?

THE SPHINX PROJECT

release: Feb 2012

Michaela and her sister aren't normal. Neither are the others on their team. Not many people have been conditioned for their future occupation since before they were born. But after years of experiments, training, and mistreatment, none of them hesitate at the chance to escape.

However, the outside world isn't what they were expecting and, for the first time in her life, Michaela must step out of her sister's shadow to save the others from the worst fate imaginable.

Not sure what their team is trained for, but we're intrigued enough to want to find out!

THE VICIOUS DEEP

release: April 2012

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

A male lead in a mermaid tale? But there's a girl on the cover. Interesting.

SWEET EVIL

release: May 2012

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.
Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

What will Anna choose?

GRAVE MERCY

release: April 2012

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Historical romance and high court drama!

BLOOD BORN

release: April 2012

Waking up in a coffin hungry for blood is only the beginning for sixteen-year-old Ava Blue. When Chance Caldon, the hottie who dug her up, tells her that she’s half vampire, Ava’s world really turns upside down.

Half vamp? Ava can’t believe it...she doesn't even know what that means! Not until Aldric, a thousand-year-old vampire, shows up and tells her it’s true--and that he’s the one who turned her. Then Ava truly begins to believe what she is. Now, she has to deal with a sudden and powerful bloodlust, the desire to see Aldric dead, and her growing crush for Chance. Ava knows she's a monster now, she can feel it; and her life is over.

But redemption isn’t lost. Aldric is giving her a chance to regain her humanity. The price? Kill a hundred vampires, or remain a bloodsucker forever.

So Ava sets out to get her life back. But killing vampires begins a battle that could destroy everything she is working toward. In the end, Ava's decisions will forever change her life and the lives of those she loves.

For readers thirsty for vampire blood!

SHADOWS CAST BY STARS
release: June 2012

Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet - especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the plague that is ravaging the rest of the world.

Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to the plague, but that doesn't mean she's safe. Government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cass and her family, they flee to the Island, a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors, and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken Cass under her wing, and the tribal leader's son into his heart, the spirit world is angry, and it has chosen Cass to be its voice and instrument...

Don't see a lot of aboriginal heroines. A unique dystopian!

GILT

release: May 2012

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

Who doesn't love Henry VIII and Tudor court executions...ah, we mean excitement!

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday: 3 Hot Upcoming YA Releases! 11/30/11

2011-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

release: Aug 2012

The trees swallowed her brother whole. And Jenny was there to see it. Years later, when she returns to the woods where Tom was taken to say good-bye at last, she finds herself lured into a world where stunning beauty masks the most treacherous of evils, and strange and dangerous creatures await—creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with allegiances that shift as much as his moods. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack’s help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say, and she’s faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice—and not just her own.

Sounds very dramatic

release: July 2012

A girl and a vampire fall madly in love... The girl's best friend is deeply unimpressed.

Not much to go on but the authors are good

release: June 2012

Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel and trying not to think about the father she's never met. Lately all of her energy is spent battling the constant storms plaguing the Dust Bowl and their effects on her health. Callie is left alone, when her mother goes missing in a dust storm. Her only hope comes from a mysterious man offering a few clues about her destiny and the path she must take to find her parents in "the golden hills of the west" (California).
Along the way she meets Jack a young hobo boy who is happy to keep her company—there are dangerous, desperate people at every turn. And there's also an otherworldly threat to Callie. Warring fae factions, attached to the creative communities of American society, are very aware of the role this half-mortal, half-fae teenage girl plays in their fate.

Described as good for lovers of the Gemma Doyle series

What are you waiting for?

Movie Review: Breaking Dawn

2011-11-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

We took the plunge and saw Breaking Dawn (part 1) this weekend. They kept it true to the book which is good in that it's authentic to the story, but bad in that this was our least favorite book in the series.

The Good:

Kristen Stewart hardly ever gasped
Kristen Stewart hardly ever stuttered
In general, Stewart's acting is improved
Charlie - every scene he's in is a treat. Loved his wedding speech.
Jessica's wedding speech.
Bella looked absolutely horrible, which made her transformation at the end very dramatic.
Edward "in shock"
Bella trying to seduce Edward - very funny
Alice is always adorable
The very good supporting cast
Jacob with his shirt off
Fighting scenes
Always enjoy Edward

The Not So Good

It was slow. Lots of lingering looks and not much happening. They should not have made this into two movies.
The mental, or psychic, chat between the wolves.
Bella and Jacob during their moment at the wedding. It just seemed awkward.
Lack of uber hot chemistry between Edward and Bella
Jacob only had his shirt off once

The Creepy

Edward eating Bella
The birth
The CGI baby face of Renesmee
The imprinting. Sorry, it's still weird.

We went in with an open mind and didn't hate it, but it wasn't fantastic. Part of that is due to us not being crazy about the book and part is the splitting it up into two films. There just isn't enough going on to make it exciting.

The theater had a lot of people commenting throughout, and laughing in moments where it was not intended to be funny.

Several guys were part of a couple and clearly attending just for their girlfriends. During the imprinting scene, one guy behind us said, "Wait. So he's a pedophile now?"

So will you see it? Have you seen it? What was your Twilight Saga experience?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2011-11-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

We hope your blessings are many
and your troubles are few.
Our heartfelt good wishes go out to you!

Okay, so we're not the best poets but enjoy the holiday anyway. We're doing something a bit different. Journeying out of town because Gregory has a big soccer tournament.
But as long as the family is together, we're happy!
Hope you are too. Stay safe, have some good eats, and enjoy a great book!
Wishing you a joyous and delicious Thanksgiving!

Blog Tour and Art Reveal: HARBINGER by Sara Wilson Etienne

2011-11-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

HARBINGER by Sara Wilson Etienne looks like a hot "must read" for 2012. And it's fantastic when authors do something "out of the box" to promote their work of art. Kudos for Sara using original artwork to do just that!

We're thrilled to be part of Sara's blog tour where, one blog at a time, she's revealing original artwork inspired by her novel.

She has 24 wonderful artists who have picked out favorite scenes and characters from the book and recreated them in original artwork to give you a taste of Faye's life at Holbrook Academy. Here is today's reveal with artwork by Aileen Holmes.

Click on the image to go to a larger image of the artwork

Want more? "Walk the Path" and see the entire amazing gallery the HARBINGER-inspired artwork and read Sara's interviews with the artists. You won't be disappointed.

The Holbrook Academy website is great fun. You can check out the latest happenings at the academy as well get info on the campus, snitch on a friend, and even enroll!

There's more on Sara at her website. You can also follow her on Twitter.

Be sure to look for HARBINGER coming February 2, 2012. The summary is below. It's promoted as a "Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures fast-paced thriller." That sounds fun!

HARBINGER

Sara Wilson Etienne

release: 2/2/2012

genre: Teen Fiction/psychological thriller

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn’t expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she’s going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she’s come home. She’s even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she’s the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can’t trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her—and the rest of the world too.

MIRROR, MIRROR Movie Trailer!

2011-11-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

It's movie trailer week! Kind of. It just so happens that we did a post a couple of days ago about the battling Snow White movies - SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and MIRROR, MIRROR - and the MIRROR, MIRROR trailer wasn't available. But it is now!

It actually looks fantastic. Weird, beautiful, and hysterical! Julia Roberts is amazing!

And, fun fact...Both Alex Pettyfer and James McAvoy tried out for the part of Prince Charming, but Armie Hammer (he played the twins in THE SOCIAL NETWORK) beat them out!

We're big fans of both of them - they are two of the recurring Prince Charmings in Alyssa's dreams - and would have been happy with either. But Armie it is, and hopefully MIRROR, MIRROR will be as good as it looks! Release is March 2012.

THE HUNGER GAMES MOVIE TRAILER!

2011-11-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

Finally, a REAL trailer for THE HUNGER GAMES!
You have to look very quickly to catch Stanley Tucci with his long blue hair.

Awesome, right!

We can't wait, how about you?

Check out THE HUNGER GAME Facebook Page for more info.

The Battle of the Two Snow Whites - at the Movies!

2011-11-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the amazing trailer for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN!

Love Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron. We'll have to wait and see how Kristen Stewart does. It does look epic, and has a fun twist with Snow White teaming up with the hunky Hunstman to vanquish the evil queen. But we do find it interesting that in the trailer, Theron and Hemsworth get to speak while we only see Ms. Stewart - she doesn't say a word.

Release is supposed to be June 1. We hope it's as awesome as it looks!

The other Snow White movie, MIRROR, MIRROR, starring Lily Collins as Snow, Julia Roberts as the Queen and Armie Hammer as the Prince comes out in March but doesn't look as epic. It's more visually artsy and geared to family audiences.

So epic fight drama or artsy, family fun, which are you most looking forward to?

Teen Fiction Review: SHATTERED SOULS by Mary Lindsey

2011-11-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

SHATTERED SOULS
by Mary Lindsey
release: 12/8/11
Amazon/Website/Blog/Facebook/Twitter

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

With plenty of twists and turns, SHATTERED SOULS will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Lenzi is a tough, brave heroine, struggling to help others while keeping herself from falling apart, and evading nasty spirits set on destroying her. In the midst of figuring out her new role as Speaker, she's torn between boyfriend Zak, and new, mysterious hottie, Alden.

Zak tries, and he seems to truly care for Lenzi, but he has some serious baggage which puts him in the "Girl, quit hanging on and get rid of him before he hurts you" category. Alden is such sweet fellow. Madly in love with Lenzi but doing his best to do what's right by her. Ah, the torture of forbidden romance!

Mary Lindsey's writing has a haunting quality that lends beautifully to the steady build up and slow reveals that wind through the path of this captivating plot. It also compliments how the romance between Lenzi and Alden develops into a deep emotional connection that has transcended time.

With plenty of intrigue, mystery, ghosts, evil spirits, reincarnation, and an intense surprise ending that that will have you holding your breath, SHATTERED SOULS is a fantastic addition to your Christmas list. Look for it's release December 8th! But FYI, Mary is having a giveaway on Goodreads!

And I can't do a review without gushing over that amazing cover! It's even better in person. So gorgeous, and kudos for how it captures the feel of the story.

Be sure to follow Mary on her TEEN BOOK SCENE blog tour!

Mary's writing is a natural expression of her love of reading and a fascination with the flexibility of the human imagination. Books make the impossible possible.

Prior to attending University of Houston Law School, Mary received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Drama from the University of Houston. She has taught drama and playwriting in a large public high school and English in a private school. Currently, Mary teaches acting to children and teens at a private studio in Houston, Texas.

Mary lives in Houston with her husband, three kids, two dogs, her daughter's pet rats, an Australian Bearded Dragon and dozens of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. (The roaches are long story—don't ask.)

Waiting on Wednesday: Hot Upcoming YA Releases! 11/9/11

2011-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read!

DARK EYES

William Richter

March 2012

Wally was adopted from a Russian orphanage as a child and grew up in a wealthy New York City family. At fifteen, her obsessive need to rebel led her to life on the streets.
Now the sixteen-year-old is beautiful and hardened, and she's just stumbled across the possibility of discovering who she really is. She'll stop at nothing to find her birth mother before Klesko - her darkeyed father - finds her. Because Klesko will stop at nothing to reclaim the fortune Wally's mother stole from him long ago. Even if that means murdering his own blood. But Wally's had her own killer training, and she's hungry for justice.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for teens, this debut thriller introduces our next big series heroine!

UNDEADLY

by Michele Vail

Feb 28, 2011

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird... Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts. Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED

by April Henry

April 2010

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part time as a delivery girl at Pete's Pizza. One night, Kayla another delivery girl goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gabie can't move beyond the fact that Kayla's fate was really meant for her, and she becomes obsessed with finding Kayla. She teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete's. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn't dead and to find her before she is.

STRUCK

by Jennifer Bosworth

May 2012

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s been struck so many times she’s lost count. She can’t sleep, she’s covered in veiny red “lightning scars,” and repeated strikes have even stopped her heart on occasion. Still, Mia can’t resist a storm. That's why Los Angeles, where it never rains, is the perfect place for her to find peace . . . until a massive earthquake devastates the city. Now Mia finds herself struggling to hold her family together in a strange and terrifying new version of Los Angeles. The beaches have become massive tent cities populated by millions of homeless. Downtown is a wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the attendees drawn to the destruction by a magnetic force they cannot deny. The blind prophet of a doomsday cult called the Church of Light, who predicted the earthquake with frightening accuracy, says a storm is coming to usher in the end of days, and only his Followers will be saved. Mia’s traumatized mom has become obsessed with the Church of Light, while her younger brother Parker is desperate to join a second doomsday cult called the Seekers. But Mia is the one both cults need. The Seekers are recruiting people with an energy-based power they call the “Spark,” and Mia has it stronger than most. They claim the false prophet of the Church of Light will bring about the end of the world, and they are the only ones who can stand against him. But without Mia on their side, they will fail. Mia’s lightning addiction is both the key to saving the world . . . and destroying it.

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday: 6 Hot Upcoming YA Releases! 11/2/11

2011-11-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read - Upcoming hot YA releases!

ALL THESE LIVES

by Sarah Wylie

June 2012

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away. To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one

PARTIALS

by Dan Wells

Feb 28, 2012

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there. Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

Cobbogoth
by Hannah L Clark
Dec 12, 2011

To seventeen-year-old Norah Lukens, the Cobbogothians were just a myth. But after her archeologist uncle's brutal murder, and being asked to translate one of his old research journals for evidence, she begins a journey to discover the truth for herself.
Chasing the myth her uncle was obsessed with, Norah learns that his murder was a cover up for something far more sinister. If she hopes to save others from suffering the same fate he did--including the peculiarly magnetic James Riley--she must head to Iceland in order to find out the truth once and for all.
If she succeeds, she'll gain the one thing she's always longed for.
But if she fails, not even the gods can help her.

ILLUMINATE
by Aimee Agresti
March 2012

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit. As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

ENCHANTED
by Alethea Kontis
May 2012

It isn’t easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?

DARK COMPANION
by Marta Acosta
June 2012

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.
Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.
The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.
Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday: 6 Hot Upcoming YA Releases! 10/26/11

2011-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

WoW is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine and showcases upcoming releases we're dying to read - Upcoming hot YA releases!

WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND
by Tracey Bilen
May 2012

Sixteen-year-old Sara and her mom are running away from home. But not until tomorrow. Tonight there’s one last dinner with Dad, who still asks why her dead brother is late for dinner.
Sara’s mom says to meet her at the Dairy Dream. Then she never shows up. And everything in the suitcase Sara had packed has been put away. Neatly. Like her dad would do.
Where is Sara’s mom? Will Sara find her before it’s too late?

BREATHE

by Melanie McCullough

Nov 11, 2011

Life's hard. People make it harder. They tether you to them. Make it difficult to breathe, and damn-near impossible to leave...
Seventeen year-old Abby Rhoades knows this all too well. Born to a mother who could never love her and who vacillates between a sloppy drunk and a suicidal maniac, Abby's never had it easy. But Abby can swim. And Abby has a plan--win the state championship, earn a free ride to Penn State, and leave her small town and suffocating mother behind.
But then the body of Tom Ford, her mother's latest boyfriend and a man Abby adored, washes up along the shore of the Susquehanna River. His injuries suggest murder and suspicion quickly falls on Abby then on her best friend Garrett Scott, both of whom saw Tom the night he died.
They both know what happened that night, but neither one is talking. There's too much at stake and the truth could tear them apart.

PIGMENTS OF MY IMAGINATION
by Angela Kulig
pub: Nov 11, 2011

From the moment Lucia steps into Bayside Art Academy, she is fed a steady stream of lies, but it’s not until she meets Michael that she begins to question the people she trusts. Unraveling fact from fabrication seems impossible until Lucia finds her first painting, and discovers the dead do not lie--at least not to her.
A dozen lifetimes ago, Lucia started a war. Not a war with armies or guns, but a bloody war nonetheless. The path leading Lucia to the truth is hidden within lovely art that spans the ages. In this life, however, Lucia doesn't know where to look. Lost, she turns to the one thing she knows with certainty--she is in love with Leo, and has been before.

BOUND

by CK Bryant

Nov 11, 2011

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.
BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

BECOME
by Ali Cross
Nov 11, 2012

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.
When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

UNTRACEABLE

by SR Johannes

Nov 29, 2011

16 year old Grace was reared in the wilderness. Her first pet was a bear named Simon. Her first potty, an oak tree. And, her first swing, a forest vine. Grace has lived in the Smokies her whole life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her everything he knew about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. But when Grace's dad goes missing on a routine patrol, unlike everyone in her sleepy mountain town, she refuses to believe he’s dead. When a Cheetos bag and stolen government file materialize, Grace is convinced she’s one step closer to proving all the non-believers wrong.
Then one day while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from imminent danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent, that’s definitely not from her neck of the woods, and a secret. Grace has never felt a connection like this before, certainly not with her ex-boyfriend, the adoring, but decidedly unrugged Wyn.
Now with renewed confidence, Grace travels deeper into the wilderness that has always been her refuge only to learn that her father's disappearance is not a mere coincidence. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to emerge from an epidemic that’s spreading like wild fire, threatening everything and everyone she’s ever loved.

What are you waiting for?