Another Giveaway! Begins December 1!

This year, I'm really feeling the holiday spirit. The decorations, seeing Santa at the mall, buying presents. However, what I am not looking forward to, is all the snow that's heading our way. If you've got snow coming your way, too, here's a spooky mystery for those cold, snowed-in nights.

Begins Dec. 1 - Dec. 7 at 11:59pm EST

 A Victorian garden, a fishing lure, and a ghost named John.

Absolutely nothing is going right for Max Green. His parents have just uprooted their family from Vancouver to the bleak suburbs of Toronto, he has no friends, and everybody at his new high school is ignoring him. To make matters worse, he's in love with an older girl who's completely out of his league.

When Max discovers a local library rumored to be haunted by ghosts, he's immediately drawn to it. With the help of some cryptic messages, he begins to piece together the identity of the teenage ghost and the mysterious chain of events that have connected its spirit to the building for over a century. But just who was John, anyway? Why has he chosen to contact Max? And what does an old fishing lure have to do with solving the mystery?

Here are the terms: 

1. You must be a follower to qualify but to enter you must leave a comment one of my recent posts...like this one or this one.

2. This giveaway is for 1 copy of Lure by Deborah Kerbel and is open to US Residents Only

3. Extra entry point if you leave a link to your own post about the giveaway

4. Another one if you tweet about it!

Tally up in a comment below!

And the Winner is...

AIK!

You have won a copy of Gemini Night by Bonnie Hill Hearn! Please email me within 24 hours with your mailing address.

Thank you for entering! Enjoy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING - 100TH POST!

With Thanksgiving and my 100th post falling on the same day, I decided to share with you what I am most thankful for.

I have the most amazing family. We're very close. They're supportive and encouraging, funny and fun to be with.  My aunt and I are both raising two and three year olds who are more like sisters than second cousins!

We like to play games, too! Just the other night we got together to see off a good friend before he move to California. Have you ever played the game Cranium? Really, really fun!! Roll the dice and pick a card! Humdinger? Hum the song named on the card for your teammates to guess! Sensosketch? See if they can guess what it is while you're drawing with your eyes closed. Mold things out of clay and puppeteer your friends and family and do all kinds of things that make you look ridiculous! Needless to say, we had a blast that night and my team won!! Any time we're all together, is a good time.

There is nothing I am most thankful for, every day of the year, than my daughter. She blesses me with unconditional love. The kind of love a parent can have for their child is  so deeply profound to a point that there is no word, that I have ever heard, that can describe it. Watching her grow is amazing! She surprises me everyday with something new, something hilarious, something creative. I am thankful for my daughter for coming into my life. Like a tornado.  And a hurricane. Is that possible? What are those called? I don't know. But I love my girl! I hope all of you are spending this Turkey Day with the ones you love. 

Good luck crazy people who are going Black Friday shopping, at 4 in the morning, wrestling over the last Xbox or vacuum or leather jacket or whatever. I don't know how you do it. I, for one, cannot. Will not.

So on that note...

Tangled Movie Review

4 1/2 stars - Great for the little ones and the little girl in all of us!

Minor spoiler alert - but I'd hate to ruin it for anyone else.

My daughter and I were so excited to see this movie, I knew I wanted to write a review about it. I have to be honest, I missed the first couple of minutes running out to get popcorn for my daughter, who made sure I noticed that everyone else already had theirs!


Rapunzel is taken from her parents, a King and Queen by an evil woman who wishes to use Rapunzel's magical hair to remain forever young and beautiful! To do so,she locks Rapunzel in a tower and raises her as her own. She tells Rapunzel stories of a terrifying world outside the tower to scare into never leaving.

The songs were fun and bouncy though I didn't feel like any of them had any catchy chorus' that would be easy for kids to remember and sing along to.

I thought most of the characters were well developed. Rapunzel was beautiful with big green doe eyes. She was creative and artistic; painting, cooking, playing guitar, etc. Although she was naive to the outside world, as her "mother" wanted her to be, she adapted quickly and improvised well for someone who's never interacted with other people or ever had to do anything unexpected! Even more, she was brave and strong  and feisty with a frying pan! Rapunzel was also responsible for a lot of the funny moments in this movie. After fleeing from her tower, she has hilarious moments of happiness at finally being free and worrying about what her "mother" will say. Flynn Rider, the 'smoldering' cute guy, is also very funny in a drier kind of way. As much as the story revolves around both him and Rapunzel, I think he was more of a supporting character next to her. Rapunzel's "mother" was a great villain. She was definitely a character you loved to hate. One who uses backhanded kindness to be evil.

The other two great characters were Maximus, the palace horse and Pascal, the chameleon. These two were not in the movie enough. Maximus was potentially a great addition and hilarious character in the movie but he honestly did not get enough air time. Same for Pascal. I think children connect to a movie more with a strong animal character or two. From the previews, I was really excited to see Maximus and Pascal and the antics they were going to get into and the hilarious things they would do, and it just did not deliver.

I loved the rich colors of the film right from the start. I did not see this movie in 3D because my daughter is only three and will not wear the glasses. Obviously I cannot say for sure, but I doubt 3D did much to enhance this movie.

Towards the end of the movie, much like every other kids movie, comes that pivotal moment where things look like they're going to take a turn for the worst right before they live happily ever after. Well, at this moment, a little girl in the movie theater started bawling her little eyes out! Between that little girl and the tear-jerking scene playing out in front of me, my eyes were definitely wetter than they were a moment before!

The end of the movie is so heart-warming and sweet it just makes you feel all gushy inside! I'm so happy Disney came out with a new princess and a new movie to love! You have to understand, with my daughter being three, our lives revolve around the Disney princesses and introducing Rapunzel gave us a fresh place to start again!

I think every little girl (or older girl....or grown a** woman) should see this movie. It was just too cute to miss!

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Breaking The Spine to highlight upcoming books that readers are dying to get their hands on!

Here's one I'm really looking forward to...

Blessed (Tantalize #3) by Cynthia Leitich Smith will bring together characters from the first  and second books, Tantalize and Eternal. Quincie, Kieren, Miranda and Zachary. I can't wait to see all of them again. For some I hope for change, for others, I hope they've stayed the same! Either way, things are bound to be interesting!

Better still? A FOURTH installment!! All about ZACHARY!! Just what this series needed - more Zachary!

Graphic Novels are also in the works! Visuals!

Go to Cynthia Leitich Smith's Website for more info on the whole series and some great Qs and As!

Tuesday Review Day!

In the spirit of my pending makeover, Tuesday will be Review Day! I wish I could promise a post every day but I'll be posting as regularly as possible. I've got a few things coming up this week but first...

NIGHTSHADE (Nightshade #1) 

Written by: Andrea Cremer

Publication date: October 19, 2010

Released in Hardcover

5 STARS

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

My Review: This book is even more beautiful in real life than it was online! The edges of the pages have that worn effect that makes it appear old and tattered. I love it! There were so many words on one page I actually had to put my reading glasses on for this one!  I love the page breaks between chapters. Each one a different phase of the moon. It just the book even more of a wolf feel.

Straight to the point. We meet Calla Tor already in mid-fight. Sometimes getting a little background story is nice but other times, getting right down to brass tax is just what the doctor ordered to break a reading slump!

The way Andrea Cremer writes is poetic. Beautiful metaphors that really bring the scenes to life. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the characters of the story are more wolf than human. They don't consider themselves humans that turn into wolves, more like wolves that take human form. The world in which these wolves are a part of is so much more intricate than I've read in any other story.

Andrea Cremer created a wide variety of colorful characters. She reveals bits and pieces of them like a slow leak and it just makes you even more curious. You can tell they all have interesting background stories and because you don't get it all, it adds to the mystery of the characters. Like Cosette! What's the deal with this sad little puppy?! I don't think she says two words in the whole book! I'm dying to know more about her!

Poor Calla. Torn between two gorgeous men that are both head over heels for her, would and have risked their lives for her and can barely keep their hands (and lips) off of her. Did I say "Poor Calla"?  I meant Lucky B*tch! 

Renier Laroche, hot alpha wolf. Unlike Calla, this guys been around the block and is rumored to be a great lover. But now that their union draws near, he's into Calla and their pack 100%. This is who Calla was born to be with, this is where she belongs.

Shay Doran, hot mysterious human. He caught her attention immediately and stirred up feelings within her she didn't know she could feel, and all she wants to do is explore them - with him!

Tough decision.

The whole time I'm reading this book, with everything that was happening and all the foreshadowing, there was so much build up, so much suspense, I was all anxious and twitchy! So much action! So many paranormal creatures! I couldn't wait to get to the end! And whoa! Talk about cliffhanger! But that's okay because Wolfsbane (Nighshade #2) will be released July 26, 2010! Take a look at yet another gorgeous cover!

Can they get any better?

Who Should Read This Book: If you love wolf stories, this a book you absolutely cannot miss. Great love story, great action and great suspense! This book is by far at the top of my waiting list!

You can find more info about the Nightshade Novels on Cremer's site andreacremer.com

Tell Me What You Want!

Hello Followers!

Here's the deal. I'm really feeling a blog makeover and I think you guys might be feeling it too. I want your help, your input and your suggestions.

What can I do to make my blog better? More fun? More interesting?

What do you want to see when you come here? More book news? More reviews? Widgets? Anything! Whatever it is, I want to know! Please do not hold back - I need to know what I can do to keep you guys happy! After all, I do it for you!

So please leave a comment with your thoughts.

Thanks!

A Better Monday

We all know how dreadful Mondays are, so I decided to perk mine up with the acceptance of an award!

This award was given to me a while back by Nikki at Nikki's Starbucks Reviews and then again recently by Gabrielle of The Mod Podge Bookshelf.

To accept this award you must:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

So here are 7 things about me:

1.  My dream career is to be a stunt car driver. 'Cuz I like to drive wild!

2.  It takes me less than 10 minutes to shower but over an hour to do my hair to my satisfaction!

3.  I HATE Pumpkin Pie!

4.  I can't draw to save my life though I wish I could paint a picture - just once!

5. I wish I was a bear so I could hibernate during the winter. I hate the cold.

6. Before I discover young-adult, I read nothing but true crime books. There was one so disturbing, I put it down and never ever picked it back up!

7. The only sport I like to watch is football and the only sport I like to play is volleyball.

I bestow this award upon:

1. i swim for oceans

2. The Reader Room

3. Irresistible Reads

4. Christi the Teen Librarian

5. That Hapa Chick

6. Imagination in Focus

7. The Phantom Paragrapher

8. Things Liz Loves

9. The Paperback Princesses

10. Hooked on Books

11. YA Urban

12. Confessions of a Teen Bookaholic

13. I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read

14. Ashley's Bookshelf

15. That Bookish Girl

Thanks again guys!

In My Mailbox

Hey Guys!

This is my first official In My Mailbox which was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren! In My Mailbox is a way to share the books you received each week.

Just yesterday I received from Dundurn Press Ltd. three titles from Deborah Kerbel!

Girl on the Other Side, Mackenzie, Lost and Found and Lure!

I will be hosting a giveaway of Lure so stay tuned for those dates!

Sooo, what did you get?

Extended Giveaway

I've decided to extend my giveaway of Gemini Night by Bonnie Hill Hearn to give more people a chance to enter. The Giveaway will be running until November 26! Right after the holidays, you've had your fill of turkey and stuffing and Black Friday shopping! I'll take the qualifying entries and pick the winner using random.org. The winner will be announced that evening.

If you'd like to enter, here's what you gotta do: you must
be a follower to qualify (1 point), leave a comment telling me your sign and what your favorite part of being that sign is - please be sure to leave this comment under my giveaway post (1 point), follow me on Twitter @elaineblogs (1 point) and another two bonus points if you comment with a picture of your zodiac tattoo (2 points)!

Ends November 26!

I have to give a shout out to some great blogger friends for helping me spread the word about this giveaway: Ashley's Bookshelf, Surrounded By Words and The Mod Podge Bookshelf who is currently participating in Second Hand Saturday! Check it out!

Thanks guys!