A Journey of Books: May 2010

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Meet the Secret Keepers - Trisha's Book Blog

When lies abound and secrets threaten to pop out of their hiding places, apparently nothing is sacred. My beautiful weekend (okay, the rained killed the beauty slightly) was muddied by another text from "A". Will she never stop? I mean, it's not like I've given her cause to want to expose all my dark secrets...or have I?

FYI, Hanna is not always a kind person. I know, as a main character in Pretty Little Liars you'd think she'd be a total angel...or not. Well, apparently I, or we (I'm getting a complex here), have quite a few things that we would like to keep hidden. "A" is apparently dead set on either exposing them or threatening to expose them so she can use me as her own form of personal entertainment. I suppose the only good thing here is that her attention isn't limited to just me. Emily, Aria, and Spencer have apparently been hearing from her as well. I've been seeing some strange messages from them as "A" tries to get them to expose their own secrets. She's devious that way.

For those out there who have no clue what I'm talking about, welcome to the club. I swear I'm confusing myself sometimes. Am I Cinnamon or Hanna? I don't even think I know anymore.

A few weeks ago ABC Family contacted me and a number of other bloggers about participating in a "game" to celebrate the upcoming premier of Pretty Little Liars, a show based on the book series of the same name by Sara Shepard. Described as an "addictive blend of Desperate Housewives and I Know What You Did Last Summer" (http://sarashepardbooks.com/books.php), this series is intriguing and full of drama. The shows promises to follow suit.

The bloggers who are participating are called Secret Keepers. We each have ten secrets and the goal is to have the most secrets at the end. Every couple days we receive a text message on a phone sent to us by ABC. "A" gives us a mission and reminds us that failure to complete it will result in her exposing one of our secrets. I, Cinnamon/Hanna, simply cannot afford to have a single one of those secrets exposed and will do anything to ensure that, even if it means sucking it up and participating in her wild goose chases. I try to update everyone at least once a day or so regarding the current shenanigans, but if you want more frequent updates, I suggest checking out my Twitter or Facebook feeds.

Today's mission involved a bit of math involving Pretty Little Liars on Twitter and *cough* no, I won't say why. Let's just say that I had to prove myself to "A". I haven't heard back yet, so I don't know if I completed my mission successfully or not. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I did.

The other part of these Pretty Little Liars posts involves what I like to call Meet the Secret Keepers. I was interested in getting to know a little more about some of the other Secret Keepers and figured that the best way to do this was for everyone to get to know one another.

Meet the Secret Keepers, Episode 3

Today's Secret Keeper is a fellow Hanna from Trisha's Book Blog. You go Hanna! Keep those secrets safe!

What Trisha's Book Blog says:

I started my book blog because I have always loved to read. As I got older I thought back on all of the books that I read when I was younger and I wished that I would have kept track of all of them. So that is basically the reason that I started my book blog. I want to keep track of all the books that I have read. But also, it is nice to meet other people who love to read as much as I do. It is also nice to read other people's reviews and see what they thought of the same book that you have read. It is great to see everyone's different takes on how you thought of the book after you read it.

What I say:

Trisha's Book Blog reviews some fabulous books. Of course, that's totally personal preference for me, but I like to think my readers and I at share at least a semi-similar taste in books. Chances are, you'll dig her reviews as well. In addition to great reviews, Trisha also has some really good discussions, the latest of which involves her thoughts on individuals who sell ARCs. In case this isn't common knowledge, selling ARCs, or Advanced Reader Copies, is frowned upon. These books are given to reviewers free of charge in exchange for an honest review. They are not given to a reviewer to turn around and sell. Where would the author profit from that?

Hmmm...maybe one of the missions from "A" will involve Trisha's Book Blog mailing all of her awesome books to a fellow Hanna, namely me. What? A girl can fantasize...can't she?

Don't forget to visit the previous Secret Keepers episodes.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Meet the Blogs, Episode 3

Shhh...can you hear it? BlogFest 2010 is approaching! September is creeping up on us meaning that there isn't much time before this giant giveaway extravaganza. So far we have a great list of awesome blogs ready to give you some fantastic prizes. It's okay to be excited - I certainly am!

Each weekend until BlogFest we will be featuring a few of the participants. You will be able to get a sneak peek at the blogs who have signed up and perhaps get a jumpstart on meeting some new faces. Go ahead and take a look!

The blogs listed here are in order of when they signed up to participate in Meet the Blogs.

A Cup of Tea and a Cozy For Me

My blog features reviews of mystery books, but that's not all. We also have recipes, product reviews and all kinds of fun stuff going on! I also review general fiction and young adult fiction.

Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and I'm a bookworm from Hawaii. My blog partner is my 13 year old younger sister, Leslie--both of us are bookworms and proud of it! Our blog is called Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks. We review both YA fiction (by Leslie and me) and romance novels (all me). We also do fun weekly features like ""Midnight Confessions"" (a journal type post where I confess everything book-related), ""Book Trailer of the Week,"" and of course there is always a giveaway going on. Stop on by and said hi! We'd very much love to meet you! :)

Chick Loves Lit

Chick Loves Lit is a young adult book featured blog. I post daily, with reviews, interviews, upcoming releases, giveaways, and other book related features. My husband also occasionally posts his reviews of young adult and science fiction novels!

Busy Moms Who Love to Read

Having three children didn't allow much time for reading yet somehow I started reading and haven't stopped since! I know there are other moms out there who have had the same experience so I wanted to create a book review blog for moms who have been bitten by the reading bug and are jonesing for more great reads!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Meet the Secret Keepers - NiceGirlsTV

Alright...I think I've managed to fly under the radar today. Perhaps "A" took pity on my poor damaged self? Not likely. She's probably just too busy exposing my friends to worry too much about me.

Regardless of the reasons, I'm going to take a nice little breather while I have the opportunity.

Have no clue what I'm talking about? In a nutshell, ABC contacted me not too long ago about participating in a "game" to celebrate the upcoming premier of Pretty Little Liars, a show based on the book series of the same name by Sara Shepard. I was sent an iPhone to use and now am being virtually harassed by "A", a girl (or guy I suppose) who has been missing, is likely dead, and is intent on exposing all of our dirty little secrets. You can find more information about the shenanigans in my other blog posts.

Meet the Secret Keepers, Episode 2

Today's Secret Keeper is BethAnne from NiceGirlsTV. BethAnne is playing as Spencer. Hmmm...I wonder what secrets she has hidden in her closet? Interestingly enough, she is actually the Spencer in my group, so I guess you could say we're technically competing against each other.

What do you say, Spencer - care to share your secrets?

What BethAnne says:

Nice Girls watch TV, then we talk about it behind your back. ;-)

What I say:

Curious about what's happening on T.V.? NiceGirlsTV has the answers and commentary you're looking for. Featuring everything from giveaways to news and NiceGirls' thoughts, NiceGirlsTV is like a T.V. extravaganza.

Plus, it's pink. Who can resist a pink site?

Don't forget to visit the previous Meet the Secret Keepers episodes.

Book Blogger Hop (7)

Normally you would see a nice long explanation here of what today is and why I'm posting this; however, I busted up my hand after using it to catch myself on a particularly bad fall yesterday so typing is not feeling so fantabulous. For that reason you are getting the short version.

It's Friday! It's Book Blogger Hop Friday! (That originally came out as Book Bloggers Hope Friday...hmmm...)

This is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books. Last time I met some fun bloggers through the event and caught up with a few I've already been visiting. Go check them out and say hi!

Beverly - The Wormhole
Kelly - Bookend Diaries
Renee - Addicted to Romance
Violet - The Eager Readers
June - Writing is a Blessing
Mel - The Reading Life
Candace - Vampires, Weres, Witches and All That
Kelly - Book Sanctuary
Whitney - She is Too Fond of Books

What is Blog Hop?

A Blog Hop, or Book Blogger Hop, is a way to network with other bloggers and readers. This is a weekly event hosted by Crazy-for-Books. She has an amazing list of fun blogs that have signed up to go visit each other. Want to meet a few new bloggers? I already met a few fun ones (see above) and can't wait to meet some more!

Sounds amazing! I want to sign up too!

I knew you would. Head on over to Crazy-for-Books and read the directions. Make your own post and sign the linkey. Then, go start visiting! It's easy, fun, and a great way to meet new folk.

Ready? Start hopping and bring an ice pack by when you drop in!

Cara Elliot on BlogTalkRadio

To Surrender To A Rogue (Circle of Sin Trilogy)

Cara Elliot, the fabulous author of the steamy new romance series The Circle of Sin is coming to BlogTalkRadio! The second book in the series, TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE is due out June 1, 2010.

From Ms. Elliot's website:

Drawn together by their sharp intellect and shared cynicism concerning the opposite sex, the Circle of Scientific Sibyls—informally known as the Circle of Sin—is a group of brilliant, beautiful female scholars who meet each week to share their knowledge—and their friendship.

Each lady has her own field of expertise—and her own reason for being wary of men.

Past deceptions, dark secrets and hidden passions. Ciara, Alessandra and Kate must each draw on her own cleverness and courage—as well as help from a sinfully sexy rogue—when a past sin stirs up a swirling mix of deadly intrigue and dangerous desires..

Three alluring Sinners. Three seductive stories. . . .

Below is the official invitation from Forever Romance. I hope you can make it to listen in as it promises to be a really good interview.

Join us as we interview

Cara Elliott author of TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE

On BlogTalkRadio

Tuesday, June 8, 2 PM ET

Publisher: Forever Romance

BlogTalkRadio/HBG Program:

In this live interview with Cara Elliott, we'll discuss the finer points of some fun facts from her latest book, TO SURRENDER TO A ROGUE, where she got the inspiration to write a Circle of Sin series, and how teaching at Yale has taught her a thing or two about writing and reading romance.

"I started creating books at the age of five, or so my mother tells me. And she has the proof — a neatly penciled story, the pages lavishly illustrated with full color crayon drawings of horses and bound with staples — to back up her claim. I have since moved on from Westerns to writing about Regency England, a time and place that has captured my imagination ever since I opened the covers of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I have a BA and an MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University and now work as the creative director of a lifestyle sporting magazine, a job which lets me combine my love of the printed word with my love of art. I’m very fortunate in that my work allows me to travel to interesting destinations around the world — however, my favorite spot is London, where the funky antique markets and used book stores offer a wealth of inspiration for my stories." --Cara Elliott

Call-in with your questions during show time to participate in the live interview @ 646-378-0039.

Listen-in or chat on the Grand Central Publishing channel on BlogTalkRadio.

If you would like your questions to be read on air by the host or if you would like to give advanced notice of your participation during the live call, email anna.balasi@hbgusa.com.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Meet the Secret Keepers - YA Bliss

Today has been...interesting. I got my rear handed to me by a pile of mud masquerading as a piece of cement. "Face plant"... I now know what that means. My hands and wrists bore the brunt of the fall and are fairly swollen so typing is fairly interesting at the moment. That can't keep me from you though (even if you wish it would)!

For those of you just checking in, not too long ago I was contacted by ABC about participating in a "game" in celebration of the June 8th premier of Pretty Little Liars based on the series of the same name by Sara Shepard. Of course I said yes and soon entered into the shenanigans of the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers.

"A", a most likely, but maybe not dead girl, has been sending us text messages on preloaded phones we were sent. If we don't do exactly as she says, she'll expose one of our ten secrets to the other girls in the group. I am playing as Hanna and the other girls in my group are Aria, Spencer, and Emily. So far it's been interesting and promises to get pretty intriguing.

Over the past couple of days I've been curious about my fellow Secret Keepers. I figured the best way for me to get to know them was for us all to get to know each other. I'm sure you're interested in meeting some of the other Secret Keepers besides myself as well. I introduce you to:

Meet the Secret Keepers, Episode 1

Our first Secret Keeper is Sab of YA Bliss. She is playing as a fellow Hanna and for that I say - go girl!

About her blog, Sab says:

My blog is dedicated exclusively to YA books. I feature reviews, author guest reviews, upcoming titles, books I got every week, interviews and giveaways.

About her blog, I say:

Holy cow her blog is pretty! Okay, let's go for gorgeous - I think I'm in love with her header. Focusing on YA books, Sab has some great reviews posted. Her reviews focus mainly on her opinion of the book which receives a rating based on her enjoyment of the story. Share similar interests in books? You'll likely be able to get a good sense of whether or not a particular book is a good fit for you from YA Bliss.

It's great to meet you, Sab, and good luck on whatever "A" throws at us next!

Eclipse Promo Photos

Alright, I wasn't going to post this today, but I just can't help myself.

Eclipse is my favorite of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, so it's no surprise than I'm super excited for the movie. There are some gorgeous promo pics on Facebook that I figured I'd share with you. Of course, the first one that I really saw is still my favorite.

Find more on Facebook.

Enjoy this Eclipse Trailer. It's definitely adrenaline-pumping.

THE DEVLIN DIARY Giveaway

I recently read and reviewed THE DEVLIN DIARY by Christi Phillips. This was a great historical thriller that kept me hopping up onto the edge of my seat every few pages. Hannah Devlin is a woman living in London during the 1600s. Her practice of medicine is criminal, but what's a girl to do when so many neglected poor pass by her every day in desperate need of care. Her life will intersect with that of Claire Donovan, a history teacher living in the 21st century, when both struggle to discover the cause behind some untimely deaths in their respective times. Hannah's diary may hold the key to Claire's investigation, but will the resulting discovery be more than Claire bargained for?

Want to win a copy? Sure you do. Giveaway open to U.S. mailing addresses only and ends on June 27, 2010. Simply fill out the form below to enter.

Find Christi Phillips online: Facebook // Blog
THE DEVLIN DIARY Review

**This has been part of a tour with Pocket. Participants include:**
Rundpinne: http://www.rundpinne.blogspot.com/
Frugal Plus: http://frugalplus.com/
My Five Monkeys: http://www.tableforseven-julie.blogspot.com/
The Bibliophilic Book Blog: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
My Book Addiction and More: http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
Just Another New Blog: http://justanothernewblog.blogspot.com/
The Book Girl: http://www.thebookgirl.net/
Just One More Paragraph: http://tweezlereads.blogspot.com
Booktumbling: http://booktumbling.com/
Books Gardens & Dogs: http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
Renee’s Reads: http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/
Taking Time For Mommy: http://takingtimeformommy.blogspot.com/
Starting Fresh: http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/
Star Shadow: http://www.starshadowblog.com/
My Book Views: http://my-book-views.blogspot.com/
Write For A Reader: http://www.writeforareader.blogspot.com/
Bibliophile’s Retreat: http://bibliophilesretreat.com/
Jeanne's Ramblings: http://www.jeannesramblings.com
Blog Business World: http://www.blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com
Avid Reader: http://www.tarmyblogspot.blogspot.com/
Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks: http://booksandmakeup.blogspot.com/
Lucky Rosie’s: http://www.luckyrosiescreations.blogspot.com/
Celtic Lady’s Reviews: http://www.celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/
Books Like Breathing: http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/
A Room Without Books Is Empty: http://detweilermom.blogspot.com/
Chrissy’s World of Books: http://chrissysworldofbooks.blogspot.com/
DK’s Everything Books Blog: http://dkay401-challenges.blogspot.com/
A Musing Reviews: http://www.amusingreviews.blogspot.com/
Readaholic: http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
I Heart Book Gossip: http://juniperrbreeeze.blogspot.com/
That’s A Novel Idea: http://thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com/
Reading Extensively: http://reading-extensively.blogspot.com/
Knitting and Sundries: http://www.jewelknits.blogspot.com/
Thrifty and Frugal Living: http://www.thriftyandfrugalliving.com/
See Michelle Read: http://seemichelleread.blogspot.com/
‘Til We Read Again: http://tilwereadagain.blogspot.com/
Reminder List: http://reminderlist.blogspot.com/
Loving Heart Mommy: http://www.lovingheartmommy.com/
Pam’s Private Reflections: http://hip2bhomeschooling.blogspot.com/
The Book Tree: http://thebooktree.blogspot.com/
The Down Home Diva: http://thestuffyouneedtoknow.blogspot.com/
Once Upon a Twilight: http://twilightsdance.blogspot.com/

THE DEVLIN DIARY Review - Christi Phillips

THE DEVLIN DIARY by Christi Phillips
Publisher: Pocket
Pages: 384
ISBN#: 9781416527404
My Recommended Age Group: Older Young Adult to Adult
Released: April 13, 2010
Other work: The Rossetti Letter
Our Rating:

Shop at an independent bookseller!
Buy it from Amazon

From Goodreads:

A dazzling novel of intrigue, passion, and royal secrets that shifts suspensefully between Restoration-era London and present-day Cambridge, England.

My thoughts:

Imagine a time where women have finally gained some freedoms - some, not all. Many restrictions have been lifted from them except the ability to practice medicine. Now picture yourself as an intelligent woman, versed in medicine, desperate to treat the poor who pass you every day in various stages of sickness and there isn't a single thing you can do about it. This is the situation Hannah Devlin faces. Of course, she practices her medicine earlier although the discovery of which can have criminal consequences for Hannah. Drawn into a world of intrigue and conspiracy, Hannah struggles to survive and uncover the mystery behind a series of grisly murders.

Fastforward to present(ish) day. Claire Donovan is a history teacher at Trinity College. When a fellow professor ends up dead, it is Hannah Devlin's diary that may hold the key to his death. Could the darkness of the past jump forward into the present?

Christi Phillips writes an interesting story jam packed with intrigue. In THE DEVLIN DIARY, secrets abound and it's anybody's guess how the various investigations will turn out. The story is written using parallel story lines; the reader is first introduced to Hannah and her life before Claire enters the story. Although I'm not a huge fan of parallel shorelines, one good thing about this is that the author was able to use this to her advantage to keep us totally hooked. Just as we'd get to a point with Hannah where she made some awesome discovery, we'd switch over to Claire. The same held true the other way. Just as the lightbulb was about to go on above Claire's head, we'd be tugged back to Hannah's time. This aspect was masterfully done to the point where I continued reading the story despite the parallel nature of it.

The couple points that I couldn't really get into were Claire's relationship with Andrew and Claire herself. Both seemed like they were added to the story to round it out, although the relationship just felt kind of so-so and Claire wasn't nearly as interesting as Hannah. Perhaps it's the difference in how interesting the two time periods were, I'm unsure. If the book were solely about Hannah I think I would have become much more engrossed in it.

Writing:

Interest:

Passion:

Originality:

Characters:

Pace:

Book Cover: 3/3

Overall THE DEVLIN DIARY was a great read. Fan of historical thrillers will find something to love here. Although this does come after The Rossetti Letter, I didn't really feel like I was missing much by not having read that book. I think THE DEVLIN DIARY does a fine job of standing on its own.

**This has been part of a tour with Pocket. Participants include:**
Rundpinne: http://www.rundpinne.blogspot.com/
Frugal Plus: http://frugalplus.com/
My Five Monkeys: http://www.tableforseven-julie.blogspot.com/
The Bibliophilic Book Blog: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
My Book Addiction and More: http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
Just Another New Blog: http://justanothernewblog.blogspot.com/
The Book Girl: http://www.thebookgirl.net/
Just One More Paragraph: http://tweezlereads.blogspot.com
Booktumbling: http://booktumbling.com/
Books Gardens & Dogs: http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/
Renee’s Reads: http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/
Taking Time For Mommy: http://takingtimeformommy.blogspot.com/
Starting Fresh: http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/
Star Shadow: http://www.starshadowblog.com/
My Book Views: http://my-book-views.blogspot.com/
Write For A Reader: http://www.writeforareader.blogspot.com/
Bibliophile’s Retreat: http://bibliophilesretreat.com/
Jeanne's Ramblings: http://www.jeannesramblings.com
Blog Business World: http://www.blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com
Avid Reader: http://www.tarmyblogspot.blogspot.com/
Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks: http://booksandmakeup.blogspot.com/
Lucky Rosie’s: http://www.luckyrosiescreations.blogspot.com/
Celtic Lady’s Reviews: http://www.celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/
Books Like Breathing: http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/
A Room Without Books Is Empty: http://detweilermom.blogspot.com/
Chrissy’s World of Books: http://chrissysworldofbooks.blogspot.com/
DK’s Everything Books Blog: http://dkay401-challenges.blogspot.com/
A Musing Reviews: http://www.amusingreviews.blogspot.com/
Readaholic: http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/
I Heart Book Gossip: http://juniperrbreeeze.blogspot.com/
That’s A Novel Idea: http://thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com/
Reading Extensively: http://reading-extensively.blogspot.com/
Knitting and Sundries: http://www.jewelknits.blogspot.com/
Thrifty and Frugal Living: http://www.thriftyandfrugalliving.com/
See Michelle Read: http://seemichelleread.blogspot.com/
‘Til We Read Again: http://tilwereadagain.blogspot.com/
Reminder List: http://reminderlist.blogspot.com/
Loving Heart Mommy: http://www.lovingheartmommy.com/
Pam’s Private Reflections: http://hip2bhomeschooling.blogspot.com/
The Book Tree: http://thebooktree.blogspot.com/
The Down Home Diva: http://thestuffyouneedtoknow.blogspot.com/
Once Upon a Twilight: http://twilightsdance.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Pretty Little Liars Mystery Box, Episode 3

Phew. Today was a quiet today for the Pretty Little Liars Secret Keepers, at least for me anyway. I haven't received a mission yet today and can only assume that "A" was kept busy elsewhere, providing us with a day of respite. Although she didn't have the time to send us on specific missions, she did find plenty of time to taunt us online, reminding us that she's always watching.

This is the phone that I'm using and although it's gorgeous, I have to wonder, at what price does it come? Living in anticipation of another message from "A" and her missions is a little nerve wracking. If I don't cooperate though, she'll expose everything I want - no, need - to keep hidden.

Well, maybe I can live in denial for at least the rest of the evening. I have to wonder, is this how the real Emily, Hanna, Spencer, and Aria felt, always wondering when they'd hear from "A" next? And besides, inquiring minds want to know - who is "A"?

Well, to distract myself I think I'm going to spend my time meeting some of my fellow Secret Keepers. Ladies and gentlemen (yes, there are actually male bloggers out there - imagine that), I invite you to stop by and tell me a little bit about yourself. If you're a Secret Keeper and feel like sharing a little bit about yourself, go ahead and fill out the form below. I'll feature a new Secret Keeper each day until the end of the contest (remember the premier is June 8, 2010) or until I run out of Secret Keepers to feature.

THE PEARLS OF THE STONE MAN by Edward Mooney, Jr. Feature

I was recently approached about a cute story about love, life, and family and just had to come share it here with you. THE PEARLS OF THE STONE MAN by Edward Mooney, Jr. is an uplifting book and one that tugs at its readers heartstrings.

THE PEARLS OF THE STONE MAN by Edward Mooney, Jr.
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release date: March 1, 2010
ISBN#: 9781402238314

From Goodreads:

Joseph and Anne Marino are one of those rare couples who are very much in love—after 53 years of marriage. After having years to conquer the world, share fears and tears, they now face the inevitable truth that awaits us all. When these soulmates are left with only months remaining instead of years, Joseph's number one priority becomes finishing the stone wall that Anne requested years ago—a special reminder from her childhood.

Needing the help of someone younger, Joseph turns to his son, estranged for five years, in hopes of rebuilding a severed relationship as well as the wall. Two teenagers also come to Joseph's aid, and he to theirs, as they all work to finish Joseph's promise to Anne.

I'm pleased to be able to offer you some video clips today showing the locations featured in THE PEARLS OF THE STONE MAN. Detailing the importance of setting in a book and to character development, these clips interesting and sure to add another layer of depth to the story.

Episode 1: The Letter
Episode 2: The Marino Home
Episode 3: The Forest
Episode 4: The Stone Wall
Episode 5: The Village

Would you like to win a copy of THE PEARLS OF THE STONE MAN? Of course you would. Giveaway open to U.S. mailing addresses and ends on June 26, 2010. Simply fill out the form below to enter.

Edward Mooney, Jr. on his Facebook // Twitter // Blog

Waiting on Wednesday - RAISED BY WOLVES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

I had a dream about wolves last night - no joke. I'm not sure where it came from and I certainly don't quite remember what happened, but the sight of mysterious yellow eyes and silvery wolf fur is stuck in my mind. I guess it's appropriate then that my feature for today's Waiting on Wednesday is RAISED BY WOLVES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I have heard a lot of hype surrounding this book and can't wait to read it for myself.

RAISED BY WOLVES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Publisher: EgmontUSA
ISBN#: 9781606840597

From Goodreads:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?.

Seriously - awesome, right?!

What are you waiting on?

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Pretty Little Liars Mystery Box, Episode 2

Those of you following my shenanigans, and more specifically, my Facebook shenanigans, might be a little curious as to what is going on with this mysterious black box. Yesterday I showed you what I found when I opened said box-o'-mystery. Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer from Pretty Little Liars can be seen on the inside cover of the box, covered in dirt. The plastic sheet in front of their picture reads:

Some secrets you have to dig for

-A

If you've ever read the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, you'd be a little creeped out by now. I was fully creeped and I knew the box was coming.

Not too long ago I was contacted by ABC about participating in a little "game" in celebration of the upcoming June 8 premier of their new show, Pretty Little Liars. My free game package was delivered on Monday and I promptly opened it, surprised to find that someone had mailed me a box of dirt. Yes - dirt. Following the instructions from "A", I dug into the dirt and discovered more instructions, an iPhone, and another object that will remain secret for now.

You heard me right. An iPhone. Man was I excited. That is until I got my first stalkerish text from "A". Apparently she will be sending me on daily missions to do her bidding. If I screw up or forget to do as she wishes, she will reveal one of my deepest, darkest secrets. After today's mission I am beginning to realize that keeping my secrets might be harder than it sounds. Luckily, I drew the awesome straw and get to play as the beautiful Hanna. The other girls in my group are Aria, Spencer, and Emily. Each of us has a set of secrets that we don't want to share (of course), but "A" is intent on exposing us. Wait a minute...who is this "A" anyway? Is it our missing friend Alison? She's the only other one who knows so much about everyone - things we all want to keep hidden.

Courtesy of ABC

If it is Alison, then where has she been? Why is she doing this to us? How do we get her to stop?

Stay tuned as I try to answer these questions and survive the torment that "A" is sure to rain down upon us. I may require your help in some of these missions so keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter for my updates. The last girl standing will be the one able to keep most of her secrets. It might sound mean, but I'm hoping that's me!

AMAZON QUEEN Giveaway

I recently read and reviewed the urban fantasy, AMAZON QUEEN by Lori Devoti. This is a great book following a tribe of Amazons in the modern world. Full of intrigue, backstabbing, and suspense, this story is perfect for getting the adrenaline going.

Want to win a copy? Of course you would! Courtesy of the publisher, I have one copy to giveaway to a lucky reader. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only please. This giveaway ends June 22, 2010.