All By Myshelf

On My Shelf (36)

2012-01-28T22:28:00.000-05:00

On My Shelf highlights books I've acquired and read in the past week, as well as a little about what I'm writing, and other blog worthy news. I think it's pretty obvious where I got my inspiration for the feature from, but I will follow blog etiquette and link to Kristi (In My Mailbox @ The Story Siren), Sheila (It's Monday, What Are You Reading? @ Book Journey), and Kate (The Shelf Report @ The Neverending Shelf) anyway. ;)

view on goodreads

I recently watched both Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, and loved them, so I had to read the books. I was planning to get them from the library, but my sisters saw these at a thrift store and bought them for me. Thanks guys! I can't wait to read them, the movies were hilarious! They'll also be a nice change of pace from my usual mid-grade books. ^_^

Reading

view on goodreads

I recently dove back into an old project, and so far I'm loving working on it again. This is a book I started when I was 12 and worked on until I was 16-ish, but haven't touched since then. Let's just call it The One with Dragons. Upon picking it up again, I found out I took really bad notes for it, so as you can imagine it's been a bit difficult to get everything sorted out. I've been working on the characters most of the week (a lot had to be renamed, and I just can't remember who most of them are and don't seem to have any notes to help me figure it out), and I'm nowhere near done. Anyway, this is the reason I haven't been posting much (and by 'much' I obviously mean 'at all'). That, and reading. But don't worry, this week I'll definitely find time to write some posts (and hopefully actually remember to publish them), so the blog should be a little more active next month. I miss blogging, but other things always seem to be getting in the way. Really hope I can fix that soon.
Anyway, that's it for this week. Happy reading!

Most Wanted (63)

2012-01-17T16:31:00.000-05:00

What?

Keeper of the Lost Cities

by Shannon Messenger
Pub. date: October 2012

Twelve-year-old Sophie has always been different -- she's years ahead of the other kids in school and can read minds. She's always assumed there's some kind of logical explanation for her talents, but when she meets an adorable and mysterious boy, she finds out the shocking truth. She's never felt at home because she, well, ... isn't.

There are secrets buried deep in her memory, secrets about her true identity and why she was hidden among humans, that others desperately want and would even kill for. And she must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Why?

Had I remembered to look this up on Goodreads and add it to my wish list sooner, it would have made my Most Wanted of 2012 list. But alas, I am forgetful. Oh well, just means it gets its own post! This sounds like a really fantastic mid-grade, which is my favorite kind. I can't wait for October! Not only so I can read it, but also so I can put that awesome cover on my shelf.

Christmas Giveaway Winner

2012-01-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

The winner of my Christmas giveaway, who will receive a copy of Damage by Anya Parrish is...

Nikki!

Congrats, Nikki! I've already emailed the winner. If there's no reply in 48 hours, I'll be picking a new winner.

On My Shelf (35)

2012-01-15T11:03:00.000-05:00

Won

view on goodreads

I won this from Erika at Let's Talk About Books. Thanks, Erika! I can't wait to read this, it sounds really good!

Borrowed

view on goodreads

I finally made it to the library this week, for the first time in many months. I've been wanting to read This Dark Endeavor for a while, so I couldn't resist getting it when I saw it at the library. Even though I went with the intention of getting a few mid-grade books... which I didn't get at all. Oops.

view on goodreads

I really liked the first two volumes of Death Note, so I had to get these when I saw them.

Bought

view on goodreads

Marissa Meyer visited Flyleaf Books last week (which is a few hours from me), but I was unfortunately unable to go (oh, the woes of not being able to drive). But my mom is awesome, so she ordered me a signed copy! *squee*

Reading

I promise I will announce the winner of my Christmas giveaway soon (like, tomorrow). I have a cold right now, so I haven't been able to get online much. But I'm getting better (finally! I've been sick since December 27), so I should be blogging more soon (hopefully this week).

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

On My Shelf (34) Christmas Edition!

2012-01-08T00:35:00.002-05:00

It's the Christmas edition of On My Shelf! I know this is a little late, but I wanted to do a vlog, got sick, lost my voice, tried vlogging once I got my voice back, and epically failed. So now I'm doing a regular post.

Bought

Bought this from the Random Buzzers store during their end of year sale thing. Have to thank Orchid for pointing this out to me. I'd seen it around, but never bothered to read about it (I blame the cover), and it sounds really good! Can't wait to read it.

Christmas Gifts

I got this from my aunt and uncle. I've read two books by Tera Lynn Childs, and really liked both of them, so I'm really looking forward to read this. Also, I've been wanting to read another mermaid book for a while.

This is also from my aunt and uncle. Gone was one of the best books I read last year, so I really can't wait to read this!

This one is from my parents. There was much squealing when I opened this. Leviathan and Behemoth were really good, and I can't wait to see how the series ends (even if I don't want it to). I'll definitely have to read this one soon.

Reading

Read

There's still time to enter for a copy of Damage by Anya Parrish. I'm about halfway through, and it's a really interesting read. Giveaway is US only, and ends January 11. Enter here!

This week I started Challenge Your Reading, which is a directory of reading challenges. If you know of any challenges that aren't listed yet, please contact me here. =)

That's all for this week. Happy reading!

Most Wanted (62)

2012-01-03T13:03:00.000-05:00

What?

Every Other Day

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Pub. date: December 2011

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Why?

(I feel like I've already posted a Most Wanted for this, but I can't find one, so...) I love stories about monster fighters (like Sweet Venom), and this one sounds particularly awesome. I've never read anything by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (though I've wanted to for some time), and this seems like a really good place to start.

Challenge Your Reading

2012-01-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

I had an idea this morning, and by afternoon it had turned into a blog.

I was thinking about reading challenges (again) and how I've been having trouble finding ones to sign up for. So I got to thinking, wouldn't it be handy if there was a place where all the reading challenges were listed? It took me about two seconds to decide that yes, yes it would be handy. I searched for such a place, and did not find one. So I made one.

Challenge Your Reading, the reading challenge directory.

I only have 7 challenges listed so far, which is nowhere near close to all of them. I need your help! If you are hosting a challenge, or just know of one, drop a link in the comments and I'll add it to the site. There are a lot of reading challenges out there, and like Pokémon, I gotta catch 'em all! So I can use all the help I can get.

Be sure to check out Challenge Your Reading over the next couple weeks as more challenges get added. =)

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

2012-01-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

This challenge is hosted by Jamie at The Eclectic Bookshelf. I meant to do this challenge last year, but like many things, I just forgot. I actually didn't read a lot of YA books last year (good thing I wasn't doing this challenge, I would have failed), and I'm looking to change that this year. I'm going to go for the Jumbo Size Challenge, with 40 YA books. Wish me luck!

I don't know what I'll read yet, so I'll be adding books as I read them.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge 2012

2012-01-01T11:03:00.000-05:00

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but there are a few HF books that have been on my TBR pile for a while, and this challenge will be good motivation to finally read them. The YA Historical Fiction Challenge is hosted by Sab at YA Bliss. The rules are pretty simple. Read between 5 and 15 YA or mid-grade historical fiction books in 2012. And the best part? The books don't have to be released in 2012! (You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a challenge like this.)

I'm going to be going for Level 1, with 5 books. I'll be adding books to this post as I read them.

Most Wanted of 2012

2011-12-31T18:30:00.000-05:00

I know that I have a regular feature for books on my wish list (though I haven't posted it in a while) , but I still wanted to do a list of the books I'm most looking forward to in 2012. So here's my Most Wanted of 2012 (can you tell I'm going a little crazy with these end of year lists?).

Soulbound - I loved the first three Chronicles of Vladimir Tod books (those are the only ones I've read, so don't be mistaken and think the last two were bad. I wouldn't know), and can't wait to see something different by Heather Brewer.
The Girl in the Clockwork Collar - The Girl in the Steel Corset was really good, and I'm very interested to know what happens next.
The Fury - This book could be about anything, and I'd still want to read it. When I love a book as much as I love Lockdown, I'll read anything by that author (as long as it's YA or mid-grade. No book has been god enough to make me venture into the adult section yet). But it's not just that it's by Alexander Gordon Smith, it sounds awesome.
Out of Sight, Out of Time - I may be one book behind in this series, but I'm still excited about this.
Dead Is A Battlefield - Again, I haven't read Dead Is Just a Rumor or Dead Is Not an Option, but I still can't wait to get this. Though I will miss Daisy (hoping she'll still be around, even if she's not the main character).
Above World - It just sounds wonderful.
Cinder - I've never really been interested in Cinderella retellings, but this one sounds really good. Cyborgs!
The Darkness Dwellers - I've been waiting a long time for this one. I can't wait to see what the Irregulars get up to next!
Sweet Shadows - Sweet Venom (which I loved) had some unanswered questions at the end and a bit of a cliffhanger, so it's no wonder I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel.
Partners in Crime - I've found that genres I don't really like in YA (fantasy, mysteries) are generally better in mid-grade, so this definitely sounds like something I would like.

What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Could Have Been Top 10

2011-12-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

I didn't get nearly as much reading done this year as I had hoped. I set my reading goal for 70 books, thinking I'd pass it, and I didn't even reach it. So in honor of my epic reading fail of a year, here are the 10 books I wish I'd read, or the Could Have Been Top 10 (in no particular order).

Lucinda's Secret - I had every intention to read this in November, I even re-read the first two in preparation. I just... never got around to it (which is the case with a lot of books on this list).
Solitary - I'm both eager and hesitant to read this. I loved the first one so much, I can't wait to find out what happens next, but I'm also a little afraid it won't be as good. But the main reason I didn't read it is because it was the last book on my 6 Degrees Reading Challenge list, and I couldn't read them out of order.
This Dark Endeavor - I really liked Airborn and Skybreaker, and was really looking forward to reading something different by Kenneth Oppel. My library has this, and I was going to check it out, but I don't make it to the library nearly as often as I should, and every time I planned to go, it was checked out. Maybe next year.
The Unwanteds - After missing a (somewhat) nearby Lisa McMann event, I went on a quest to get a signed copy of this book (okay, I went to the store when we were in that city for other reasons, but still). And yet, I still haven't read it (though I must admit, having so far been disappointed by another of her books, I'm a little hesitant to read it now).
Anna and the French Kiss - I don't think I've heard a bad thing about this. It sounds really good, and I waited a long time to get it. So why is it still in my TBR pile?
Scorpia Rising - I'll be honest. I'm kind of avoiding this one. I don't want the series to end! I'm not usually like this, but Alex Rider is one of the first YA series I ever read. I've been reading the series since I was 14. I'm not ready for it to be over.
The Serpent's Coil - Before Lockdown, The Daykeeper's Grimoire was my favorite book. It was really good, and I've been dying to know what happens next since I finished book one. It just never made it to the top of my TBR pile (partly because I never got around to re-reading TDG).
Prophecy of the Sisters - I had no interest in this when it first came out, but decided to read it after my sister said it was really good. I even bought my own copy, even though I could have borrowed it from her. A book club I help run on Shelfari even picked this one month. But I still didn't read it. This will be remedied in the coming year.
Hex Hall - Another one I really wanted to read, but never found the time for. I blame the library for this. Don't get me wrong, my library is great, it's mostly me. There are a lot of books on my TBR pile that my library has, a lot of them I've been waiting a long time to read. But I tend to go for books at home first, so library books often get forgotten.
Only the Good Spy Young - I don't even know why I haven't read this. I loved the first three Gallagher Girls books, and everything got more interesting in the third one. I almost read this a few times, but other things always got in the way.

Are there any books you regret not reading this year? Something that's just been sitting on your TBR pile for far too long. Have you read any of these, what did you think?

Best of 2011

2011-12-31T13:30:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to do a list like this since I started blogging, but I never managed to write one at the right time. Well, I have a cold right now, and nothing better to do, so here's my list of Best Books I Read in 2011. I don't get a lot of new releases, so I'm just going to do books I read this year, not books that were released this year. Anyway, onto the list.

Lockdown - This is, without a doubt, the best book I read this year. It doesn't even feel like I read it this year, it feels more like a book that I've loved for many years. It has definitely rooted itself on my favorites list, and it will take a lot to knock it from the #1 spot. You can see my review here.
Gone - To be honest, I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I thought it would be good, at most, and it turned out to be fantastic. Hunger is definitely going to be one of the first things I read next year. See my review.
The Girl in the Steel Corset - This one took me a really long time to read, and when I picked it up, I only read one or two chapters at a time. But that doesn't mean I didn't like it. It was really good! There were a few things I didn't like (I think it could have done with fewer descriptions of their clothes), but overall I really enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel.
Firespell - This is another one that sounded really good, but my expectations for it weren't incredibly high. By the time I picked this up, I was burned out on paranormal and hadn't touched the genre for a couple months. It turned out to be one of the best YA paranormals I've read, and I wish I'd read it sooner. Here's my review.
The Field Guide & The Seeing Stone - I'm just going to count these together. I'm not a fan of fairies. I used to think I liked them, but after various failed attempts to read fairy/faery books, I washed my hands of the genre. But not for long. I bought the first Spiderwick book on a whim, and fell in love with it. It's the best fairy series I've ever read, and just one of my favorite series overall. Plus the books are adorable! See my reviews for The Field Guide and The Seeing Stone.
Sweet Venom - This is one of those strange books, where there were a lot of little things that annoyed me, but I loved it anyway. And after that ending, I can't wait to get my hands on Sweet Shadows!
The Dark Hills Divide - It's been a while since I read a good adventure story (for the first time, anyway). This is just a really wonderful read, and Alexa is one of my new favorite characters.
Temple of the Dragonslayer - I first read this when I was 12 or 13, and liked it. I finally got around to re-reading it this year, and loved it! There's nothing better than going back to an old favorite and finding that it's gotten better with time.
Hawksong - I don't know exactly what I liked so much about this. All I know is, I could not put it down. It's been a long time since I read a book in one sitting, and I think this is the first time it's happened with a book I started after 1 a.m. While I can't pinpoint any specific thing I liked about Hawksong, it is the definition of 'unputdownable', so it definitely deserves a spot on this list.

What were your best reads of 2011? If you've read any of the books from my list, what did you think? If you haven't read them, I suggest you fix that soon.

2011 Challenge Wrap-Up

2011-12-31T10:02:00.002-05:00

The year is over, so it's time to see how I did with my 2011 reading challenges.

6 Degrees Challenge
Goal: 18 books (minimum 6 books)
Read: 4 books
Status: FAILED!
Pride: bruised

A to Z Challenge
Goal: 1 book for every letter
Read: 17 (A-J, L, N, O, R-T, and X)
Status: failed
Thoughts: Seriously? I found a book for X, but I didn't get easy letters like M and P?

Manga Challenge
Goal: 6 mangas
Read: 37 mangas
Status: COMPLETE!
Celebration: *happy dance*

Let's hope I have better luck with my 2012 challenges.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T12:25:00.002-05:00

Our tree

Just wanted to stop by and wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! And happy holidays to all those that don't celebrate Christmas. =)

Christmas Giveaway

2011-12-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

Christmas is in a few days. I've already finished all my shopping and wrapping, but I'm not done yet. I need to give more! I need to wrap MORE! And who better to give to than my lovely readers? I've had a duplicate book sitting around for a while, and this seems like the perfect time to give it away.

So to celebrate Christmas, I'm giving away a copy of Damage by Anya Parrish. This book sounds really good, and will definitely be one of the first things I read next year.

There was a time when I prayed for Rachel to be real. Until the night I learned she'd always planned to kill me.
When Dani was eight, she fell from a building. No one believed her claim that she was pushed by Rachel . . . her imaginary friend. It took years of therapy to convince Dani that Rachel wasn't real.
Now fifteen, Dani wants to make it as a dancer. But a deadly freak accident sends Dani a terrifying message: Rachel is back, she's real, and she'll stop at nothing to kill Dani.
Complicating matters is Jesse, the school bad boy who's being stalked by his own invisible childhood nemesis. Dani and Jesse join forces to learn why their astral tormenters are back. Their investigation leads to a horrifying discovery—and the terrible experiment th
at binds them to each other.

Here's the details:

Must be 13 or older to enter, and have a parent's permission if under 18
Open to US addresses only
Fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter.
Name and email are the only things required to enter, all others are optional.

Edit: Entry deadline is now January 11!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On My Shelf (33)

2011-12-09T16:16:00.001-05:00

Won

I won this (plus a swag bag) in Beth Revis's gratitude giveaway last month (you can check out my entry post here). Thanks so much, Beth! I had a lot of fun entering, and can't wait to read this. =)

Reading

Read

Sign-ups are now open for the 2012 6 Degrees Reading Challenge! You can learn more and sign up for the challenge here.

Happy reading!

6 Degrees Reading Challenge 2012 - Participation Post

2011-12-03T15:30:00.001-05:00

In case you missed yesterday's post, sign-ups for next year's 6 Degrees Reading Challenge are open! Since I'm hosting the challenge, I will of course be participating, even though I totally failed the 2011 challenge. I had my list all planned out, I started early, and I still only managed to read 4 books. Epic. Fail. But I'm going to give it another try, and hopefully do better this time.
This year I went for Level 3, with 18 books, but seeing as I didn't do very well with that, I'm going for Level 1 next year. 6 books should be easier to do. ~~I don't have my books picked yet, but I'll update this post as soon as I have my list figured out.~~ Click 'read more' to see me list. =)

Dead Is Just a Rumor

{envelope on cover}
13 Little Blue Envelopes
{overseas adventure}
Anna and the French Kiss
{boarding school}
Only the Good Spy Young
{single mom}
Lucinda's Secret
{twins}
Prophecy of the Sisters

You can learn more about the 6 Degrees Reading Challenge here. :)

Sign Up - 6 Degrees Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-02T15:56:00.001-05:00

The year is coming to a close, which means it's time to start sign-ups for the 6 Degrees Reading Challenge 2012! The rules for this reading challenge are simple enough, but I warn you, it is kind of difficult to actually do. But loads of fun! Here's how it works.

Make a list of at least 6 books, connected by similar themes, covers, characters, etc. Just make sure the books have unique connections. In other words, you can't just read 6 books that have similar covers, or all have a character named Amy. Here's an example (part of my 2011 list):

Lockdown

{based in a prison}

Incarceron

{arranged marriage}

Matched

{scheduled deaths}

The Giver

{drowning victim}

Generation Dead

{undead character}

Once Dead, Twice Shy

You get the picture. Now the rules:

Be Creative - Books cannot be connected by author, genre, series, or publisher. Anything else goes.
Deadline - All challenge books must be started and finished between January 1, 2012-December 31, 2012. Books started/read before signing up count as long as they're connected and read within the challenge deadline.
Data! Data! Data! - All connections must be listed on your challenge post.
Sharing is Caring - Books from other challenges count as long as they can be connected.
Make It Count - YA, mid-grade, children's, adult, graphic novels, mangas, and audio books count (all together now, "As long as they're connected."), but individual short stories DO NOT count. Books from the same series count as long as they're not read back to back (and try to limit the number of books you use from one series). New, old, or not yet released, doesn't matter as long as it's connected.
One Time Use - Connections and books can only be used once!
*singing* Put One Book in Front of the Other - You don't have to read all the challenge books back to back, but you do have to read them in the order that they're connected.

There are four levels to this challenge. You can change your challenge level at any time during the year, just make sure you update your challenge post.

Level 1: connect and read at least 6 books.
Level 2: connect and read at least 12 books.
Level 3: connect and read at least 18 books.
Level 4: connect and read 24+ books.

To sign up, just write a post that includes a link back to my blog/this post and your challenge level (though it's not required, I also suggest adding the challenge button. You can find the code at the bottom of the post). You don't have to have a list right when you sign up, but you will need to post your challenge books once you pick them, as well as how they're connected. After you've posted your sign-up post, come back here and add your post to the linky. You can sign up any time between now and November 1, 2012.

Have fun, and good luck with the challenge!

On My Shelf (32)

2011-11-18T15:36:00.001-05:00

Won

Whoa, deja vu. I won this from Ashley at Books Obsession... a few days after I bought it. Hmm, what ever will I do with that extra copy? Normally I wouldn't accept a prize of something I already have, but this one is signed, so I couldn't pass it up. Thanks, Ashley! =D

Bought/Surprise

My sisters bought this for me today, which is a complete surprise. I've never heard of it before, but it sounds interesting. Thanks guys! =)

(Covers link to goodreads, except Hawksong, because Blogger was being stupid.)

Reading

Read

In case you missed the news, I got a new domain! Yay! It's just one part of a blog makeover I'm still working on (which is mostly finished). You can see the rest of the details on that makeover here.

That's all for this week. Happy reading!

New Look & Domain

2011-11-16T14:52:00.001-05:00

If you're in Google Reader, I strongly suggest you come over to the blog, because you must see the new design. And while you're here, look at the URL. Go on, just do it.

...

Okay, now that everyone is here. Look at my new design! And my blog URL! I'm so excited!

I've been wanting a custom domain for a while, and this weekend I finally got one. Yay! It looks so much better than my old one! The new domain sparked a whole blog makeover I wasn't planning, at all. And yet, I managed to get it all done in a few days. Anyway, here's an outline of the changes that have been made.

New domain: BlogByMyshelf.com. Thanks to Jake at Teens Read and Write, for this helpful post!
Cleaner sidebars
New design, courtesy of some old clip-art books my sister picked up at a library sale (and they're copyright free, which just makes everything so much easier) and some editing on Photobucket
(Finally) added social network buttons. Thanks to Kate of Book Monsters, for this tutorial post!

I still plan to...

Get a copyright for my blog
Rework posting schedule (the two week thing just isn't working)
Update pages
Unveil Super Secret Blog Project (after I finish at least 6 parts)

I know I've been talking about SSBP for a long time, and a few months ago said it would be up by now, but I had a bit of a setback and had to put it aside for a while for NaNo. But now that I have thoroughly failed NaNo (again), I'm back to working on SSBP. So, it should be up in a month or two (at least, that's what I'm hoping/aiming for).

And that's about it. Once I have a new schedule, I should be back to posting more regularly.

Oh, one more thing. If you want to grab my new button (I'd love it if you did!), you can find the code below, or in the left sidebar.

Books I'm Grateful For

2011-11-09T18:52:00.005-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, Beth Revis (Across the Universe and A Million Suns) is having an awesome giveaway for an amazing prize pack. Learn more about the giveaway here.

___________________________

When I first heard about this giveaway, I immediately knew what book I was going to post about. Or rather books, because I couldn’t cut out the rest of the series. It just wouldn’t be right.

I've gathered a lot of favorite books over the years, but the one that stands out most, that will always stand out most, is the Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda. It wasn't the first series I read, but it was the first one I fell in love with.

I haven't always been an avid reader. I read as a kid, but it wasn't a great priority of mine. I hadn't found anything that really grabbed my attention, that made me rush to the library in search of the next book in the series. The books I read consisted entirely of Goosebumps and Animorphs. But Goosebumps wasn't scary enough, and I kind of lost interest in Animorphs after the third book (mostly because I couldn't find the fourth for the longest time). My reading habits changed dramatically when a new library opened, bringing with it a new selection of books. I'd never read a fantasy book before, so I was intrigued when I found a book called The Forests of Silence, and immediately checked it out. It was one of my best decisions.

Over the next couple of months, I devoured the rest of the Deltora Quest series, and then moved on to Deltora Shadowlands. When I was done with those, I went in search of more fantasy books. I had to have more! This led me to Scholastic's website, and Rodda's other fantasy series, Rowan of Rin. I'm actually glad none of my libraries had the Rowan series, because it forced me to buy them, which led to a great many discoveries in the mid-grade section of Barnes & Noble. I found Rowan of Rin and Dragonlance: The New Adventures, and, years later, Dragons of Deltora, the final Deltora series (a very happy day indeed, since I thought the series had ended already). By then I was working on my own fantasy book, something I probably wouldn't have been doing had I not found Deltora Quest.

One series changed so much for me. I went from simply being a reader to being a bookworm, aspiring writer, and, eventually, a book blogger, which is why I am, and always will be, incredibly grateful for Deltora Quest.

Most Wanted (61)

2011-11-08T15:33:00.002-05:00

What?

Legend

by Marie Lu

Pub. date: November 2011

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Why?

I was sort of interested in this when I first heard about it a few months ago, but didn't add it to my wish list until recently. It wasn't until I saw Reading Teen's content rating that I really took an interest. It sounds really good, and it's clean! I love clean and actiony reads, and this appears to be both.

On My Shelf (31)

2011-11-05T21:17:00.001-04:00

Bought

Was going to buy this the other day, but Barnes & Noble didn't have it. :( Luckily, I managed to make it to a Books-A-Million today, and they had a much better YA section (seriously, I love BAM). I can't wait to read it! Evil imaginary friends! Also, I rather like the cover. It looks and feels nice. :)

I've actually done quite a bit of reading lately. This week I started Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs, which I've almost finished. I really like it, but there are also a lot of things about it that I don't like. But despite all that, I'm already excited for Sweet Shadows.

I started The Field Guide (for the third time) for a read-a-thon a while ago, and I'm still reading it. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for it, or reading something three times in a few months was just a little too much, because I haven't really felt like picking it up again. I finished it in one day the first two times I read it. As soon as I finish it, I'm going to re-read The Seeing Stone, then move on to the rest of the series.

I'm still reading Cryer's Cross, which is more than a little disappointing. I just haven't felt like reading it in a long time. When I finally finish it, it's probably going into my giveaway/trade pile.

In case you missed my post about it, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo for the fourth time (fifth if you count Camp NaNo this summer, which I don't because I don't even think I wrote a full page). I'm writing an unnamed fantasy story, and I currently have 6,569 words, which puts me behind today's goal, but I haven't had a chance to write today, so I guess you could still say I'm on track.

Are you a book blogger doing NaNo? I'd love to add you as a buddy! You can find me on NaNo here.

___________________

That's all for this week. Happy reading! And good luck to all my fellow wrimos!

Doppelgängers (14)

2011-11-02T13:45:00.000-04:00

The Mephisto Covenant vs. Eve

Before I get to my thoughts, I want to know, why are they running across bridges in dresses? Why are all these YA girls always running in full-length dresses?! It just doesn't make sense, not to mention the fact that it's just dangerous.

Anyway. I like the eerie feeling of the long bridge stretching out endlessly on Eve, but I like the colors and dress and the model's pose on The Mephisto Covenant more. Now, if you took the girl from TMC and put her on the Eve bridge with the same colors, I'd really like it. But as they are right now, I only sort of like them, but I like The Mephisto Covenant a little more.

Vote for your favorite in the comments.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: Last week What I Saw and How I Lied and The Girl is Murder went head to head, and... tied, with two votes each.

NaNoWriMo 2011

2011-10-29T22:00:00.003-04:00

Yep, I have decided to do NaNoWriMo again this year. I can't remember if I ever posted about it, but I swore off doing NaNo after epically failing Camp NaNo this summer. As you can see, that decision didn't last long. I just couldn't resist the challenge! I've done NaNo the last three years, and as it drew closer I started feeling weird about my decision to not participate. So, as with many things, I changed my mind.

I'm not really prepared, like at all, but I'm hoping for the best. I'm going to be writing the fantasy story I've been talking about on twitter, which doesn't have a title yet (I'm so bad at coming up with titles). All I'm going to say about it is, it's a fantasy story set in the future with magic and monsters, and so far I really love the world and characters (let's see how I feel about them after I start writing).

So, who else is doing NaNo this year? Is this your first year, or are you a returning wrimo? Have you ever won? Care to share a little bit about your novel? Let me know! If you are participating, good luck! :)

Most Wanted (60)

2011-10-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

What?

Past Midnight

by Mara Purnhagen
Pub. date: September 2010

Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear.
All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive….

Why?

It had me at "ghost-hunting reality show". I don't like ghost-hunting shows, but a book with a character whose parents have one of those shows, which she hates? Uh, yeah, that sounds stupendous.

Wonderfully Wicked Read-A-Thon - Starting Post/Update #1

2011-10-21T12:31:00.002-04:00

Yay! The Wonderfully Wicked Read-A-Thon (hosted by Rebecca @ Kindle Fever and April @ My Shelf Confessions) has started! Okay, here's my first update/starting post.

Books read:

A Certain Scientific Railgun vol. 1 by Kazuma Kamachi and Motoi Fuyukawa

Currently reading: (well, about to start) The Field Guide by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Doppelgängers (13) - [insert title here]

2011-10-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

What I Saw and How I Lied vs. The Girl is Murder

This is a tough one. I really like how the title was done on The Girl is Murder, but I like the image on What I Saw and How I Lied more. Decisions, decisions... Overall, I think I like WISaHIL more. Something about it just looks better.

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: Before I Fall beat The Day Before with 2 of 2 votes.

Review - Gone by Michael Grant

2011-10-18T12:35:00.000-04:00

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.
Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.
It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

I'd seen this book a lot at bookstores, but didn't really take an interest in it until fairly recently. When I added it to my wish list, I thought it would be like the Jimmy Neutron movie mixed with X-Men: all the adults disappear, and kids start developing super powers. I expected something kind of light, despite the massive size of the book. I didn't get what I expected, which turned out to be a good thing.

I had a bit of trouble getting into the first few chapters, but I'm not really sure why. I started reading it in a hotel, surrounded by my sisters and mom, which made for a kind of loud reading environment. So I don't really know if it was the surroundings or the story, but the first few chapters went a little slow for me, not totally grabbing my attention. Once I got home and had a quiet place to read, this changed completely. I finished the book in two nights after returning home. It's full of action and suspense, the kind of book that keeps you up late at night because you just have to know what happens next. I would have one-more-chaptered my way through the whole thing if my eyes hadn't been so tired (darn you, eyes!).

The characters, while not some of my favorites, were good, definitely people you could root for. My least favorite of the good guys would have to be Quinn. For most of the book he really got on my nerves, and I wanted to smack him a few times. Astrid had a personality that I didn't quite like, but she definitely grew on me. I think it was how protective she was of her brother, Little Petey, and that she brought some religion to the story, which is something you don't often see in dystopians. It was a nice change for the genre.

The other characters -- Sam, Edilio, Lana -- were also good, but that's all I can think to say about Sam and Edilio. I really liked reading Lana's part of the story. It could get a little slow at times, since she was by herself most of the time, but for the most part it was a very interesting, sort of edge-of-your-seat part of the story. I particularly loved her dog, Patrick.

I've often said that I love a good villain. Action books are nothing without a good villain. Someone evil, a little crazy, and not afraid to kill the heroes. But the villains in Gone? Oh. My. Goodness. They were vicious, heartless, sick, twisted. They disgusted me. After a while I was wishing they'd either die or tone down the evil (though one of them I just wished would die). Some of the things they did... I don't even like to think about. I don't often cringe while reading, but I definitely did quite a bit of that while reading this. I love a good villain, but these ones were maybe a little too evil. Yes, it's part of what made the book so good, so unputdownable, but they still disgust me. I think part of what bothered me so much about the villains wasn't just the things they did, but also the fact they were 14 and under. So young, and yet so disturbed.

There were some mysteries in the book, but I really can't say whether they were good or not. This is a book you read in the moment, so I didn't really have time to think ahead and try to figure things out.

As good as this was, it still pushed some limits, even for a sci-fi. Like the coyotes? That was a little too strange for me. Most of the time I can get used to strange stuff in books, but there were a few things in this that were just a little too weird.

There were a few things I didn't like -- the end, for example. The story kind of fizzled out in the last two chapters -- but overall I loved it. I can't wait to read the sequel! I definitely recommend Gone, but to slightly older readers (like, 15 and up) because of some mature themes, frequent and somewhat intense violence, as well as a few disturbing scenes. But if you think you're up to it, you should definitely check it out.

I give Gone 5 octopodes.

On My Shelf (30)

2011-10-15T23:38:00.000-04:00

Won

I won this from Cecelia at The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia. Thanks! I can't wait to read it, it sounds really good! Also, it looks like a chocolate bar under the jacket, which is just awesome. :)

Bought

I've been considering reading this series since I was about 13 years old. When I saw the first book at the used bookstore (a rare occurrence) I decided to finally give it a try. I hope it's good! Didn't notice until I got home, but my copy is signed. Talk about lucky. ;)

I finally finished The Girl in the Steel Corset! I'm pretty sure I started it in June. I really liked it, though it was a bit predictable. I'll save the rest of my thoughts for my review, when I eventually get around to writing it (I have a lot of notes to go through).

I started Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann yesterday. I've read five chapters, and so far it hasn't been grabbing my attention. The writing is also a little weird. Hoping I'll get used to the writing, and that something interesting will happen soon.

I fail at blogging! T_T I don't know why, but I've been really bad about posting lately. I think it's because I just haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately, and I'm kind of short on posts. Going to try to find some time this week to write posts, so I can hopefully get back to posting more regularly.

My third blogoversary is in less than a week. I can't believe my blog is going to be three years old! I also can't believe I didn't plan anything to celebrate it. Maybe I can come up with something in the next few days.

Happy reading!

On My Shelf (29)

2011-10-08T16:53:00.000-04:00

Bought

Once again, I had better luck at a library sale when I didn't go. My sisters picked these up for me this morning. Best. Sisters. Ever. I love The Spiderwick Chronicles! Usually I'd try to make a series last a bit, but I'll probably burn through these before the end of the month, and read them all again next month. See my reviews of The Field Guide and The Seeing Stone.

I've ditched Delirium and gone back to reading The Girl in the Steel Corset... which I started in June. It's a bit of a time consuming read, but it's good. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it this month. It hasn't taken me this long to read something since Deathly Hallows came out.

This week I also read Gothic Sports vol. 1-3 by Anike Hage, Gaba Kawa by Rie Takada, and Dramacon vol. 1 by Svetlana Chmakova.

Remember last week, when I said #SuperSecretBlogProject was almost ready to post? Yeah, well... I decided to start over with it. I didn't like how it was going, and I think it's going to be much better with the changes I've made, but this means it's not going to be on the blog for quite some time.

Pretty sure that's all for this week. Happy reading!

Most Wanted (59)

2011-10-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

What?

Damage

by Anya Parrish

Pub. date: September 2011

There was a time when I prayed for Rachel to be real. Until the night I learned she'd always planned to kill me.

When Dani was eight, she fell from a building. No one believed her claim that she was pushed by Rachel . . . her imaginary friend. It took years of therapy to convince Dani that Rachel wasn't real.

Now fifteen, Dani wants to make it as a dancer. But a deadly freak accident sends Dani a terrifying message: Rachel is back, she's real, and she'll stop at nothing to kill Dani.

Complicating matters is Jesse, the school bad boy who's being stalked by his own invisible childhood nemesis. Dani and Jesse join forces to learn why their astral tormenters are back. Their investigation leads to a horrifying discovery—and the terrible experiment that binds them to each other.

Why?

Evil imaginary friends, terrible experiment, character named Dani (I just like that name). Count me in! This sounds awesome, and a little creepy, which just makes it all the more interesting.

On My Shelf (28)

2011-10-01T20:50:00.000-04:00

On MySHELF highlights books I've acquired and read in the past week, as well as a little about what I'm writing, and other blog worthy news. I think it's pretty obvious where I got my inspiration for the feature from, but I will follow blog etiquette and link to Kristi (In My Mailbox @ The Story Siren), Sheila (It's Monday, What Are You Reading? @ Book Journey), and Kate (The Shelf Report @ The Neverending Shelf) anyway. ;)

Bought

Had to go up to Raleigh this week, and managed to make it over to the fabulous Quail Ridge Books, where I got this. I would have bought it at the local Books-A-Million or B&N, but Lisa McMann recently had a signing at Quail Ridge (which I unfortunately couldn't make it to), so I decided to wait and got a signed copy. Hurray for patience! I can't wait to read this! It sounds really good, and I've craving mid-grade lately.

Last week I started Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve, which I finished yesterday. It was really good, a little strange, a for a while a bit confusing, but in the end I liked it. It took me a bit longer to finish than I expected, and I didn't take any notes, so sadly I won't be reviewing it (unless I start doing mini reviews. Thoughts?). But trust me, it's a very interesting read, and I recommend that you pick it up. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next Fever Crumb (or the Hunger City Chronicles Prequel) book, as well as the rest of the Hungry City Chronicles.
Challenge update: Fever Crumb was the fourth book on my 6 Degrees Reading Challenge list. Only 14 books to go! Next up is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.

I'm still reading Delirium. Actually, that's not really true. I still have a bookmark in Delirium, but I haven't read it in over a week, and I have no desire to pick it up again. I just can't get into it, so I think I'm going to return it to the library. Though, I might do a DNF review for it.

I have finished 4 parts of #SuperSecretBlogProject, and started working on part 5. The secret will be revealed when part 6 is complete.

Anyway, that's all for the week. I know I did really bad with posting the last few weeks, and I'm sorry. I'll try to do a little better at keeping to my schedule from now on. :)

Happy reading!

Doppelgängers (12) - Yes, This is a Few Weeks Late

2011-09-28T13:39:00.001-04:00

Time for another cover face-off!

Before I Fall vs. The Day Before

I just find this one kind of hilarious. I mean, two completely unrelated books, both with a girl's face and grass on the cover, and both with the word 'before' in the title. It's funny. Now, onto my thoughts. I definitely like The Day Before more. The colors are better, and Before I Fall is kind of all FACE. So, yeah, The Day Before is my pick. What's yours?

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: Beautiful Days won with a landslide 1 of 1 votes.

300 Follower Giveaway WINNERS!

2011-09-17T21:25:00.000-04:00

My 300 Follower Giveaway ended last night, so it's time to announce the winners! First, I want to thank everyone who entered. And once again, I want to thank all my followers! I still find it hard to believe that 306 people liked something about my blog enough to follow, or that some of you have stuck around so long, even when I went on longer-than-expected blogging breaks.

But enough thanks, you're here to see some winners. So, here they are...

#8 Erin L.

#21 Wanda at Book Are Magic

#26 Meli at Lee.Suena.Vuela

Congrats! I've already heard back from all the winners, and prizes will be shipped soon. Thanks again to everyone who entered! :)

On My Shelf (27)

2011-09-17T21:04:00.002-04:00

Borrowed

I've been meaning to read this for ages. Finally got around to getting it from the library when it was voted as September's book in one of my Shelfari groups.

Last week I read The Seeing Stone (Spiderwick Chronicles #2) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi (my review). I love this series! It is seriously one of the most fantastic things I've read in a while. I was planning to read the third one last week, but never really found the time (which is saying something, since it only takes me about two hours to read each book).

This week I started Delirium, which so far is... okay. I just don't see why everyone loves it so much. The last chapter I read left on a cliff-hanger, in a supposed-to-be exciting scene, and I've barely thought about it since I put it down. Not a good sign. I'm hoping it will get better soon, because being bored halfway through a book means it has only one more chance to get interesting before I mark it as a DNF.

In case you missed it, I have a new posting schedule! Forgive me if I forget to post things on time for a little while, I'm still trying to get used to it. :)

That's all for this week. I have to get back to working on Super Secret Blog Project, so I'll see you... oh gosh, I don't know when I'm supposed to post next. Probably when I announce the winners for my 300 Follower Giveaway.

Happy reading!

Review - The Seeing Stone by Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi

2011-09-16T11:55:00.000-04:00

We said no
still you looked
now instead
someone gets cooked

WARNING: Review contains spoilers for book one.

I absolutely loved The Field Guide, and began a quest for the rest of the series as soon as I finished it. When I found The Seeing Stone in my hands, it shot straight to the top of my TBR pile. Well, almost the top. I had to finish something I'd already started and re-read the first book before I got to it. Not because I forgot what happened in the first book, but it was just so fabulous that I had to re-read it, even though I read it less than a month ago. In case I haven't gotten the point across clearly enough, The Field Guide is one of my new favorite books. The bar was set pretty high for The Seeing Stone, and it completely met my expectations, perhaps even surpassed them.

You don't really realize how little The Field Guide scraped the surface of the world of faeries until you read The Seeing Stone. There's more magic, more fey, more action. I wouldn't go so far as to say the book was better than the first, but it was really, really good. In the second book of The Spiderwick Chronicles, we're introduced to a variety of magical creatures: a brownie, goblins, and a troll, just to name a few. They were all interesting, and all came with interesting illustrations. I can't say I really liked any of them, but they definitely added something to the story. My one complaint would have to be the character introduced at the end of book one, Thimbletack. He was alright, I just didn't like that he spoke in rhymes. Yes, it was kind of neat that everything he said rhymed, but it also got a little annoying after a while. Readers within the target audience for this book (7 and up) would probably like this feature, though.

The Grace kids were just as fun to read about as they were in the first book. They are quickly becoming some of my absolute favorite characters, one of the reasons I rush to get my hands on the next book in the series (luckily, I already have the next book in the series).

This is a really fun, delightfully creepy, short read, easily devoured in one sitting. The illustrations are fantastic, the writing wonderful, and the story captivating. If you haven't read this series, I suggest you go find the first book. It may say 7 and up on the back, but this is definitely a series that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how old. Not to mention, the books are adorable, and would make an excellent addition to your shelves.

I give The Seeing Stone 4 octopi.

The Changes

2011-09-14T11:39:00.001-04:00

A while ago I posted that I'd be making some changes to my blog features, and they're done! Here's a brief summary of what's going to be different here at All By MySHELF.

Switching from a weekly schedule to a two week schedule.
Wish List Wednesday is now Most Wanted. Now posted on Tuesdays and Fridays, alternating weekly (temporary schedule).
Doppelgangers moved from Mondays to Wednesdays (week 1), so you'll have an extra week to vote on covers.
Cover For Me now posted on Thursdays (week 2).
Book reviews now posted on Thursdays (1) and Tuesdays (2).
On MySHELFs will still be posted on Saturdays, and there will be more On MySHELFs without Books Acquired.
Sundays are still post-free (unless I forget to post On MySHELF on Saturday).
Posts for Friday (1) and Wednesday (2) TBD.
Mondays to be new home of #SuperSecretBlogProject when it's finally revealed.

I'm going to be working on adding a few new features to fill in the blanks, and take one of the Most Wanted spots. So, the schedule isn't exactly finished, but it's close enough for now.

Changes to Come

2011-09-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

If you've been following me for a while, you'll probably know that I like to change things every now and then. This is partly because I get bored with the way things are, and also to keep my blog from getting stale. In the past I've done this by changing the look of my blog, adding new features, and even changing the name once (*virtual high five* to anyone that started following in the Dahlia's Eclectic Mind days!). Well, the time has come to change things again, but in a completely different way.

I'm turning this into an interior design blog!

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Dont' worry, I'm kidding. I have no interest in interior design, and will keep blogging about books. I will be making some changes around here, but they're not quite that drastic. I'm just going to be changing my features a tiny bit, which means I'm not going to be posting most of them for a week or two. Just thought I'd let you know, so when I get back you don't think ABM has been hacked by blog altering robots.

Until next time, my pretties.

First Kill Book Trailer

2011-09-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

I don't usually post book trailers, because for the most part I'm not a big fan of them (it's the narration, mostly), but this one is awesome!

Here's the info on First Kill.

Joss McMillan's perfect life crashes down the night he witnesses his sister's murder — at the hands of a vampire. He then finds out his family's secret heritage: They are part of the Slayer Society, a group whose mission is to rid the world of vampires. Joss is their new recruit. As Joss trains, bent on seeking revenge for his sister, he discovers powers that could make him the youngest, strongest Slayer in history. But there is a traitor in the Society, one whose identity would shake Joss to the core . . . if the traitor doesn't kill him first. With over a million copies already in print, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is still sinking its fangs into new readers every day. Now, bestselling author Heather Brewer brings us the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlad's former friend turned mortal enemy: vampire slayer Joss McMillan. This is the first in a series of five books that can be read alongside Vlad Tod or entirely on their own.

Top Ten Tuesday - Sequels I'm Dying to Read

2011-09-06T14:12:00.001-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is

Sequels I'm Dying to Read

Just read my review of Lockdown, and you'll know why I'm dying to read this. Now, I just need to read 13 (I think) books before I can get to this. *sob*

Gone is officially one of my new favorite books. I need to know what happens next!

I really loved Firespell, and can't wait to find out what happens next!

Inside Out was really good, and this one sounds just as interesting.

Oh, the awesomeness that is Skulduggery Pleasant. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Not a sequel in the traditional sense, but still a sequel of sorts. Darkest Powers is one of my all time favorite series, and it will be interesting to see a different part of that world.

I love all of Ally Carter's YA books, but Heist Society is definitely my favorite.

I really enjoyed House of Dark Shadows, and can't wait to see what the King kids get up to next.

I loved Darkside, and have been dying to read the sequel ever since I finished it. Sadly, I haven't seen it anywhere. :(

The Falcon's Malteser was really good! Can't wait to see what the next mystery is.

Doppelgängers (11) - Lean on Me

2011-09-05T10:39:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Days vs. Legacy

This is a bit of a tie for me. I like the model on Beautiful Days more, because she doesn't look quite so awkward. But I'm rather fond of the swirly bits on Legacy. Though, to be honest, while I can find things in each I like more than the other, I don't really care for either of them. =/

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: Last week A Certain Slant of Light and Envy went tub to creepy tub, and Envy won with 2 votes.

On My Shelf (26) Vlog

2011-09-03T22:01:00.001-04:00

The Seeing Stone

The Serpent's Coil

Anna and the French Kiss

Ashes, Ashes

Gone

___________

300 Follower Giveaway

Cecilia The Epic Rat

300 Follower Giveaway

2011-09-02T19:51:00.000-04:00

image source

*squee*

*happy dances*

*throws confetti*

*leads parade*

*shoots fireworks*

YOU. GUYS. ARE. AWESOME!

300 followers. 300 followers! 300 FOLLOWERS! You have no idea how happy this makes me! But to give you an idea, and to show how much I like all of you, here is a giveaway.

I just had two biggish giveaways, so this one is a little smaller and much more simple. There will be 3 winners, each will get one of the three identical swag packs I've put together. Here are the swag packs, which include: 1 Chronicles of Vladimir Tod button, 1 sheet of CoVT tattoos, and 2 CoVT/Slayer Chronicles bookmarks (one for you, one for a friend).

To enter, just follow the blog (I don't usually make this a requirement, but this is a follower giveaway) and fill out the simple form. Rules are simple:

Must be 13 years or older to enter
Must be a follower
International
Ends September 16 at midnight

Entry form

Thanks for following!!!

Review - Firespell by Chloe Neill

2011-09-02T13:14:00.001-04:00

New Girl.
New School.
Old Evil.
Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens.

They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet...

It's been a long time since I've read a paranormal book. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the first one I've finished this year. I got tired of the genre late last year, and this year just didn't have the desire to read it, or couldn't get into it when I tried. Luckily, when I picked up Firespell, I had a hard time putting it down. It was a really enjoyable read!

It started off a little slow, but I don't remember being bored, just not super interested in the beginning. I can't remember exactly when it picked up, but considering it's a pretty short book and too much of nothing-really-happening would have made me put it down, it must have picked up pretty close to the beginning.

One of the things I think made me really like this book, is that it's just a quick, fun read. To me, it played out a bit like one of the role plays I used to do on Shelfari (one of the good ones, mind you), only it centered around one character discovering a world of magic, instead of six or so characters doing the same thing (conveniently at the same time). The story got going fairly quickly, and kept going at a steady pace from there, always keeping me interested. It had some light, amusing moments, some action, and a bit of mystery (kind of predictable, but that didn't make me like it any less).

I even kind of liked the characters, which is really rare for me. They aren't some of my favorite characters in the literary world, and I didn't love any of them, but I did enjoy reading about them. They were likable and amusing, and I look forward to meeting them again in the sequel.

As much as I liked this book, I did have a few problems with it. Mainly, frequently recurring themes. Neill seemed a bit hung up on the word 'notwithstanding'. I can't count the number of times it was used throughout the book. Some other themes are head bobbing (as in 'I bobbed my head at her' not lazy head-banging) and addressing people by their last names. I found these to be a bit strange, particularly the name thing. Some of the slang they used seemed a bit off, too. But there was nothing big enough to ruin the book in the slightest.

The second thing that bothered me is a bit of a spoiler, but you kind of know it's coming, so at the same time it's not. Anyway, *SPOILER WARNING* I didn't really like the way Lily discovered her powers. The way she got them was fine, I guess. A little weird, but also somewhat interesting. But the way she discovered them was just... poorly written. I hate to sound harsh, but those are my thoughts. But then, discovery-of-powers is rarely done well, so you can't really fault someone when it's less than spectacular. *SPOILERS OVER*

Overall, I liked it. It was quick, interesting, and highly enjoyable. I now wish I hadn't put off reading it for so long; it must have sat on my shelf for about a year. It's kind of changed my opinion on paranormal books, which I'd all but given up on, now I'm willing to give the genre another chance. The ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but it might as well have been. It certainly had the effect of a cliffhanger, leaving me desperate to get the sequel.

Head bobs notwithstanding, I give Firespell 4 octopi.

Wish List Wednesday 58

2011-08-31T08:51:00.000-04:00

What?

Forgotten

by Cat Patrick
Pub. date: June 2011

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

Why?

I've heard lots of good things about this. But mostly it just sounds really interesting and original, something that's a little hard to come by in YA these days.

Sweet Venom 2 Title Hunt

2011-08-30T12:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't had a chance to read Sweet Venom yet, but that doesn't mean I can't be excited for the sequel, especially since I get to help reveal the title of it! I'm very excited to be a part of the Sweet Venom 2 Title Hunt.

My letter is...

Check out Tera's blog for the rest of the hunt.

Wish List Wednesday 57

2011-08-24T17:28:00.000-04:00

What?

Uncommon Criminals

by Ally Carter
Pub. date: June 2011

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

Why?

I love Ally Carter's books! They're interesting (spies and thieves), actiony (spies and thieves!), and clean. I especially loved Hiest Society, so I really can't wait to read the sequel.

Doppelgängers (10) - Creepy Bathtubs

2011-08-23T12:18:00.001-04:00

A Certain Slant of Light vs. Envy

I'm just going to get this out of the way right now. Envy creeps me out. While I like the title font more, I don't like the green, and the image just creeps me out. So, A Certain Slant of Light wins for me. What do you think?

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: In the battle of time-themed titles and top hats, Clockwork Angel came out victorious.

Winners! Read-A-Thon & Birthday Giveaways

2011-08-22T18:05:00.002-04:00

It's finally time to announce the winners for my Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration & the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon giveaways. Yay!

But first, some stats.

Out of the 9 people that signed up, I had 8 read-a-thon participants, with a total of 79 entries into the giveaway. I just want to give HUGE THANKS to everyone that participated!

Amanda @ That Teen Can Blog
Lyssa Anne @ Mostly Books... Occasional Rants
Book Lady @ Must Read Faster
JP @ Elle Lit.
Orchid @ The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
Erin @ Let's Evaluate
Zombie Girrrl @ Crackin' Spines &amp; Takin' Names

Marriah @ Rambling Bookmarks

Thanks for signing up, for doing the mini challenges, and for just being awesome readers! Also, sorry I wasn't a very active read-a-thon host, and didn't visit your blogs during the read-a-thon. I had a lot of fun hosting this read-a-thon, and can't wait to do it again.

And now, the winner of a book of their choice from Book Depository (up to $15) is...

Zombie Girrrl @ Crackin' Spines & Takin' Names

Now, onto the Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration. I can't tell you how many people entered (too many different forms), but I can tell you that there were a total of 131 entries! There are kind of too many stats to go through, so onto the winner! The winner of Heist Society and Rotters is...

Alyssa @ Mostly Books.... Occasional Rants...

Congrats to both the winners! Check your mail, there should be something there from me. You have 48 hours to claim your prize before a new winner is picked.

Giveaway Alert! Missy's Reads & Reviews

2011-08-22T16:27:00.001-04:00

Missy at Missy's Reads & Reviews is having an epic giveaway to celebrate 1000 followers! There are 6 prize packs in all, with at least 3 books per pack. There are some awesome sounding books to choose from! Bad Taste in Boys, Fairy Bad Day, Five Flavors of Dumb, just to name a few. This giveaway is international! Click here to enter. Contest ends September 4.

On My Shelf (25) Vlog

2011-08-20T23:08:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to making a vlog. Huzzah!

In this video:

Solitary (Escape from Furnace #2)

Toradora vol. 1

Firespell (Dark Elite #1)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Review - Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz

2011-08-20T11:44:00.001-04:00

Thirteen-year-old David Eliot was a disappointment to his parents. But to be sent to Groosham Grange? Hidden away on a lonely island, Groosham Grange is a school that is unknown to the outside world. Pupils forced to sign their names in blood. An English teacher held together entirely with bandages. A soccer ball made of . . . well, you'd rather not know. What is the chilling secret hidden behind the headmaster's door? And why are students disappearing in the middle of the night? Suddenly, David has a lot more to worry about than pleasing his parents - like survival!

I really didn't know what to expect from Groosham Grange. I've read a lot of books by Anthony Horowitz--all but one book from the Alex Rider series, the whole Gatekeepers series, and the first of the Diamond Brothers Mysteries--but this one was different. I hadn't heard anything about it before I bought it, and only got it because it's by Anthony Horowitz, an author I'd previously had good luck with. What I got from Groosham Grange... well, I'm still trying to make my mind up on it.

Almost from the beginning, Groosham Grange seemed to me like a warped version of Harry Potter, but with more evil. The main character, David, had parents worse than the Dursleys, a mysterious letter arrived from a mysterious school, and he was sent off. He met his two friends on the train there, Jill (who ended up sounding like a young Hermione from the movies, no matter how much I tried to make her sound different) and Jeffrey (who sounded like Dudley when he said "I-I'm not Harry" in the movie). That was about where the similarities ended... or so I thought. In the end, I think it was more of an evil Harry Potter than I'd first thought.

The book had a really strange sense of humor throughout, the kind that throws you off so much you forget to laugh. At least, that's how it was with me. I recognized the jokes, thought somewhere in the back of my mind that they were funny, but I don't think I ever laughed while reading this. It was just so weird. By any other author, I probably would have just read it and not thought anything was strange about it. But since I've been such a big fan of Anthony Horowitz for so long (pretty sure he's the first YA author I read), it was kind of like finding out a friend you thought you knew liked taxidermy or something. Not bad, just really unexpected and a bit odd.

In the end, I liked it. Strange as it was, it was good, though not one of Anthony Horowitz's best books. I'm really surprised by how much I liked it, because I'm pretty sure it was originally released in the late 80s (that's the oldest edition I could find on Goodreads), and I don't usually like books written before 2002-ish (even that's a bit of a stretch). And yet, I'm not surprised I liked it despite its age, because you couldn't even tell how old it was while reading. I might read the sequel, if I can ever find it (I don't think I've ever seen it).

I recommend this to readers 13 and up (it says 10 and up on the back, but I don't really think that's right), and anyone looking for a quick, entertaining read, and doesn't mind if it's a little weird.

I give Groosham Grange 3 octopuses.

Wish List Wednesday 56

2011-08-17T09:28:00.000-04:00

What?

The Seeing Stone

by Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi
Pub. date: May 2003

A thrilling follow-up to DiTerlizzi and Black's first Spiderwick Chronicles book, The Seeing Stone has Jared and Mallory rescuing Simon from a band of goblins. When the young boy is kidnapped, Thimbletack leads Jared to a stone that allows him to have "the sight," or the ability to see magical creatures. Soon, the brother and sister are outfoxing a hungry troll, working with a helpful goblin named Hogsqueal to thwart the other goblins, and taking care of a wounded griffin. With more enchanted action than the first book and a suspenseful ending, this second installment will have kids chomping at the bit for more.

Why?

I absolutely loved The Field Guide! It was such a fantastic read, but it was too short, so I've been dying to get the sequel ever since I finished it. Plus, now I have the third book, which is just kind of torturing me because I can't read it, even though I really, really want to.

Doppelgängers (9) - Time After Time

2011-08-14T22:47:00.000-04:00

Time for another cover face-off!

Clockwork Angel vs. The Map of Time

I like both of these, but I definitely like The Map of Time more. The way the title sort of glows, how the character's hidden in shadows, even the background. But Clockwork Angel is good too, and I kind of like the colors on that one more. If only The Map of Time had Clockwork Angel's colors, it would be perfect.

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: So Shelly won with 2 of 2 votes.

On My Shelf (24)

2011-08-14T22:38:00.001-04:00

Bought

I haven't read the second book yet, but I loved the first (my review) and figured it would be better to get the third one now, so I wouldn't have to wait to read it once I finally get my hands on The Seeing Stone (my library has it, but I'd rather wait to buy it). I can't wait until I can read it!

Other

I GOT MY MASTER MINION KIT!!! I don't really feel like explaining what a Master Minion is, so I'll just say what's in the kit. I got: a Vlad Tod t-shirt (way too big for me, but I still love it!), some bookmarks, tattoos, and a discussion guide. I'll try to post pictures, but I'm going on a road trip tomorrow, so I might not have time. I'll be adding some of this to my birthday giveaway, which you can enter here.

This week was my Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon, in case you somehow missed it (is that even possible? I put up a good number of posts for it in those three days). I managed to finish two books, and get halfway through a third (you can see my final read-a-thon report here). Right now I'm reading Firespell by Chloe Neill. It's not great, but I do like it, and wish I hadn't put off reading it for so long.

Bit of an update on the read-a-thon giveaway: I made a mistake when I said the winner would be posted the 14th. Because one of the mini challenges gets you extra entries and doesn't close until the 19th, the winner will be posted sometime shortly after that. Sorry for the extra wait.

This is the last week to enter my birthday giveaway, which closes at midnight on August 19. You could win Heist Society and Rotters, as well as some Chronicles of Vladimir Tod swag. US only. Enter here.

Think that's it. I should be back to a regular posting schedule this week (unless I get too caught up with working on my book. I'm working on world building, which is very interesting and time consuming). Happy reading!

#RDreadathon - Final Report

2011-08-13T22:23:00.001-04:00

Here are my final read-a-thon stats.

Books Read:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Shroeder
Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz

Pages Read: 542

Best Book Read: That's a hard one. I only finished 2 books, and while they were both good, neither was spectacular. I guess I'll say Groosham Grange. It was more my thing than IHYYHM.

Worst Books Read: I've got nothing for this one. All the books I read were good.

Did you enjoy the read-a-thon? Yes. I had a lot of fun hosting it, and will probably do another one sometime. Definitely glad I decided to do this. :)

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Finish Line

2011-08-13T22:00:00.001-04:00

FINISH LINE

10 p.m. The Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon is officially over. Time to put down the books and write your report. How did you do?

Here's some info to include in your report.

How many books did you read?
How many pages did you read?
What books did you read?
What was the best book you read?
What was the worst book you read?
Did you enjoy the read-a-thon?
Is there anything you think I should change if I host another read-a-thon?

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challenge #6

2011-08-13T18:00:00.004-04:00

It's time for the last mini challenge, so make this break count, because it's the very last one you'll get (not that big a deal though, since the read-a-thon ends at 10:00).

Challenge #6

For this challenge, fill out this quick survey about my blog. Unlike the other mini challenges, this one will be open until August 19, and it will earn you extra entries into the read-a-thon giveaway (or my birthday giveaway, if that's what you'd prefer). You can find the survey HERE.

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challenge #5

2011-08-13T12:00:00.001-04:00

Okay everyone, break time. Put down whatever you're reading and pick up your camera, it's time for the fifth mini challenge.

Challenge #5

I like books. Not just reading books, looking at them. There's just something about a shelf full of books that makes me incredibly happy, and if the books are put on the shelf in an interesting way, it's even better. For this challenge, I want to see your shelves. Just take a picture (or a few) of your bookshelves, or a video if that's more your style, and post it on your blog, then link to the post in the comments.

Non-bloggers: if you're a member of a photo hosting site (Photobucket, Twitpic, etc.), you can upload your picture(s) there and leave a direct link in the comments.

As always, this challenge is open until midnight tonight.

#RDreadathon - Day 2 Report

2011-08-13T00:17:00.000-04:00

Day 2 is done, so here are my updated read-a-thon stats. You can post your Day 2 report tonight or tomorrow morning.

Books Read:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schoeder
Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz

Pages Read: 335

Currently Reading: Firespell by Chloe Neill
Another day over, another book finished. Not the progress I was hoping for, but I'm not entirely unhappy with it. Going to try to get a little more reading done tonight, so maybe I can fit more books in tomorrow.

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challenge #4

2011-08-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

Time to take another short break and another mini challenge.

Challenge #4

Everyone loves to see their favorite books turned into movies, and most people know who'd they'd like to play all the characters. So for this challenge, I want you to cast one or more of the characters from one of your read-a-thon books. Just like the first challenge, don't drive yourself crazy trying to do this one (this is a message for myself and all the other people like me, who don't immediately have an idea of what actor would be good for certain characters).

Bloggers: write a post with your mini challenge entry and link it in the comments.
Non-bloggers: leave your entry in the comments.

You can do this challenge any time today, as long as you have your entry in before midnight.

#RDreadathon - Update #2

2011-08-12T17:51:00.001-04:00

Books Read:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schoeder

Pages Read: 235

Currently Reading: Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz

A bit slow going today, but at least I'm making progress again. Now, if only I could stop working on my book long enough to read...

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challenge #3

2011-08-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of the read-a-thon is well underway. How're you doing? Need a break? I hope so, because it's time for the first mini challenge of the day!

Challenge #3

For this challenge, you must answer the following question.
What are you reading?
Easy, right? Now the catch. You must answer in 7 words or less. And you can't just say the title of the book, or more unoriginally 'a book', you must describe what you're reading.

Bloggers: write a post with your mini challenge entry and link it in the comments.
Non-bloggers: leave your entry in the comments.

You can do this challenge any time today, as long as you have your entry in before midnight.

#RDreadathon - Day 1 Report

2011-08-12T10:28:00.001-04:00

Day 2 has officially begun, so I figure now is a good time to post how I did yesterday.

Link up your Day 1 reports in the comments (if you choose to write a report for Day 1).

Books Read:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Shroeder

Pages Read: 237

Currently Reading: Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz

Didn't get as much reading done as I would have liked, but I did manage to do some important work on my book, so it's not all bad. Definitely going to try to focus more on the read-a-thon today.

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challeng #2

2011-08-11T18:00:00.003-04:00

Time for another break from reading, and another challenge.

Challenge #2

This one's super easy. All you have to do is share a mini excerpt from your current read. Just make sure it's not spoilery.

#RDreadathon - Update #1

2011-08-11T13:21:00.002-04:00

Books Read:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schoeder

Pages Read: 226

Currently Reading: nothing, taking a break for lunch

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Mini Challeng #1

2011-08-11T12:00:00.002-04:00

It's day one of the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon, and time for the first mini challenge! Whoo!

Challenge #1

For this mini challenge, I want you to pick 1 to 3 songs that fit the book you're currently reading. You can explain why they fit, or just list the songs. Remember, this is supposed to be a fun, quick challenge, so don't drive yourself crazy trying to come up with something.

Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon - Starting Line

2011-08-11T10:00:00.006-04:00

Good morning everyone. It's 10:00 a.m. on August 11, which means the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon has officially begun! Well, for the east coast anyway. But don't worry, my non-eastern time readers, the read-a-thon will start in your area soon enough.

Okay, so here's some stuff you need to know.

Mini Challenges

On each day of the read-a-thon there will be 2 mini challenges. These are just an excuse to take a break from reading every few hours and go online.
The mini challenges will be posted at noon and 6 p.m.
Each mini challenge will be open until midnight of the day it's posted, so you can only do the day 1 challenges on day 1, etc.
You can do the mini challenges any time of the day, as long as it's before the deadline. You can do as many or as few challenges as you like.

Giveaway

The $15 Book Depository giveaways is open anywhere the book depository ships (this was stated in the sign-up post last month)
You must be 13 years or older, and have a parent's permission if you're under 18.
To be eligible for the giveaway, you must post at least one end of day report during the read-a-thon. This is just a quick summary of what you read that day, how much you read, and any other info you'd like to include. This is just to prove that you are actually participating in the read-a-thon, and didn't just sign-up to enter the giveaway. Not that I don't trust you, I just want to be sure.
The winner will be picked using random.org, and announced on August 14.
The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to reply with their mailing address. They will get one book of choice from Book Depository with a maximum price of $15 (US).

Okay, I think that's enough of the boring details. Now, let the read-a-thon begin! Don't forget to check-in in the comments when you start reading, and I'll add you to the list under the starting line.

By the way, the read-a-thon hashtag is #RDreadathon, in case you're interested in tweeting about it.

STARTING LINE

Ren @ All By MySHELF

Wish List Wednesday 55

2011-08-10T22:03:00.000-04:00

What?

The Unwanteds

by Lisa McMann
Pub. date: August 2011

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret—behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.

In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.

But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

Why?

I've recently rediscovered my love for mid-grade books. With YA I'm always worrying about content, but I don't need to do that with mid-grade (thank God!). This one sounds really good, too. I've read one book by Lisa McMann and enjoyed it, but I have a strong feeling I'm going to love this one.

On My Shelf (23)

2011-08-07T12:40:00.000-04:00

Review

I got this for review from the author. It sounds really interesting! I can't wait to read it, but because I'm taking a reading break this month, I'm going to have to. I would read it during my read-a-thon, but I don't think I'd have time to really enjoy it (or take notes). Also, it's kind of long. But it will definitely be the first thing I start in September. Thank you, Penelope and T.S.!

Birthday

I squealed when I got this. I LOVE the Deltora series, and was so excited when found out about this book. And now I own it!!! I can't wait to read it!!! Big thanks go to my family for getting this for me! Love you guys! ^_^

I started writing TCW this month for the August session of Camp NaNo. I hit my word goal on August 1st, skipped writing on my birthday (as I had originally planned), fell way short on August 3rd, only managed to catch up to August 3rd's goal on the 4th, and haven't written anything since then.

Normally, I would jump back into writing, determined to catch up on all the writing I missed, so I might have a chance of winning NaNo, but not this time. It's just too stressful. Yes, it's good practice for if I ever get published and have to work on a deadline, but I'm not even to the point to consider getting published yet. I've written one book. One. I would never get it published, not without completely rewriting it with an almost entirely new plot. So, I have decided to give up NaNoWriMo. From now on, I'm just going to focus on writing to write. Not to finish a book in a month, not with the hopes of getting published. I'm going to continue writing TCW, but I'm not going to obsess over word counts and deadlines. I'm going to obsess over plot lines and characters, and just try to write the best book I can, even if it takes me forever to finish it.

I might be getting rid of this section of On My Shelf. One of the main things I post when I'm actually writing is word counts, and that wouldn't really be helpful to my new plan of writing just to write. So, this may be the last you see of What I'm Writing for a while.

This week I got the happiest wake-up ever... okay, not ever, but it was still very happy. I woke up on Wednesday to find out that my sisters, awesome people that they are, registered me for Pottermore! *squee* I can't wait to get the Welcome letter! I'm pretty sure you get sorted into a Hogwarts House, and I'm really excited to find out which one I get.

Are you on Pottermore? If so, what's your name? Mine is SunPhoenix152.

In case you haven't heard, I have two giveaways running right now. The first is to celebrate my birthday, which was this past Tuesday. One winner will get a paperback of Heist Society by Ally Carter and a hardback of Rotters by Daniel Kraus. US only, ends 8/19. There are four challenges connected to this giveaway, which will earn you extra entries (I'm pretty sure it's 10 per challenge, at least with most of them). Full giveaway details and links to all the challenges can be found here.

The second giveaway is for my read-a-thon, which will take place August 11-13. One winner will get $15 to Book Depository, open wherever BD ships. You can sign up for the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon here. Sign-ups close August 10.

I posted a blog survey this week. If you have a few minutes, I'd really appreciate it if you fill it out. Also, if you've entered one of my giveaways, you will get 10 extra entries by filling out the quick survey. Check out the survey here.

I believe that's all for this week. See you next week!

Cover For Me 17

2011-08-04T12:48:00.003-04:00

Cover For Me is all about book covers and what I think of them. Sometimes it will just be one cover, sometimes it will be different covers for the same book.

This week's cover is...

Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski

Kind of childish, but then, so is Rachel. I don't really like the head, it looks a little weird. I like the font and size of the title. I don't really like the row of circles at the bottom, where the author's name is. Maybe it's just because there isn't one at the top too.
This cover is... for me, but not FOR ME.

Almost the same cover, but I like this one more. Mostly the colors, and the swoopy hot pink sections at the top and bottom. The head still looks weird, but I think it looks better on the pink background than it did on the blue one.
This cover is... for me.

If I knew the Bewitched theme song, I'd sing it. I don't like yellow, but the super cute image totally makes up for it. I like the curvy font.
This cover is... for me.

Another really cute (and really pink) cover. I think I'll just leave it at that. Oh wait, one more thing...
This cover is... for me.

Survey says...?

Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration - Fourth Challenge

2011-08-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

And the final D20BC challenge is...

For this challenge, I want to know what you think. Of my blog, that is. Earn 10 points by filling out the survey linked at the bottom of this post. It's pretty quick and simple. Because I want feedback from all my readers, and because I want all of you to get something for taking the time to share your thoughts with me, filling out the survey will get you extra entries for the Dangerous 20th Birthday giveaway (US only) and for the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon giveaway (open wherever Book Depository ships, sign-up here first). So, as long as you've signed up for one of my current giveaways, you will get extra entries for filling out the survey. Even if you haven't entered anything, I'd love to know what you think of my blog! :)

Blog Survey

Wish List Wednesday 54

2011-08-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

What?

Awaken

by Katie Kacvinsky

Pub. date: May 2011

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Why?

I like dystopian, but sometimes they're just a little too impossible/unlikely. This is both a good thing, because I'd never want to live in a world like that, and a bad thing, because it loses something if you can't believe it could happen. This one, however, sounds frighteningly realistic, which will be a nice change.

Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration - Third Challenge

2011-08-03T12:38:00.003-04:00

It's time for the third challenge of my Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration.

For this challenge, you must write a story between 100 and ~~200~~ because someone couldn't get their story under 200 words, I am extending the limit to 500 words. Once you've written your story, submit it in the form. This challenge is worth 5 points. You can earn 5 more entries if you post your story in the comments of this post, as well.

Entry Form

Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration - Second Challenge

2011-08-02T14:05:00.000-04:00

It's day 3 of D20BC, which means...

Okay, Tangled quotes aside, onto the challenge!

Today is my birthday, and your challenge for the day is to get me a gift. To prove that it really is the thought that counts, I want you to come up with a gift for me. It can be anything. Feel free to go crazy, in fact, I encourage it. Since this is all just thought, it can even be something that isn't real. Once you have your gift all figured out, fill out the form below. If you'd like to link to the gift, that's perfectly fine. The only requirement is that you pick something good. :)
This challenge will earn you 10 points.

Entry Form

Doppelgängers (8) - On the Waterfront

2011-08-01T17:23:00.011-04:00

Doppelgängers in inspired by Alea's Lookalikes feature at Pop Culture Junkie.

Hereafter vs. So Shelly

This is a tough one. I kind of like both of them, but I don't love either of them. Hereafter is neat because she's a ghost and all, but I feel like she's a little too transparent. If you don't really look at it, it kind of just looks like floating shoulders and head, which is weird. I like the background more on So Shelly, and how there really isn't any detail. I also like the rickety old dock and the white dress. But at the same time, I don't really like either cover. What are your thoughts?

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: Tantalize faced off... actually away from (my fault for setting them up that way) Bree's Fire and it was a tie. So, either no one won or everyone did, depends on how you look at it. As for me, I think they both lost.

Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration - First Challenge

2011-08-01T14:07:00.002-04:00

The first challenge for my Dangerous 20th Birhtday Celebration is...

This one is really simple. All you have to do is copy the text below and post it on twitter, then link your tweet on the form. This challenge is worth 10 points.

Go to @AllByMySHELF's blog and wish her a happy 20th birthday, and enter to win fantastic prizes! US only, ends 8/19. http://t.co/u5hMeBZ

Entry Form

Dangerous 20th Birthday Celebration - Welcome

2011-07-31T14:58:00.004-04:00

Hello all, and welcome to

I will be turning 20 on Tuesday. How did I get to be this old?! Seriously, I feel like I should still be 15 or something. GAH!!! *doom spiral*

...

Sorry you had to see that. Need something to distract you from my drama... Ooh, I know: GIVEAWAY!

I have big plans for this birthday, and I'm including you, my dear readers. My blog and my birthday are two very big things for me, so it only seemed natural to finally bring them together. And like all good blog events, this one has prizes, because I like giving things away! It makes me happy, and it probably makes you happy too (one of you, anyway).

I decided (and by 'decided', I mean I bought half of the prize and the same day got a surprise second copy of a book in the mail, lucky for you) to go with a themed prize pack, and the theme is...

Thieves & Robbers!

paperback

hardback

Yes! One winner will get a copy of the fantastic Heist Society, which is about thieves, and a copy of Rotters, which is about grave robbers! So if you like books about people stealing things, this is the giveaway for YOU!

I wanted to make this giveaway a little more interesting, sooo instead of doing the usual follow my blog/twitter/tweet about the giveaway/etc. to get extra entries, I challenge you to a... challenge (actually 4, and one of them involves twitter)... Yeeeeah. The challenges aren't the only way you can enter, though, in case that's not your thing. There is an entry form at the bottom of this post, which will get you ONE entry into the giveaway. But if you want to increase your chances by, like, a LOT, you can do the challenges and earn more points and be awesome and one of my favorite readers EVER!

Here's the important info.

This giveaway is US only (sorry international people, but there is a giveaway for you here).
Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm (eastern) on August 19.
Challenges can be done any time before then.
A winner will be selected as soon as all the entries are tallied (probably between August 20-25. I have a book to write this month, after all).

The first challenge will be up tomorrow, so keep an eye out. Until then, you can get one entry for filling out the form below.

Entry Form

But that's not all. As part of my Dangerous* 20th Birthday Celebration, I am also hosting the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon, which will run August 11-13. Three days of reading and mini challenges, with a chance to win a book of your choice! The best part is, the giveaway is international, because I want all my readers to have a chance to win something (like I said, I like giving things away).

Challenge List

I'll be updating this post with links to the challenges.

*Don't ask me why/how it's dangerous, because I'm not entirely sure. I just like that word. 'Dangerous' is the new 'awesome'... at least, I'm trying to make it that way. :)

Review - Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

2011-07-30T15:23:00.001-04:00

Highlight to read.
It’s another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D’Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad’s powers. His best friend Henry doesn’t want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren’t enough, it’s getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D’Ablo shows up demanding Vlad’s father’s journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won’t save him this time . . .

Once again, Heather Brewer has delivered a fantastic read that's left me eager to get my hands on the rest of the series.

If you read my review notes on this, you'd probably think I didn't like it. Heck, I was beginning to wonder if I'd rated it right when I read my notes. It seemed like the word "annoyed" kept popping up, mostly about characters. Actually, mostly about Henry. He just got on my nerves so much in this book! There were a few times Vlad got on my nerves too, but not nearly as much as Henry.
There was one character, though. He never annoyed me, he just Creeped. Me. Out. And I liked it. Wait, that sounded weird. Let me rephrase: his creepiness made him an excellent villain, and I love books with excellent villains.

But enough about characters. The story, oh the story! It was a little slow at times, but it more than made up for it with awesomesauce of the I-didn't-see-that-coming variety. The thing with *SPOILER*! And when Vlad found out *MEGASPOILER*!!! Yeah, it was great.

I did have one problem with the book. Vlad cried, a lot. It became something of a joke between me and my sisters, after we all read the first two books, so I decided to count how many times Vlad cried in this one. I counted 13 times, and I might have missed one or two, because I did have more important things to take notes on. So, if you don't like weepy characters, I suggest you try a different series.

I'm trying to think of more to say about this book, but I can't think of anything that won't give something away. I guess that's it, then? It was a really good book. A bit slow in places, but still really good. Heather Brewer is an excellent author, and I look forward to the next book in this series, as well her other books.

I give Tenth Grade Bleeds 4 octopi.

Wish List Wednesday 53

2011-07-27T11:11:00.000-04:00

What?

Once in a Full Moon

by Ellen Schreiber

Pub. date: December 2010

Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.

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

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

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

Why?

I don't quite know if I'm a fan of werewolves (I've read a few books with them, but they weren't about werewolves, they were just kind of there), but I really liked Ellen Schreiber's other book, Vampire Kisses, so I'm very interested in this book (and the rest of the VK series).

Doppelgängers (7) - Week 7

2011-07-26T10:48:00.000-04:00

Yes, that was the best title I could come up with for this week. ;P

Tantalize vs. Bree's Fire

Tantalize, without a doubt. I like the darker colors and the title font. Bree's Fire just looks a little washed out, which doesn't work for me at all.

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: The Girl in the Steel Corset and The Luxe went head to head last week, and not surprisingly, TGITSC came out on top with 4 of 5 votes. Thank you, voters! I think that's the most votes any Doppelgänger has ever gotten. Let's see if we can top it this week! :)

I've Been Tagged - Vlog

2011-07-25T15:39:00.002-04:00

I've been tagged by Misty at The Book Rat, and so have you! You can see her video and get the tag questions here. Now, onto my answers.

On My Shelf (22)

2011-07-23T16:34:00.001-04:00

Cover links to Goodreads.

Bought

I bought this from the Random Buzzers store a while ago, and it finally came in this week. Yay! I was really excited when I ordered it, but then I read a review of it at For What It's Worth, which said it was really creepy and gory, so now I'm a little nervous about reading it, but still looking forward to it. If that makes sense.

This week I finally finished Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook. For now I'm just going to say that I liked it (again), and save the rest of my thoughts for my review.
GRoLW was read for the 6 Degrees Reading Challenge. 2 books down, 16 to go. Next up on the list is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. You can see my list here.

Do you like read-a-thons? Would you like to win a book of your choice? Then you should sign up for the Read Dangerously Read-A-Thon, which will take place August 11-13! Three days of reading. Nine mini challenges. One international giveaway. Does it get any better?

That's all the bookish news I have this week. Happy reading!

Cover For Me 15

2011-07-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

Cover For Me is all about book covers and what I think of them. Sometimes it will just be one cover, sometimes it will be different covers for the same book.

This week's cover is...

Her Royal Spyess by Rhys Bowen

It's cute, and I like the artwork, but it doesn't really fit. The clothes are all right for the time the book is set in, but the girl looks nothing like Georgie. Mostly because she's blond, when Georgie had crazy red hair (if I remember correctly, and I'm pretty sure I do). Hair color aside, it's alright. To tell you the truth, the title catches my attention more than the cover.
This cover is... not bad, but not exactly for me.

Uh... er... meh.
[Translation] This cover is... not for me.

Which do you prefer?

Wish List Wednesday 52

2011-07-20T14:05:00.000-04:00

What?

Ashes, Ashes

by Jo Treggiari

Pub. date: June 2011

A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.
Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

Why?

Three words: post apocalyptic dystopian. Yes.

Doppelgängers (6) - Historical... ish

2011-07-19T14:28:00.000-04:00

So I'm a day late with this, but whatever. Here's week 6 of Doppelgängers.

The Girl in the Steel Corset vs. The Luxe

This one is so easy. The Girl in the Steal Corset. The Luxe is just a little too plain, and her skirt is too ridiculously big. TGITSC has lots of interesting details: the corset, the thing on her right hand, the cog background, and the colors are just better.The only problem with TGITSC is the book is based in 1897, and you can see the zipper on her dress... Yeah. Online, it just looks like the cut of the dress, but in person it's there.

Vote in the comments for your favorite.

If you've spotted any Doppelgängers, please contact the Center for Doppelgänger Comparison.

Last week's winner: In the battle of ruffley dresses, Torment defeated Haunting Violet with 2 of 2 votes.