Cover Crazy/Mouth Watering Monday: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

US

I instantly loved this cover. it was dark and haunting and creepy, yet beautiful. It is definitely eye-catching and stayed imprinted in my mind for a while after seeing it.

I like:

• The old fashioned pram. It is gorgeous and brings some beauty to the cover.
• The knives and scissors hanging over the pram. Very creepy.
• The font and colour. Very eye-catching!
  
  

I don't like:

• You know what? I have no idea! I do love it but I also know that it is not the best cover I have ever seen. I just have no idea why!

UK

It is just all wrong for me. It makes the book look bad and it just has no relevance.

I like:

• The font is quite nice. It is raised on the cover and feels nice.
• The background behind the boy looks eerie.
  
  

I don't like:

• The boy just standing there like he is a model. No relevance. 
• I cannot pinpoint why I dislike it greatly. It just doesn't work for me.
  
  

So which cover do you like best? Do you think they are relevant to the story? Share your thoughts with me!

Daily Dose (3)

Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

Created by me :) I thought it would be nice to see what people are listening to!

Heartbeats by Jose Gondalez

Ten days of perfect tunes
The colors red and blue
We had a promise made
We were in love

To call for hands of above
To lean on
Wouldn't be good enough
For me, no

Breathe (2am) by Anna Nalick

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

Fairytale by Sara Bareilles

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom
Man made up a story said that I should believe him
Go and tell your white knight that he's handsome in hindsight
But I don't want the next best thing
So I sing and hold my head down and I break these walls round me
Can't take no more of your fairytale love

Untouchable by Taylor Swift

In the middle of the night
When I'm in this dream
It's like
A million little stars
Spelling out your name
You gotta, come on, come on
Say that we'll be together
Come on, come on
Little taste of heaven

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

For Review

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff ( Thanks Simon and Schuster :D )

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine ( Thanks HarperCollins :D )

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan ( Thanks Savita! )

I hope you all had a great weekend and that you got loads of books this week! So what did you get in your mailbox?

Luisa Plaja Guest Post: Funny British Teen Books

As many of you are aware I am from the UK and this year I really want to focus on reading books by UK authors and supporting local authors. Luisa Plaja a UK author and she is an absolute sweetheart!. She has a great blog Chicklish and a great website. She has written 3 teen novels and has a new book coming out this year called Kiss, Date, Love, Hate.

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Hello, and thank you to Alice for inviting me to The Reader Room!

As I'm both an author and a book-blogger from the UK, I was doubly excited when The Bookette launched the British Book Challenge for 2011. In case you don't already know, bloggers can sign up to read 6+ British books (international participants) or 12+ British books (British participants), with prizes and incentives along the way. (Full details are at The Bookette: http://www.thebookette.co.uk/2010/12/british-books-challenge-2011.html )

For my guest post here, I decided I'd like to highlight some great British authors whose books would be eligible for The Bookette's challenge. Of course, I then spent about two weeks trying to narrow down an extremely long list of my favourites. It was nearly impossible!

One thing was immediately obvious, though: the authors on my list had all written books featuring quirky characters, witty dialogue and/or word-play. They all contained humour, however dark or light the overall tone of the book. It's probably no coincidence that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of my all-time favourite TV programmes. (Giles: 'It's the end of the world!' Buffy, Willow, Xander: 'Again?') And, seeing as British people have a bit of a reputation for their sometimes off-the-wall sense of humour, I've decided to focus on authors who've made me laugh as I read - and then made me stand back and admire their clever manipulation of language.

I really could go on forever, but here is a shortlist of just a few recommendations.

Susie Day - Reading a Susie Day book without laughing is the bookish equivalent of eating a sugared doughnut without licking your lips. Try: Big Woo! (titled Serafina67 in the US) and Girl Meets Cake (titled My Invisible Boyfriend in the US).

Keris Stainton - Keris Stainton has me giggling and glued to the page with her realistic and fun characters and scenes. Try: Della Says: OMG!

Emily Gale - Emily Gale's novel Girl, Aloud is a realistic family drama that's as darkly funny as it is moving, and very highly recommended. I can't wait to read more from this wonderful author.

Hayley Long - Hayley Long writes and illustrates the story of Lottie Biggs, a Welsh teenager with a quirky, smile-inducing take on life, love and her own mental health.

Liz Rettig - Liz Rettig's Glasgow-based Kelly Ann diaries are warm-hearted and very funny. I think the books work in any order but this is the chronological order: My Dating Disasters Diary, My Desperate Love Diary, My Now or Never Diary, My Rocky Romance Diary.

Lara Fox - This is a pseudonym and you might find these books shelved under 'Miss Understanding', the star of the novels, a girl who starts off running an online problem page for her schoolfriends and moves on to work experience in a London publishing house, entertaining readers with her dry wit every step of the way. Try: Miss Understanding: My Year in Agony

I can also recommend anything by British authors Sarra Manning, Hilary Freeman, Helen Bailey and Keren David. And Dyan Sheldon, who is American but whose latest books are definitely eligible for the challenge. And there are so many others...

Happy reading!

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Isn't she just the sweestest? You can check out her website to find out more about her novels or you can check out her fabulous blog where she has guest reviewers reviewing some great new titles. She even does some reviews herself!

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

"What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011?  Why are you anticipating that book?"

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

hm. This is tricky. I really love maths. We get on so well. If I am good to maths, then maths is good to me. It involves a lot of work though. I love the satisfaction when you finally understand something. That eureka moment. It is magical. I don't think I could do 8 hours of maths a week and not love it.

Read, Review, Recommend (4)

It is friday again, YAY! I hope you have all had a great week. This week The Book Vixen is guest blogging and sharing a review of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is a stunning book and one of my favourites. I shall let her take it away and share with you everything she loved!

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Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

One of the most moving books I read last year, that carried a strong impact for me, was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. The premise was interesting enough to catch my attention: Hannah recently committed suicide and left behind 13 cassette tapes, each tape containing a reason for her decision. She leaves a note with instructions that these tapes be passed along to the people mentioned on the tapes. If her request is not satisfied, there will be consequences to pay. Hannah's voice is eerie and haunting as you read through her messages left on the tapes. I could hear the tone of her voice through the pages. It's a powerful read, one that will stay with me for a long, long time.

Thirteen Reasons Why is not a light, fun, fluffy read. It's one of those poignant, thought-provoking books that will forever leave a mark with you. It certainly taught me a few things. This is one of those books that I strongly feel should be required reading in junior high schools all over the world, especially with all the bullying and suicides going on in the news lately. Sometimes we don't realize how something we say could affect others. It's the little things that you might think mean little or no harm for people but make a huge impact for some. 

My review in full: http://www.thebookvixen.com/2010/03/review-thirteen-reasons-why-by-jay.html

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Thanks for stopping by Book Vixen and make sure you stop by her blog and remember to add Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher to your TBR pile :)

Discussion Post: Reading Multiple Books At Once

I'm normally a one book kinda gal. I've never really been able to cope with more than one book. But most of all, I couldn't see the point? Why not just finish a book then start the next one? Well I think a little differently now.


At the moment I am reading The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff and The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. They are completely different reads, one contemporary, one a paranormal/fantasy type. The reason I chose to read both at once was due to one being a review copy. I had started The Sky Is Everywhere first and then received The Replacement and wanted to read it promptly as the publisher had been so kind to send it to me. I actually really like reading two books at once. It means I can chose which I fancy depending on my mood. Normally if I wasn't in the mood for that book I just wouldn't read but now I can.


I don't know if I will always read more than one book at once. It would depend on the two books, their genres, how long they are, whether I think I will need full focus. I can definitely see the positives though. My only issue would be carrying two books in my bag....

What are your thoughts? Yes or no?

Cover Crazy: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

UK cover

Isn't she a beauty? I absolutely fell in love with this cover when I saw it. It looks so serene and peaceful and I just adore it. It just grabbed me. I was so intrigued to find out what it was about.

I Like:

• The font. It is so pretty. It reminds me of the trails planes leave behind in the sky. It also gives me a feel that it is going to be personal because it looks like it might be handwriting.
• The tagline, "I'm supposed to be grieving, not falling in love..." Completely grabbed me. Grief is always difficult to write about and this is an interesting take on it.
• The background and colour. It is so calming and relaxing.

I dislike:

• Nothing

US Cover

Meh. Not my cup of tea really. Too abstract. When picking apart all the elements I dislike most of them, but I think as a whole they kind of work.

I Like:

• the fact that the heart is claiming all the attention. The book is about and love. It seems fitting.

I dislike:

• The font. Seems very sterilised and unemotional.
• The placement of the text. I don't like how the heart is overlapping it and has text over it.

Which do you like best?

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty little Liars

Author: Sara Shepard

Pages: 286

Release Date: October 1st 2006

Publisher: Harperteen

Source: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5

I think it is best that I tell you I love the show and this could have either enhanced or reduced my enjoyment of the book, so just take this into account. I imagine the characters as I saw them in the show therefore I wasn’t always thinking of them exactly how Sara Shepard wrote them to be.

It took me a while to get into it. It started quite slow and it was quite a foreign style of writing to me. It seemed quite simple and childish at first but it became more and more addicting. The brand dropping didn’t really bother me but it took a while to adjust.

My favourite character is Aria. She is so headstrong and confident and I love that in a character. I felt I really grew to understand all the characters really well and despite it being in 3^rd person they all had their own voice in their chapters. It felt really personal when I was reading their chapters, allowing me to see what secrets they were keeping from their friends and themselves.

Because I have seen the show the things that happened in the book weren’t too much of a surprise. The book mirrors the first programme really well. Having said that I still really enjoyed it and some things still caught me my surprise. There is a LOT that happens so there isn't any opportunity to get bored. It moves very fast and keeps you on your toes!

Was it the best written book in the world? No. Did that affect my enjoyment? Not at all. I got so addicted that I sat in the bath reading it for hours, getting wrinkly toes. It pulled me in and I didn’t want to let go. It is all boy drama, secrets, gossip and I have to say I’m a sucker for all this. You should really go pick it up for a fun, light read! I'm so excited to read the next in the series as well!

4 out of 5 stars

Daily Dose (2)

Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

Never Alone by Lady Antebellum

Well, I have to be honest
As much as I want it
I'm not gonna promise the cold winds won't blow
So when hard times have found you
And your fear surround you
Wrap my love around you
You're never alone

Long Live by Taylor Swift

Long, long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
And I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid

Swingin' by Leann Rimes

His brother was on the sofa, eatin' chocolate pie.
His Momma was in the kitchen, cuttin' chicken up to fry.
His Daddy was in the backyard, rollin' up a garden hose.
I was on the porch with Charlie, feelin' love down to my toes.
and we were swingin' (swingin')
yes we were swingin' (swingin') 

Gives You Hell by The All American Rejects

Now where's your picket fence love
And where's that shiny car
Did it ever get you far?
You never seem so tense, love
Never seen you fall so hard
Do you know where you are?

Truth be told I miss you
Truth be told I'm lying

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

Bought


Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes by Lisa Greenwald
Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand


For Review


The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker




Well I hope you all had a great book week :) Enjoy your books!

Sophie McKenzie Interview

Sophie McKenzie is the author of books such as 'Girl, Missing', 'The Medusa Project' series and the 'Blood Ties' series. She is a UK author so her books qualify for the British Book Challenge 2011. I met her when I was about 13 at my school and she was so lovely. I emailed her about doing an interview in December and I was so scared. It was the first email I had sent to an author before but she sent me this friendly response and was eager to do an interview.

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Your first series All About Eve was based on a teen romance. Do you now prefer writing books that are faster paced with more action? What caused the shift from romance to thrillers?

I like writing them both! I haven’t stopped writing teen romances… in fact I have a new series starting next year, about a girl who falls for the guy playing Romeo in a school play. The first book is called Falling Fast and I should be putting more info about it on my website (www.sophiemckenziebooks.com) later in the year.

You have written three series. Do you prefer writing a series than a standalone novel? If so, why is this?

I like writing series because you don’t have to say goodbye to the characters and can carry on developing them. I particularly enjoyed working on the Medusa series because those books gave me the opportunity to write from each of the four main characters points of view in turn.

What was your inspiration for Blood Ties and the second instalment Blood Ransom?

There was no single inspiration for these books, just a general and long-standing fascination with human cloning. There were certain things I wanted to put into the books – like how it would feel to discover you were a clone, but most of the story developed as I wrote.

Do you base your characters upon people that you know or are they something you develop using purely your imagination?

Almost always, I write people purely from imagination. The characters of Luke and Chloe, in the All About Eve series, are however based on me and my brother when we were teenagers!

What made you want to write books targeted towards young adults?

I don’t really think of it that way. I write books for myself… they just happen to have teenage characters and appeal to the young adult market. I have no idea why!

What is your favourite part of the writing process?

There are three stages, all of which I enjoy.

Planning – when I daydream about the story and the characters and work out the main twists of the plot until I have a workable outline.

Writing – when I get lost in the world of the characters and carried along with the story’s momentum.

Editing – when I go over what I’ve written and make changes to try and improve the first draft.

All of these are fun to do and satisfying in different ways, but my favourite part is the actual writing.

How long does it usually take to write a book and how long does the whole process take, from the writing to the release date?

It takes me on average about four months to write a book. The length of time from writing to release date is down to the publisher and varies quite a lot. There’s usually about a year between the two dates – but Sister, Missing (the sequel to Girl, Missing) will be faster. I’ve just started writing it, and it will be published this Autumn.

Is there a special place you go to write that inspires you?

No. I can write anywhere and take my laptop wherever I go – but I like best to be sitting at home at my computer.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Read a lot. And keep writing. It takes a lot of work to get published, but if its what you really want to do then don’t give up!!!

Is there anything else you would like to say to those who read your novels?

I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has read my books and written to me (through my website or on my Facebook fan page) telling me how much they’ve enjoyed them. Writing is a very solitary thing to do, and it’s very encouraging to get feedback from readers who like the stories. Other than that, I’d just like to wish all my readers a Happy New Year. I hope you find some great books to read in 2011!!!

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A huge thank you to Sophie for stopping by :) You can visit her website or facebook page. Her last book in The Medusa Series is out now so if you haven't read the series, now is the perfect time to start!

Read, Review, Recommend (3)

Amber from Books of Amber is guest posting and has a great review to share with you all!. She is a UK blogger like me and her blog is just fab. Not only does she write reviews but she also does video reviews on her youtube channel. Stop by her blog today!

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Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

Having never read any of Maria V Snyder’s works in the past, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book when I bought it from Amazon. However, what I found was an epic dystopian novel packed with a fast paced plot and fun, interesting and well developed characters. 

The world in which the novel is set was brilliantly described by Snyder, and I felt so absorbed in the book it was as if I was actually there in the Inside, living through Trella’s eyes. There was history behind everything, and I loved delving deeper and deeper and learning so much about the scrubs and the uppers. The division of the classes was brilliantly done, along with the descriptions of the levels and just the Inside in general. 

Trella, our main protagonist, is a scrub who lives on the lower levels, earning her living through cleaning the pipes that are all over the Inside. She’s a fantastic main character, I really loved her voice and her personality, and I felt she was the perfect choice to lead a rebellion against those who control her. Usually I dislike female lead characters as they tend to have a very annoying voice, and are extremely whiney. However, Trella has neither of those equalities which is why I loved her.

The ending was a huge surprise, which I did not see coming, and it left me wanting so much more! Luckily I had a galley of the second book, Outside In, waiting for me to open and start reading!

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What a great review! I bought this book a few weeks ago because she recommended that I read it and I can't wait to start it. Add it to your TBR piles today! Stop by her blog! You won't regret it!

Discussion Post: Multiple Posts

As a blogger attending school full time I find it hard to fit blogging in. I am trying to make more of an effort to plan out my posts ahead of time, organise interviews and such with authors weeks in advance and just be able to click a button on the day the post needed to be published. 


There is one issue though. There are two many things I want to post. I'm aiming to write 2 reviews a week (I know, I've been really slacking recently) I want to take part in memes and do author interviews. I also feel that sometimes I would like to have two posts on days where things are a little...light. Does having a meme and a discussion post for example make doing memes for acceptable?


What I want to know is whether or not you read multiple posts on one day. Do you scroll down to see if there are any posts you haven't looked at? Or do you just read and click on the most recent posts?

Will you read multiple posts? Yes or No? I would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below to give me your opinion!

Waiting On Wednesday (5)

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

For starters, the cover is just insanely gorgeous. I am in love with it. The gold swirls and the font. Breathtaking. The premise sounds great too. I have very few, if any, novels with fairies in so it really intrigues me. We have a mention of a gorgeous half fey guy (yay) and there is just a mysterious feel to it.

The book comes out TOMORROW in the UK and the 25th of January in the US (I think). I make no promises about the US release date. Sometime between the 25th and the 8th of Feb. I will be rushing to buy it tomorrow, if my mother will let me spend any money. I suggest you pre order it or buy it as soon as it comes out! GO!

Cover Crazy: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

It took me a while to decide whether or not I liked the cover. At first it seemed very immature and looked like  it was targeted towards 12 year olds (which it probably is). After a while I really grew to like the cover and could appreciate it. 

I like:

• The significance of the doll. A seems to control the girls and is definitely like a puppet master. Spencer, the girl on the cover, along with all the other girls are just dolls in the game A is playing.
• The font. It is gorgeous and girly and pretty.
• The tagline. "Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret". I love it!

I dislike:

• The placement of the font. I don't know where I would put it but I found it quite difficult to read.
• The placement of the tagline. It feels like it was just shoved there for the sake of it.
  

What do you think of the cover?