Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Kick-Ass Heroines


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!
Top Ten Kick-Ass Heroines
I suspect a lot of people are going to list similar ones to my first two which is completely awesome! Check out my list of awesome ladies!

1) Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-I have to include her! In my mind, Katniss is the original bad ass and no list is complete without her. Heck, she was tough enough to survive The Hunger Games twice and a war.

2) Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth- Tris grew from this meek little person with a fire raging inside her to full fledged warrior in one of the best books I've ever read. I was addicted to this novel partly because of how emotionally complex Tris was and how I really connected with her reasoning. Love her!

3) Anna from Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake- Anna's been though a whole hell of a lot. She got killed an awful way and is forced to do things after that she really doesn't want to do. Yet she stays strong and hopeful.

4) Riley from The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver- Riley finds herself in a man's world where they look down on woman for doing the same thing they do. But Riley knows she's good enough to trap demons and proves it to everyone with each mission. She is always getting stronger and wiser.

5) Gwen from Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep- Gwen has had to be alone most of her school life because she isn't like the others. Yet, she is hardly bitter and it has allowed her to see what others can't. I love her sense of adventure and that she is wise enough to run when the time arises.

6) Gemma from A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray- I think it takes a hero to live in Victorian era anyways with all the rules and restrictive clothing. But Gemma is also dealing with being a witch and an ancient evil hunting her down. I love how she has all of that and still works to carve a place for herself, polite society be damned.

7) Calla from Nightshade by Andrea Cremer- Calla really is one of those girls that has everything together. What's more is she's the head of her own pack of shifters which I love. You don't see woman being in charge of supernatural creatures much any more. I love that Calla has the attitude and the skill to back it up!

8) Mara from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin- This girl has gone through quite an ordeal. Her mind has been playing some nasty tricks on her and if I was in her position I would have already snapped. Takes some major kick-assery.

9) Yelena from Poison Study by Maria N Synder-Talk about resourceful, Yelena is probably the most capable heroine I've met yat. With all odds against her, she some how manages to escape her captivity with her head and carve out a new life.

10) Violet from The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting- Yay for the normal gal! Well, normal accept for the fact that she can find dead bodies. But Violet is mostly a normal girl going through awful circumstances and still finding her own. Gotta respect a girl like that!

Which heroines made your list?

Halloween Giveaway Winners

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my Halloween giveaway! I gave away three awesome packs thanks to HarperCollins. Here are the winners:

  • Lyssa Anne
  • Noel Kinciad
  • Erin PreFontaine
An email has already been sent to the winners. Again thanks so much everyone and I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween! Stay safe and eat lots of candy.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

In My Mailbox 99

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!


From Harper Teen:


From Books-A-Million:

T-shirt:

  • The School of Fandom shirt- That's right. You totally see The Hunger Games, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Harry Potter and a quote from The Lord of the Rings on this shirt. All my most favoritest things in one t-shirt! I could die. Totally worn this one yesterday and felt like a queen.

As you can see, I had a pretty rocking week. And DID YOU SEE THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER THERE? Did you, did you? Because it's there and I'm stoked. All the books I bought are YALLfest authors. Getting ready for the big day

What books did you get this week?

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Checking In: Whovember and YALLfest

Hey everyone!

I know it seems like I've been neglected my blog in October but the truth is I've actually been writing articles every day. They are just for the Whovember event going on all November. I seriously can't wait for this beast to kick off in a few ays so we can nerd out together. I've been a walking/talking fountain of random Doctor Who facts all month long and I think people are starting to get tired of it. I really hope to see all of you around and participating all month long!

Other order of business: YALLfest 2012! It is so close and I can't wait to head to South Carolina. I've asked before but any blogger know for certain that you are going now? It's be so rocking to do a blogger meet up but I haven't gotten too much response on it. Going to be some amazing authors there and I just want it be time already.

As a result of Whovember, I haven't been reading too much lately. Hopefully once I finish the last article I can finish up Defiance by C.J. Redwine which is awesome. I just haven't had time to read. Plus, I super need to start The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin so I can gush to her about Noah at YALLfest!

What have yall been up to?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: New Covers

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming books you're looking forward to. This is a wonderful chance for blogger to show off what's coming out soon that they are excited about! Every week my wishlist balloons thanks to this awesome meme.

Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey
Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever. 
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make a wager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed. 
Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem Annabel Lee, Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.
Ashes on the Waves is out June 27th 2013 by Philomel/Penguin.

I've been in love with this book since it was just a concept. Annabel Lee has always been one of my favorite poems and I loved Lindsey's last novel so this is a match made in heaven for me. I can't wait! Plus, look at that gorgeous cover.

Transparent by Natalie Whipple
X-Men meets The Godfather; in which an invisible girl has to stop her dad—an infamous crime lord—from ruining her life. 
On the run from her mind-controlling father, the infamously invisible Fiona McClean hides in a small town, hoping to finally rid herself of the crime world she has always known. But playing at “normal life” with a mother she hates, a brother she can’t trust, and a boy she can’t stand proves more difficult than she ever imagined. Soon her father is hot on her heels, and it’s up to Fiona to protect not only her family, but the friends who’ve taught her that life doesn’t have to be as lonely and cruel as she thought.
Transparent is out May 21st 2013 by HarperTeen.

They had me at X-Men meets The Godfather. This sounds like such a whirlwind and I love the idea of a crime lord with super powers. It makes so much since I wonder why I haven't heard about it yet.

Icons by Margaret Stohl
Your heart beats only with their permission. 
Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting. 
Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid. 
She's different. She survived. Why? 
When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy. 
Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths. 
Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in order to save the future.
Icons is out May 7th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

I'm definitely interested to see what this one is all about. I'm not crazy about the cover at all but I think the description more than makes up for that.

What are you waiting for?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Get Into the Halloween Spirit


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!
Top Ten Books to Get into the Halloween Spirit
Whether these books are horror or paranormal with a creepy twist, they are all perfect to get you into the Halloween season.

1) Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender- Dolls that come to life and a killer cast of characters are just two reasons why you've got to read this one. Super creepy just in time for Halloween!

2) Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake- Horror meets Supernatural (the t.v. show) in this non stop thriller ride. Loved the main character and the ghost he is after!

3) Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake- Same terrifying imagery as the first one with a plot that will keep you on bated breath till the last page.

4) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray- Nothing says scary to me better than a good Victorian boarding school novel filled with witchcraft and societal rules. Plus, the baddie is super scary!

5) The Devouring by Simon Holt- This is one of the few books that kept me up a night because I was too terrified to sleep. Clowns, gore and plenty more, there is something scary for everyone.

6) The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff- There is something so pleasantly off about the world Yovanoff created in this novel that you can't help but fall in love. It feels a little bit Tim Burtonesque to me.

7) The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab- Told in a fairy tale sort of way, this one reads as a cautionary tale not to follow the voice of the witch into the night. Definitely worth a look see.

What are your scary good reads this week?

Sunday, October 21, 2012

In My Mailbox 98

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

I only got two things in this week but both are awesome!

From St Martin's Press:

  • An ARC of Echo by Alyson Noel
From Tee Fury:

  • A Doctor Who shirt!
That's all for me this week. I know my mailbox will be a bit fuller next with The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin! What did you get?

Friday, October 19, 2012

Whovember Button

Guys! Don't forget about my event all this November focusing on Doctor Who! I've been hard at work behind that blue door of the Tardis writing up articles and getting everything in tip top shape so that the event can start. But what I have for you right now is this awesome button my husband made for the event! Check it out:
If you'd like to grab a button and spread the word, I would love you forever and your day would be blessed with bananas and sonic screwdrivers.


http://amberinblunderland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Down the Rabbit Hole">Down the Rabbit Hole

I'll be releasing a schedule soon. Can't wait to see all you Whovians, new and old, during this event. Until then, please enjoy this very serious public announcement:


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: New Covers Edition

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming books you're looking forward to. This is a wonderful chance for blogger to show off what's coming out soon that they are excited about! Every week my wishlist balloons thanks to this awesome meme.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
Violet’s grandmother had warned her about the Devil, had talked about him often, as though he were a best friend, or an old lover. But she never told Violet that the Devil could be real. She never told Violet that the Devil could be a dark-haired boy in vintage clothes who takes naps in the sun and likes old movies and vigilante justice.

River West is the seventeen-year old stranger renting the guesthouse behind the rotting mansion on the sea, where Violet lives. And as eerie things start happening in Violet’s town, she begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling, coffee-loving liar with rascally eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something else? Something...evil?

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love she can’t see straight. 
And that’s just how River likes it.
 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is out August 2013 by Dial/Penguin.

Oh my goodness, from tippy top to bottom, this book sounds awesome! I love the cover because every time I look at it, I see something new. Like that the font goes fro red on "devil" to blue on "blue sea". Or that there is a girl and a guy on top of that cliff. For me, everything works and I'd snatch that off the shelf!

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
When You Were Here, Lost in Translation meets Where She Went, is about an American teenager who travels from California to Tokyo to uncover the secrets surrounding the death of his mother, all while trying to both hold onto and let go of the girl he’s been in love with his whole life.
When You Were Here is out June 2013 by Little, Brown.

The cover is enough to make me pick it up off the shelf since a guy on it but the summary makes me need it now, now, now. Love the idea of this! I also think the font the title is in is super cool.

The Elite by Kiera Cass
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Timesbestseller The Selection. 
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea. 
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide. 
Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
The Elite is out April 23rd 2013 by HarperTeen.

Man, I thought The Selection's cover wouldn't be beat because I loved it. I was so wrong. Red is my favorite color so naturally this one really makes me drool. This is beautiful and elegant and incredible. I am in love! I really like the little tiara design over the title too!

 Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
The sequel to Masque of the Red Death, which Melissa Marr called, “Haunting and beautiful.” Araby Worth is poised either to save her city, or to abandon it. In a novel that embodies dark, sexy, tragic, and fearless, Bethany Griffin concludes her incredible, atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story. 
Araby Worth’s city is on fire. Her brother is dead. Her best friend could be soon. Her mother is a prisoner, her father is in hiding. And the two boys who stole her heart have both betrayed her. But Araby has found herself, and she is going to fight back. Inspired by one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most compelling stories, “The Masque of the Red Death,” Bethany Griffin has spun two sultry and intricate novels about a young woman who finds herself on the brink of despair but refuses to give in. Decadent masquerades, steamy stolen moments, and sweeping action are set in a city crumbling from neglect and tragedy. A city that seeps into your skin. Dance of the Red Death is the riveting conclusion to the dark and fascinating saga of an unforgettable heroine.
Dance of the Red Death is out April 23rd 2013 by Greenwillow Books.

This cover is okay but it's so jarring to me to read "red" and have purple. It just doesn't feel right! I do like the design of it though and that it is in the same vein as the first one.

Which books made your list?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Authors in YA Paranormal


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!
Top Ten Favorite Authors in YA Paranormal

Libba Bray

1) Libba Bray- Her Gemma Doyle series is one of the best historical paranormals I've read to date. It's got all the things I love--witches, a scary bad guy and a twisty plot.

2) Melissa Marr- Marr is amazing at blending gritty urban real life with paranormal activites. Never have fairies seemed so bad ass.

3) Lesley Livingston- What I loved about Livingston's Wondrous Strange series was how fantastic the plots were. The characters always had something to interesting to say and I love how the plot always came back to a play the lead character was on.

4) Andrea Cremer- Cremer is a master at adding the super sexy with the supernatural to make one hell of a steamy read.


Maggie Stiefvater
5) Maggie Stiefvater- I love that Stiefvater is able to capture the quietness of normal life and mix it with the supernatural. Plus, her writing is incredible.

6) Jana Oliver-Oliver is able to mix the gritty urban life with a kick ass heroine and an interesting plot. I can't get enough of the world she created in The Demon Trapper's Daughter series.

7) Kiersten White- White is one of those rare writers that mixes humor with the paranormal for a super fun ride in her series Paranormalcy.

Michelle Hodkin
8) Kendare Blake- I've never come across a YA paranormal with such an awesome male protagonist and such scary situations. Anna Dressed In Blood is a horror in diguise and perfect for all fans of the t.v. show Supernatural.

9) Sophie Jordan- Jordan is another wonderful author at combining the super steamy with supernatural for one heck of a journey. I love her dragon series Firelight.

10) Michelle Hodkin- Bursting onto the scene with her debut The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Hodkin blends something supernatural with the physiologicalfor one heck of an adventure into what it means to be crazy.

Which authors made your list?

Sunday, October 14, 2012

In My Mailbox 97 & A Halloween Giveaway!

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

From Harper Teen:

I got the entire Halloween goody pack from Harper Teen and I couldn't be more grateful. However, I've stunk at reading books lately and I own quite a few of these already so I figured I'd share the wealth and giveaway some of the these wonderful treats. 

This giveaway is for US residents only. Please fill out the form to enter:

Good luck! And tell me, what books did you get this week?
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