Gina Showalter's UNRAVELED

Latest Release: Unraveled

Latest Release: Unraveled by Gena Showalter

For once, sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has everything he's ever wanted:
A home.
Friends.
The girl of his dreams.
Too bad he's going to die...

Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life...

read more

Unraveled

For once, sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has everything he's ever wanted:
A home.
Friends.
The girl of his dreams.

Too bad he's going to die...

Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he's supposed to be crowned Vampire King - while still a human! Well, kind of. With four - oops, three now - human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been "different" himself. These souls can time travel, raise the dead, possess another's mind, and, his least favorite these days, tell the future. The forecast for Aden? A knife through the heart. Because a war is brewing between the creatures of the dark, and Aden is somehow at the center of it all. But he isn't about to lie down and accept his destiny without a fight. Not when his new friends have his back, not when Victoria has risked her own future to be with him, and not when he has a reason to live for the first time in his life... READ THE FIRST CHAPTER here

Upcoming Releases by Bestseling author Gena Showalter

Upcoming Releases by Bestseling author Gena Showalter

Author Jeanne Stein Interview and Contest LIVE at BittenByBooks Today!

It's been almost a year since bounty hunter Anna Strong became a vampire, but as she's about to discover, her greatest powers have yet to be unleashed...
Though Anna has become accustomed to the fact that she’s now a vampire, she still enjoys the illusion of being human. So when she suddenly notices that her primitive urges are getting harder to control, she’s worried. Then, she’s attacked, narrowly escaping with her life. The only person with enough motive to want her dead is her old foe—Warren Williams. But another more dangerous enemy lies in wait.
What Anna doesn’t know is that she’s far too valuable to kill. For she’s been chosen to shape the destiny of the vampire race—and all of mankind…


Come by BittenByBooks and visit with the Jeanne Stein. Register for her contest here.

Author Laura Bickle - Release Party and Kindle 3G Contest LIVE at BittenByBooks!

Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern, who holds down a day job as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department—while working 24/7 to exterminate malicious spirits haunting a city plagued by unemployment and despair. Along with her inseparable salamander familiar, Sparky, Anya has seen, and even survived, all manner of fiery hell—but her newest case sparks suspicions of a bizarre phenomenon that no one but her eccentric team of ghost hunters might believe: spontaneous human combustion.

After fire consumes the home of elderly Jasper Bernard, Anya is stunned to discover his remains—or, more precisely, a lack of them; even the fiercest fires leave some trace of their victims—and she is sure this was no naturally occurring blaze. Soon she’s unearthed a connection to a celebrity psychic who preys on Detroit’s poor, promising miracles for money. But Hope Solomon wants more—she’s collecting spirits, and in a frantic race against time, Anya will face down an evil adversary who threatens her fragile relationship with her lover, her beloved Sparky’s freshly hatched newts, and the wandering souls of the entire city.

Come by and visit with Laura Bickle today at BittenByBooks and register for her great giveaway here.

Author Kelly Gay Guest Blog and $100.00 Amazon Gift Card/Books Contest LIVE at BittenByBooks!

It takes a strong woman to keep the peace in a city of endless night. . . .

Deep beneath Underground, a cunning bid for power and revenge has begun—one that threatens to make Atlanta the new battleground in the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. The powers of hellish Charbydon have the upper hand after plunging the city into primordial night. And under the cover of darkness, a serial killer targets the most powerful Elysians in the city, the angelic Adonai. For Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner Hank, tracking deadly predators is all in a day’s work . . . but this case will test the limits of their strength and friendship as it draws them into a deadly world of power plays, ancient myths, explosive secrets, and a race against time that risks all that Charlie holds dear.

Come by BittenByBooks.com and visit with Kelly Gay and register for a chance at here fabulous contest here.

Life As We Know It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: Life As We Knew It

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer 

Genre: YA Post-apocalyptic

Rating: * * * *

Publishers Date: May 1, 2008

Paperback: 360 pages

Publisher: Graphia

ISBN: 0152061541

FTC Disclosure: Mine

Miranda's disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. In her journal, Miranda records the events of each desperate day, while she and her family struggle to hold on to their most priceless resource--hope.

As soon as I picked up this book and saw it was in journal style, I was like "crap". I don't do books that are journal style or poetry style.  My problem, I already had all three of the books in this series. So I decide, I'll give it a try, I can always find something else to read, although it was highly recommended by a blogger that I had found very reliable in the past. Within a few chapters, I was totally captivated and totally unaware that it was written journal style. Even though, I quickly got tired of Amanda's bratty, poor me attitude (she was a teen after all) I continued on with this wonderful novel.  The twists and turns come at you very quickly and while earth as we knew it, was changing very,very quickly, Amanda matured at a much slower rate. You will cry with her and get angry at her but still  rejoice in the small day to day victories. This book stayed with me much longer than I would have thought which is why I've resisted writing the review to this awesome series. I was afraid that with time it would not be both horrifying and hopeful all at the same time. I was wrong. Though it has been months, this book has resonated  with me like no other. Every time, I check my pantry before going grocery shopping, this little mental bell goes off that makes me extra vigilant that I am well stocked.

Last Survivors

Life as We Knew It (2006)

The Dead and the Gone (2008)

This World We Live In (2010)

BOOKS I'VE BOUGHT, SWAPPED OR WON FOR THE WEEK 8/29 #15

WooHoo! Come by Bitten By Books this Weekend! Big Prizes to be Won!

Author Anne Marsh Release Party and $250 Gift Basket Contest LIVE Here!

As fallen angels, Brends and his brethren can grant humans any fantasy they choose. But in exchange they demand a bond, and only a woman who dares all accepts the invitation, -Bond with me.-

Dakota Banks at Bitten By Books

Author Dakota Banks Release Party and $100.00 Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!

Come by and meet the fabulous Dakota Banks and enter for a gift card from Amazon.


A demon's enslaved executioner - a ravager of lives and souls - Maliha Crayne has been reborn, willing to sacrifice her immortality for a chance at freedom . . . and salvation. Now she has an opportunity to prevent the death of thousands - perhaps tens of thousands - to make up for the countless lives she has obliterated over the centuries. To do so, she must locate and destroy an evil cabal of madmen in possession of a weapon of unspeakable power - and survive the immortal assassins who are now after her blood. But it means reverting to the old ways and surrendering once more to the darkness. And if Maliha dies before the mission is accomplished, the hell she once knew will seem like a picnic compared to the eternal torments awaiting her.

BOOK BLOGGER HOP (#14) & FOLLOW FRIDAY (#4) Aug 27

Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS http://www.crazy-for-books.com 

and PJ at http://www.parajunkee.com/

Okay guy's it's FRIDAY! And you know what that means. Go get on over to Jennifer's and PJ's  and add   your name to McLinky and get ready to met and great new and old friends.

This week's question comes from: Books Are A Girl's Best Friend

Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

What is the first book that you remember reading?

I do use a rating system. 1-5 stars and I use it as much for myself as for others. The longer I read though I find that what I once rated a 5 star book may not be so now. As my taste evolves  so does my rating system. 

The first book I remember buying and reading was a Nancy Drew book.

Though the first actual book read  would be the  Dick & Jane books.

 I use the entry #s to determine who to visit each week and anyone's whose entry number ended in a 4, I may have visited. This week, I think I'll  visit every other site that their entry site # ends in a 3, staring with 3.

 If you sign MckLinky, please share the love and POST ABOUT THE HOP

 ON YOUR BLOG!  How else will anyone else find out about it and come join the party?

This week I'm # 211 at http://www.crazy-for-books.com and # 103 at http://www.parajunkee.com/

Brought to you by the # 3-(and Sesame Street)

http://booksthattugtheheart.blogspot.com

http://www.wrighton-time.blogspot.com/

http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/

http://moonlightbookreviews.blogspot.com/

http://celisedowns.com/blog/

http://www.theransomfamilybloc.blogspot.com/

http://bookwormtellsall.blogspot.com/

http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com

http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/

http://badassbookie.blogspot.com/

http://jeanette8042.blogspot.com/

http://www.bookswithbite.net/

http://tothepointbookreviews.blogspot.com/

http://the-ya-bookshelf.blogspot.com

http://bookretreat.blogspot.com/

http://priyaparmar.blogspot.com/

http://marielovesbooks.blogspot.com/

http://dreaminginbooks.blogspot.com/

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY-#4

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.  Click here to see what Becky is reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence. (Thanks to Rose City Reader for inspiring this meme)

Title: Mad Men and Philosophy:Nothing Is as It Seems

Author: Rod Carveth

Take off your shoes. Shut the door. Have a seat. Kick back in your Eames chair. Admire that Rothko print. Pour your favorite drink. (as per the show the next sentence should be --Light one.)
(If you don't know what an Eames chair or a Rothko print is, click on them and see. I did and I'm pretty sure that I'm getting  a Rothko poster to hang in MY new office, though the chair probably not. At that price, I should be able to drive it not rest my butt  in it)

As a lover of Mad Men,one of the best shows on TV, and not just summer shows, I can honestly say , it would not have mattered one bit what the beginning of this book said, I was going to read it. Is it the sex, the humor, the outrageous situations, nostalgia, that keeps us watching? Probably, all of the above and more. This show has fascinated me from day one and I couldn't wait to read this book. Seeing NY City from the 60's and falling in love with each and every smarmy, oversexed guy and gal on this show has been a roller coaster ride. Just as I decide, I really, really can't stand Don, Pete, or Roger; they do or say something that has you shaking your head and not writing them off as a total waste of humanity. The show started out a bit slow this season due to a major shakeup at the end of last season but it has returned with a bang this week. The manipulations, the ad campaigns, the sex, Betty and the kids, Roger: they are all back in fighting form and I hated to see this week's episode end. I wanted MORE! Well, I couldn't have it but with this book in my hands, I get to delve beneath the surface and experience the events of this show on a much, much deeper level. Why am I wasting time writing this when I could be reading this great book?! Later!

More on THE WALKING DEAD

As you have gathered, this is probably NOW the most anticipated new show on MY horizon. I thought I would pass on a few of the pics and the info I uncovered after spending way to much time looking for anything I could find on this show.

Plot synopsis

The Walking Dead is centered on Rick Grimes, a small-town police officer from Cynthiana, Kentucky, his family, and a number of other survivors who have banded together in order to survive after the world is overrun with zombies. As the series progresses, the characters become more developed, and their personalities shift under the stress of a zombie apocalypse, most notably Rick's.

In the beginning of the series, Rick and partner Shane are in a firefight and Rick is shot and enters a coma. Upon waking in a hospital, he discovers the undead are in the building and town. Rick returns home and shortly decides to go to Atlanta, where the survivors were told to await help, to find his wife Lori and son Carl. He discovers the city is crowded with zombies and bumps into Glenn, a scavenger for a band of survivors. Following Glenn, Rick discovers Lori and Carl are okay along with Shane, who is less than happy that his former partner has returned. He also meets new survivors.

The group search for a place to call home, settling in several temporary camps, including a prison, which comes to the attention of an insane man calling himself the Governor. The Governor runs his local city, Woodbury, Georgia, like a dictator and tortures Rick and other members of his group, culminating in an assault. After the prison is made unsecure by an attack, Rick and the surviving members, after leaving with others to Washington D.C for a chance to cure the infection, encounter cannibals and a township that is enclosed and safe, but holds a secret.

The zombies

It is unclear how long a person must have been deceased before they are reanimated: Tyreese's daughter "comes back" within a few minutes after death, but Shane's body does not reawaken until after having been buried. Zombie body fluids getting on a human will not infect them.

The zombies crave flesh, for the most part. Some, dubbed "roamers", chase prey and noises. Many "roamers" will follow a group that is walking, creating packs and herds of hundreds of zombies. They do not tire, and a bite can lead to death if the infected body part is not cut away and cleaned immediately. "Lurker" zombies await prey to come close to them, making noise only if they are agitated.

The only way to kill zombies is by destroying the brain, though some characters prefer decapitation, which leads to the heads still trying to bite. Zombies do not notice humans who smell like zombies, such as when a survivor rubs "zombie grime" on their body or stays in the vicinity of severely disabled zombies. Also, a zombie who is around a human for long enough will become acclimated to them and generally stop attacking. In Woodbury, the "Governor" kept his zombie daughter in his house long enough that she generally stopped attacking him. The character Michonne also travelled for an extended time by herself and was safe because she had tied the zombies of her boyfriend and friend to her (after removing their arms and jaws so they could not attack her).

(all this info came from Wiki)

ZOMBIE LOVERS UNITE! WE FINALLY GOT US A SHOW!!!!

Braaaaaaainsss... and some chap stick would also be nice.                 

by Tim Surette TV.com Staff Write

AMC's The Walking Dead Will Arrive This Halloween
AMC's The Walking Dead is on its way! Mark your calendars for October 31, quite possibly the best premiere date for this new comic-book-turned-TV-show about zombies, and make sure to check out the gory, trailer here.  
Start stockpiling canned goods, shotgun ammunition, and water, and for God's sake get some plywood over those windows. The Walking Dead is/are coming.

AMC has announced the anticipated series' premiere date, and it's oh-so fitting: Halloween. October 31st. That's when we'll see the first episode of Frank Darabont's (Shawshank Redemption) take on Robert Kirkman's comic book series about the zombie apocalypse.

And for those of you disappointed that the first season will only be six episodes long, there's some good news. The first episode will run an extended 90 minutes. That's 30 extra minutes of watching survivor Rick Grimes shoot out the brains of the lumbering undead.

The extended trailer that premiered at this year's Comic-Con has been recut and is finally officially available in all its non-shakycam glory. Check it out here!

If you like zombies you gotta watch this trailer. I'm marking my calender in RED right now!

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Title: Evernight

Author: Claudia Gray

Genre: YA

Rating: * * *1/2

Publishers Date: Feb 10, 2009

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 0061284440

FTC Disclosure: Won in a Contest from http://moydrook.blogspot.com/

Bianca wants to escape.
She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

When I first started this book, I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Parents move loser teenager to private academy (read “huge, hulking, Gothic stone monstrosity”), other students are rich, bitchy & predatory, meets good looking moody guy and another even cuter guy who understands her (of course), & then she finds out she’s special, very special; sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so too. I mean every other YA paranormal book I’ve picked up started about the same way. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not yet on the same playing field as Twilight or Vampire Academy but it was a very compelling read. I started it Sunday afternoon at the pool and read till there was no light left outside. Needless to say I stayed up till I finished it that night.

When Bianca talks about Lucas’s smell, spicy and woodsy, I think I’m right, yeap, vamps and werewolves. Well, since I don’t want to ruin it, suffice it to say, this book has many secrets which are only partially reveled (it is a series after all) like the layers of an onion. While I don’t think the average adults are going to rave over this book, I do think that YAs are going to love it. This book again makes me realize why I like to read YA paranormals, the story grabs you quickly and does not waste a lot of time on backstory, it gets right to the meat of it. While I read this book more as a challenge as the previous owner was less than impressed by it, I still stand by my remark that one man’s cow dung is another man’s fertilizer as I expect this series to grow and produce amazing results. I definitely intend to read at least another book or two in this series to see if we get more answers to some questions and to see if I can convince the naysayer to give it another try. 

Evernight

1. Evernight (2008)

2. Stargazer (2008)

3. Hourglass (2010)

4. Afterlife (2011)

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy

 by

Kiersten White

"The most refreshing paranormal debut of the year."

                                Lisa McMann

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Can't wait till it comes out on 8/31?

 Then click here and read the first 9 chapters while we count the hours till release.
Thanks to Harper/Teen who has made these chapters available. Check out 
Harper/Teen. com here for more sneak peeks and several full access books.

Summer Loving Happened so Fast-- THE GATES

Nestled inside a private mountain community are The Gates. The image of perpetual suburban bliss, each street is lined with perfectly manicured homes protected by the massive iron gates, but a dark and delicious secret is buried just beneath the surface of this picturesque neighborhood.

Like most families that settle inside The Gates, the Monohans are unmoored from a complicated life they abandoned in Chicago. Named the new police chief of The Gates, Nick Monohan is expecting a change of pace in this quiet suburb. Nick's wife, Sarah, and their children, Charlie and Dana, are embarking on new adventures as well. Their house is to die for, but amidst the excitement, Sarah is still burdened with the revelation that her husband may not be the man she thought he was. Charlie and Dana will also face some challenges of their own: Along with navigating the trials and tribulations of adolescence, they'll also face the daunting task of fitting into their new upscale school, where their new friends run in tight-knit packs.

There's something very different about this place, almost... haunting. Unions will be complicated by friends with unnatural influence, insatiable housewives will struggle with ravenous cravings, and teenagers will be cursed with keeping their beastly instincts in check. The Monohans are facing an uncertain fate. Nick is about to be tangled up in a mystery where he will begin to piece together the dark truth about their new home, and the supernatural elements that lurk behind the shadows of The Gates.

The Gates stars Frank Grillo as Nick Monohan, Marisol Nichols as Sarah Monohan, Rhona Mitra as Claire Radcliff, Luke Mably as Dylan Radcliff, Travis Caldwell as Charlie Monohan, Skyler Samuels as Andie Bates, Colton Haynes as Brett Crezski, Chandra West as Devon, Victoria Platt as Peg Mueller, Justin Miles as Marcus Jordan and Janina Gavankar as Leigh Turner. The Gates is produced by Fox Television Studios. The series is executive-produced by Gina Matthews and written and executive-produced by Grant Scharbo and Richard Hatem.(from ABC's site)


I love the way this show is building. Each week we learn a bit more about the "people" who live in The Gates. New and more complex creatures and relationships are exposed. As a lover of paranormal and the "what if" premise, this has been a fascinating show. The writers have done an excellent job of world building and hooking the viewer with just the right mini cliff hanger each week. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this show is that while the teen population is going through their ups and downs of coming to terms with their special needs, the adults also have their own daily "life and death" dramas to deal with. This show has the unique ability to draw  both the YA's and adults each week to see what is going on behind "The Gates".
If you haven't watched this show, it's not to late ABC has all 5 full episodes here. Hopefully, ABC will give this summer show a chance and not make the tremendous mistake CBS did with Moonlight, canceling it way before it's time.
What about you? What shows do you watch during the summer when most channels are running endless re-runs?
Me, "Mad Men", "The Closer", "The Gates", "Haven", are just a few of the summer shows that are musts on my list.

BOOKS I'VE BOUGHT, SWAPPED OR WON FOR THE WEEK 8/22 #14

  

BOOK BLOGGER HOP (#13) & FOLLOW FRIDAY (#3) Aug 20

Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS http://www.crazy-for-books.com and PJ at  http://www.parajunkee.com/
Okay guy's it's FRIDAY! And you know what that means. Go get on over to Jennifer's and PJ's and add your name to McLinky and get read to met and great new and old friends.

How many blogs do you follow?
Too many, I'm sure. Let's see ---384, well now I see why I'm spending more time reading the blogs than my books!
 Last week, I used the entry #s and anyone's whose entry number ended in a 7, I may have visited. This week, I think I'll  visit every other site that their entry site # ends in a 4, staring with 14.
 If you sign MckLinky, please share the love and POST ABOUT THE HOP AND FOLLOW FRIDAY ON YOUR BLOG!  How else will anyone else find out about it and come join the party?

Brought to you by the # 4- 

http://avidbookaholic.blogspot.com/

http://bestfriends-books.blogspot.com/

http://onebookshy.blogspot.com/

http://wwwburiedinbooks.blogspot.com/

http://bravenewadventure.blogspot.com/

http://www.froggaritasbookcase.net/

http://morgansbookblogspot.blogspot.com/

http://escapebetweenthepages.blogspot.com/

http://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/

http://leeswammes.wordpress.com/

http://theliterarynomad.com/

http://avacypher-bookinfinity.blogspot.com/

http://untouchabletreasure.blogspot.com/

http://morethanjustabook.blogspot.com/

http://www.livelaughread.net/

http://themindfulmusingsbookblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.bookswithbite.net/

http://elenasbookcafe.blogspot.com/

http://untouchabletreasure.blogspot.com/

http://thebooklopedia.blogspot.com/

http://thebooksofmylife.blogspot.com/

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAY-#3

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.  Click here to see what Becky is reading.If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence. (Thanks to Rose City Reader for inspiring this meme)
                                                                                      
                     Tonight I will die.
       They have decided to kill me. 


And so starts Manifest by Artist Arthur.
Well, with an opening like that after reading the blub on the back, what's not to get you reading this book. 


 When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener - and everything she'd ever want - except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door - Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an Mand, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?