BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Saturday, August 27, 2011

The “Eyes” Have It Contest Winners and Answers

This is the cover that sparked the “EYES” contest.
Witch Song (Sept 1, 2011)
A novel by
Amber Argyle
witch song The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fades, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.
 For my review of WITCH SONG go here.
I only had one entry that got all 20 of the”eyes” correct plus the 5 bonus “eyes”.
Congratulations Gabbie, I tossed your name in the hat two more times for that feat.
I also had 8 others who got all 20 of the original pics correct. You guys got entered
in all three giveaways.
And the 1st place winner (this was anyone who got all 20 correct) was-----
Gabby. You get the ARC of Witch Song and a $10 GC from Amazon/Barnes and Noble or a book up to $10 from Book Depository.
2nd place winner (this is anyone who got at least 14 correct) was---
Brooke. She got all 20 correct and 3 of the bonus pics correct.
3rd place winner (this was anyone who got at least 8 correct) was---
Amy S.  She got 17 correct and 4 of the bonus pics.
Number 4 was the only one that  several people got wrong. Apparently there are two covers out there that the only difference was the “eye” color, which for this contest was awesome. I swear though I didn’t realize that when I chose it. Just dumb luck.
Ladies, I’ve emailed you and you have till 12 PM EST on Aug 31 to contact me with your info. And for those of you who did not win, don’t forget the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop starting Sept 1st and running until the 7th. There are just over 300 blogs participating and I’ll be number 42.
I’ve relisted the cropped pics along with their full cover. So while you are smacking your head and saying “I knew that one”, know that it was lot harder than you think.
There were older books, books that are yet to be released and a couple of e-books. I doubt I’d have gotten half of them. Thanks to all who played.
All my winners have responded and their books or gift cards mailed!

Rot & Ruin (Sept 14, 2010)
(The first book in the Benny Imura series)
A novel by
Jonathan Maberry
1
1 In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

Vanish (Sept 6, 2011)
(The second book in the Firelight series)
A novel by
Sophie Jordan
2
1 An Impossible Romance. Bitter Rivalries.Deadly Choices.
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again - and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will's memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family's. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride's heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on - that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

If I Stay (Apr 6, 2010)
(The first book in the If I Stay series)
A novel by
Gayle Forman
3
1 In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she fi nds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make - and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Distract My Hunger (Jan 31, 2011)
X Williamson
Violet Eyes                                           Brown Eyes
4
11  Sometimes who we are is deeply hidden within our genes...
A spellbinding story about discovering one's own nature, and how it can be completely different from what you expected. Can our essence have more to it than simple, plain humanity? Do we really know who we are deep down to the core? Iris is a regular teen; she loves parties and wants to fall in love but something dark and unexpected lurks within her veins... She discovers she was born a vampire and is just waking up to her true self. Life's complexity, well kept secrets and a thrilling twist in Iris's seek for her true nature.
If you thought you knew everything about vampires, you are up for a surprise... Nothing you ever believed about them will ever stay the same...

Roses and Bones (Dec 21, 2010)
Myths, Tales, and Secrets
An omnibus of novels by
Francesca Lia Block
5
1 What happens when a girl finds herself at the crossroads between worlds - where the angels and ghosts, gods and demons, and beauties and beasts of myth are real? What does she do and who does she become?
Roses and Bones captures the best Francesca Lia Block has to offer: extravagantly imaginative tales, dark landscapes, fierce poetry, and storytelling that is nothing short of magical.

Blood Song (Aug 2, 2011)
(The first book in the Blood Song series)
A novel by
Cat Adams
61  Bodyguard Celia Graves has definitely accepted her share of weird assignments, both human and supernatural. But her newest job takes the cake. Guarding a Prince from terrorists and religious fundamentalists is hard enough, but it seems like the entire supernatural world is after this guy too. When she is betrayed by those she is employed to help, and everything goes horribly wrong, Celia wakes to find herself transformed.
Neither human nor vampire, Celia has become an Abomination - something that should not exist - and now both human and supernatural alike want her dead. With the help of a few loyal friends - a sexy mage, a powerful werewolf, and a psychic cop - Celia does her best to stay alive. On the run from her enemies, Celia must try to discover who is behind her transformation.before it's too late.

Inside Out (Apr 1, 2010)
(The first book in the Inside Out series)

A novel by Maria V Snyder
7
1








Keep Your Head Down. Don't Get Noticed. Or Else.
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own.until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Steel (Mar 15, 2011)
A novel by
Carrie Vaughn
8
1 It was a slender length of rusted steel, tapered to a point at one end and jagged at the other, as if it had broken. A thousand people would step over it and think it trash, but not her.
This was the tip of a rapier.
Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.
The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home - one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.

The Gathering (Apr 12, 2011)
(The first book in the Darkness Rising series)
A novel by
Kelley Armstrong
9
1 Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can't find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students - for every grade from kindergarten to twelve. Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won't go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret - and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.
Wolfsbane (July 26, 2011)
(The second book in the Nightshade series)
A novel by
Andrea Cremer
10
1 This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended - Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer - one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack - and the man - she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.
Robopocalypse (Jun 7, 2011)
A novel by
Daniel H Wilson
11
1 They are in your house. They are in your car. They are in the skies. Now they're coming for you.
In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication. In the months leading up to this, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of unconnected humans - a single mother disconcerted by her daughter's menacing 'smart' toys, a lonely Japanese bachelor who is victimized by his domestic robot companion, an isolated U.S. soldier who witnesses a 'pacification unit' go haywire - but most are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late.
When the Robot War ignites -- at a moment known later as Zero Hour -- humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us.and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.

Deadly Cool (Oct 11, 2011)
A novel by
Gemma Halliday
12
1 First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?
As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.
I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.
Masquerade (May 1,2007)
(The second book in the Blue Bloods series)
A novel by
Melissa De La Cruz
13
1 Schuyler Van Alen is starting to get more comfortable with her newfound vampire powers, but she still has many unanswered questions. A trip to Italy in search of her grandfather only serves to make things more confusing. What secrets are the leaders of The Committee hiding? Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the famous Four Hundred Ball. In true Blue Blood fashion, the ball is totally fab, complete with masksÀ"and hidden behind this masquerade is a revelation that will change the course of a young vampire’s destiny.
Tempest Rising (Nov 1, 2009)
(The first book in the Jane True series)
A novel by
Nicole Peeler
14
1 Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.
Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.
It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie's lamp.

Clarity (Mar 1, 2011)
(The first book in the Clarity series)
A novel by
Kim Harrington
15
1 When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?


The Relic Master (May 17, 2011)
(aka The Dark City)
(The first book in the Book of the Crow series)
A novel by
Catherine Fisher
16
1 Catherine Fisher has created in The Relic Master a fantastical world where the characters embark on a glorious adventure which leads them deep into the labyrinth, taking a firm grip on the imagination as the journey to the centre of the derelict city of Tasceron begins.
Once the home of great temples, magical relics and, most importantly, the House of Trees, the Wounded City has been taken over by the Watch and their evil masters, making it almost impassable to ordinary folk. As Galen, Raffi and their enigmatic companion Carys--each with very different reasons for travelling to the heart of the maze--begin their journey to the centre of Tasceron, their bond strengthens and their friendships are pushed to the limit.

A Touch Mortal (Feb 22,2011)
(The first book in the Touch series)
A novel by
Leah Clifford
17
1 Eden didn't expect Az.
Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.
Yeah.
So long happily-ever-after.
Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.
She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.
And that's only the beginning of the end.

The Thirteenth Chime (Aug 5, 2010)

A novel by Emma Michaels
18
1 HATRED NEVER DIES... Destiny has finally found the life that she has always wanted. She is about to finish college, has a fiancé that loves her, and a great summer on the West Coast planned with her friend, Stephanie. But her world is turned upside down when an antique clock mysteriously chimes thirteen times and someone attacks them, sending Stephanie and her mother to the hospital. Alone, and without any help from the police, Destiny has no choice but to turn to the one man she had left behind a year ago - her ex-boyfriend, David. Together, they must solve the riddle of the thirteenth chime before the clock strikes thirteen again. Yet as they face their own past and hearts, a trap over half a century old is waiting for them to become its prey. For revenge, fifty years is never too long...
Incarnate (Jan 31, 2012)
(The first book in the Newsoul series)
A novel by
Jodi Meadows
19
1 NEWSOUL Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Shadow Hills (May 10, 2011)
A novel by
Anastasia Hopcus
20
1 After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA -- a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.
Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach -- the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after -- seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Night Secrets (e-book)

by BK Walker
21
1 Keara Crosby had the perfect life. Her family was not hurting for anything. When her parents are suddenly killed, Keara must learn to live without them. After mourning their death for two months, Keara starts to live again. She follows her favorite band, hangs with her best friend Jared, and falls for the new kid on the block.
When her favorite band is playing at Night Secrets, a new club downtown, she takes her first outing since her parents death and finds this mysterious boy watching her. Mesmerized by his lapus blue eyes, she can't help but feel drawn to him. Her body responds to him in ways she never thought possible, and she needs to figure out why. What is it about Channing that has her yearning for his touch?
Not only is Keara drawn to Channing, but the owner of Night Secrets seems to be drawn to her. Giving her special treatment, she can't help but wonder what he's hiding, and the sense she's seen him before. When she's attacked in the parking lot, her world turns inside out, literally. Keara will soon learn that secrets of the night, just may be the death of her.

Anasazi (A Sense of Truth) (Aug 3, 2011)e-book

by Emma Michaels (Author)

22
1 One year ago, something happened to David. Following the only clue he had, he headed out into the desert. Now he has asked me to come see him. But when I arrived, he was gone. The people in town claim they have never heard of him and everyone wants me to leave. But I know he was here and he is in trouble.
He can't survive out there for long.
Can he?
David, I will find you.

Tommy Nightmare (Aprol 1, 2011)
(The second book in the Jenny Pox series)
A novel by
J L Bryan
22.5
1 While Fallen Oak recovers from the Jenny pox, someone new is hunting Jenny. Like Jenny, Ashleigh Goodling belonged to a pair of opposites with powers that mirror each other. Now Jenny and Seth must face the opposite of love...

Without Mercy (Mystic Wolves) e-book

A novel by Belinda Boring
23.5
1 What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?
When Darcy's outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense - it was all a dream. Or was it?

The Marbury Lens (Nov 9,2010)
A novel by
Andrew Smith
25.2
1 Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.
There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he's trying to kill them.
Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he's losing his mind.
Conner tells Jack it's going to be okay.
But it's not.
Andrew Smith has written his most beautiful and personal novel yet, as he explores the nightmarish outer limits of what trauma can do to our bodies and our minds.

1 comment:

Donna K. Weaver said...

Wow. Those are some amazing book covers.