As a fan of Kate Brian’s Private series, I knew I had to check out its new spinoff series, Privilege. What I got was unexpected, to say the least. Privilege details the life of Ariana—once she’s too far gone down sociopath lane. And I don’t hesitate to use such a cruel word, because that is what Ariana has become. I could hardly feel as much sympathy for Ariana’s plight, as I did in the Private prequel Last Christmas, because the way she has become was so scary. But despite the psychotic characters, I found the plot to be cleverly executed with many twists and turns. Privilege isn’t a bad book overall; in fact, it’s a rather solid start to Private’s spinoff series. However, I would say that Privilege is as good as Private either.
Devotees to the Private series will probably want to check out this mere dangerous spinoff, as will fans of other guilty pleasure series. I recommend reading the first four installments in the Private series and Last Christmas, in that order, before reading Privilege, to better understand its background.
Rating: 3.75
Review copy from Amazon Vine
Privilege by Kate Brian
Last Christmas by Kate Brian
Once again, Brian does not disappoint with this shocking and revealing prequel to the addicting Private series. Last Christmas provides valuable insight into the elusive Ariana’s mind and provides the groundwork for an insanity that culminated in Ariana doing the deed, as revealed in Confessions, the fourth book in the series. Brian has a talent for weaving tales with the spoiled attitudes of elite in combination with scandalous romance and physical danger into an incredibly suspenseful tale. The characterization of Ariana was done such that readers can’t help but feel for her despite knowledge of what she’s done, which, as Last Christmas reveals, is much more horrific that one would’ve thought. My only disappointment was that Thomas remained a mysterious figure and I would’ve liked to learn more about him. Nonetheless, Last Christmas is yet another juicy read to please fans of Private.
Even though it is a prequel, I recommend reading Last Christmas after one has already read the first four volumes in the Private series. Devotees to this series will not be able to resist devouring this new and thrilling tale.
Rating: 4.75
Review copy from Amazon Vine
Ranger’s Apprentice Free eBook and Giveaway
CONTEST CLOSED
It has recently come to my attention that Penguin is running a promotion in which anyone can read the first book in the Ranger’s Apprentice series, The Ruins of Gorlan, absolutely free (1/15/09-2/15/09). Now, that’s what I call pretty awesome.
Now, what is this series about? Just read a little further…
They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied. . . .
This intrigue you? Then read along below or check it out here: http://www.blogger.com/www.penguin.com/rangersapprentice
Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan
And what’s even better than being able to read a book for free online? A giveaway of course!!
I’ve got a couple of ARCs of the sixth in the Ranger’s Apprentice series, The Siege of Macindaw to give away, courtesy of Penguin. Just leave your name and email address in a comment to enter. US entrants only. Contest ends 2/15/09.
The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb
Whitcomb creates a fantastically thrilling tale that successfully combines the tremulous times of the Russian Revolution and World War One with the supernatural barrier between life and death in her stunning novel, The Fetch. This novel was so delightful to read because of the historical accuracy and imagination; it is easy to see all the care and dedication that went into sculpting this story. Whitcomb includes an imaginative view of the afterlife including God and Heaven, but never in a way that it too religious or preachy. There is no shortage of action, excitement, and wonder between Calder’s wild travels, encounters with Lost Souls, and explanations of Calder’s Heavenly duties. I was a little disappointed at how flat Calder’s character seemed at times because his inhuman qualities made him hard to sympathize with; thankfully though, a little bit of romance brought livened him up. The Fetch can be viewed as a religious text, but I prefer to think of it as a supernatural story with a peek into the afterlife.
Fans of novels concerning creative versions of life after death such as Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, and Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot by Andrew Auseon are sure to enjoy this lovely tale as well. Also, now that I’ve seen what Whitcomb’s writing is like, I am more eager than ever to get my hands on A Certain Slant of Light.
Rating: 4.25
Review copy from publisher Houghton Mifflin
A Couple of Awards
It just so happens that I have been nominated for two awards, namely the Butterfly Award and the Lemonade Award. I’m starting to wonder where they all originate from, but I’m not going to kill the fun.
Starting with the insect-related one. Desert Rose Booklogue nominated me for this award. Here are the rules:
- Put the logo on your blog.
- Add a link to the person who awarded you.
- Award up to ten other blogs.
- Add links to those blogs on yours.
- Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs.
I know I should nominate 10 but really, I am just getting too lazy for my own good. So, very sorry if you didn’t make it on my list but should’ve (there’s a lot of you!):
Bookluver-Carol: Ah, Carolina, your blog makes my wishlist become obese. And your Blogger Trading Post (EDIT: this is actually YA Book Swap, sorry for the confusion!) makes my PO Box get stuffed, my bookshelves overflow, and my wallet empty from sending out books. But I still love it!! (BTW, I’m only half joking about all of that)
Reading Keeps You Sane: Oh, it does! And you, Kelsey, are also liable (is that the right word?) for the same offenses as above. But it’s okay. Good reviewers can do that to you.
Reviewer X: Steph is another awesome reviewer. Snarky. That’s about all I have to say.
Book Chic: Because who doesn’t love Book Chic? I know I do!!
The Page Flipper: Chelsea deserves this for being an inspiration, mine to be specific.
Liv’s Book Reviews: Liv always has a great selection of books reviewed, and I enjoy reading her reviews. Not the mention that green background (at least, it was that color the last time I checked).
The Compulsive Reader: Tirzah is definitely one of the greatest reviewers, no doubt about that. She’s always got such great and unusual books up on her blog, not to mention some great author interviews.
(I’m sure there’s loads more who deserve to be here, but since I have been a little spacey of late and not frequenting the blogosphere, I honestly don’t remember who).
And now onto the Lemonade Award (which reminds me, one day I will have to learn how to make fresh lemonade), which I was nominated for by Juiciliciousss Reviews. There are no specific rules for this one, and I’m just being way too lazy today, so if you see this post, consider yourself nominated.
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Reminiscent of the classics Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story, Perfect Chemistry is an oh-so-romantic tale of love between two opposing groups of people, but with a twist. Elkeles wonderfully portrays the surface differences between Brittany and Alex, especially family and everyday life, without making them into the stereotypical good-girl-bad-boy couple. I liked how Brittany and Alex each had their own unique identity and how they managed to overcome any prejudices they previously felt to be with each other. The attraction between these too is so intense that it’s practically tangible, and readers will be rooting for them to be together. Perfect Chemistry includes a realistic view of the harshness of gang life and the danger that comes with that territory, as well as the trials and difficulties of living with family with special needs and others who may want what’s best but don’t necessarily know what that is. Perfect Chemistry is an unforgettable tale about forbidden romance and overcoming the odds.
Perfect Chemistry will be a hit among teens looking for a sweet and romantic story as well as fans of all variations of Romeo and Juliet, including Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Rating: 5.0
Review copy from publisher Walker Books for Young Readers
The Rule of Won by Stefan Petrucha
The Rule of Won is both a hilarious and thought-provoking novel I immensely enjoyed. Caleb’s character was interesting and realistic. His slacker persona wasn’t too stereotyped, as his girlfriend’s overachiever one was, thankfully, otherwise there wouldn’t be much of a story. Even when he was giving into his slacker tendencies, he was remarkably insightful. Caleb’s integrity was inspiring, as was his dedication once he decided to take a stand. The inspirational book sharing its title with this novel provided a lot of food for thought. No one can deny the importance of positive thinking, but personally, I find it doubtful that people can get absolutely anything they want just by thinking about it. The Rule of Won realistically portrays both the positive and negative effects of mass conversion to the same school of thought; on one hand, positive results are always good, but things will go wrong when selfishness and greed reign and things get out of hand. With a humorous and unique plot with an interesting though puzzling ending, The Rule of Won made for an easy and satisfying read.
The Rule of Won is the perfect novel for the skeptics and sarcastic. People of all ages, whether readers or not, will appreciate this novel’s relevancy to the world today.
Rating: 4.0
Review copy from author Stefan Petrucha
Sara's Face by Melvin Burgess
Sara is an elusive and mysterious girl, known by few and truly understood by no one, not ever herself. She is obsessed with beauty and convinced that she is never pretty enough, skinny enough—perfect enough. This fixation leads her to idolize the rock star Jonathon Heat. In him she sees a kindred spirit. Unfortunately, this can't be a good thing if Jonathon Heat is as cunning, imaginative, ambitious, and unreliable as Sara is.
Read the rest of my review at Young Adult Enchanting Reviews.
Rating: 3.0
Review copy from publisher Simon & Schuster through YA Enchanting Reviews
Rogelia’s House of Magic by Jamie Martinez Wood
T
hree very different girls, Marina, the spoiled girl whose mother has turned her back on her Mexican heritage, Fern, the nature-loving free spirit, and Xochitl, the shy one whose withdrawn inside herself since the death of her twin Graciela, form a tentative bond under the tutorage of Xochitl’s grandmother Rogelia. Rogelia is a curandera or a spiritual healer. Each girl has a unique magical ability; Marina can hears the voices of the dead, Fern can see auras of living things, and Xochitl can turn invisible at will. But this shared similarity does little to cement their friendship. Xochitl has lost her faith in magic and feels wrong learning more without her sister, Marina has to struggle against her mother’s prejudices, and Fern is distracted by the cute boy Tristán, who sometimes looks like he’s walking in a storm cloud with that gloomy gray aura that surrounds him. But as they spend more time together, they start to realize that truly anything is possible in Rogelia’s House of Magic. I found Rogelia’s House of Magic to be a fun and relaxing read. Marina, Fern, and Xochitl were well developed and realistic characters, and I enjoyed reading about their backgrounds and watching how that played out in this story. I felt just the right amount of insight into each girl’s mind was divulged, enough that I got to know who they were but not too much that it drowned out the importance of the other characters. I also greatly appreciated the incorporation of Hispanic culture and its centrality to the story. I particularly liked the curanderismo and magic because its air of supernaturalism made Rogelia’s House of Magic even more unique and gave the story a little extra sparkle. There were a couple of times I felt that the story dragged a little, but the plot picks up at the end and has a heartwarming close. Rogelia’s House of Magic is definitely one of those stories that will make you believe in magic, and not the wand-waving kind, but magic in friendship, family, and yourself.
Rogelia’s House of Magic appeals to a wide audience, but especially to those interested in the rich Hispanic culture and magical stories about friendship. Fans of Amor and Summer Secrets by Diana Rodriguez Wallach will also enjoy this novel.
Rating: 4.0
Review copy from publisher Random House
Who's RAD? Saundra Mitchell!
A warm welcome please, to the lovely lady Saundra Mitchell, author of the upcoming Shadowed Summer which sounds like it’s going to be high on my wishlist, just because of its haunting topic.
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Random Q&A:
Come up with an anagram of your name. (It's okay, it doesn't have to make sense).
Cathedral Muslin. That's totally going to be the name of my 8th album.
Complete the sentence: The last thing that ever crossed my mind was ___.
... the fact that I could have an authentic, exquisite, summer hot, winter delicious gyro from Sero's down the street, if only I could convince someone to go pick it up for me (as I've already been out running errands once today and will probably die if I have to face traffic even one more time.)
If you could live during any time period, which would it be?As much as I love history- I'm mad for Colonial America, Elizabethan England, 18th Dynasty Egypt- I'm really very fond of indoor plumbing and civil rights for women. So if I could live during any time period, I think I'd have to pick now. But if I *had* to pick another time period, Ancient Rome. (They had indoor plumbing and civil rights for women!)
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the guest blog:
IN SEARCH OF EVERYTHING
130.
One thirty, one, three, zero- it was a secret code branded on the hiding place in my brain, right behind my ear, where I swear I could feel the raised edges of it every time I went into the library. 130, 130, 130, I had to walk past the new releases, the baby books, the strange new videotape section, the regular j. books, the grown up mystery books, flash, flash, flash- the light at the end of each aisle flickered- until I reached the furthest back row- nothing beyond this point but magazines in hard plastic covers that smelled of oily hands and distant rubber.
The light at the end of 130 had twitched itself to almost death. A half life- it clicked and ticked like a bee caught in a mailbox, and that was the music I heard as I greeted 130 in the non-fiction section of Warren Public Library. Ghosts and the Supernatural. I came to love the decimal numbers, the extra .4 or .209, because those were extra books- in between ones, new ones, all about real ghosts and ESP, astral projection and dreamwalking. Down in the dark 130s, I discovered poltergeists and the Bell Witch, telepathy and telekinesis- I found the world beyond the world.
Hauling every new book (and a few of my old favorites) from the 130s, I sat in the window seat in the picture book section. Burning away entire Saturdays against the glass, I devoured pages when they were painted with sunlight, or shadowed with raindrops- wanting to know what was out there. What was really out there. What was uncatchable and untouchable, except maybe accidentally, in a photograph you were trying to take of your Aunt Grace.
Everything beyond interested me, and I'd like to say I know exactly why. I don't, though. It's a mashed up wad of reasons, so crumpled, I can't pull it apart and say for certain which one is the most important. But my grandmother had ghost stories- like the time her parents appeared to her in a turned-off television set- that seemed as real as the just-for-family stories, like the one about her drunken mother driving the wrong way on the freeway, only stopping when her equally sodden father jumped out in the road in front of her. In my house, this was a funny story. This was normal, just like it was normal to cut the mold off a cheese to eat the rest, and to split a new gallon of milk between two jugs, just to water it to fill them both to the top.
Which was another reason, of course. We were poor and library books topped the very short list of the things we had. On the long list of things we didn't were: fresh clothes, air conditioning, real butter, a television, lunch every day, shoes with only our footprints in them. Carrying thirty from the 130s out of the library felt rich. The books had a substantial weight. It made me feel important to pronounce words like psychokinesis and aurora borealis and extrasensory perception. We didn't have money, but I had the wealth of knowing things.
So it's probably not surprising that so many of the things I wanted to know would take me away- my body and my mind. I truly believed if I tried hard enough, I could open a window with my mind. I had the honest certainty that if I shallowed my breath, and turned my palms to the ceiling in just the right way, I could slip right out of my skin and see the whole world. Tenuously connected to myself by a silver cord- it was always a silver cord, according to my books- I could touch the face of the Sphinx, or sit on the hands of Big Ben, or balance on the point that crowned the Empire State Building.
I wanted to believe that songbirds were messengers from beyond death; that there *was* something beyond death. My heart longed to know that even if this world abruptly ended, there was still a world to explore; that there was something greater, more enduring, than a sweltering townhouse on the ugly east side. And so, I don't think anyone will be surprised when they read about Iris in Shadowed Summer, sticky hot from an endless summer, turning her palms up just so, looking for something bigger than ordinary in her dirty little dead-end town.
Every story begins somewhere- mine began in the 130s. And I am still in search of everything.
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Ah, the library, such fond tales of it. And a fantastic guest blog to go with it (Ms. Saundra Mitchell’s curiosity sounds very akin to mine!). Don't forget to check out her novel, Shadowed Summer, when it releases mid-February!
Visit Saundra online at her website: http://saundramitchell.com/
Need by Carrie Jones
I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but with one look at this one, I knew I was hooked, even before I read the summary. Zara is such an interesting character; there is something so sweet about how she wants to save the world, yet at the same time, her self-sacrificing tendencies make her vulnerable. I thought Zara’s character was extremely well-developed and realistic as well. She constantly struggled between what was imaginary versus what was actually real. I was also impressed that the other characters weren’t just flat and uniform; Nick and Zara’s Gram were characterized especially well. But, although the characters were pretty extraordinary, the plot was even better. Need has all the essential elements such as mystery, fantasy, danger, and romance to keep the story suspenseful. The only thing I didn’t really like was that the plot slowed before I felt the climax was reached. Need was an incredible book with the perfect combination of plot and characters that keep me needing to turn those pages until the very end.
I initially thought it a little ambitious for the book to say it appeals to fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr, because they are truly phenomenal writers, but now that I’ve read Need, I have to agree. Fans of the paranormal, from Meyer’s Twilight and Marr’s Wicked Lovely to Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith and The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, we well as most reluctant readers, won’t be able to set Need down.
Rating: 5.0
Review copy from Amazon Vine
Who's RAD? Beverly Stowe McClure!
Please give a warm welcome to Beverly Stowe McClure! Beverly has been writing since middle school, and her latest release is the intriguing-sounding Rebel in Blue Jeans (such a cool title, no?).
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Random Q&A:
What’s one thing you don’t like about yourself but can laugh about?
I start too many projects at the same time and have to laugh when a 
character from one story intrudes on another story, and he makes sense there.
What is your favorite onomatopoeia?
Bob White! Bob White! What is lovelier than the lonesome sound of “Bob White! Bob White!” as a quail calls to its mate from one side of the field, and a moment later its mate answers “Bob White! Bob White!”
Complete the sentence: The last thing that ever crossed my mind was ___.
...will I get all the books mailed for reviews and the guest posts and interviews and questions and answers completed in time for my Virtual Book Tour?
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the guest blog:
REFLECTIONS
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary gives many definitions of a reflection. I’m using two of them for my post today.
1. “A thought, idea, or opinion formed or a remark made as a result of meditation.”
2. “A transformation of a figure in which each point is replaced by a point symmetric with respect to a line or plane.”
When I look through family albums, I see pictures that reflect on my life. I pause at the photo of the girl sitting in front of the mirror and reflect or meditate, trying to recall this particular time and event. Bits and pieces come back: a wedding. My mother made my dress with her skillful hands and Singer sewing machine. I was flower girl and carried a basket of flowers that I scattered on the floor as I walked down the aisle before the bride. Mirrors are good reflectors. They don’t lie. We can’t hide ourselves from a mirror. They show us the way we are. Looking in a mirror reflects a happy face, a sad face, or a puzzled face.
Another great reflector is a body of clear water on a calm day. If you look into the water, you can see your face, or your dog’s, or your cat’s. Reflections are all around us: in a windowpane, eyeglasses, a shiny dish or pan. Sometimes reflections are distorted: ripples of water on a windy day, a broken mirror or the mirrors at carnivals that make us look like we’re squashed. In these we see fractured images like in real life, imperfect.
Our writing, too, whether unconsciously or on purpose, reflects events in our lives, and many of them find their way into our stories. The reflections we write about are often the fractured images to help us face reality, rather than the perfect images. For example, Rebel in Blue Jeans, my latest novel for YA readers (I like to say it’s for all ages.) is about separation and divorce and how it affects my protagonist’s life. The story also deals with boyfriends and changing relationships and how people are not always what they seem. Though this is not a biographical work, the story holds some truths, for we have experienced divorce in our family, as have many others. Life is not perfect. How a person deals with a situation makes the story.
When a reader opens my book, he/she sees my main character’s thoughts, hopes, dreams, disappointments, and joys. She also sees a reflection of my ideals, cares, and concerns through the language I use, the actions of my characters, and the theme of the story. I owe the reader the very best part of me. And so I write for all of us: the fractured, the imperfect, the dreamer, the realist, the person that is us.
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What a fabulously insightful post. It definitely makes me want to read more about Rebel.Visit Beverly online at her website: http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com/, and visit Rebel here: http://rebelinbluejeans.wordpress.com/
Fringe Benefits by Valerie Frankel
Fringe Benefits was a fun and satisfying read. Dora’s character is mostly realistically drawn, from her relationship insecurities to her desire to be universally liked. I really admired Dora’s positive relationship with her family and her unwavering loyalty to her best friends because this made her a very likable person. Dora’s authenticity made her easy to relate to as well. The story is interesting enough, mostly because of Dora’s humor and very unique trains of thought, but much of the plot, especially the ending, left much to be desired. The story didn't end with a huge sense of accomplishment and some of Dora’s problems were still left up in the air. I did like how Dora grew as a person, but frankly, I thought the ending was kind of lame. Nothing really stood out to me about this novel, and I probably won’t finish reading the series, but it’s still a short and sweet read.
Fringe Benefits is the fourth installment in Frankel’s Fringe Girl series, but it is still easy to understand on its own. Fringe Benefits is a meaningful and not-too-trashy guilty pleasure for fans of The Queen Geek Social Club by Laura Preble and The Elite series by Jennifer Banash.
Rating: 3.5
Review copy from publisher Berkley JAM
Belated winner, memes, and other stuff/news
It’s been a while since I’ve been on a comp, so I know I need to get caught up with everything bookish :D
Dominique from The Book Vault tagged me for the New Year’s Resolution meme, so I’ll have to share three New Year’s resolutions (all of which I’m coming up on the top of my head at this moment):
- Study harder (especially in history class), so I won’t freak out when AP tests roll around
- Not read when I should be doing homework
- Get a haircut/take better care of my hair
Yeah, I know, shockingly thrilling. And I’ll tag: Carol of Bookluver Carol’s Reviews, Kelsey from Reading Keeps You Sane, and Liv from Liv’s Book Reviews. I hope that’s an appropriate number.
I did a post on the “I Heart Your Blog” award back in October, but since it’s still making its sweet way around the blogs again, I shall link back to my original post and list all those lovely peeps who have nominated me: Book Chic, Alea, The Book Girl, The Fox Reads, Just Listen Book Reviews, Bean Bag Books, Bookworm Readers, Book Nymph, Holly of Writer’s Block Reviews, Books Make Great Lovers, and Em from Em’s Bookshelf. Phew, that’s a lot, thanks guys!
I do not plan on joining any book challenges this year. Yes, I know that makes me sort of a killjoy, but everything has been so hectic lately that I decided to just take it easy, no stress. Plus, I only completed two out of the three challenges I joined last year, the 100+ Reading Challenge (see my sidebar), and the July Book Blowout Reading Challenge. The A-Z Reading Challenge was sadly incomplete.
And, I have over 100 followers!! Whoo hoo!
I feel so darn popular, thanks guys!!
Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers
Cracked Up To Be is an incredibly written and emotionally charged debut novel I seriously could not put down. It’s one of those novels that makes you think twice and not only just about the story, but your own life as well. Parker Fadley is such a complex and unforgettable character. There’s something so endearing about her brutal honesty yet at the same time, it’s so easy to hate her guts. Parker’s flashbacks to a certain night, the night everything changed for Parker, only magnify the suspense and urge the reader to flip the pages faster to discover the big secret. And it’s definitely a juicy one, a twist in the plot I never saw coming. This novel shocked me, and not just because of the well-drawn characters and masterfully written plot, but because of how relevant it was to me and other teens as well, I’m sure. Everyone faces pressure to be the best and has petty friendship disputes, but sometimes it becomes so great we crack, like Parker did. But what’s so phenomenal about this story is that it ends on a hopeful note after such an emotional roller coaster, and that makes Cracked Up To Be by such a satisfying read.
Cracked Up To Be has definitely made my favorites list, and I would even consider rereading it several times even though my schedule is busy; that’s how much I liked it. I recommend it to fans of Alyson Noël, Lisa Yee, and Aimee Friedman. Summers is an author to watch, and I enthusiastically look forward to more incredible writing from her.
Rating: 5.0
Review copy from publisher St. Martin's Griffin through LibraryThing Early Reviewers
40000 Hits Contest
CONTEST CLOSED
(Originally, this contest was going to celebrate 25000, and then 30000 hits, but since I hit a new marker, I might as well celebrate that!)
In celebration of The Book Muncher getting over 40000 (!) hits, I’ve declared a national holiday decided to hold another contest.
The prizes are among some of my favorite books and can (hopefully) be enjoyed by anyone. Without further ado, they are:
13 Little Blue Envelopes (Maureen Johnson) PB
Bloom (Elizabeth Scott) PB
Boy Toy (Barry Lyga) HC
Chasing Windmills (Catherine Ryan Hyde) HC
Cruel Summer (Alyson Noël) PB
How to Be Bad (E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle) HC
Identical (Ellen Hopkins) HC
Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot (Andrew Auseon) ARC
Night Road (A.M. Jenkins) HC
Play Me (Laura Ruby) HC
Two-Way Street (Lauren Barnholdt) PB
The books will be awarded as follows:
(2) First Place winners get (2) of the above books of their choice
(3) Second Place winners gets (1) of the above books of their choice
Entries:
1. Filling out this survey will get you 5 entries.
Name/Alias:
Age: (if you’re uncomfortable with telling your age then leave blank)
Email:
URL: (if applicable)
1. How did you find out about The Book Muncher and this contest?
2. How often to you visit The Book Muncher per month? (if unsure, guesstimate)
3. Overall, how would you rate The Book Muncher on a scale of 1 to 10? (10 is the highest)
4. What do you like about this site? What are The Book Muncher’s strongest features?
5. What don’t you like about this site? What are The Book Muncher’s weakest features?
6. What do you like and dislike about my reviews?
7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how helpful do you find The Book Muncher when choosing books to read? (10 is the highest)
8. What do you like and dislike about Random Author Days (RAD)?
9. Do you comment on my reviews and other posts? Why or why not?
10. What can I do to improve The Book Muncher?
11. How often to you visit The Book Muncher’s Contest List per month? (if unsure, guesstimate) (if answer is 0, skip next two questions)
12. On a scale of 1 to 10, how helpful do you find The Book Muncher’s Contest List? (10 is the highest)
13. What do you like and dislike about The Book Muncher’s Contest List? What can I do to improve it?
14. Any other comments or suggestions? (Here is where you tell me of extra entries earned from #3 and #5 below)
Email your answers to away.munching.books@gmail.com with the subject “25000 Hits Contest.” Please answer honestly! Flattery will not get extra entries (although it is nice to hear). You must fill out this survey to be entered into this contest. If you do not, anything extra you do will be null and void. (I know I’m mean, but I want feedback!). Also, please list your top three choices of books.
2. Comment on my reviews* of the prize books. The titles link to the review. You can comment as many times as you like but you will only receive 1 entry for comments per review, for a total of 11 entries. Make sure to comment using the name/alias or email you used in the survey or I will not be able to credit your entries.
*If you have already commented on these reviews before this date (1/05/09), you will get 2 entries per review commented on.
3. Post a link. Links may be posted on blogs, websites, MySpace*, or other sites as long as you can provide a working link. Each link will earn you 1 entry each. Make sure to post each link under #14 in the survey above.
*If you choose to post a bulletin on MySpace, you must add me as a friend so I can see your bulletin of I will not credit your entry.
4. Favorite me on Technorati* and get 1 entry. Remember to tell me you did so in #14 in the survey.
*If you’ve already favorited my blog (as of 1/05/09), I will give you 2 entries.
5. Follow my blog* and get 1 entry. Remember to tell me you did so in #14 in the survey.
*If you’ve already favorited my blog (as of 1/05/09), I will give you 2 entries.
Well, I hope that’s not too confusing, and if it is, don’t hesitate to ask any questions! That’s all for now folks. This contest will run until 2/10/09 and the winners will be announced and contacted sometime in the week after. Sorry, but US entrants only, although international feedback is always welcome. (I wish I could hold an international contest, but since I'm footing the shipping bill, I can't).
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
There is something very disturbing about Boy Toy, especially with its difficult topic of sexual predation, yet at the same time, it is a gripping story I couldn’t put down. Josh’s character was so well created. There is something so sad and fragile about him that draws the reader in and sparks curiosity about the incident that drastically altered Josh. Some more minor characters had depth as well, especially the story’s villain to my surprise, which I appreciated, but others, however, felt like total strangers to me. Emotions and emotional response were a huge part of the story, and not only for the characters, but for the reader as well; there were times I just wanted to cry for Josh and others when I gasped with disgust. My initial reaction after reading Boy Toy was something along the lines of, “Wow, that was so wrong,” but I actually really liked this novel. I didn’t like much of the content, but I enjoyed the psychological journey Josh went through and the overarching message of hope strong enough to rise above anything, no matter how horrible.
Boy Toy is one of the best written novels on this difficult subject. Fans of Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, Identical by Ellen Hopkins, and The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer will also enjoy this story. I definitely look forward to reading more from Lyga as well.
Rating: 4.75
Review copy from Amazon Vine
