Saturday, March 31, 2012

In My Mailbox #9

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme over at The Story Siren's, where you share what books and other goodies you got. This week, our local bookstores were having a sale, so I bought for books in all:


And I love their covers too! :) Especially Darkness Becomes Her!


So I'm probably gonna reread Wither before reading Fever, and I'm really excited to see how it goes. And Darkness Becomes Her looks like a fun dark book! :) I've also heard that Blood Red Road and Eve are pretty kick-ass, so we'll see about that... And I just noticed: they're all dystopian books! Looks like I'm gonna have a lotta fun reading! :)

So what books did you get this week?

Jen! Midnight Book Thief

Friday, March 30, 2012

Giveaway Alerts... and a Haiku!

So there are tons of giveaways around the blogosphere! One of them is by Amanda from Stuck in YA Books, and she's giving away not one, but TWO boxes filled with books! Interested? Click the button below!


And not only that, Paige from the Book Vulture is hosting her very first giveaway, and she's giving away four copies of Slide, all with signed bookmarks! You can enter HERE, if you want.

And finally... one of my favorite bloggers, Patricia from Book Exhibitionism, is hosting her April Giveaway! If you want to join, (and I know you want to!) click the cute banner below! 



Here are the books you might win:


And its a pretty awesome selection, no? :) And even if you don't want to enter the giveaway, do check out her blog. It's really fun, and she posts new content every day!

And finally, because I promised Patricia one... Here's a haiku, just for her:

Haikus are awesome
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

Heh, okay, I can't take credit for that. I read that somewhere online before. :) Okay, okay, here's my actual haiku for Patricia. And I make no promises that it won't suck. Well, I can almost guarantee that it sucks. :P

Reading's her hobby
And reviewing on BE
And eating babies

#thisisgettingweird could not get any truer! Heh, first two lines are true. The third one? Well... its an inside joke. Blame #PixieKiss! :) 

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Soul Screamers #3- Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent: Review


Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does. 
Demon breath. 
No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. 
And so is someone else…
My Soul to Keep is the third book in the Soul Screamers series. And for me, this book is one of the major turning points of the series. This is where things started to go downhill for Kaylee, and her perfect world- well, as perfect as it can be, anyways- is shattered.

To be honest, I didn't really like this book compared to the others in the series. Why? It frustrated me. Nash and Kaylee's issues made me want to thump them. All the secrecy, the betrayals, the hurtings- made me feel full blast frustration. 

Now that I think about it, I think the main reason why I didn't like it that much during the first time I read it was Nash's betrayal. Back then, I was Team Nash, and it hurt to see their relationship go down the drain. What he did... It disgusted me, shocked me, infuriated me. But then again, I guess that was essential for Kaylee and Tod to happen. 

But it spite of that, I did like this book. The ending completely made up for whatever frustration (Yup, third time using this word. That's just how frustrated I felt.) I felt earlier. I have to say, I did NOT see that huge twist. 

The Rating
So overall, I give this book 4 stars. The plot picks up in the middle part, full with Vincent's signature twists and turns, and it did not disappoint. I completely did not expect the bigger picture- for the first half of the book, I only thought Kaylee had Demon's Breath to deal with. Turns out, she's up against something way bigger, trust me. She's gonna need all the help she can get- or else everyone she loves- and knows- will become Netherworld chowder. 

So bear with the first part and whatever annoyance you might feel against Kaylee and Nash, because I promise you, the ending WILL be worth it.

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief
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So I have conflicting views on this book. What about you? Did Nash's actions infuriate you? What do you think will happen next? And which cover do you prefer? If you manage to answer all my questions, I'll give you a cyber cookie. :)

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Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Mediator #6- Heaven Sent by Meg Cabot: Review

 


Oh, how time flies, and now its almost the end of March! Guess its time to review a reread of a favorite of mine for  The Books that made me Love Reading Challenge, hosted by Emlyn Chand! This time, I'm going up higher the readig chain from MG to YA, and I picked:

Suze should be on cloud nine. She's going out with Jesse, the most gorgeous ghost of all time. But, her fellow mediator, Paul Slater, wants Suze all to himself, and he's hell-bent on making the happy couple ancient history. When creepy Paul threatens to travel back in time and stop Jesse from dying, Suze is seriously spooked. Her boyfriend has a ghost of a chance to live again - but it would be without her. So, what will Jesse choose? Life - or love?
Ah, I love the Mediator series. If I remember correctly, this series sealed the deal for my love of YA. But at that time, I had no idea what YA. I think that's also the series which made me love paranormal romance, but of course, I didn't even know such a genre existed!

So Heaven Sent (also titled "Twilight"- though not the one with sparkly vampires, let me assure you) is the last book in the Mediator series. And I absolutely loved it. Suze is a Mediator, so she can see ghosts. And she also loves Jesse. Who, needless to say, is a (very hot) ghost. Throw in Paul, another jealous Mediator who wants Suze for himself, and ta-da! Instant conflict! 

I really liked the romance in this series. Its obvious that Suze is attracted to Jesse from the beginning, but you slowly see her falling more deeply in love with him. I wish more YA series and a romance like this. It wasn't insta-love; their relationship had emotion and depth to it. Jesse is so sweet too, the perfect gentleman to Suze's kickbutt attitude!

And not only that, I loved the plot in this book. I mean, how can a romance between a human and a ghost end up, well, nicely? This book had eveything, from romance, to humor, to suspense. This book slowly builds up the tension, leading up to the explosive climax. 

Anf that ending. So sweet, so happy, so perfect. It was THE ultimate happy ending. I couldn't help but be happy with the way Meg Cabot ended the series! After everythig that they went through, Suze and Jesse desered their happy ending!

The Rating
Five Stars! A personal favorite of mine, and my favorite book in the series (followed by the fourth book, Young Blood). I've read this series countless times, ever since I read the second book back when I was ten or so, and I never seem to get tired of it!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #7: Sweet Evil




"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Right now, I am obsessing over this book. Why?

...Okay, do you really need to ask why? The summary sounds amazing. In Goodreads, the book's already got a lot of 5 star reviews. Seriously, this book sounds like the perfect paranormal romance! Not to mention the beautiful cover. I love how Anna's left part's all white and "good", while Kaidan's part is all so dark! 

So, yeah. In short? I want this book.

... so what are you waiting on this wednesday? :)

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Until Next Time by Amy Lignor: Review


Hey! Today's my stop on the Until Next Time blog tour! I've got a review for you guys, so read on. :)

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.
As part of the Until Next Time blog tour, I was given the opportunity to review the book, and I don't regret my decision to do so!

The Bad
The beginning. So the first part of the book confused me. I totally could not understand where the story was going, and it almost made me stop reading. It kinda made me disoriented at first, and took some time to get used to. 

The conflict. Okay, so the conflict kinda disappointed me. Not to mention confused me. I was expecting so much more for the main event, but when it finally came, I was a bit let down. Yes, it was kinda cool, but still. It could have been so much more. 

The Good
The writing. Amy Lignor has a unique was of writing. It's beautiful, the way she writes. She successfully captures the beauty in her words, and she fills her pages with inspiration. Her characters are well introduced, both the earthly and heavenly ones. And I also love how she placed some humor in the story!

The Awesome
The ending. Wow, Until Next Time had such a beautiful ending. It was so sad, and it gave me that warm fuzzy tingly feeling. So breathtaking- what a way to end the story! But not only that, it ends with a cliffhanger. It leaves you hanging with a huge question mark, such that you have no choice but to pick up the next book. 

The Rating
I'm giving this book four stars. I have to say, this was an unusual read. I did not get what I expected when I read this book- in a surprisingly pleasant way. In no way did this book have a cliche that so many other YA novels have. Amy Lignor is one author I'm gonna be watching for!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Monday, March 26, 2012

Memorable Monday #8




And I'm back with my eighth Memorable Monday! For those who have no clue on what this is, this is a meme hosted by Escape in a Book, where you share a a certain quote that you love- funny, beautiful, or memorable in any way.

How to participate?
1. Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.
2. Go here and leave the link to your post in our inlinkz widget.
3. It would be nice if you visited one or two of the other participants.
4. If you tweet your posts then feel free to use the hastag #MemorableMonday

This week, my quote comes from... 
(Image is linked to GoodReads)
Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways. 
As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe. 
With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option...
So I totally had another quote prepared for today, but I just finished reading this one yesterday, and this quote below just stuck with me. Here it is:

“Justice is for the victim.” 

Kick. 

“Vengeance is for the survivor.”

It just got me thinking. I never knew just how true it is! And this series, though its not YA (and within good reason!), is amazing, and I really recommend that you read this! Oh, and if you're interested, read my three sentence review here, which pretty much sums up the whole series. ;)

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

Sunday, March 25, 2012

In My Mailbox #8

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme over at The Story Siren's, where you share what books and other goodies you got. So remember last week when I said that the other half of what I received would be featured next week? Here's what I got:



A mixture of ARCs which have already been published and a few other books. If you're interested in the covers, here they are:


Okay, so I'm pretty excited to read Firelight, especially since I got some Firelight swag already. :) Touch of Power too, since it looks seriously kick-ass. But you know what sucks? I haven't read Nightshade yet, but I've heard of the killer love triangle in the series. But then there I was, searching for Bloodrose, when I purposely clicked on a "VIEW SPOILER" review of it, and discover how the love triangle ends. I was NOT happy.


Oooh, Fever! I loved Wither, and I can't wait to read it and see what happens next! And yes, I'm one of the few people who hasn't read Shatter Me yet, but I know its awesome, so really high expectations for that one. :) And I'm so excited for Born Wicked too, because how can you go wrong with magic and a hot gardener? ;)


And finally, Fallen in Love and Tangled. I haven't read Torn yet, so I'll read that first before moving on with Tangled. As for Fallen in Love... well, I'm reading that last. The Fallen series didn't really make an impression on me, so we'll just see.

What books did you get this week?

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief 

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Friday, March 23, 2012

Hunting by S.M. Hineline: Review

In the war between humans and vampires... a child will turn the tide.

Thousands of years ago a goddess cursed a family, every 500 years a child of their bloodline would be born a vampire. This child would mean the survival or destruction of the vampire race. And each would do anything to find the child first.

Jade knew nothing of the curse, but when a vampire princess calls, you answer. Now she must do her best to help find the child and save it from the humans who would see it dead. And if that weren't enough, the princess' cousin, in an effort to show her unworthy to lead their people, is doing everything in his power to stop them. Even if that means killing them all.
I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for a honest review. 

The Bad
Hunting was a good book, no kidding. But there's something that's bugging me; I can't exactly pinpoint the exact thing. I didn't really find anything I didn't like about the book- it was just there's something about it that seemed... I don't really know how to place this- old fashioned? Restrained? But this was just a really tiny issue for me.

The Good
The characters. When S.M. first came to me, she described Jade as the "kick-butt heroine", and she couldn't have been more correct. I love the characters she created- she really took the time to make sure we could connect with them. I have to admit, I had a hard time conncecting withn Jade at first, but in the end, I ended up liking all of her characters, flaws, quirks, and all. 

The Awesome
The plot. Yes, I admit that I'm sick of vampires. Those glitzy, mysterious, brooding ones that the heroine falls for with one look- sick of them, I tell you. I am so glad that this book had a fresh take on them. The whole mythology of how the vampires came to be was unique and well thought out. The story was fast paced, with tons of action packed into it. Though the staring part might be a bit slow at first, the pacing picks up quickly in just a few chapters. 

The twist. The huge twist in the end was brilliant! As the story lead to its few final chapters, you'd think that everything else would be predictable- but no, you're really wrong. Just as everything leads to the final moment of truth, S.M. lets out an unexpected twist, and I actually had to reread the paragraph to make sure I read things right!

The Rating
Five stars. Yep, five stars. I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book this much. It was just so easy to get myself lost in the story, making it a quick, fun read! While there was something a bit off with the way it was written, I still enjoyed the entire book. And what's more, with the way it was left off, I'm sure there's gonna be a sequel. And I am not gonna miss that- you see, Hunting ended with a of unanswered questions, and I need to know what happens in the end! 

I recommend this book to lovers of all things paranormal who are looking for a fresh new story. And weirdly enough, I think this story is appropriate for YA- just ignore the ages- since the story was really clean, which I loved. Heck, it was cleaner than most YA books, blood and gore not included. :) So yes, in spite of the adult urban fantasy cover, I'm guessing teens and adults could enjoy this book. A really fun debut from a self-published author!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Day of First Sun Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt


So I just finished reading The Day of First Sun, and I've got a review for you guys as well as an interview. Can you see what (hopefully) unique thing I did with my review below? No? Well, just read on, and I'll reveal what I did at the end of this post if you haven't figured it out by then.

And this review is an honest one, meaning that I've written about all aspects of the story, both good and bad. I know that being part of the tour could make me a bit biased and hesitant to write about negative points of the book, but I tried to be as honest as possible inspite of this.

The Review

Deadly Situations
Okay, if you write a novel that involves mystery and action, a deadly situation is a MUST in my book. And I am glad to say that Day of the First Sun doesn't just have one, but multiple scenes like this. These are what keeps the story going amd keep readers hanging on their seats, and I am glad that this story delivered this.
Amazing Ending
Oh, skipping straight to the end, are we? ;) Well, I have to say, the ending gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, it was bittersweet, and just plain sorrowful. On the other, it was a bit too abrupt for my taste. But then again, it was also a bit of a happy ending; an ending full of peace an acceptance. But overall? The majority of me says it was awesome.
Yummy Heroes and Yucky Baddies
Heh, so I admit, the heading might sound a tad bit funny. (Hey, don't blame me! "Y" is a surprisingly rare letter!) But anyway, in spite of said funny heading, it is still 100% percent true. I loved that Sheryl made the good guys GOOD and the bad guys BAD. None of those "I'm in the middle" or "I'm a bad guy who really wants to be good but I just CAN'T!" crap. The heroes in this books are truly kickass, and you can't help but despise the bad guys as well! And speaking of bad guys, I LOVE how the vampires are the bad guys in this book. I'm just so sick of those books which made them the good guys, the guys which we're supposed to root for. Finally, Sheryl dares to do the different and make them the villain. And I love her for that.


Over-the-top Names
So the names were a mixture of creative, genius, and well... to be honest, just plain funny. No, I don't mean the character names, but rather the titles. Well, its actually just the title "Wizard Guard" that kinda makes me want to laugh. I don't know why! I think that's just me though. But then again, I really like the name Tartarus for the prison, so I guess that balances things out. :D
Fascinating Paranormal Elements
Okay, I've gotta say, this book is filled with paranormal goodness! Witches, warlocks, vampires, and a whole lot more! I suppose I have read some books like that, but all have been strictly YA. It was interesting to read it from an adult book's point of view, and it's nice to see that it's just as enjoyable.


Fast Paced 
I have to admit, the book had a slow pace at first, which almost made me put it down. It was only later that things exploded. Once the mystery's introduced, Annie and her partner scramble to search for the truth in a race against the clock. They hunt for suspects, search for evidence, and put themselves in peril, and there went away all the dull moments!
Interesting Mythology
Every paranormal and urban fantasy book has its own legends on how things came to be, and this book is no exception. I just love the cool mythology in this one! It has its own important dates, powerful beings and sacred places which were essential in this book. They were pretty much well though out, and no doubt needed a lot of imagination and creativity!
Riveting Plotline
Well, the whole boring overused FBI routine just got spiced up. It was really interesting on how Sheryl just presented a murder case at first, but then things get a whole lot more complicated. The book was like a mystery within a mystery! There isn't just murder- there's blackmail, betrayal, treachery, and a whole lot of hidden agendas.
Strong Heroine
I liked Annie as the main character. She was likeable- not too tough, but not wimpy either. She wasn't perfect, but on the contrary, she was flawed as well. And that's what I'm looking for. While I couldn't really connect with her, I still liked her. I think that if the story was written from her POV, the connection could have been easier, like in the epilogue of the book.
Telltale Badguy
Well, this was my only real issue with the book. The bad guy- well, not really the ultimate bad guy, more of the mole, really- was revealed in the second chapter. I think I would have liked it better if it was kept a mystery until the very end, so that I would have kept guessing along as well. Discovering the identity of traitors could be really huge turning points in a book, and I'm kinda disappointed that this wasn't the case in this one.


Sweet Romance
Well, this book wasn't one of those saucy, steamy romance novels, and for that I am thankful. The romance was brief, but in spite of that, sweet. I just wish the story elaborated a bit more on Annie and Cham's relationship, because while it was there, those moments felt a bit too lacking. But like I said, Annie and Cham are so sweet together. :)
Unique Twist
Oh yeah, FBI meets Harry Potter. Or something like that. But I've gotta say, the idea of a magical form of FBI is beyond cool. While some parts just felt a bit too unbelievable, most were pretty well done, so I enjoyed it.
Now for the Rating...
Dum dum dum... 4 stars! The Day of First Sun surprised me. This was the first adult urban fantasy book I've read, and I'm pleased to say that I enjoyed it. True, I still prefer YA, but it was an enjoyable read all the same. And one of my favorite thing about the book is that it was a clean read. These kinds of books are slowly dwindling in number, and I am thankful for this book for being one. A really good debut!

The Excerpt


Please enjoy this excerpt from the urban fantasy novel, The Day of First Sun. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.


Sturtagaard chose not to speak, though it was he who had called for the meeting. They both checked their watches and realized they had been sitting across from him for ten minutes, watching him sniff the air. If he wanted to play this, they would play along at least for a little while longer, though both were tired of the leering. As the vampire sniffed again, Cham finally figured out why.

"You know, you called us. We really don't have anything to say to you, so if you're just playing games, we're happy to leave. I've got other, more important things to do than watch you sniff and leer," Cham finally said, and stood up.

Sturtagaard smiled as he watched Cham open the door because he much preferred dealing with Annie, but when she stood up, too, he realized he'd overplayed his hand.

"If I talk, my employer will have me staked. I'd like some assurance that you won't do the same," he said rather quickly, before they left.

They turned and looked at him, both rolling their eyes.

"I'll have you staked if you don't talk," replied Cham, as he stood by the door.

"You're out of options if you ever hope to get out of here again," Annie said calmly, focusing on his face.

Sturtagaard squirmed a little in his seat, as Annie's expression was somewhat disquieting and unemotional. He looked at Cham, whose face was expressionless, and then back to Annie, who hadn't moved a muscle. The vampire sighed.

"You heard right. I was hired to create a zombie army to overthrow the Wizard Council," Sturtagaard said. His voice remained steady and calm with resignation.

"Who wants to overthrow the Council?" asked Cham, his hand still clutching the door.

"My employer. I've told you, I don't know who he is. I always dealt with his associate. He'd show up, leave notes, or send others with messages. I've never contacted him." He looked from one to the other, but they both remained stony and detached. "Come on, now. I can't give you information I don't have." Sturtagaard was charming.

Annie rolled her eyes again. "You really don't have any idea who the employer is?" she asked with sarcasm.

"Really, I don't," he said.

"So you're building an army of the dead. How long did you have to get this done?" Annie took out her phone and pulled out her calendar.

"He wanted it ready for September first."

Annie looked up with a grimace, and Cham looked surprised. She didn't need to mark the date on her calendar or research its significance, though neither could figure out why a zombie army had to be created for that day, the Day of First Sun. It was a very powerful and ancient day for good magic.

"So, your employer wants an army of the dead on that day? Why?" Cham asked in a flat, emotionless voice.

"He's a black wizard. What do you think he wants? He wants to overthrow the Council, take over the world, practice magic in the open. You know, the typical magical fantasy." Sturtagaard grinned because he believed that would benefit the entire supernatural world.

"Wipe the smirk off your face, Sturtagaard. Having free reign won't be as good as you think, with all the angry mobs, torches, and stakes through the heart."

Annie smirked at Cham, who shook his head and laughed. He waited to compose himself before looking back at the vampire.

---

 As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Day of First Sun eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:
          1. Purchase your copy of The Day of First Sun for just 99 cents
          2. Fill-out the simple form on Novel Publicity
          3. Visit today’s featured social media event
Help my blog win:
The tour blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card. When you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to VOTE FOR ME.

About the book: A vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soulless zombies are par for the course for Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. But when the non-magical princess, Amelie of Amborix, is murdered by magical means, a deeper plot unfolds. Get it on Amazon.

About the author: Behind the wheel of her ’66 Mustang Convertible, Sheryl is a constant surprise, using her sense of humor and relatable style make her books something everyone can enjoy. Visit Sheryl on her websiteTwitterFacebook, or GoodReads.

Okay, so I posted an interview with Sheryl Steins here yesterday, if you're interested. Oh, and I almost forgot! Still didn't catch what I did with my review? Scroll up and start reading the headings again, this time focusing on the first letter. Caught it? ;) It was pretty fun, although a bit difficult, to do! :D And please remember to VOTE FOR ME HERE

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Day of First Sun Blog Tour: Interview with Sheryl Steines



Please enjoy this interview with Sheryl Steines, author of the urban fantasy novel, The Day of First Sun. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.


If you could travel in a time machine, would you go back to the past or into the future?
I would go to the past, meet famous people, see history as it happened. I’d be afraid to go to the future. I’m not sure I really want to know when I die.

If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be?
This might be to expected, but I would love to live at Hogwarts, stroll through Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, play with all the magical stuff, and visit the Weasleys at their house. I saw the Harry Potter exhibit at the museum a few years ago, and it just seemed so fun.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Sandra Bullock. Since she became a movie star, people all over the place tell me I look like her. She’s also funny. I can only imagine how much more interesting and funny my life would be if she were the lead.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to be a writer. There were times that I thought I wanted to be an interior decorator, but in the end, I was always much happier writing and creating.

Who are your favorite authors of all time?
I have two. The first would be Stephen King. I was always amazed by the detail and imagination he used in his books, especially the earliest books. I watched him on an interview many years ago and he was talking about the things he was afraid of, one of which was sleeping with his feet outside the covers at night. He would always cover his feet so that the monsters under the bed wouldn’t get him. I laughed so hard because I do the same thing. J.K. Rowling is also a favorite. Her life story and Harry Potter reminded me that I wanted to be a writer when I was seven. She reminded me of the genre that I loved. It got me thinking about what stories intrigued me. I watched her interview on Oprah and cried through the entire thing. It got me thinking of ways to take my personal experiences and hide them in the fantasy world.

What do you do in your free time?
I read, a lot. In the winter, I spend time at museums and go shopping. In the summer, I love to go to flea markets. You could never have too many fleas. I love to travel. I spend most of the summer driving my 1966 Mustang convertible.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I’m a huge fan of Ninja Warrior. Yeah, the Japanese obstacle course. On one side, it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. On the other side of it, the obstacles are so challenging, and the participants are so revered for making it through each stage that it is a huge honor to win.

Favorite places to travel?
I love Europe, London being my favorite city. I’ve been to Scotland, France, Italy, Germany and Austria. The Austrian/German Alps are some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen.

Favorite way to spend a rainy day?
In front of the television watching my favorite movies. Who doesn’t love Ferris Buehler’s Day Off and Sixteen Candles.

If you could have a superpower, what would you choose?
Telekinesis! Then I could clean my house without actually having to do anything.



As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Day of First Sun eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:
          1. Purchase your copy of The Day of First Sun for just 99 cents
          2. Fill-out the simple form on Novel Publicity
          3. Visit today’s featured social media event
Help my blog win:
The tour blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card. When you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to VOTE FOR ME.

About the book: A vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soulless zombies are par for the course for Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. But when the non-magical princess, Amelie of Amborix, is murdered by magical means, a deeper plot unfolds. Get it on Amazon.

About the author: Behind the wheel of her ’66 Mustang Convertible, Sheryl is a constant surprise, using her sense of humor and relatable style make her books something everyone can enjoy. Visit Sheryl on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

I'm currently in the middle of this book, and it's pretty good, inspite of it not being my preferred genre. I will post my review soon, hopefully on Thursday. :) Until then, VOTE FOR ME HERE! Pretty please? 

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Memorable Monday #7



And I'm back with my seventh Memorable Monday! For those who have no clue on what this is, this is a meme hosted by Escape in a Book, where you share a a certain quote that you love- funny, beautiful, or memorable in any way.

How to participate?
1. Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.
2. Go here and leave the link to your post in our inlinkz widget.
3. It would be nice if you visited one or two of the other participants.
4. If you tweet your posts then feel free to use the hastag #MemorableMonday

This week, my quote comes from... 


Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Okay, so I loved this book. I was actually gonna go with another quote, a much deeper, more bittersweet one, but then I remembered this, and just couldn't resist. So, here's my quote:


She looked up. “A world of nevers under a never sky.” 

"She fit in well then," he thought. "A girl who never shut up."

Well, this was one of the few funny moments brought to us by no one than Perry. :) The book's really good, albeit a bit confusing at first, but a really good dystopian. My review's gonna be posted soon. Hopefully. :P

So what quote did you pick this week?

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief