Once Upon A Time - Button

So, I've had a go at making a Button for Once Upon A Time.  We will be up and running soon with Once Upon a Time Project.  Still a bit hazy on picking a winner so if you guys wanna help out here I'm all ours.  But for now, heres there button for you to post up on your blog if you like!

You can also grab it from my side bar!







<center><a href="http://spellboundbybooks.blogspot.com/search/label/Once%20Upon%20a%20Time" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4jDlzduroD4d1e72q0Pi42l7yed6AQuo-3q18ksYeUXCMXezcAShUJQbHRvGPaFBZY-97a3fSwzXcnx41wl8SmlftXly75_khFqqWkZbr5lSQVIXDg1-ni0-dXamVjlPL4pUgMS7MKs/" width="190" /></a></center>


Also, a sneak peak on part of the very first prize pack.

Okay that's all from me for now.  So what do you all think so far?  Any more ideas on picking a winner?

Heads Up!

Author Signings etc...

 Rebecca James, Beautiful Malice
03/05/2010
6.30pm
Launch
Shearers Bookshop
99 Norton Street
Leichhart NSW 2040
Australia
Contact: Barbara Horgan 02 9572 7766

Marianne Delacourt, Sharp Shooter
01/05/2010
10.00am
Signing
Angus & Robertson Chermside
Shop 227 Westfield Shoppingtown
Gympie Road
Chermside QLD 4032
Australia
Contact: 07 3350 3032

Don't miss out on meeting these fantastic Authors!!

Books in the Spotlight

'Burned' is the seventh book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast....

"Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her.  But how?  He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates.  And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left… "

The New York Times-bestselling mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast again prove why they have become a major force in teen fiction.  With over 3 million copies of their books in print, a well-publicized film option, an updated interactive website, daily-growing fan base, the Cast duo will command your attention with every page turn.  

You can download the song here.
You can check out the other books over at the House Of Night website!!
AND.. here's one better.  Read Chapter one of Burned here!
I hope you all enjoy the series as much as I do!!

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James will be released on 13 July 2010 worldwide. 

 Synopsis
'Truth or dare?' She asks.
I hesitate. 'Truth,' I say finally. 'I can imagine one of your dares, and I don't fancy running down Oxford Street naked tonight.'
'Truth,' Alice says slowly, drawing out the vowel sound as if she's savouring the word. 'Are you sure? Are you sure you can be completely honest?'
'I think so. Try me.'
'Okay.' And then she looks at me curiously. 'So. Were you glad, deep down? Were you glad to be rid of her? Your perfect sister? Were you secretly glad when she was killed?'

Katherine has moved away from her shattered family to start afresh in Sydney. There she keeps her head down until she is befriended by the charismatic, party-loving Alice, who brings her out of her shell. But there is a dark side to Alice, something seductive yet threatening. And as Katherine learns the truth about Alice, their tangled destinies spiral to an explosive and devastating finale.

An intense and addictive psychological thriller. 

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Title:  The Reckoning
Author:  Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher:  Orbit
Publication Date: April 2010
Stand alone or series:  Series
Book Length: 391


 Possible Spoilers if you haven't read the other 2 books.
Synopsis
The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong's bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them.
As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...Definitely not normal.

My Thoughts
The Reckoning is the last book in the Darkest Powers Trilogy and I loved it!  I've also heard that we will be hopefully seeing Chloe in future trilogies! Yay!!

It begins with finally escaping the Edison Group and now Chloe, Tori, Simon and Derek are shacked up in a safe house thanks to family friend Andrew.  They must convince the anti-Edison Group to go back for Aunt Lauren and Rae but the problem is, they don't believe everything the four say and it get's better from there.

I absolutely love Chloe.  She is such a warm, and caring character.  Derek has always been a favourite of mine as well.  His short temper and protective manner among other things sums him up as the ultimate bad boy.  Simon is an all round nice guy who has a thing for Chloe.  Then there's Tori, with her love-hate relationship with the other three.  Their friendship continues to grow throughout this book and it's funny because I'm actually pretty stoked about how far this four have come.


The Reckoning doesn't seem to have as much action as the other two books but definitely ties up majority of the questions and story line.  This book is well worth the read and I'm sad that this trilogy has ended.  But from what I have read there will be follow up trilogy called Darkness Rising. The First book called The Gathering out sometime next year.

Sticky Beak (8)

Sticky Beak's all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so thats very Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an author's website/blog, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything that you would love to share with others.  Just use the comments section for your links!!

Heres mine:

Super Cool Writing Sites:
Urbis: Post your story on here
Fictionpress: As a writer, this is a place to showcase your creativity and for a reader, FictionPress is an opportunity to feast to your heart's content.
Worthy of Publishing: Gives Authors/writers opportunity to gain free market feedback on their manuscript, and the possibility of attracting a Publisher if there is a strong market for their book.
Inkpop: Online community for rising stars in TeenLit
Wordplay: Helping Writers become Authors.


Winners:
IHEARTMONSTER: If you haven't checked already, the winners have been announced for Monster Birthday Party

Super Cool Stuff
The First Novel's Club: The Most Epic List of Blogs Ever.  Some great sites on here.

Okay that's all from me for now.  What cool stuff have you come across.

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!! (This post was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.)

Bought
(E-book)

Wild Women by Michelle R. Bardsley
Synopsis
A virgin with an outrageous to-do list hires a reluctant Prince Charming to help her live a whole lifetime in one short week. Too bad he’s not interested in starred item No. 12: A one-night stand.
Throw in a serial killer, a U.S. Marshal out for revenge, a hoodlum seeking redemption, and a family secret about to be exposed … and you’ve got wild times, wild rides, and most of all, wild women.

 A bit sad this week but since I've been sick and my phone got run over I really haven't been in the mood for buying anything.  Which is surprising since retail therapy usually helps lol.  Hopefully I'll like this book though.  Sounds good.

So what did you guys get in your mailbox???

Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn

Title:  Thereby Hangs a Tail
Author:  Spencer Quinn (pseudonym for Peter Abrahams)
Genre: Humour/Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Allen & Unwin
Publication Date: March 2009
Stand alone or series:  Series
Book Length: 309
Favourite Paragraph:  "As for what got into me, how to explain?  The facts are that suddenly I was airborne and snagging that bacon bit out of Nance's handd at the exact moment of transfer, possibly knocking Princess over, but totally by accident.  The whole thing was an accident, really.  As for the bacon: delish.

Synopsis
Bernie Little and his canine companion, Chet, are private investigators. Both have had some setbacks in life - Bernie in combat, Chet in K-9 dog-training school - but together they make up a team like no other.
In Thereby Hangs a Tail, Bernie and Chet are hired to investigate threats made against an unlikely target - a pretty, pampered show dog named Princess. What seems like a joke turns serious when Princess and her owner are abducted. And to make matters worse, Bernie's on-again, off-again girlfriend, reporter Susie Sanchez, disappears too.
When Chet gets separated from Bernie, he tries to put the pieces together, find his way home, and save the day.
With genuine suspense and intrigue, combined with humour and insight into the special bond between man and dog, Thereby Hangs a Tail is the much awaited sequel to the fantastic, funny, New York Times bestselling Dog On It. It will keep everyone talking - and chuckling.


My Thoughts
This time Chet and Bernie are hired to look after a special show dog named Princess.  She's a pampered poop and going to enter The Great Western Dog Show and has received threats against her.  Bernie and Chet get off at a rocky start with the owner, but once they work out this isn't just some prank, and Princess and Adelina have been abducted they get down to business.
I'm still amazed at how well Spencer writes his main character.  Chet's moods and traits are spot on and I found myself looking down at my dog Mischief thinking, well that seems to explain that!  Chet has a good memory compared to his owner Bernie but being a dog means different distractions get him wandering off track.  It's quite amusing.

Once again Spencer Quinn has delivered another brilliant story.  Thereby Hangs a Tail was just as good as Dog On It, if not better.  It will have you gripping the page wanting to know whats next.  A fantastic mystery.

Just a heads up on the ending, there might possibly be a cliffhanger :) but we don't have to wait long because the next installment in this series To Fetch a Thief will be out in October of this year.

Fresh Face Friday - Kitty from Book Reviewologist

So it is time for week two of a multiple Blog Project called Fresh Face Friday, we are co introducing a great new blogger that has under 100 followers. By sharing a bit on each of our blogs, as if it was a tour.. after you have checked out all our blogs.. we will link you to our new blog "Fresh Face" for a sponsored Giveaway. Hope you all enjoy

This week we have the pleasure of Introducing  Kitty from Book Reviewologist. She is a newer blogger who currently has under 25 followers, so lets help her out a bit.. She has some fabulous reviews up by the way... be sure to check them out as well.

  13. If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn?

I choose not the answer this,

  14. Why do you have to "put your two cents in". but it's only a "penny
      for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

God, that’s how he pays the Angels.

  15. Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

Having worked at Pizza Hunt a round box would be hell to fold up.

  16. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song
      about him?

Same reason there is a song for cotton eye Joe.

Giveaway Instructions:
So for reading all those questions about me, you get a chance to win a book! The giveaway is by Barry Pollack’s Forty-Eight X: The Lemuria Project. Here is what it is about:

On the tropical island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the United States has gathered together its most talented geneticists to work on the top-secret Lemuria Project. These secret experiments create a revolutionary new warrior so strong that the age of casualties of war would become only a sad and distant memory. Haunted by a dark and dangerous past, Colonel Link McGraw is the officer chosen to train these new soldiers. As a trained and commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces, McGraw knows what constitutes the perfect soldier: following orders without question. When Egyptian beauty Fala al Shodaha and Israeli Joshua Krantz, scientists in their own right, stumble across the top-secret project, they are determined to uncover its true nature and pursue their quest to Diego Garcia. Tensions mount as Krantz and McGraw clash over the project-and vie for the affection of the lovely Fala. When they discover they aren’t the only ones on the island competing for her attention, shocking truths are revealed that beg the question, Is it too late to save themselves-and the entire human race-from almost certain annihilation?

Wow that sounds awesome! So here is how you can win it. Trot over to my blog and based on my reviews (yes sadly you’ll have to read them) guess which book is my favorite. If you guess right I’ll but your name into a hat and draw the winner. The contest will end April 30 as that’s when I get back from vacation. I will be picking a winner on May 1^st. Good luck!

<3 Kitty

For more Info on Kitty head over to Ashlyn @ Teenage Reader

Others Joining the Tour 

Star Shadow

My Overstuffed Bookshelf
Book Crazy

Teenage Reader

Once Upon A Time - Brainstorming Results!

Hi!  A HUGE thanks to everyone who contributed their ideas to Once Upon A Time!  So I figured with the ideas you all have contributed, I think the majority rule might just work.  So here we go!

Story Length: 500 - 1000 words
Time to Complete: 3 Weeks.  This was pretty much  a 50/50 with 2 weeks and 1 month.  So I figured we could meet in the middle here.
Genre:  Not Phased Either Way!!  I did like the suggestion that we could do themed/topic for each giveaway, would love to hear your thoughts there.  There were a few keen entrants for fantasy and romance genres too!!
Prizes:  Mix it Up was definitely the favourite, and I gotta say I've been eyeing off a few prizes I think would be pretty cool.  Will post a sneak peek in the next couple of days.
Everyone or Just Winners:  Just Winners.  This was a close one though. Almost everyone agreed to 1st Prize Winner and 2 Runners up!


Also some questions came up!
Who Will Be Judging?? I initially thought that posting the stories on here (without names of course) and have a poll to vote on my sidebar, but another person mentioned that if we were to go with pitching to a publisher, have a group get together on chat group or Skype and workshop eachothers story.  Also to keep original work off the net so no-one could copy the stories and distribute.  One idea I came up with was using a pdf document and disabling the printing and saving option.  I'm not sure if this can be done but just a thought.  What are your thoughts on this??

Almost forgot! If there are any POD Publishers etc who would like to sponsor Once Upon a Time you can email me on spellboundbybooks@gmail.com .  Thank you to the person who suggested this idea.  Fantastic!

So everyone, what are your thoughts on this post?  I'd love to hear what you have to say.  I am working on getting a Button/Badge made for Once Upon A Time and with any luck we might have one by next week. 

Thank you all for your time!

Sweet Dreams, Miss England by Iris Blobel

Title:  Sweet Dreams, Miss England
Author: Iris Blobel
Genre: Romance
Publication Date: January 2010
Book Length: 203
First Line:  As Nicky woke, she adjusted her eyes to the sunshine, which was making itself comfortable in her bedroom.
Special thanks to Iris Blobel for asking me to review this book.

  

Synopsis
She could still hear Daniel’s grandmother saying, ‘Sometimes we meet people but not to share the rest of our lives with them, but merely for them to guide us onto a different path’.
Set in London and Dublin we follow the life of Nicky, a young mother of two who is married to Shane, an actor whose work requires him to be in Los Angeles. When Nicky meets Daniel, a fun-loving, spontaneous man from Ireland, she realises how much joy and passion are missing from her marriage, and consequently her life. Nicky is torn between her marriage to Shane and her love for this Irish charmer.

My Thoughts
I've just finished Sweet Dreams, Miss England and knew I had to write this review straight away.  The ending had me sobbing.  Literally.  Before I keep going I have to admit this now.  If I weren't asked to review this book I may not have picked it up and read it under normal circumstances.

The story is about Nicky a young mother of two girls and wife to an actor who resides in another country due to work commitments.  This leaves Nicky alone raising her two children.  On a spare of the moment, she decides to meet two women, who had created a fan page for her husband, and so begins a beautiful friendship.  Along the way she meets fun loving Daniel and that's where things become complicated.

It took a while for me to get into this story.  I put it down a few times until Daniel came on the scene.  Don't get me wrong, I loved the main character Nicky as soon as I started reading, but unfortunately with so much back-story at the beginning I wasn't roped in straight away.

Iris has created a unique cast of characters that are genuine, caring and down to earth.  The only character I didn't really like was Jamie and I think it was her quick-to-judge nature and lack of support when Nicky needed it the most.  I definitely had a soft spot for Daniel from the moment he entered the story.

Overall, this book is still quite raw in many aspects yet once past the first few chapters the story comes alive and by the end I'm glad I took the time to read this.

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl will be released 26 October 2010.

 Synopsis (as per Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's website)

Some secrets are life-altering…
others are life-ENDING.

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena’s family of powerful supernaturals for generations.

And now that Ethan’s eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there’s no going back.

Morpheus Road: The Light Trailer

This is a fantastic looking book trailer and I look forward to reading the book.

Sticky Beak (7)

Sticky Beak's all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so thats very Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an author's website/blog, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything that you would love to share with others.  Just use the comments section for your links!!

Heres mine:

Authors and Character Sites to Check Out
Kristin Walker: Author of A Match Made in Highschool
D.J MacHale: Author of Morpheus Road: The Light
Chet The Dog: Main Character in Dog On It and Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn.  Fantastic Author!

Blog Contests/Giveaways
The Book Pixie: HarperTeen Prize Pack Giveaway Contest Ends May 16.  Must Be A Follower

Blogs for Kids
Anya's Room:  Book and Movie Reviews, toys and playgrounds etc.  Great Site

For Writers
Advice To Writers: Quotes, Articles and essays etc.  Some pretty cool stuff here.
ROR: Ripping Ozzie Reads - Aussie Authors offering up the chance for people to read their stories.
Bookpal Publishing Blog: Writing a book that sells.
Script Frenzy: How to Write a Kick-Ass Protagonist
Emerging Writers Festival: Info up on the 22 April for the Festival.  Will Run from 21st - 30th May
The Wheeler Centre: Book Writing Ideas

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!! (This post was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.)

Bought

 The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Synopsis (Third book in Darkest Powers Trilogy)
The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong's bestselling YA series.Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. First of all, she happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are on the run from the evil corporation who created them. To top it all, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf. Definitely not normal...

 The Book of Lies by James Moloney
Synopsis (Book 1)
Three children, Marcel, Nicola and Fergus, have been left mysteriously in an orphanage run by the kindly Mrs Timmins, but overseen by the fearsome wizard Lord Alwyn and his creature Termagant.
Marcel learns that the mysterious Book of Lies can tell hood from truth. But can it tell him who he really is? He is not alone in his confusion, either. When the stranger Starkey arrives, Marcel, the haughty Nicola and battle-obsessed Fergus discover that they have a vital part to play in saving the kingdom from evil.
But something′s not right. Is Starkey friend or foe? And is Lord Alwyn the evil wizard the children first thought? And will the truth really be revealed in the pages of the Book of Lies?

Cruzito's Mailbox

I love It When You Smile by Sam McBratney, Illustrated by Charles Fuge
Synopsis
When Little Roo wakes up, he just feels grumpy. His mother tries everything she can to make him feel better, but nothing she does makes any difference. So how will a deep, wide, and muddy-at-the-bottom hole make Little Roo smile? From the bestselling author of "Guess How Much I Love You" comes a story that will guarantee a smile and a laugh from even the grumpiest reader. 

Thats all from me!!  So what did you get in your mailbox??

Also don't forget to check out the new project coming soon - Once Upon A Time.  This is still in the Ideas stage and would love to know what you think!!

Once Upon A Time - Brainstorming!!

This post would have been up early hours of this morning if my computer hadn't decided to crash on me!

Thank you to everyone that has commented!  I'm over the moon that others want to join in.  I've done up a form to get some details clear and to get this feature/giveaway Project up and running.  I will post a blog button soon enough for those of you who would like to put this on your webpage!!

Click here to help get this idea on it's way!!

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

Title:  All Unquiet Things
Author: Anna Jarzab
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher:  Delacorte Books


Stand alone or series:  Stand Alone


Synopsis  (from Good Reads)
Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

My Thoughts 
This was quite an unusual read for me.  Firstly a murder mystery in a young adult book, as well as two unlikely teenagers getting together to solve a murder that has supposedly already been solved.

The book starts out in Neily's POV.  Almost a year after the murder of his ex-girlfriend, he still doesn't feel any closure.  He lives with his Mother, his father visits only when he feels the need for his presence to be known and Neily is bitter about it.  While Neily is super smart, and a bit of a loner he was very down to earth if maybe a little hung up on a few things.

Audrey.  When it came to her point of view, you can understand some of the reasoning for the way she is.  She's stuck up and untrusting, used to be one of the cool crowd,  and Carly's bestfriend/cousin.  I don't know why, but I actually enjoyed reading from her point of view as well as Neily and that was a big surprise for me since I usually can't stand those types of girls generally.

Neily and Audrey are complete opposites in personality and social status but I think both POV's are definitely needed to show the whole story.  Which brings me to Carly.  I won't say too much on her apart from the fact that I sometimes liked Carly and I'll leave it at that. 

I think one of the many things I enjoyed about this book was the fact that it kept me guessing almost all the way to the end, which is a nice change!  I was sucked in right from the start and thrown back into highschool along with them.  Not the genius part lol, but the atmosphere and the groups divided up into their little groups with labels.

All Unquiet Things is definitely worth the read.  This has been written beautifully, with well developed characters and realistic scenes, some touching upon drugs, rejection, death, love and acceptance.  This exceeded my expectations.

Once Upon A Time Ideas

Hey everyone.

So I've been having a good think about this Feature for a while now, and it was Missie Summers over at The Unread Reader that got me really working on this post.  I know there are alot of you that enjoy reading VERY MUCH.  So who out there enjoys writing their own stories??  I know I do.

Well with Once Upon a Time the general idea would be for those that wanted to enter their stories, say every 2 weeks, I will pick a winner (or I'll pick a couple of stories to post up so that you could all vote for) and post their story the following week and send them a prize. And so on and so on until towards the end, where I'll put the stories together into a book.

I was also thinking that we could also have like a cover competition for anyone who would like to design a cover for this book and have everyone vote on the best cover.  Once all that fun stuff is done have maybe 5 or 6 copies published through Blurb or (somewhere like that) and six lucky entrants will win THE SUPER Prize.


Okay, okay.  There are flaws.  For starters I'd love to give everyone a chance to get this book too!  I'm not sure how I can do this though.  There are a few options.  I've read on there that it can be private/invitation only, or there is also the option of putting it in the bookstore, but I don't like the bookstore idea because I don't want to profit in any way from this AT ALL.  This is THE PEOPLE'S book as Hamish and Andy from B105 would say lol.

So I'm here to ask for HELP!!  I really want to make this happen.  I think it would be super cool so I need some input on this.
What are your thoughts/issues/ideas?
How long do you think entries should be 250, 500, 1000 etc?
Who's actually interested in this idea?
Most importantly, what PRIZES shall we have? (Because you know I love giving stuff away)
What are your ideas on the publishing side of this?  Any ideas on this too?
Ways of picking winners?

Whatever your input I'd love to hear this.  You can email your thoughts, ideas etc to spellboundbybooks@gmail.com  and/or comment here.  If there are any other things I may have forgotten here, please let me know!!

Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins Mini Review

I tried so hard to get all the way through this book but I couldn't.  The characters ranged from a high class prostitute to a lawyer so it was a good mix of personalities.  I quite liked the Denver.  The writing style was easy to read and in third person POV.

It has everything sex, lies, drugs, you name it, but at the end of the day I just couldn't try anymore and gave up.  I can't say that I didn't like it, it had all the makings of a great book but it didn't grab me in a way that other books have.

Cleverly Inked Birthday Phenomenon!

Cleverly Inked is holding an Awesome Book+ Swag Giveaway.  This is MASSIVE!!  Open International (unless otherwise stated)  You must be over the age of 13 and a blog follower!! Ends May 13th

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I know that this will probably be a popular choice for most Waiting on Wednesday posts but I can't help it.  This is going to be Awesome.

This week I have picked Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick.  Coming to bookstores near you on the 16th November 2010!!

Synopsis
Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.
The further Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim bloodline has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Winter's Kiss by F.E Heaton

Title:  Winter's Kiss
Author: F.E Heaton
Genre: Paranormal Werewolf Romance
Publisher:  Alinar Publishing
Publication Date: June 2009
Stand alone or series:  Stand Alone
First Line: 'A scream rent the still night air.'

Synopsis  (from Goodreads)
The tales of the mansion near Nika’s remote Russian village say that its lord drinks blood to live and that the guards are dead men walking, but that doesn’t stop Nika from falling for one of them—a man who seemingly hasn’t changed in twenty years, a man she wishes would be hers. One snowy spring night, her world and his collide when she is attacked by wolves and he rides in on a black horse to rescue her. But her knight in shining armour is far from saintly. He is a vampire, and she is becoming a werewolf, and love between such species is forbidden—the penalty death.

Winter is a commander of the Validus, the most powerful vampire bloodline in Europe. Faithful to his family and his lord since his turning one thousand years ago, he follows the law to the letter and places duty above all else, but his resolve is about to be tested in the most painful way and his world shaken beyond salvation. The girl he watched grow into a woman, a woman who has stolen his heart, is now a werewolf and his dream of making her his has been shattered. Only vengeance can be his now or the Law Keepers will hunt him down and kill both him and Nika.

But Winter’s plan to take Nika home to her family only leads to her witnessing the destruction of her village and the death of her father at the hands of the werewolf trying to claim her, and Winter finds that he can’t leave her. His heart demands that he protects Nika from the werewolf, Willem, by killing him and that he finds her a new home, somewhere she will be safe without him, for he must even protect her from himself. But Nika tempts him more than he can bear and it isn’t long before he finds himself treading the knife’s edge between upholding the law and succumbing to desire.

Nika does everything in her power to convince Winter to stay with her, to go against the laws and risk death, but in the end will she have done enough? When they reach the last bastion of the werewolves, will Winter leave her with her kin? Will the nights they spend together change his heart and his mind, or will she spend eternity dreaming of Winter’s kiss?

My Thoughts
I'd seen the cover of this book on Vampires Realm and thought wow, so when I won this on a twitter competition I was stoked!  I found this review really hard to write so this is why it has taken me so long.

I found the beginning of this book really interesting but I couldn't help noticing that I didn't really 'feel' for the characters straight away.  It wasn't until about a quarter of the way in when I learnt more about what was going on and the relationship between Nika and Winter began to develop.

Winter is a very loyal commander of the Validus, who stands guard outside the gates of his lord's household from sunset to sunrise.  The only thing that breaks this tedious duty is a woman by the name of Nika who passes him most nights.  Winter has watched Nika pass him by almost every night ever since she was a little girl.  When he hears the screams in the night he takes no notice at first, until he realises its her and takes off into the woods on his horse to her aide.

There is so much inner turmoil with each character all throughout the book.  Winter has a duty to his Lord and falling for a girl who is a werewolf is a big no-no in the vampire community, punishable by death.  Nika has just been turned into a werewolf against her will, and watched her village and father die.  She falls in love with Winter and can't understand what is stopping them being together. 

A fabulous book told in third person present tense, in both Nika and Winter's POV.  Winter's Kiss is a tale of forbidden love destined to fail and well worth the read.  (Theres a bit of violence and a raunchy sex scene too)

Sticky Beak (6)

Sticky Beak's all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so thats very Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an author's website/blog, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything that you would love to share with others.  Just use the comments section for your links!!

Heres mine:

Giveaways
Beth's Book Review Blog: 300 Follower Giveaway.  Must be a Goodreads member to see booklist.  Competition finishes when Beth reaches 300 Followers so don't miss out.
Candace's Book Blog: The Body Finder giveaway. Ends April 30th. US Only
StarShadow: Special Edition O Books - Super Cool Giveaway!

For Writers
Write or Die: Fantastic online (and offline)program to get you writing.  Well worth checking out.  I love this one

Other Cool Stuff

Becca Fitzpatrick: Crescendo cover and synopsis.  Totally cool.  Sorry guys couldn't help myself!
Monsters Galore: Author and Illustrator Trevor Salter's booksite.  Very cool!
BLOGMANIA:  Need to join before 25th April.  Well worth doing!!
Encourage your Children to write:  Worth checking out

That's all from me.

What cool stuff have you all come across?? Please share!

Sunday Spotlight at Bookworming in the 21st Century

Totally Cool!! I've been featured over at Bookworming in the 21st Century if you'd like to check it out!

In my Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!! (This post was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.)

Bought

 Shadow Fae by Erica Hayes

Steal souls.
Live in hell.
Never die.
In a city infested with psychotic fairies and run by sadistic vampire mafiosi, life as a soul-sucking succubus rarely involves lacy lingerie, hot guys or great sex.
Instead, Jade must spend her nights seducing gangsters and murderers, or simpering as a trophy girl for hell's minions.
So when she discovers a forbidden ritual that promises to break hell's thrall and set her free, she's got nothing to lose, even if it involves seducing the four most repellent souls in town.
But when you're cheating hell, there's always a catch...

Cruzito's Mailbox


 Monster's Galore by Trevor Salter
Monsters Galore is the first book in a series and a delightful tale for children all over. Written in rhyme accompanied by colourful illustration Monsters Galore is a fun and imaginative exploration into the world of children's monsters.



 So that's what I got this week.  What's in your mailbox??

Author Signings - Trevor Salter

The Talented  Australian Author, Illustrator AND Cartoonist Trevor Salter was at Angus and Robertson Bookstore at Redbank Plaza today.  I was lucky enough to grab a few signed copies of his children's book Monsters Galore and a few photos.

It was great!  Trevor even had a whiteboard set up for doing monster drawings for the kids!

(From The Monsters Galore Website)
Monsters Galore is the first book in a series and a delightful tale for children all over. Written in rhyme accompanied by colourful illustration Monsters Galore is a fun and imaginative exploration into the world of children's monsters.

Have monsters ever been happy or have they always been scary? Find out as this monstrous mystery unfolds for two children Ben and Kate who one night many, many years ago invite the monsters to a party under Ben's bed.

Monsters Galore also includes some fun activities for children.

You can buy Monsters Galore and  at The Book Garden.

Author Interview and Giveaway coming soon as well as more info about Trevor's other books!!

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Title:  Wings
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 2009
Stand alone or series:  Series (2nd book is Spells)
Book Length: 360
Favourite Quote:

Synopsis
Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.
Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.
In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever. 

My Thoughts
I saw Spells on another Book Bloggers website and when I realised it was the second book to Wings I just had to get the first book.  I really like the design of this cover with the petals.  It ties in well with the story line.

Before I go on I need to point out that the book has to be interesting enough to involve faeries for me.  I'll say now, I did enjoy this book and I liked that it had it's own little differences that set it apart from other faery books in the genre.

Surprisingly, I liked majority of the characters in Wings.  Laurel, the main character is very sweet, and headstrong.  David, loyal, trustworthy and all round nice guy. And of course there's Tamani, intense and secretive.

If you have read other reviews, yes, there is a love triangle.  Although it is not as black and white as you would expect.  Tamani and David both have their unique traits and I actually didn't have a favourite.  Both had their good qualities.  The one thing that bugged me a little was that it seemed rushed alittle in the 'love triangle'. 

I found the writing to be simple yet captivating and it was good to see that it helped the storyline flow smoothly.  It's nice to pick up a book that doesn't bombard you with a massive vocabulary that I'm constantly going to a dictionary for.  (Not that I have a problem with ones that are like that, I just like the break occasionally and it helps to concentrate on the setting and story more) This story is told in third person past tense.

This book is well worth the read.  Check it out!

Give Away - New Winner

I've just received an email from Aye.Me? and she has told me that she already has Hunger and to pick a new winner which was a really nice thing for her to do.

So.. Without further ado.  

The New winner for Hunger by Michael Grant is:

Aik

I've sent you an email.  Please contact me within 48 hours.

Fresh Face Friday

So this is the first week of a multiple Blog Project called Fresh Face Friday, we are co introducing a great new blogger that has under 100 followers.  By sharing a bit on each of our blogs, as if it was a tour.. after you have checked out all our blogs.. we will link you to our new blog "Fresh Face" for a sponsered Giveaway.  Hope you all enjoy.

This week we have the pleasure of introducing Anne from Potter, Percy and I.  She is a newer blogger who currently has under 50 followers, so lets help her out a bit.. 

If Superman was so smart why were his underpants on the outside?
Again.  The odd one out thing.  Either that or he wanted to start a new trend.  I really hope that never catches on.

Why is it that when we KNOW the batteries in a remote are dead, we push the buttons harder?
Because we forgot where all the other batteries are and decide the remote will work, regardless of the batteries.

If a turtle loses its shell is it naked, homeless or both?
Depends on if it's wild or not.  If it's wild, then it's naked and homeless.  If it's a pet, it's just naked.

Find Out More About Anne at Potter, Percy and I.

If you are interested in participating as either a Fresh Face or part of our Blog introductions please email me at StarShadow.blog@gmail.com Thanks

Other Blogs that are participating:

Star Shadow

My Overstuffed Bookshelf

Book Crazy

Teenage Reader

WINNERS!!!

The Winners have been picked.

(Random.org)

Kate (kpic724) 

You've won Gone by Lisa McMann

Aye.Me?  

You've won Hunger by Michael Grant

Bella

You've won The Messenger by Markus Zusak

I have sent emails to the winners!  Please contact me within 48 hours.

spellboundbybooks@gmail.com

Thank you everyone for entering and spreading the word for my giveaway.  

I look forward to holding more giveaways in the future!

First Giveaway Update

Giveaway is officially closed and GUESS WHAT??  We reached 150 Followers.  Woohoo.  *Happy Dance*  

Which means we have 3 Books and 3 winners.  Gone by Lisa McMann, Hunger by Michael Grant AND The Messenger by Markus Zusak.

I'll be going through the entries right now and let Random Org do its thing.  So hopefully, either tonight or tomorrow morning three lucky people will be emailed some pretty cool news.

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway, and to everyone else who helped to get the word out there.  I really appreciate it

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

First up is Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead Book 5 in her Vampire Academy Series.  Coming out on the 18th May 2010.  I can't wait to find out what happens next for Rose and Lissa!

May Contain Spoilers if you haven't read the previous 4 books.

Synopsis
Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong… After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives beyond the Academy’s iron gates to begin. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere.
She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever




 My Second choice for this week is The Karma Club by Jessica Brody.  Coming out on 27th April 2010. I'm super excited about this one.  You can watch the book trailer for this here.

 Synopsis

"Personally, I’m tired of waiting for the universe to get off its butt and start fixing stuff. I don’t want to wait around for Mason to get what’s coming to him. Or Heather Campbell, for that matter . . . I want to be there to see it happen."

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. It’s that mysterious, powerful force that brings harmony to the universe. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what’s coming to you. A sort of cosmic balancing act.

But when Mason Brooks, Maddy’s boyfriend of two years, gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and absolutely nothing happens to either of them—except that they wind up the hot new couple of Colonial High School, it seems like Karma has officially left Maddy in the lurch. That’s why Maddy and her best friends, Angie and Jade, decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization whose sole purpose is to clean up the messes that the universe has been leaving behind. Whether they’re modifying Heather Campbell’s acne cream as part of “Operation Butterface,” or righting a few wrongs when it comes to Angie and Jade’s own slimy exes, they know they’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place. They’re taking care of one another.

Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. Because it turns out, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back. Now Maddy must find a way to balance her life for good, even as everything around her seems to be toppling to the ground.

 

Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

Title:  Light Beneath Ferns
Author: Anne Spollen
Genre:Young Adult
Publisher: Flux

Publication Date: February 2010
Book Length: 206
Stand alone or Series: Stand alone


Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Elizah Rayne is nothing like other fourteen-year-old girls. More interested in bird bones than people, she wraps herself in silence. Trying to escape the shadow of her gambler father, Elizah and her mother move into an old house that borders a cemetery. All her mother wants is for them to have "normal" lives. But that becomes impossible for Elizah when she finds a human jawbone by the river and meets Nathaniel, a strangely hypnotic and mysterious boy who draws Elizah into his world.

Only by forgetting everything she knows can Elizah understand the truth about Nathaniel—and discover an unimaginable secret. 


My Thoughts

I loved the cover!  When my package was delivered I ripped it open and the cover felt so soft, I think I sat there for few minutes running my hands over it.  Strange I know, but I did.  The back doesn't reveal much of what to expect and in some ways it was a nice change.

The story is about Elizah, a socially detached teenage girl who has moved into a new town with her mother.  Creepy factor: her mother is the caretaker for the local cemetary and their house is right there amongst the headstones.  And Eliza likes bird bones.

Light Beneath Ferns has it's good points and bad points.  I liked the way her mother was branching out yet I didn't like the way she pushed her daughter into doing things Elizah wasn't comfortable with.

I'm also used to reading books alot longer so it only took me a few hours to read this.  I really liked the start of this book 'Not the First Chapter'.

I'm still undecided as to whether I liked this book or not.  I think it all comes down to what sort of reader you are and whether this book will live up to your expectations.  Give it a try.

It would be great to hear your thoughts on this book in the comments section.  But please, no spoilers.

Sticky Beak (5)

Sticky Beak's all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so thats very Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an author's website/blog, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything that you would love to share with others.  This week I'll just be using the comment section of this post for you all to share your's so feel free to contribute.

Heres mine:

Giveaways/Contests
Girls Without a Bookshelf's First Giveaway : Stolen by Lucy Christopher is up for grabs.  Open to everyone!! Ends 18th April
Tynga's Reviews Giveaway: Branded by Keary Taylor.  Must be a follower or subscriber. US & Canada Only. Ends 19th April
Booklove Affair's 250 Follower Giveaway:  Open to all!
Ramblings Of A Teenage Bookworm's Can I be your book Fairy contest: Open to all! Ends 25 April.

Writers
Spilling ink A Young Wrier's handbook: Inspiration Library
Authors Den: Where Authors and Readers come together.
Booksie: Share your Poems, Short Stories, Novels, and more with the world

Other Sites
Levenger: Tools for Serious Readers.
Little Missmatched: Think outside the socks.  Some very cute stuff here! (not book related though)

Okay thats all from me.  So what have you guys found??

Gone Trailer (Mo Hayder)

This gave me the heebee-jeebees.  This is not real!  I will just say that now.  This is for the book Gone by Mo Hayder!

WARNING: Disturbing Material!! Parental Guidance Recommended