GIVEAWAY Summer Hop! Beachy Reads!

Welcome to the Summer Reads Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

BookHounds (ME!)

There are over one hundred blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts August 1st and and runs through August 7th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

ARC!

WANT TO WIN THIS SET OF BOOKS?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address

Contest ends on 8.7.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE set is available.

Complete the below form 
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Book Trailer Tuesday GOODBYE FOR NOW by Laurie Frankel @AAKnopf @Laurie_Frankel

BOOK REVIEW Devil's Wake by Steven Barnes + Tananarive Due @atriabooks

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

What happens when an unprecedented infection sweeps the world, leaving the earth on the brink of the Apocalypse?
But this infection goes far beyond disease. Beyond even the nightmare images of walking dead or flesh-eating ghouls. The infected are turning into creatures unlike anything ever dreamed of . . . more complex, more mysterious, and more deadly.
Trapped in the northwestern United States as winter begins to fall, Terry and Kendra have only one choice: they and their friends must cross a thousand miles of no-man’s-land in a rickety school bus, battling ravenous hordes, human raiders, and their own fears.
In the midst of apocalypse, they find something no one could have anticipated . . . love.


About the Authors

Tananarive Due is an award-winning Essence bestselling author of Blood Colony, Good House, and Joplin’s Ghost. She lives in Smyrna, Georgia.
Steven Barnes is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, including the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: The Cestus Deception. He lives in Smyrna, Georgia.

Details Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Atria Books; Original edition (July 31, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1451617003 ISBN-13: 978-1451617009

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER


MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Kendra is a normal teen, with two loving parents and then her world falls apart.  Both of her parents are bitten by plague ravaged freaks and her grandfather rescues her and takes her off to his secluded cabin outside in Washington state.  When her grandfather is also attacked by a neighbor, she meets up with some camp counselors who are also on the run from the freaks.  Two twins, one extremely brilliant misfit nicknamed Piranha, Terry and another girl close to her age named Sonia.  As they wind their way through what was once a normal world, they end up in a military base where they are joined by Ursalina.  Each of these individual help make up a new family in order to survive the post apocalyptic world after the infection has brought the world down.  


The freaks are not ordinary zombies that you have read about before.  They are not stupid and are fast at first, only slowing down as they infection takes a stronger hold on them.  The only way they can be killed is by removing their head, either through a bullet or decapitation.  As the story unfolds you get to find out the back story of most of the characters, especially Terry and Piranha.  Ursalina, is slowly introduced towards the end.  I found myself racing through this story to see if they would survive each Freak attack and then to make their way slowly in an old school bus to a place rumored to be Freak free called Devil's Wake, an island off the coast of California.  Kendra and Terry do seem to have a connection but it is somewhat at that awkward stage.  The real romance is between Piranha and Sonia and even that is kept under wraps.  


Each character must face the horror of their past to make way in this new world without civilization and now ruled by pirates or vigilantes who will take first, possibly kill and then maybe help you out.  It is very fast paced and wonderfully written horror.  Fans of The Forest of Hands and Teeth will find this world much less organized.  I know this is an adult book but with most of the characters teens or young adults, it will probably be a great crossover for zombie fans looking for more adult fare.  I think this is probably more tame than a lot of dystopian young adult books I have read.  There is no graphic violence, only some minor kissing, and only a few mentions of alcohol.  If you are looking for something to get your blood moving this is a nice start to a series since it seemed to end with a bit of a cliffhanger and I really want to know what happens to the group.  

BOOK REVIEW Rift by Andrea Cremer @PenguinTeen @andreacremer

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2012 | Series: Nightshade

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

About the Author

Andrea Cremer is the New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade trilogy and is the writer in residence at Macalester College. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and two dogs.

Details Reading level: Ages 14 and up Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Philomel (August 7, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 039925613X ISBN-13: 978-0399256134

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Ember is a teen existing under the archaic rules of the middle ages and under her father's rule which controls everything in her life.  Her father had made a deal with a local mystic (sorcerer? magician? witch? -- not quite sure yet) in order to save her and her mother's life during her birth.  The payment?  When Ember turns sixteen she must dedicate her life in service to Conatus and the local guard that protects the area from otherworld creatures and demons.  Her father thinks she will be living in a convent and taking a spiritual vow but this secret service turns out to be nothing like that.  While her father is greatly opposed since he would like to marry her off for personal gain, Ember thinks this is exactly what she need to get out from under his complete control and the life as a wife, subservient to men for the rest of her life.  YAY!  to Andrea Cremer again for bringing forth feminism and empowerment to teens girls! 

The story reminded me a bit of those revolving around the Knights Templar except with supernatural forces and the church at odds.  Ember finds herself well suited to fighting demons and she is awarded unique weapons in the shape of a full moon.  I was so happy to see one depicted on the cover since I wanted a confirmation as to what I was imagining.  There are forces between the Guard and sorcerers that can conjure evil in the form of revenants, wraiths, and demons. When one of the "Weird Sisters" goes rouge and joins an evil sorcerer that is not exactly what he seems.  You get glimpses of how the Nightshade trilogy actually started except with a lot more new characters.  I became very fond of Barrow, Ember's mentor after her initial mentor is murdered.  Even though there seems to be a great difference in their age, it is probably only five or so years.  

Overall, this is an excellent start to a new series and even though I found it to be a bit slow in places because of all the world building, all of the characters came together for me at the end.  Now that all the settings and characters are introduced, I expect to be in for a wild and exciting ride in the next installment. And I will be waiting for a year for it I guess!  Ember is a very dynamic and strong character that learns from her mistakes.  There is a lot of promise here.  This one is best suited for teens since there is some violence, a bit of kissing, mentions of alcohol use, but given the era that the story takes place, completely natural.  

BookHounds STACKING THE SHELVES July 29,.2012 IMM

Stacking the Shelves is a new weekly post by TYNGA'S REVIEWS showcasing your new books!

FOR REVIEW

A Fistful of Collars (A Chet and Bernie Mystery   #5)

by Spencer Quinn 

The Next Best Thing

by Jennifer Weiner

Timeless Desire

by Gwyn Cready

God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire 1)

by Kate Locke

The Burning House: What Would You Take?

by Foster Huntington

This Bright River: A Novel

by Patrick Somerville

Hey if you want to order or preorder any of these books, consider using my Amazon links below to help support BookHounds.  I get a small (very small) percentage of anything you buy if you use my links to start your shopping! 

BOOK WINNERS! @JoanneBalinski @justpeachyphoto

AND THE WINNER IS:


Sherryl Woods Gardening Prize Pack


Karen B. 


Deception by Kris Kennedy


June - already won a copy!




Erika -- 


An Unsuitable Bride by Jane Feather


Joanne B.




An email has been sent to the lucky person named above
The winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered. 
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

Didn’t win? 
Order your copy from my Amazon link or start your shopping through one of my links and help support BookHounds:

REVIEW On Fire by Nancy Holder @nancyholder @gallerybooks

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2012 | Series: Teen Wolf

DREAMS CAN COME TRUE. JUST NOT THE GOOD ONES.In Beacon Hills, a mountain lion is blamed for a spate of vicious attacks; Scott McCall wishes the cause was that simple. Unfortunately, hiding his werewolf identity, especially from Allison Argent, while fighting his need to shift, is only one problem. Keeping his mysterious, murderous Alpha off his back (literally), avoiding hunters, deciphering strange dreams about flames and impending doom . . . is really eating into lacrosse practice and hang-out time. So when Jackson Whittemore doesn’t show for his date with Lydia, Scott hopes that helping Allison track down their buddy will be simpler. Derek—whose hunger for vengeance blinds him to the dangers that lie in wait—and Stiles are also looking, but the worried teens’ search is leading right to the preserve from Scott’s nightmare. They aren’t the only ones in the woods, and their little trip starts looking less like a rescue mission and more like an elaborate trap—one that will force them to make the choice between killing and being killed. . . .

About the Author

Nancy Holder has published sixty books and more than 200 short stories. She has received four Bram Stoker awards for fiction from the Horror Writers Association, and her books have been translated into more than two dozen languages. Her books include the New York Times bestselling series Wicked and the novel The Rose Bride. A graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Nancy is currently a writing teacher at the school. She lives in San Diego with her daughter, Belle, and their growing assortment of pets. Visit her at NancyHolder.com.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

The story starts out with the death of a mountain lion, blamed for mysterious deaths taking place in Beacon Hills, California.  Scott knows that the lion is not to blame and there are werewolves among the residents since he has just been turned.  He has been hiding this from his crush, Allison, the daughter of the sheriff and there are some secrets that her family is holding that may turn the relationship into a Romeo and Juliette scenario.  When Allison and Scott go to meet up with her best friend, Lydia and her boyfriend, Jackson, he doesn't show up. Jackson has been searching for his biological father and this takes him to meet with someone he believes has the information.  


There is a bit of a back story detailed about the wolf clans that reside in the area and that Allison's mother has some family secrets of her own, that she is a sworn enemy of the wolves and a Hunter.  The true story about her unfolds in flashbacks about Derek, the wolf that is mentoring Scott.  So there are a lot of characters to keep straight but there is so much action that all of the parts work together seamlessly.  Of course, there are the requisite plot twists and turns to this quick and easy to read book.  This is not the fun Michael J. Fox teen angst movie that I remember.  


Nancy Holder is such a wonderful author that you quickly get into this world and don't want to leave.  The characters are full of depth and easy to believe. There is some violence, a few sexual situations, language and alcohol use, which should be no surprise for a show on MTV.  I haven't watched the series yet, but now I am going to tune in.  

 Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: MTV Books; Original edition (July 17, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451674473
• ISBN-13: 978-1451674477

Friday PhoDOGraphy ALOHA!

I received this:

Which inspired this:

My brother took the photographs with his expensive camera which is why they look so fantastic!

Be sure to stop by FRIDAYS WITH FRED over at Mina Burrows blog HERE

GIVEAWAY REVIEW The Gap Year by Sarah Bird @gallerybooks @sarahbirdwriter

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2012

Cam has raised her daughter Aubrey alone ever since her ex left to join a cult. But now the bond between mother and daughter seems to have disappeared. While Cam is frantic to see Aubrey, a straight-A student, at the perfect college, on a path that Cam is sure will provide her daughter success and happiness, Aubrey suddenly shows no interest in her mother’s plans. Even the promise of an exciting gap year saving baby seals or bringing clean water to remote villages hasn’t tempted her. She prefers pursuing a life with her wrong-side-of-the-tracks football-hero boyfriend and her own secret hopes.Both mourn the gap that has grown between them, but Cam and Aubrey seem locked in a fight without a winner. Can they both learn how to hold onto dreams . . . and when to let go to grasp something better? Sarah Bird’s trademark laugh-out-loud humor joins with the tears that accompany love in a combination that reveals the fragile yet tough bonds of mother and daughter.

About the Author

Sarah Bird lives with her family in Austin, Texas, where she performs her own material regularly at the Hyde Park Theatre. She is the author of six previous novels, including The Flamenco Academy and The Yokota Officers Club.

Details Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Gallery Books; Reprint edition (July 17, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1451678762 ISBN-13: 978-1451678765

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER


MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Cam, a lactation consultant and single mother, can no longer connect with her daughter, Aubrey.  Aubrey's father ran away to join the circus, a cult like religion when she was just three and although she is left with a trust fund for college, the two have had no real contact.  Just as Aubrey is approaching her senior year, she meets the school football star and hottie, Tyler.  As a band geek, Aubrey and Tyler should have never met, much alone fall in love, so as the two become closer, Cam is left wondering what happened to her perfect, conscientious daughter who had everything planned out in life.  Or were the plans really Cam's and not Aubrey's?  


As Cam tries to get her daughter's attention to complete the scholarship and trust fund paperwork to make the initial tuition payments, Aubrey disappears.  Not completely, but Aubrey starts avoiding Cam.  So as Cam spirals into self doubt over her daughter and her daughter's new relationship, her ex, Martin appears, somewhat out of nowhere.  Aubrey and Tyler have started a business serving fusion cuisine out of an Airstream trailer in the reclaimed trendy section of the city.  Martin helps to get the business off the ground through social media and without the knowledge of the kids.  


The story is told in alternating chapters between mother and daughter and you can see how each is right in their thinking.  Aubrey wants to make her own decisions and Cam is having issues letting go.  With Martin inserted back into the picture, everything becomes even more entangled.  I thought the characters were well drawn and the plot mostly believable.  I can see how an eighteen year old would want to choose her own direction in life and how a mother would have issues letting go, especially when it had only been the two of them for so long. I was glad to see Aubrey combine the wishes of both her parents as well as how much she grew into her own person.  Even Cam grew up a little bit.  This book would make an excellent transition for teens looking for something to bridge the gap between teen contemporary fiction and more adult novels.  

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS  BOOK ? 

Complete the below form 

There is another copy up for grabs over at my YA blog HERE


Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address 
(sorry NO PO Boxes)

Contest ends on 8.10.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by GALLERY BOOKS and ONE copy is available.



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Q+A with GABBY from THINGS YOUR DOG DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW *GIVEAWAY* @sourcebooks

QUESTION:
Gabby, you seem to be having a fabulous life. What’s your biggest disappointment so far?

ANSWER:

Realizing I don’t have my own phone. I know! I was shocked. For the longest time I kept giving out the number on my collar then wondering why the boys weren’t calling. Turns out that’s my human’s number. Can you believe it? Screening my calls? I’m so mad I can’t pee straight.

QUESTION:
In your photos, you always look so perfect and pulled together. What’s your secret?

ANSWER:

It's a secret. But here’s a hint. It involves rolling in poop. Then the humans get all disgusty-face and send you to the spa. I love the spa! They make a big fuss and give you a bath and do your nails. And the head groomer is a magician. Yes. He does these cool magic tricks when he’s brushing you out. It’s heaven.

QUESTION:
During the course of the book you celebrate your first birthday. What are your thoughts on getting older?

ANSWER:

I am not getting old. Let’s nip that rumor in the butt. A year for us is not like seven, okay? I know dogs who are ten who still live in the basement with their parents. My six year old friend, Pup, still gets called “puppy.” And I will always be a sweet, spoiled little girl. My humans will see to that, thank you very much.

Book Description

A series of 115 short essays written by eleven courageous canines who are willing to tell the truth about dogs every last dirty, hairy, bit of it: why they always dash to a rug when they have to throw up, why they eat furniture when endless chew toys are nearby, and why they're always absolutely starving. Peppered with lively, clever stories and visually appealing photographs, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know is a must-have for any dog lover. It's a verbal and visual delight that is laugh-out-loud funny.
"If everyone owned a dog, we would have world peace. If everyone reads this book, they will go and get a dog and we will have taken a big step in the right direction. So this book can save the world."
Terrence McNally, playwright 

About the Authors

Hy Conrad has spent his career writing for television -- he's one of the original writers for Monk, the USA series, and he was nominated three times for the Edgar Award for best TV Mystery episode. he has written a mystery series published by Sterling.Currently he is a writer and consulting producer on the TV show "White Collar." Jeff Johnson spent most of his life working in advertising, for giants such as JWT and DWB&B and prestigious creative shops, and he has created successful campaigns in nearly every consumer category. He wrote THE HOURGLASS SOLUTION: A BOOMER'S GUIDE TO THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Details Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks (April 1, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1402263287 ISBN-13: 978-1402263286 WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?  Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address (sorry, no PO Boxes) Contest ends on 6.21.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.22.12 Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is sponsored by the Authors and TWO copies are available. Complete the below form  Follow Me Extra Entries +1 Follow me on Twitter HERE  +1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE  +1 Like Win a Book on Facebook HERE +1 Be my friend on Goodreads HERE +1 for social networking this giveaway and leave me a link (blog, twitter, facebook, etc) once daily +1 Leave a comment -- you can do this daily, just leave me an email  or twitter address! More Extra Entries +1 Like Things Your Dog Page on Facebook HERE

GIVEAWAY Lazy Days of Summer Hop - WIN 4 Romances

Welcome to the Summer Reads Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

Colorimetry (HERE)

There are over two hundred blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts July 27th and and runs through August 1st,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

WANT TO WIN THIS SET OF BOOKS (ARCs) ?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address

Contest ends on 8.1.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE set is available.

Complete the below form 
Follow Me

Extra Entries

+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 

+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 Be my Friend on Goodreads HERE

Waiting on Wednesday A FISTFUL OF COLLARS by Spencer Quinn @ChetTheDog @AtriaBooks

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


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2012 | Series: Chet and Bernie Mysteries

Chet the dog and Bernie, his private investigator companion, are back in the New York Times bestselling mystery series as they investigate a movie star with a shady past.
   
Hoping to bring some Hollywood money to the Valley, the mayor lures a movie studio to town to shoot their next major production starring Chad Perry. Known for his bad behavior, Chad needs a babysitter and the mayor hires Chet and Bernie for the job. The money is good, but something smells fishy. When they dig into the details of an old crime, they discover that Chad has links to the Valley that go way back. To complicate matters, for some odd reason, Chad’s cat, Brando, seems hellbent on making trouble for Chet.     Like the winning books before it, this latest in the series offers a top-notch mystery and a rollicking good read about this irresistible human-canine P.I. team. 

Stephen King has called Chet “a canine Sam Spade full of joie de vivre.” Robert B. Parker has dubbed Spencer Quinn’s writing “major league prose.” Each of the books in this irresistible mystery series is a New York Times bestseller and now Quinn returns with a story that reveals the true magnitude of Chet’s star power.

About the Author

Spencer Quinn is the author of four previous books, all of them New York Times bestsellers. He lives on Cape Cod with his dog, Audrey. Visit ChetTheDog.com.

Details Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Atria Books (September 11, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1451665164 ISBN-13: 978-1451665161