HAPPY NEW YEAR! Giveaway Hop! Win SHADOW AND BONE by LEIGH BARDUGO

Welcome to the  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 
Bab's Book Bistro (HERE)

There are over 200 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 January 1st and and ends on January 7th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

Want to win this ARC book with a cool poster?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 1.7.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

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

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

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

Complete the below form 
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BookHounds Review SPLINTERED by AG HOWARD @aghowardwrites @abramskids

Book Description

Release Date: January 1, 2013

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.


About the Author

A. G. Howard is most at home when weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would’ve happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.
A.G.’s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Find AG Howard
Website http://www.aghoward.com/
Blog HERE
Goodreads HERE
Twitter HERE
Facebook HERE
Pinterest HERE
You Tube HERE

SOURCE:  AUTHOR

MY THOUGHTS 
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Alyssa, an artist and skater girl, is in her senior year of high school.  Her mother has been in an insane asylum for most of her life and although Alyssa accepts this, she can't accept that her mother, Alison,  is truly crazy, especially when she starts to hear the same voices from the flowers and bugs that her mother complains about.  Kids at school tease her about her lineage since she is a direct descendant from the original Alice (Liddell -- yes, the one from Alice in Wonderland). So when she stumbles on a website that encourages her to look further into the Alice legacy, she starts to remember snippets of her childhood and that leads her down the rabbit hole for real.  With her best friend, crush and next door neighbor, Jeb, along for the ride, Alyssa must struggle through a series of test which she believe will save her mother's life and sanity. Jeb is a fascinating artist and full of love for Alyssa but doesn't realize this yet.  

Her childhood friend from Wonderland, Morpheus, is not quite evil, but not quite good either.  Alyssa remembers playing with him for hours and her mother realizes that she needs to stay away from him which leads to an agonizing reaction that will forever shape Alyssa's life.  With her mother gone to the asylum, Morpheus is free is entice Alyssa to go down the rabbit hole again and with the promise of saving her mother, she goes willingly.  Oh, and Jeb just happens to be at the right place at the right time and off he goes as well.  The romance between Jeb and Alyssa is just perfectly swoon worthy.  

The story follows the characters of Alice's Wonderland but with much more insight and background which I found enthralling.  I mean, I am a huge Alice fan and have read everything I can get my hands on about Alice Liddell and Lewis Carroll.  This is the best retelling I have read so far.  The descriptions are painted so graphically and not a bit over done.  The flavor of Carroll's original shine through on every page and the dialogue reflects that as well.  I love all the details Howard places and I was referring to my Alice copy as well.  That took me a bit longer than normal to read this one since i wanted to get my references correct.  This one is probably safe for even the youngest teen even though there are mentions of alcohol use, abuse, a bit of violence and a beautiful kiss.  It even has the perfect fairy tale ending.  SIGH.

Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Amulet Books (January 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419704281
• ISBN-13: 978-1419704284

Stacking the Shelves December 30, 2012 IMM

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

For Review:


Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs 
by Ted Kerasote 

Book Winners! @jkimmelf

AND THE WINNER IS:

FOREVER HISTORICAL ROMANCES

Jane


END OF THE WORLD - Mystic City

Megan P.

MIDWINTERS EVE -- Rift

Gi-Gi

ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE BY JESS RILEY

Jesse Kimmel-Freeman be sure to stop by her blog HERE







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!

BookHounds Review THE BOOKS THEY GAVE ME by JEN ADAMS @AtriaBooks

Book Description

Release Date: November 6, 2012

THE GIFT OF A BOOK BECOMES PART OF THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE. Perhaps it came with a note as simple as “This made me think of you,” but it takes up residence in your heart and your home. The Books They Gave Me is a mixtape of stories behind books given and received. Some of the stories are poignant, some snarky, some romantic, some disastrous—but all are illuminating.

Jen Adams collected nearly two hundred of the most provocative stories submitted to the tumblr blog TheBooksTheyGaveMe.com to capture the many ways books can change our lives and loves, revealing volumes about the relationships that inspired the gifts. These stories are, by turns, romantic, cynical, funny, dark, and hopeful. There’s the poorly thought out gift of Lolita from a thirty-year-old man to a teenage girl. There’s the couple who tried to read Ulyssestogether over the course of their long-distance relationship and never finished it. There’s the girl whose school library wouldn’t allow her to check out Fahrenheit 451, but who received it at Christmas with the note, “Little Sister: Read everything you can. Subvert Authority! Love always, your big brother.” These are stories of people falling in love, regretting mistakes, and finding hope. Together they constitute a love letter to the book as physical object and inspiration.

Illustrated in full color with the jackets of beloved editions, The Books They Gave Me is, above all, an uplifting testament to the power of literature.



About the Author
After a decade and a half spent in Chicago, where she worked as a freelance writer and served as a founding contributing editor of Digital Scrapbooking Magazine, Jennifer Adams moved to New York to be closer to The Strand. She is at work on a variety of projects, including a zombie novel for middle-grades readers. She blogs sporadically at Jen-Adams.com. She lives in Astoria, New York, and is the mother of two boys.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

BOOK PORN.  Plain and simple, this is as good as it gets for us book lovers.   If you enjoy reading Post Secret and really want to know why someone gifted a certain book or why that person enjoyed it or hated it, this is your peek into that their thinking.  I love reading stuff like this.  There is a wide range of emotions, everything from "why did I get this" to "this means so much".  Much like The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories, this is one you can pick up and read whenever you like.  Probably my favorite from the whole collection is one where lovers gifted each other books and they both wrote essentially that the romance was over with this exchange.  

This is one of those vicarious experiences that let you peek into the minds of like minded people.  I know I had a lot of these books on my shelves or had read them in the past and it was really interesting to find what these same books had meant to them.   I will revisit many times since it lends itself to rereading.  I think that this would make the perfect gift for that book lover that has read everything. 

Q&A with ALEXA EGAN author of DEMON'S CURSE @Pocket_Books @AlexaEganBooks

Book Description

Release Date: December 26, 2012 | Series: Imnada Brotherhood

She holds the key . . .One of the mythical race of shape-shifting Imnada and a member of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery suffers under a ruthless curse. As the result of a savage massacre on the eve of Waterloo, he and the men he served with are forced to live the hours of darkness trapped as their animal aspects. Now one of them has been murdered, and Mac suspects the existence of the Imnada may finally have been discovered. His only link to unearthing the truth—Bianca Parrino, the beautiful actress whom every man desires.
. . . to his forbidden desires
Forging a new life for herself after escaping the clutches of her abusive husband, Bianca is again drawn into violence when a dear friend is brutally murdered and she becomes a suspect. Forced to place her trust and her life in Mac’s hands as they flee a determined killer, Bianca cannot deny she is falling for the mysterious soldier. But will his dark secrets tear them asunder? Or will love be the key to breaking even the cruelest of spells?

About the Author

Alexa Egan lives in Maryland with a husband who’s waiting impatiently for her fame and fortune to support them in a new and lavish lifestyle, three children for whom she serves as chauffeur, cook, nurse, social secretary, banker, and maid (not necessarily in that order), one cat … and twenty-seven fish.

You can find Alexa online:

Website: Alexa Egan

Facebook 

Twitter 

PLEASE WELCOME ALEXA TO BOOKHOUNDS!

1.     

What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?


The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. I read this book over and over as a child, and when I had my own kids, it was one of the first books I bought for them.What are you reading right now?

C.S. Harris’s WHERE SHADOWS DANCE. It’s one of the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries. I’ve been gobbling this series up like an addict. She is an amazing writer. How does your garden grow?

I wouldn’t know.  My husband is the garden guy. I’m the look-out-the-window-and-admire-all-his-hard-work gal.

    What is the last thing you Googled?

I looked up battery-powered Christmas candles when the ones I bought died a swift death after about three days. Found some from Plow and Hearth that will be perfect for next Christmas.
What makes you cringe?

Bats! One got into our house the other night. Mice don’t bother me, but mice with wings make me shivery all over.




--

Giveaway + Review DEMON'S CURSE by ALEXA EGAN @AlexaEganBooks @Pocket_Books

Book Description

Release Date: December 26, 2012 | Series: Imnada Brotherhood

She holds the key . . .One of the mythical race of shape-shifting Imnada and a member of an elite military unit, Captain Mac Flannery suffers under a ruthless curse. As the result of a savage massacre on the eve of Waterloo, he and the men he served with are forced to live the hours of darkness trapped as their animal aspects. Now one of them has been murdered, and Mac suspects the existence of the Imnada may finally have been discovered. His only link to unearthing the truth—Bianca Parrino, the beautiful actress whom every man desires.
. . . to his forbidden desires
Forging a new life for herself after escaping the clutches of her abusive husband, Bianca is again drawn into violence when a dear friend is brutally murdered and she becomes a suspect. Forced to place her trust and her life in Mac’s hands as they flee a determined killer, Bianca cannot deny she is falling for the mysterious soldier. But will his dark secrets tear them asunder? Or will love be the key to breaking even the cruelest of spells?

About the Author

Alexa Egan lives in Maryland with a husband who’s waiting impatiently for her fame and fortune to support them in a new and lavish lifestyle, three children for whom she serves as chauffeur, cook, nurse, social secretary, banker, and maid (not necessarily in that order), one cat … and twenty-seven fish.

You can find Alexa online:

Website: Alexa Egan

Facebook 

Twitter 

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Bianca, an actress, has many admirers but few actual friends, so when her good friend, Adam,  is murdered, she attends his funeral and this makes her a suspect as well as bringing the unwanted attention of his enemies.   Mac, his brother in arms and closest friend, seeks her out since he knows she was the last one seen with him.  He also catches her whispering to Adam's casket that she will keep his secrets which to Mac, is  a worry since he and Adam are part of the shape-shifting Imnada and their secret is a point of survival for his tribe.  On the other side of the coin is the Others, fey creatures, that are the mortal enemies of the Imnada.  Renata's family has been murdered and she aims to track down the killers which she knows are Imnada.  

There is an immense amount of world building in this fist installment. I was really taken by Bianca and her back story as an abused wife and how her father had taught her botany which now will help Mac unravel Adam's secret and possibly that will help the survival of his race.   There are a lot of other minor characters that I hope will be present in future books.  The Wallace family, who gives shelter to Mac and Bianca.   The fact the Renata is drawn so evilly just makes her that more of a villain as she seeks her revenge.   I am not sure where the series will go but this looks like a great start.  

WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

Complete the below form 

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with US mailing address   
Void where prohibited. See the complete rules HERE

Contest ends on 1.5.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email.

Only one winner per mailing address.  Multiple entries will be deleted. 

This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher and ONE BOOK is available.

Follow Me

Complete the Form 

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+1 for social networking this giveaway and leave me a link once daily per site

+1 Comment, you can do this daily, just leave an email address.
EXTRA ENTRIES FOR ALEXA EGAN
+1 Like on Facebook

+1 Follow on Twitter 

GIVEAWAY! Best of 2012 Hop WIN PUSHING THE LIMITS by KATIE McGARRY

Welcome to the BEST OF 2012  Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

There are over 100 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 December 27th and and ends on December 31st,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

Want to win this book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 12.31.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

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

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

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

Complete the below form 
Follow Me
Extra Entries

+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 

+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 Follow my reviews on Goodreads HERE

(I am at my limit of friends!)

Waiting on Wednesday THE DEATH OF BEES by LISA O'DONNELL @LisaODonnell72 @HarperCollins

"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

Release Date: January 2, 2013

Today is Christmas Eve.
Today is my birthday.
Today I am fifteen.
Today I buried my parents in the backyard.
Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister, Nelly, are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren't telling. While life in Glasgow's Maryhill housing estate isn't grand, the girls do have each other. Besides, it's only a year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.

As the New Year comes and goes, Lennie, the old man next door, realizes that his young neighbors are alone and need his help. Or does he need theirs? Lennie takes them in—feeds them, clothes them, protects them—and something like a family forms. But soon enough, the sisters' friends, their teachers, and the authorities start asking tougher questions. As one lie leads to another, dark secrets about the girls' family surface, creating complications that threaten to tear them apart.

Written with fierce sympathy and beautiful precision, told in alternating voices, The Death of Bees is an enchanting, grimly comic tale of three lost souls who, unable to answer for themselves, can answer only for one another.

I am cheating on this one. I just finished it and OMGOSH -- this book is amazing.  I love this style of writing....I can't stop talking about this book.  

Happy Holidays!

The dachshund of mass destruction got a booster seat for car rides! 

She was less thrilled about the new camera I got since it means a lot more pictures. 

My son had a jigsaw puzzle made with some of my favorite PhoDOGraphy pictures -- very cool!

Stacking the Shelves December 23, 2012 IMM

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

The Death of Bees 
by Lisa O'Donnell 





Demon's Curse (Imnada Brotherhood, #1) 
by Alexa Egan

FURday PhoDOGraphy

The rasta dachshund is still here so I guess the world didn't end.  

Don't forget to stop by FRIDAYS WITH FRED over at Mina Burrows

GIVEAWAY! Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop WIN RIFT by ANDREA CREMER

Welcome to the MID-WINTERS EVE Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 
Oasis for YA (HERE)

There are over 100 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 December 14th and and ends on December 21st,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

Want to win this book?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a reliable mailing address within the free shipping areas of The Book Depository.

Contest ends on 12.27.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 

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

Duplicate entries will be deleted.  Void where prohibited.

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

Complete the below form 
Follow Me
Extra Entries

+1 Follow me on Twitter HERE 

+1 Like BookHounds on Facebook HERE 

+1 Follow my reviews on Goodreads HERE

(I am at my limit of friends!)

FREE! my 2 favorite JOSIE BROWN books Ends 12.21.12 @JosieBrownCA

Get Totlandia/Book 1 FREE,  2 Days Only! Still don't have your copy of TOTLANDIA/BOOK 1? Here's you chance to do so, for free! As my holiday gift to you, the first book in the TOTLANDIA series will be free, on Amazon -- but only on Thursday through Friday, December 20- December 21, 2012! In "Totlandia," the salacious secrets of Desperate Housewives meet the aspirational lifestyles of Sex and the City in San Francisco’s most elite mommies group... The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize. But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club’s founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection…from tots or their moms. Four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club. Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames? Friendship. Lies. Betrayal. Seduction. Welcome to Totlandia.   Follow us on Facebook! Coliloquy Books  978-0-9740214-0-9 / eBook  FREE, 2 DAYS ONLY! Thursday, December 20th, and Friday, December 21st.  Amazon.com (eBook) READ AN EXCERPT...   ONLY $3.99! Buy it on Amazon.com Read an Excerpt Here! Coliloquy Books  978-1-9378041-5-2 / eBook __________________ ALSO: Get THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK (Book 1) FREE, 2 Days Only!  My 2nd holiday gift to you: The first book in the HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN series will also be free, on Amazon --   But only on  Friday, December 21st- and Saturday, December 22nd, 2012! In Book 1 of THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK... Every desperate houeswife wants an alias. Donna Stone has one, and it happens to be government-sanctioned. But Donna earned it the hard way. Her husband was killed the day she delivered their third child. To avenget her husband's murder, Donna leads a secret life: as an assassin. But espionage makes for strange bedfellows, and brings new meaning to that old adage, "Honey, I'm home..."   And check out the other eBooks in THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN series:   The Housewife Assassin's Guide to Gracious Killing (Book 2) Donna and Jack are in the kind of hot mess that can cause an international incident: A nuclear arms summit, hosted by a politically-connected American billionaire industrialist, provides the perfect opportunity for a rogue operative to assassinate of the newly-elected Russian president on US soil. Acme operative Donna Stone's mission: Seek and exterminate the shooter, before all hell--and World War III--break loose. Also on Donna's to-do list: file for divorce. Throw in a couple of play dates and a few naughty neighbors, you've got a whole lot of fun.   The Housewife Assassin's Killer Christmas Tips (Book 3) 'Tis the season for murder, mayhem and mistletoe! There will be no peace on Earth if Donna and Jack don’t find a shipping container filled with heat-seeking missiles.  Forget Santa! Terror is coming to town. Signal Press  978-0-9740214-0-9 / eBook  FREE, 2 DAYS ONLY! Friday, December 21st. and Saturday, December 22nd! Buy it on Amazon  READ AN EXCERPT...   Other Books in the HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN Series: Book 2 in the series, ONLY $3.99!  Buy it on Amazon!  Read an Excerpt Here! Signal Press  978-0-9740214-4-7 / eBook   Book 3 in the Series ONLY $3.99! Buy it on Amazon!   Read an Excerpt Here!  Signal Press  978-0-9740214-4-7 / eBook     JosieBrown.comAuthorProvocateur.com www.twitter.com/JosieBrownCA http://www.facebook.com/josiebrownauthor PrideAndPrejudiceMusical.com HousewifeAssassinsHandbook.com