In My Mailbox (13)

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In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.

Slowly getting back into blogging... I need to get up my awesome new affiliates soon and pick winners for the Light Beneath Ferns and A Match Made in High School's contests. And commenting! I'll get my act together soon, I swear. -runs in circles and stresses-

Anywyas, here are the books I recieved in the past two weeks. They're all for review, though I definitely need to start buying all those awesome early March releases. :D


Split by Swati Avasthi - I won this from Goodreads (yay!) and finished it already. It. was. pretty. freaking. amazing.
Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap - I love a good historical romance, and I can't wait to start this one.
Numbers by Rachel Ward - Very interesting premise... hm. I'll also be doing something special with this book in a week or so, so watch out for that.

As for affiliates, I'm so, so sorry that I haven't gotten around to you guys. Please don't hate me? They're awesome though, so check them out with their buttons below (I'll be better and post some real updates next week, I promise):

 


 
And that's it for me. What did you get this week? :) 

The Saturday Network (8)

**Please, please don't comment if you are NOT participating. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

This week's featured Saturday Networker is SN#6 (again), Ah Yuan! She's a fellow book reviewer over on her blog GAL Novelty, and I absolutely love her fabulous reviews. :)

For Bloggers:
1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.
2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.
3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, you can find the code on the right side-bar, thanks!

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The Weekly Debate (7): The Curse of the Ugly Cover


This week's question: Why are there bad covers?

I'm really not going into much depth here, because I don't feel that there's much for me to say. I'm not going to point any fingers, but some books have either such boring or just plain ugly covers, there is a .1% chance I'll ever read it, let alone buy it. They either have clashing colors, colors that simply make me want to puke, or, more moderately, images that don't appeal to me. THEY DON'T WORK, period.

There are some books that have had horrid covers but sound interesting, and one in fact that I loved. However, I checked that one out of the library and highly doubt I'd buy it, especially if I were the regular consumer browsing at the book store.

My stance: I simply do not understand why there are plain, boring covers. I understand not being able to hire the best designer, but I highly doubt ugly covers get many buyers. No risk, no gain, as they say. As for why there still are some horrendous covers, I don't know. Agh, please fix it for the sake of those wonderful stories out there with not so up-to-par covers! I hate to think  amazing stories would be bypassed just because they aren't as shiny as the cliche novel beside them. :(

It's your turn to voice your opinions. What do you think?




Interested in more questions, more fun? Check out Eleni's latest Monday's Question of the Day!

Teaser Tuesday - 3

Teaser Tuesday is a meme started by Should Be Reading to share with others what book(s) you're currently reading.

Whew, sorry for the long break! I'm back, and I'll be slowly easing back into blogging, starting with a Teaser Tuesday. I always mean to participate in this one more, but too many books too little time? Lame excuse, I know. :)

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

"'Where did you leave your pants?' Sera asked pointedly, eyeing the pillow in Wyatt's lap.
'In the hamper.' His ears smoldered like embers.
'Your elder had to call me to tell you you're going hunting in the dark park tomorrow night.'
'We're going?' I whispered..."
--pg. 176
I picked a random page, and coincidentally, this was the one the book opened to. It definitely goes against the rest of the fairly somber book, though lines such as these were my favorite. Yes, I'm shallow, but a naked guy is always a nice relief from human-eating spirits. ;D

As for Bleeding Violet itself, I've read some conflicting reviews about it, so I'm interested to see how this one will turn out. So far, Hanna's definitely unusual, but is she relatable? I don't know. Hm. The plot is starting to pick up though, and it's pretty hard to put down.

Anyways, if you did a Teaser Tuesday too, leave me a link and I'll check it out!

Participate!

1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4) BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Saturday Network (7)

**Please, please don't comment if you are NOT participating. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

This week's featured Saturday Networker is SN#6, Jami! She's a fellow YA reviewer over on her blog YA Addict.

For Bloggers:
1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.
2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.
3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, you can find the code on the right side-bar, thanks!

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Guestpost: Susanne Dunlap

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Susanne Dunlap, the author of The Musician's Daughter and Anastasia's Secret, coming out on March 2nd this year. She's here to give an inside look on the life of the real Anastasia Romanov, and I hope you find it as fascinating as I do! :)

Very Clickable Links: {website}, {blog}, {goodreads}, {amazon}

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How many servants does it take to care for a family of seven in exile in Siberia?

If you’ve seen any of the movies about the last days of the Russian tsar Nicholas II and his family, you probably saw them portrayed as if they were all alone in exile in Siberia, with maybe a nurse for Alexei and a couple of friends. Well, that wasn’t exactly the case. In fact, when they left their home near St. Petersburg to go to their first place of exile, the Governor’s House in Tobolsk, they brought what they considered the minimum of attendants and servants.

With them in Tobolsk were:
1 prince
1 general
1 countess
1 baroness

A few personal servants:
The tsar: 3 valets and a barber.
The tsaritsa: 4 maids and a groom of the chambers.
The grand duchesses: a maid, a groom of the chambers and their own footman.
Alexei: his personal sailor-nurse, his own doctor and a nurse as well as a footman.

Then there were the general servants, who waited on everyone:
5 cooks
4 footmen
1 waiter
1 kitchen boy
1 wine steward
1 clerk

We mustn’t forget the professionals who accompanied the family:
4 tutors
1 family doctor
1 dentist

And then the higher-level servants, tutors and maids of honor and adjutants all had their own servants, numbering about 8 or 9 more.

Altogether, there were nearly 8 times as many servants and attendants in exile as there were imperial family members.

No wonder they thought the Governor’s House—a mansion by any standard today—was small!

But what did all those people do? It’s hard for us today, in a society of “servantless Americans”, to quote Julia Child, to imagine being surrounded by people who had specific jobs—from laying out the tsar’s clothes, to bringing in the tea, to answering the telephone.

Actually, that’s one of the biggest challenges in researching the past: finding out about the little people. It’s more difficult to discover what the life of a scullery maid was like than that of a king. In the memoirs of the time, the people who also lived with servants on a daily basis usually took their presence—and their functions—for granted and didn’t elaborate about them.

As near as I can tell, here’s how the hierarchy went:

Maid of Honor or Adjutant: These were paid court appointments, usually occupied by nobility. They were more like personal secretaries or assistants, helping with organizing schedules and acting in the place of their employers in certain ways. They’d screen people who came to talk to the tsar or tsaritsa for instance.

Groom of the chamber: A pretty high rank, not usually occupied by someone wealthy, but perhaps a person from an impoverished good family. Often the grooms of the chamber would deal with finances, control the purse of the employer for personal expenditures.

Valet: The traditional “gentleman’s gentleman,” someone who would see to the personal needs of his employer with style and grace. Think Jeeves.

Footman: A very broad set of duties was performed by footmen. They were traditionally status symbols, called footmen because at one time their main task was to run along beside or in front of a carriage and help them avoid road hazards, or announce the arrival of the important personage. Their main job requirement was to be tall and handsome. By the time of the Anastasia, they were more just general helpers.

Lady’s Maid: The female equivalent of a valet.

Notice so far none of the servants mentioned actually did any heavy cleaning. They might have responsibility for the wardrobes, or the bedchambers, but the grand duchesses made their own beds and tidied their rooms. It’s my guess that in Tobolsk, local daily help did any floor scrubbing, or the cook’s helpers did the dishes and cleaning up in the kitchen.

One tidbit of information about Alexandra: She had such fine underthings, all silk and lace and made by nuns in a convent, that almost the first time her clothes were sent to be laundered in Tobolsk they came back utterly ruined. Her friends in St. Petersburg got together and sent her new underwear that would stand up to the abuse of a rural laundry.

None of this takes into account the elaborate religious observances of the family. They had a makeshift chapel erected in the Governor’s House, and a priest would come to conduct services there. They had to go out for communion though, since their temporary chapel wasn’t consecrated. They were a very devout family, becoming more so as their fate closed in on them, in Yekaterinburg, when they really were almost alone. The servants who remained with them there made the ultimate sacrifice, sharing their employers’ fates.

Wow, who knew servants could be so diverse? And to think the family was in exile, hm. Anyways, I'm super excited to find out what Anastasia's secret is, and a huge thank you to Susanne for stopping by!

In My Mailbox (12) + SGA Winner!

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In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.

This is a semi-IMM post because the only thing I got this week was the Debut Author Challenge prize pack, which was AMAZING. It made my day to get it tomorrow, and all the books look even better in real life. I took pictures of it and everything, but my cable isn't cooperating for some reason, so I "borrowed" Kristi's picture of the prize pack. (I hope she doesn't mind!) A huge thank you to Kristi (The Story Siren) for hosting such an awesome challenge!


Books:
· Scones and Sensibility (ARC) by Lindsay Eland
· Of All the Stupid Things (ARC) by Alexandra Diaz
· The Secret Year (ARC) by Jennifer Hubbard (signed) -- I've heard this one is great, but I've been iffy on the whle affair soon. I'm interested to know what I think, and I'll definitely be reviewing this one perhaps next week.
· 8th Grade Superzero (ARC) by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (signed)
· The Good Girls Guide to Getting Kidnapped (ARC) by Yxta Maya Murray
· Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham (signed)
· Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (signed)
· Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr
· Freaksville by Kitty Keswick
· Wish by Alexandra Bullen (signed) -- And the sparkly bag is GORGEOUS!!
+ a bunch of awesome swag. :D

Moving on...



The winner of the Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers contest is...

Nickles (#44 from random.org)

Congrats, Nickles! I'll email you soon, and you have 48 hours to reply with your mailing address. As for the other entrants, thank you for entering, and check out the other contests I have going on right now!



Quick last note, sorry I'm falling back on replying to emails, commenting, etc. I'll be a bit absent in the blogosphere this week, though I'll make sure to schedule some posts. I should be getting back into the groove soon, but until then, please know I do care and do read your blogs, I just might not be commenting and such. Thanks! (And as for affiliates, I promise, promise that I'll get back to you within a day or two. Affiliate news will be starting next week, so watch out for that.)

The Saturday Network (6)

**Please, please don't comment if you are NOT participating. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

I've also added a new feature! Each week, I'll be using random.org to select a random Saturday Networker who I'll feature the next weekend. This week it was SN#9, aka ExtremeReader from Extreme Reader Reviews. She's also a YA book reviewer, and she's about to have her first swag contest! Check her out:

Extreme Reader Book Reviews
For Bloggers:
1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.
2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.
3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, you can find the code on the right side-bar, thanks!

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Starring Affiliates! + Blog Roll?

You might've already noticed my new "starring affiliates" section on the left sidebar, but I'm going to officially announce them now and feature some of their posts this week. As of now, I'm still debating whether I want to do a seperate post for affiliate news or incorporate that into my In My Mailbox post, though more news on that as next weekend approaches. If you'd like to be affiliates, just tell me in a comment. I like to think of affiliates as not just plain promotion but a support community, so I can't say I'll definitely become affiliates with you but it doesn't hurt to ask! :)

Alyssa, Jake, and Gregory at Teens Read and Write
If you haven't heard of their blog yet, you're seriously missing out. There's the saying more the merrier, and they definitely prove that with their unique three teaser tuesdays and different perspectives in reviews.

Right now, they're hosting The Megabook Giveaway: The Sequel, so head on over and check it out. The more followers, the more books, and they're now up to 14 winners - wow!

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I absolutely love Pirate Penguin Reads for Sandy's fun interviews and honest, personality-enfused reviews.

Sandy recently had an interview with A Match Made in High School's author Kristin Walker, and she gave it a glowing 5-star review. She's also in the process of translating her review into Spanish for international readers, which I think is an awesome idea! You can see Sandy's translation of the summary of this book here. (If only I didn't already suck at English and totally fail at Chinese and Spanish...)

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Last but not least, Lucy. Lucy just started her blog in December, but she's already got 100+ followers and such an adorable blog. She's super nice and just as sweet as her layout!

She has a cool feature that spotlights other blogs, and you can find out more info here. You basically just have to answer six questions, and can I add that the button is c-u-t-e?!
Lucy also recently did a post about becoming affiliates herself, and if you're interested, head on over here and comment.

Whew, that was a lot to post about. Anyways, I'm super excited to be affiliates with all these awesome blogs, and I'm excited to see where this will go from here! I highly recommend checking out all of these YA book blogs, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Second order of business, I was thinking of taking down my buttons on my right sidebar and making a blog roll instead, something along the lines of Kate's blog roll at The Neverending Shelf. That way, more blogs will have exposure while saving you some load time for all the javascript. Any thoughts on this? If I do decide to do a blog roll, I'll put up a post later next week asking bloggers who are interested in being on the blog roll to comment.

AND lastly, I'll be posting my review of The Iron King by Julie Kagawa next week, sorry!

The Weekly Debate (6): Subject Matter, Does It Matter?


This week's question: Are "deep" books better?

Better is vague, but it's vague for a reason and not just due to my lack of better words; how does the subject matter affect the overall reading experience for you? For me, deep, touching material definitely does not make a book, and I would like to say books that I categorize as "deep" are at the same level as "light" books... but that's not exactly the case. Before I move on, let's define our terms, shall we?

deep book - noun. a book that deals with the rawer emotions and subjects, often relating to sickness, disasters, or loss (and no, Bella-losing-Edward loss does not count); 9 times out of 10 makes the reader think "ouch" or cry in sympathy

--> ie. Hate List by Jennifer Brown, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

light book - noun. acronym of a sad book; might contain some sad portions, but generally lighter subject matter and scraping the surface of those negative emotions that we all don't really like to think about 24/7 (clarification: hate for the girl who stole your popularity is classified under a "happy book")

--> ie. Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer, Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

(Now that we have those semi-cleared up, I feel a whole lot less stupid for repetitively calling books "deep" and "light," though I'm having a hard time not placing quotes every time I say those two words. Darn those English classes that teach us to be intellectuals.)

I have an unspoken rule that light books will rarely receive a 5 stars. Though if you're a chick-lit writer, I'm by no means trying to insult you! If there were no light, fluffy books, I'm sure I would be depressed after reading tome after tome of books about anorexia, death, etc. However, the fact remains that it's uncommon for light romances to pack that extra "omph" that secures a 5-star rating from me. That doesn't mean that all deep books are good, but it is true that deep book often leave a larger impression on me. They often open my eyes to the harsh reality of life and make me appreciate everything I have.

Final Verdict: Deep books generally have the capability to receive a high rating, but not solely because they concern harder to talk about material; it's rather because they're more moving and therefore leave a lasting impression. As for whether they're better, in terms of writing quality, character development, and etc., they're not. Deep subject matter does not equal quality writing, and I highly doubt it every will. I can't imagine a world without the occasional fluff on top and I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

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Interested in more questions, more fun? Check out Eleni's latest Monday's Question of the Day!

Contest: Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

I feel horrible after giving Light Beneath Ferns such a negative review, so I've decided to give my copy away! Hopefully it'll find someone that will love and care for it more than I ever will, and though it's not necessary, I would greatly appreciate the winner posting a review of the book somewhere to make up for my lack of enthusiasm. Thanks!


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.

Rules:
· To enter, please fill out the form below; comments will NOT be counted
· If you feel uncomfortable leaving your address, please email it to me (type "emailed" in the "mailing address" section)
*ALL addresses WILL be discarded as soon as this contest is over *
· Ends February 28th, 11:59 EST
· Open to US only (sorry!)
· For more information, please view my contest policy


Blog Tour Review: The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor

The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor
Jillian Cantor's website here // $11.46  from {amazon}

Publisher: HarperTeen (February 9, 2010)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}
Before he died, Melissa’s father told her about stars. He told her that the brightest stars weren’t always the most beautiful—that if people took the time to look at the smaller stars, if they looked with a telescope at the true essence of the star, they would find real beauty. But even though Melissa knows that beauty isn’t only skin deep, the people around her don’t seem to feel that way. There’s her gorgeous sister Ashley who will barely acknowledge Melissa at school, there's her best friend Ryan, who may be falling in love with the sophisticated Courtney, and there’s Melissa’s mother who’s dating someone new, someone who Melissa knows will never be able to replace her father.
To make sure she doesn’t lose her father completely, Melissa spends her time trying to piece together the last of his secrets and completing a journal her father began—one about love and relationships and the remarkable ways people find one another. But when tragedy strikes, Melissa has to start living and loving in the present, as she realizes that being beautiful on the outside doesn't mean you can't be beautiful on the inside.
This is a lyrical tale of love, loss and self-discovery from the author of THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS

Rating: View my rating system.



My Thoughts: The Life of Glass is a beautiful read about family, loss, and love. It's not one of those kind of books that immediately grabs you and makes you feel like you need to read it right there, right now but one that slowly grows on you and makes you go "wow" when you look back. The Life of Glass is a sweet reminder that even when everything can seem like it's falling apart, what matters most will always be there - or at least for a million years, how long it takes a piece of glass to decay.

Jillian Cantor begins by introducing Melissa, paraphrasing her father's death and her relationship with her best guy friend, Brian, pre-high school. I didn't really have any feelings for Melissa at first, but I soon found myself connecting to what I had earlier overlooked: Melissa's normalcy. I can't say I've been in her exact situations before, but Melissa's young, relatable feelings and aspirations quickly drew me in. She's resilient and has her head firmly on her shoulders; yes, she occasionally shows some teenage immaturity but not in a way that immediately drove me off. I clearly saw Melissa's growth from a naive young girl to a more mature, open-minded teen, and I applauded her every step of the way. I'm not going to lie and say I supported everything she thought and did, but mistakes are a part of growing up and I definitely saw how she learned from each expierience. She's not an angel, and who is really?

As for plot, The Life of Glass's story is intricate and very well-connected. I mentioned earlier the three basic components that Jillian Cantor addresses: family, love, and loss. Jillian introduces many subplots, but one situation always flowed smoothly into the next; I never felt like Jillian Cantor had to throw in some unlikely, inexplicable circumstance to force Melissa home to "coincidently" see her sister's friend and fall in love him. The situations themselves are a bit stereotypical, but that's actually a positive aspect in that they're relatable and simply plain normal. Jillian Cantor skillfully weaves messages about dealing with changing relationships and handling loss, and though The Life of Glass is not a tear-jerker by any means, there were definitely times that my heart semi-broke and times it wanted to jump with joy.

A special area of sweetness is Ryan. He sounds exactly like the type of boy-down-the-street that's always there for you when you're younger then grows into this cute, lanky more-than-a-friend when you're older. Ryan's got the shyness, weakness (asthma), sensitivity, and blue eyes down pat, and I don't know what more to expect. He has his mistakes here and there, but what can I say? - he's just a teenage boy. *cue eye roll* The only semi-complaint is just that I wanted to see more of Ryan. I got a pretty good inkling of who he is, but he would dissapear for large chunks at a time when I just wanted to see more, more, more.

And, last side note, the short 2-page long love stories that "Melissa" wrote throughout the book were adorable. They follow her growing maturity through the book and were a sweet reminder of what dreams are for... what are dreams for? Hope. ♥

Romance: Discovering love. A book of first love, and there is a little under-the-shirt action, but only for about two paragraphs.
Cover: 4.0 -- I love how the glass is shattered but pieced back together, sort of like Melissa's life.
Writing: 4.0
Characters: 5.0
Plot: 4.5

Bottom Line: The Life of Glass is a beautiful coming-of-age story that's, frankly, spot-on. The jealous friends, insecurity, sister bonding -- wait, am I talking about my own life here? All-in-all, The Life of Glass is definitely a book I'll be re-reading when I need a little push to keep going, and I look forward to reading Jillian Cantor's books in the future!

Source: Thank you to Barbara from Blue Slip Media! Recieved on behalf of the blog tour.

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Whew, moving on from the review. First off, congrats to Jillian since The Life of Glass comes out TODAY! Yes, you heard me right, that means you can go out and buy it - go, go, go! :D

Second on the agenda...

THE LIFE OF GLASS GIVEAWAY

Enter to win free copies of Jillian Cantor's books and cool prizes! One grand prize winner will receive two glass spirit stones (one for you, one for a friend) from Arizona, where THE LIFE OF GLASS is set, along with an autographed copy of each of Jillian's novels: THE LIFE OF GLASS and THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS. Two lucky runners-up will receive a signed copy of THE LIFE OF GLASS. To be eligible, send an email to contests@jilliancantor.com with the subject line "The Life of Glass Giveaway". All e-mail entries must be received by midnight (PST) on February 14, 2010. The winners will be selected at random on February 15, 2010. Be sure to include your name and e-mail address with your entry (If you're under age 13, give your parent's contact info). One entry per person. Jillian Cantor's complete blog tour schedule can be found at http://www.jilliancantor.com/. Good luck!

The next stop is at The Undercover Book Lover, and you can find all the stops here. They're truly worth checking out, and I'll cross my fingers for your chance to read The Life of Glass too!

Leaving Addresses? + Affiliate News

Quick post to cover two things that I really need to cover. First off, I'm going to be doing another contest on Wednesday for Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen, and I was wondering what do you think of leaving your mailing address when you enter? It'd be a lot more convenient for me, but if a majority of potential entrants (aka possibly you) don't feel secure leaving your mailing address, I can just make do with the traditional leave your email address and I'll email you if you win.

Next, you might have noticed a new "Starring Affiliates" on my left sidebar. Eleni from La Femme Readers introduced the affiliate concept to me, and it sounds awesome! She asked me to tell you guys about some fabulous contests that she has going on right now, and I definitely recommend checking them out.


Contest for Darklight by Lesley Livingston -- I haven't read this book myself, but it's near the top of my wishlist! Ends February 10th, and open to US and Canada.

Win your book of choice from 2010! There are so many awesome books that have already come out this year, and so many more that are still coming. Ends February 15th, and open to US only.

 

And last but not least, an awesome contest for Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves -- Another one on my wishlist. Eleni accidently ordered two (I've done that before two, haha), and she's give one copy away. Ends February 20th, and open to US and Canada.

Contests aside, Eleni has cool interviews and such, and she just passed 700 followers so go over and say congrats (if you'd like)! She also has an interesting Monday's Question of the Day that I spotlight everytime during my Weekly Debate; you can check out today's question here.

To sum it all up, I'm estatic to have Eleni as my first affiliate, and you should check her out! And as a side note, we're going through snowstorm after snowstorm here here in the Northeast, so if I'm not seen commenting or posting, you'll know what happened. I'm not dead, only my internet is. P:

Review: Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen
Anne Spollen's website here // $9.95 from {amazon}

Publisher: Flux (February 1, 2010)
Paperback: 216 pages
Summary: 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.

Rating: View my rating system.



My Thoughts: I hate to give such a negative review, but the truth is I just didn’t “get” this book. I didn’t understand the role of the characters, the characters themselves, etc. and I still don’t even understand the plot. I had a hard time convincing myself to continue reading, and though I really, really wanted to love Light Beneath Ferns, that just didn’t happen.

I went in expecting chilling, supernatural story, and I admit that partially proved true. Or should I say: the promise of a supernatural plot was almost the only thing that kept from completely setting this book down. The beginning started off slow, and I continued reading in hopes that Anne Spollen would eventually reveal some big secret that would explain everything or churn out an unexpected plot twist. But I kept waiting and waiting and waiting... and waiting, you get the drill. The story constantly alternates between the supernatural aspects and Elizah’s social life, and the changing focus never really allowed time to go in-depth with the supernatural storyline. My main problem with the plot was that everything that happened just happened. No explanation, no reason; it's just there – period. I read the entire book feeling like I was missing some crucial piece of information, and that vital piece never revealed itself. The ghost plot felt generic and, quite frankly, boring, especially considering I could correctly predict almost everything from the very beginning. I can see the supernatural aspects being further expanded on in the future, but it just never reached its full potential in Light Beneath Ferns.

As for Elizah, she's simply an enigma I cannot figure out. The introduction portrayed her as slightly eccentric and unique, and I expected to find an intriguing, independent heroine. Unfortunately, I soon found that wasn’t the case. Or I should say I *think* Elizah was neither strong nor special, because I honestly don’t understand her. I felt like Anne Spollen wanted to create an unique character, but in trying too hard, Elizah's personality fell flat. Elizah is the typical, sarcastic teen when with her mother and quiet and brooding by herself and with others – making me question: who is she really? Elizah claims she just wants to be silent, but why? I can understand wanting to be solitary, but Elizah has this almost "need" to be alone, a desire I never saw a solid basis for. Because she just “feels” like she has to? It was extremely annoying to see Elizah push everyone away, even her friendly classmates that were always there to support her. I can understand kindly brushing someone off or just being up-front about it, but not only is Elizah unassertive, she also rudely ignores them and gives off a feeling of superiority. Maybe she’s supposed to be “above” high school and adolescence, but her behavior didn't give me that impression about her maturity.

Romance-wise, there was definitely something there, but, again, it seemed so stereotypical. First we have Nathaniel, the mysterious, enticing boy that Elizah finds herself thinking about 24/7. I’m not going to lie, I would probably follow him too, but I didn’t see any foundation for their attraction. It seemed like they fell in “love” too fast, and the only time I really liked Elizah was when she asked Nathaniel where he planned on taking her instead of mindlessly following him. Elizah finally displayed some admirable resolve... or at least until Nathaniel was like “do you want to come or not” and Elizah just dropped it – what? She's not afraid of someone who, at that time, was practically a stranger? Though I didn’t like her obsession (sorry) with Nathaniel that much, I liked Elizah’s relationship with Kyle, Nathaniel's basketball-star-and-most-popular-guy-in-school competitor, even less. She obviously didn’t like him and considering how independent and defiant she was with her mother, why couldn’t she tell him she wasn’t interested instead of leading him on? I felt all of the other characters were generic as well, particularly Elizah’s well-meaning mother that just wants to fit into their new community but is constantly being discouraged by Elizah. *sniffle*

Despite all the flaws I saw in this book, again, there is definitely hidden potential here. Anne Spollen’s writing flows easily, and she subtly scatters beautiful imagery throughout the book. Though I mostly missed the concept as a whole, a number of less-known or less significant details sparked my interest that Anne Spollen skillfully tied into the plot. Light Beneath Ferns also integrates some solid lessons with Elizah’s broken family, and despite my mountain of complaints with Elizah, I admire her wit and resilience. And can I add that I like the name "Elizah Rayne?" :)

Romance: Mysterious and tentative. I didn't necessarily like the characters involved in the romance, but we're talking about first love here and with Nathaniel? Very mysterious.
Cover: 4.5 -- A little monotone, but very, very pretty. It fits the mood perfectly, and it's soft.
Writing: 3.5
Characters: 1.0
Plot: 1.0 - The plot felt like an introduction; there's an interesting setting, but nothing really happens.

Bottom Line: If you haven't noticed the numerous question marks in my review, Light Beneath Ferns constantly made me wonder "why, why, why?" I didn't feel myself connecting with any of the characters, and, overall, there was nothing in the book that stood out to me as extremely original or a step-up from the usual ghost story. If ghosts strongly appeal to you, you might want to give this book a spin, but though I might still try Anne Spollen's books in the future for her lyrical writing, I won't be be first in-line buying her books anytime soon.

Source: Thank you to Tricia from Flux!

In My Mailbox (11)

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Click to participate!
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In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie.


Bought:
· The Iron King by Julie Kagawa -- Already finished, and it was awesome! Look for a review soon. :)

Won:
· The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg -- Ahh, I can't remember where I won this from! I'm so, so sorry! But thank you very much and if it was you (you know who you are), please tell me so I can give you credit and thank you personally.



Swag (from authors):
· The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting -- Thanks, Kimberly! I actually got this last week but forgot to include it in my IMM post, and I still forgot to include a picture of the tote, oops. Very gorgeous though, and look for my interview with Kimberly come March.
· Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus -- I won this on Anastasia's blog, and the buttons are cute! She also included a hard copy of the first chapter, which she'll post later this month, and it definitely left me wanting more.

I think I have a new swag-obsession (I'm going to have to start sticking and pinning these things everywhere), so all-in-all, an awesome week! And I live in Maryland, so we just had a pretty sweet snowstorm (3 feet of snow). I just hope that books I order will still make it safely! P:

And that's all I got this week! What's in your mailbox? Leave me a link, and I'll be sure to check it out.

Winner: Explorer X-Alpha Contest

Thank you to everyone who entered, and congrats to L.M. Preston on her debut! Without further ado, the winner of a copy of Explorer X-Alpha and a poster is...

Sarah
(#25 on random.org)

Congrats, Sarah! I've emailed you and you have 48 hours to respond with your mailing address. If you didn't win, feel free to check out the other contests I have going on right now, and maybe you'll be luckier! :)

The Saturday Network (5)

**Please, please don't comment if you are NOT participating. If you have questions or comment, feel free to email me!**

For Bloggers:
1. Comment with a link to your blog and a one or two-sentence description.
2. Head on over to the blog of the blogger that commented right before you; if you're the first commenter, you don't need to do anything.
3. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
4. That's it! If you'd like, feel free to comment again and repeat the process (including the link to your  blog). You do not need to give a description again, and please wait until at least one person comments after you to comment again.

For Non-bloggers:
1. Don't worry, you can still participate! Just look for any blog that you like and head on over.
2. Click on any post on that blog, preferably a recent one, and comment! Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
3. Come back and look for another great blog!

Commenting will be closed on Sunday at 9:00PM EST. I hope you discover some awesome blogs in the process and, most importantly, have fun! :D

And if you'd like to grab and post the button anywhere, you can find the code on the right side-bar, thanks!

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Guestpost: Kristin Walker + Giveaway!

Today I have the pleasure of having Kristin Walker here on my blog. She debuted just yesterday (!) with her wicked hilarious book, A Match Made in High School, and I definitely recommend checking it out. You can read my review of A Match Made in High School here. In her book, Kristin reveals some nuggets of wisdom for Fiona about romance and friendship, but does she leave you hanging? No! Kristin's back again to give YOU some priceless advice, and now I'm going to turn over the post to her. :)

Very clickable links: {website}, {blog}, {goodreads}, {amazon}

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Five Things I’ve Learned About Marriage
Or
The Importance of Blankets and Cheese

1. Have one rule for arguments: If you want to say something, you have to take off an article of clothing first. Pretty soon the fight will be over simply because nobody can argue when they’re naked.

2. Every wife should have her own bathroom. This is especially important in a household with boys whose chief purpose for using the bathroom is to engage in riotous bouts of pee swords. But even without kids, having her own bathroom will at the very minimum save half-a-dozen fights a month over who left the top off the toothpaste again.

3. Have kids or at least a large dog. That way you’ll have someone to blame when you break things.

4. Ladies: If you want some French fries, order your own. Don’t say that you’ll just have some of his. If you turn down French fries and then, when his arrive, you reach for one, know that you’re putting your life in danger. You’ve been warned.

And guys: Never eat the last of anything. Always leave a crust, a mouthful, a sip, a chip, some remnant of that food. If you eat or drink the last of anything, your wife will have no choice but to assume that you don’t love her and all you care about is yourself and you never think about her needs or wants first, it’s always you, you, you, and her mother always thought you were a selfish jerk and maybe she was right about you after all. I’m telling you, fellas, a single slice of American cheese might be all that’s standing between you and divorce court.

5. Never go to bed angry, because if you do, your spouse won’t keep his farts under the blanket. He’ll waft them right out the top.


Thank you, Kristin, and congrats on your debut! And in case you couldn't tell by her post, Kristin has an awesome sense of humor that was, for me, the crowing glory of A Match Made in High School.


Now, Kristin's also offering some adorable swag to one lucky winner. It consists of: bookmarks, Post-it matchbooks, pencils, and an engagement ring. To enter, just fill out the form below. Please remember, comments will NOT be counted as entries!


Rules:
· Ends February 26th, 11:59 EST
· 3 winners, open internationally

Contest Reminders + Update

Just want to give a quick heads up about the giveaway for Explorer X-Alpha that ends tomorrow, and I've changed the ending date of my Some Girls Are contest to February 11th. It's not of much importance now, but I'm thinking of eliminating most extra entries for future contests, because I know I get annoyed by too many and you may too? I'll still be keeping quite a few extra entries for larger contests, but for smaller ones, not so much. Objections? State them now or forever hold your peace. (Suggestions are welcomed too.) ;)

Also, I haven't really been commenting for the past couple days because I'm busy, busy, busy, but I promise to catch up on all of your awesome blogs tomorrow! Thank you to everyone that's still been dropping by and leaving me interesting and awesome comments; I do read them! :D

The Weekly Debate (5): Everything's Relative - Oh Really?

(Pain rating scale because I'm sadistic like that. mwahaha.)

This week's debate: Do you rate your books according to strict rating standards, by comparing one book to another, or simply not rating by a scale at all? Is there a way you feel books "should" be rated?

As I've started reviewing more and more books, I noticed I've gone from rating books through a checklist of qualities to relating them relative to one another. At first, it was the strict: plot? check. relatable characters? check. beautiful writing? *bzzz* NO - there we have it, ladies and gentlemen, this book deserves 3 stars! Technically, that should work, right? But as my reviews progressed, I noticed that I would occasionally give an extra half-a-star just becuase the plot was awesome, and there went my standard ratings. Instead, I would compare my book to previous reviews and think "hm, I gave this book 3 stars and this book 4 stars, therefore (book I'm reviewing) should get 3.5 stars because it lacks such-and-such qualities while it has such-and-such aspects." Again, technically, that should work too, right? Everything' relative; you know how I review and judge my ratings accordingly - in an ideal world, that is. But then I started confusing myself. This book isn't as good as this 4-star book, but it's not as good as this 3.5-star book either! What to do, what to do? My compromise for now is that I'll add the .25 plot stars after my rating (you might have seen this already in my review of Dirty Little Secrets) and rate based on how the book compares to others, regardless of how awesome the plot was.

My final stance: Ideally, strict standards are easy to follow. However, my ratings are based on comparisons though, because I had the strict standards originally in place, my ratings match my original rating descriptions (see "my ratings" on the right sidebar) anyways. Everything's relative in my world. ;)

As for how you "should" rate books, I think that's all personal preference. Though, if you're a new blogger, I would strongly recommend starting off with a firm checklist to make it clear to readers how exactly you rate books. If, once you get the hang of it, you decide to change your rating method, that's entirely up to you.

It's your turn to voice your opinions! If you have a question you'd like asked in next week's debate, please feel free to mention it in your comment.

And what do you think of the shorter debate versus the usual longer one? Thoughts are loved, honesty is appreciated. Thank you!

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Interested in more questions, more fun? Check out Eleni's latest Monday's Question of the Day! Head on over, and you know what to do. Press the "Post a Comment" button, of course! :D