BLOGMANIA HAS ARRIVED!!!!!!!!!!!

WELCOME TO BLOGMANIA !

My Blog is #81 of 123

You’ve arrived at exactly the right time to explore lots of new blogs, all of which, ARE GIVING AWAY A VERY SPECIAL BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY.

(For One Day Only – April 30^th) 

We’ve done all the work for you. No hunting or surfing. Each blog will have a number and each new blog link will have a number. These numbers will allow you to keep track of which blogs you’ve visited and how many are left to visit. Why not take a moment to make a list of blog numbers  1-123 and check off the blogs as you go.

I know you’ll want to visit as many blogs today as you can. So, if you see something that interests you on any of our participating blogs, why not bookmark that site. Later, when you have more time, you can discover all its fabulous treasures.  

Here is what I am offering for the Blogmania Giveaway!

BOOKS:

2 Vampire Diaries Double Editions by--used but still in great condition

Beautiful People (ARC)

Camp Club Girls and the Mystery at Discovery Lake (ARC)

Sydney's D.C. Discovery (ARC)

SpaceHeadz (ARC)

Benjamin Pratt & The Keeper's School-We The Children (ARC)

Hailey Twitch Is Not A Snitch (ARC)
Fireworks Over Toccoa (ARC)

JEWELRY:

1 Silver Butterfly Pin

1  Aquamarine and CZ tennis bracelet/sterling silver

EXTRAS:

1 5-pack of Juicy Fruit Gum

1 Rose Shaped Chocolate Lollipop

1 signed Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver bookmark

2 Tory Richard Postcards

Extra Bookmarks

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

MY GIVEAWAY and RULES: 

1.  This is an international giveaway!! USA/CANADA/OUTSIDE THE USA

2.  You have to be a follower of my blog!

3.  Leave a comment on this post with your email address so I contact you if you win!

Contest is for one day only!! So enter now!! I will announce the winner tomorrow 5/1/2010.

After entering, please move on to the following blogs to continue the contests!  We have 123 blogs having contests right now!  If you somehow get lost, you can click on Between the Pages blog below for the master list and bookmark it.  

NOW GET CLICKING!!!!!

(Blog- 1 – HOST OF BLOGMANIA) Between The Pages - http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/

(Blog -2 – CO-HOST OF BLOGMANIA) The Black Sheep Dances - http://www.theblacksheepdances.blogspot.com

(Blog-43 - CO-HOST OF BLOGMANIA) Books, Books Everywhere - http://bookywooks.blogspot.com/

(Blog-22) Opinions of a Moody Mama - http://opinionsofamoodymama.blogspot.com

(Blog-7) Skhye's Ramblings - http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com

(Blog-39) Paranormal Bites - http://www.ParanormalBites.com

(Blog-64) Riley Quinn - http://rileyquinnauthor.blogspot.com

(Blog-91) Cate Masters - http://catemasters.blogspot.com

(Blog-110) Book Crazy - http://www.book-crazy.com

(Blog-121) Brain Foggles - http://brainfoggles.com

Blogmania Preview!!!

Want a sneak peek at what I will be offering tomorrow on Blogmania?  Be sure to bookmark me and come enter tomorrow for this special one day event!

Books, Jewelry, Candy and Goodies!

TALL, DARK, AND WOLFISH by Lydia Dare (ARC Review)

TALL, DARK, AND WOLFISH

Author: Lydia Dare

Source: ARC received from Sourcebooks

* I received this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (May 4, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402236956
• ISBN-13: 978-1402236952

SYNOPSIS:

He's lost the most important part of himself...

Lord Benjamin Westfield is a powerful werewolf-until one full moon when he doesn't change. His life now shattered, he rushes off to Scotland in search of the healer who can restore his inner beast, only to find she's not at all what he expected...

She would make him whole, if she could...

Young, beautiful witch Elspeth Campbell will do anything to help anyone who calls upon her healing arts. Then Lord Benjamin shows up, and she suddenly discovers she may need him even more than he needs her...

MY THOUGHTS: 

WOW!  I thought the first book in this series was great, but this one is even better!  I loved Benjamin! He is the bad boy that all the girls want! He is strong and  very comfortable with his extra abilities of being a wolf.  Then when he loses this ability he is told to go to see a healer.  Elspeth is a strong heroine who balances out the character of Benjamin.  She is a red-haired witch that can give Benjamin a run for his money!  I was rooting for both of them when it was a battle of wills between witches and wolves. 

This author knows how to write paranormal and wolves.  She has the ability to keep you hooked in the story, trying to sniff out the plot ahead of time, and tasting the hunger that each of her characters explore in the sensual scenes.  I can hardly wait to see what happens in the next book in the series!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

THE TURNING: WHAT CURIOSITY KILLS by Helen Ellis

THE TURNING: WHAT CURIOSITY KILLS

Book One

Author: Helen Ellis

Source: Sourcebooks Fire

* I received this copy free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402238614
• ISBN-13: 978-1402238611

SYNOPSIS:

Plucked from foster care, Mary Richards hit the jackpot with a loving family, an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and a spot in the elite Purser-Lilley Academy.  But she might lose it all if people find out about the turning.

Something not human is inside Mary.  Her mind is reeling and her body is rebelling.  She succumbs to urges and desires she never imagined.  And then there’s the bizarre physical transformation.

Struggling with her metamorphosis, Mary is sought out by two boys who share her secret.  Will she reject the destiny they swear is hers? Or will she find our what curiosity kills?

You only get one chance to decide if you’ll never turn again.

MY THOUGHTS:
When I received this book, I was in a hurry to read it! The cover, in my opinion, is amazing with one cat eye on the girl.  According to the synopsis it was going to be a paranormal book about changing into cats. So it was something different than the normal paranormal of werewolves and vampires.

I so desperately wanted to love this book. To tell you the truth though, the cover was about the only thing I liked about it.  I had to force myself to even finish the book.  There was too much detailing and not enough dialogue.  It didn't flow easy and the story was all over the place at times.  The characters had no appeal to me as I read through the book. There seemed to be alot of product pushing in the book as to what all the characters were wearing each time we read about them, the characters were dull instead of having life on a page. 

While the idea for the book would have been great, it just didn't come across as a great book.  I am still on the fence about wanting to read the next book in the series for now.  If the author can rework some of the bad points, then I might be interested in the next one just to see if it does turn out better.

MY RATING:

 
I did not enjoy this book!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Dee Julian

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to author Dee Julian.  She has the book The Macgregor's Daughter found at Wild Child Publishing. Let's get started!

To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

 It's a pleasure to be here, Amy. Well, I live in Memphis, TN with my husband and four dogs. We've raised two college age kids, Chris and Amber. I guess you might say I'm a typical Virgo who loves animals, warm summer breezes, good friends, Italian food, and movies/books with the happy ever after ending. 

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release?

 Sure. The first blurb listed below is from The Macgregor's Daughter. The second is from Promise Me, which should be out some time later this year.

 In 1776 England, American born Anadreya Macgregor is branded a spy by the arrogant Marquis of Canderlay. Despite her pleas of innocence, he refuses to listen and has her imprisoned. Aided by the Scottish father she never knew, Dreya escapes to Dragon's Breath Castle.

Five years later, the laird is missing and a badly injured Frenchman washes ashore. Dreya is wary of the blind and amnesic man, though something about him is hauntingly familiar. Is he an ally or a ruthless mercenary who stumbled upon her father's smuggling activities?

The stranger's vision and memory gradually return, and Dreya discovers her fate and the continued existence of her clan might very well be in his hands. As the web of deception binding them together unravels, both are in danger of losing everything. Including their hearts.

  

When a hasty promise to her dying fiancé jeopardizes the future of his illegitimate child, Lady Leah Sheridan vows to make amends for the gentleman’s lack of honor by personally seeing to his son’s financial needs. But then the boy’s heartless mother abandons him, and Leah finds herself nearing a disastrous scandal. Adding to her troubles is the return of her fiancé’s older brother. He demands answers she swore never to divulge. Will Leah break her promise and confide in the only man who can keep her safe?

  If anyone is interested in reading more of The Macgregor's Daughter, I've posted four exerpts on my web site at www.deejulian.com

I am a fly on your wall.  What would I report back to my master of the daily grind of Dee?

I don't understand this human. I really think she's missing a few brain cells. All day and half the night, she sits in front of this odd gizmo called a lap-top. Her fingers are always stroking it or tap, tap, tapping. I think she's afraid that if she stops touching this thing, it will get up and walk away. She swears and curses at it, she begs and pleads, but it never answers her. I've tried to whisper in her ear that this sort of behavior is unhealthy, but she acts as though I'm annoying her and swats me away. Can you imagine that?

When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors, that are must reads?

 Sadly, I don't read as much as I used to. Too often I find myself critiquing everything, and that's just infuriating, because I cannot enjoy the book if I'm constantly in critique mode. My favorite genre, of course, is historical romance, but I can really get into a great paranormal. I'm just not creative enough to write one of my own. Nowadays, I don't have a favorite author, but in my twenties it was Jill Tattersall. She wrote historicals and she could weave a story that kept you breathless page after page. Her characters stayed with you long after you finished the book. I believe she retired many years ago.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a new book?

 A tall glass of water, my trusty laptop, and a clear idea of how the prologue or first chapter is going to start and end.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books?  Twitter?

 I sure do. My web site is www.deejulian.com and I'm on face book. Sorry, no Twitter. If anyone is interested, I host spotlight author interviews every month, but for May I've landed a special guest...Marci Baun, editor in chief of Wild Child Publishing and Freya's Bower. If you've ever wanted to know a little more about the publishing side of this business, drop by and ask Marci a question via the guest book tab. She'll be there all day May 5th.

Where can readers purchase your books?

Thank you so much for asking. At the moment, The Macgregor's Daughter can be purchased at the following:

www.wildchildpublishing.com, Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand, Fictionwise, Mobipocket, and OmniLit.

Now for some fun stuff:

 
1. What came first--the chicken or the egg?

a) God made the chicken first, but she wasn't exactly thrilled when He explained how the egg would be delivered.

2. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

a) It does. You just can't see the glue because it's the same color as the bottle.

3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn?

a) A darker blue.

4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
a) Because Jimmy's overworked and underappreciatied mother makes up songs on the spur of the moment to relieve her boredom.

Favorite perfume: Tresor
Favorite TV show: Ghost Hunters
Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Carribean. The first movie, not the other two.
Favorite Drink: Besides water? Frozen melon margarita. (hic-up)
Favorite Dessert: Anything chocolate.

Thanks for joining us on My Overstuffed Bookshelf!!

Thanks for having me, Amy. I truly enjoyed it.

LEAVING PARADISE by Simone Elkeles

LEAVING PARADISE

Author: Simone Elkeles

Source: Library

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Flux (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738710180
• ISBN-13: 978-0738710181

SYNOPSIS:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. 

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

MY THOUGHTS:

After Caleb is convicted of driving while intoxicated and hit and run involving Maggie, both their lives are turned upside down.  Caleb is now known as the ex-con and Maggie is now known as the freak.  Both return to school with low expectations and guilt.  Caleb tries to pick up where things left off in school before he went to jail.  Maggie is devastated after learning she loses her sports scholarship to Spain since she can't play tennis anymore.  They both come to terms with the way their lives have changed now and fall in love. 

This book was a great read for me.  I loved the characters of Caleb and Maggie.  Caleb was strong and as you read the book, you realize how protective his character really is.  Maggie faces her disability as I think any teen would. She feels ugly and hurt by it all.  The old lady in the book, Mrs. Reynolds, was a great side character that plays a huge part in the book.  She unites Caleb and Maggie again and makes them both realize that accidents happen.  She makes them realize that your life can take different paths, but still have happiness and build character at the same time. The ending was the only thing I didn't like. I was looking for a happily ever after ending, which is not to say it doesn't, but like life, its not the ending you expect.  It sets the readers up for a sequel of this great story.

Overall and amazing read that I wouldn't mind adding to my keeper shelf. 

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: Author Wendy Holden

Today on My Overstuffed Bookshelf I have author Wendy Holden here to share her story with you! She is the author of Beautiful People. Let's all welcome her to the blog!

The brilliant thing about being a writer is that you can put anyone you’re mad at into a book. Your grievances get aired in prints runs of hundreds of thousands and people on the other side of the world from the person who annoyed you read about them and think ‘No-one could possibly be as stupid/devious/rude as that. She’s making it up!” Having said that, I adore beautiful people and like to fill my novels with them at every opportunity – hence the title of my latest book! Glamour cheers us all up, I think, sometimes just because it’s pretty and sometimes for reasons of schadenfreude. The lives of rich people and celebrities are so fascinating and often unintentionally hilarious too (Brad’s new beard, anyone? Mrs. Colin Firth’s ethically-sourced Oscars diamonds?). And the famous make extraordinary liaisons and mistakes – a certain Mr. T. Woods comes to mind – in the full glare of publicity. What’s not to like, if you’re a writer of contemporary romantic comedies, like me?

I like to research my novels as much as possible and pay particular attention to the settings. The devil is always in the detail and some wealthy people’s homes are just so funny. Not far from where I live in England is a very wealthy town full of rich footballers; the high street abounds with showrooms selling hundred-thousand dollar cars, interiors emporia selling diamante-studded curtain poles; menswear shops selling grey shiny suits with purple stitching around the buttonholes; womenswear shops ablaze with very tight shimmery dresses. But it’s in the charity shops where you get truth about this (literally) glittering lifestyle; below the almost-new celebrity biographies that people have thrown out are the other books they have been reading as well; Should I Stay or Go – Ways To Leave Your Husband; How To Lose A Stone In Seven Days; Hot Date – Be One, Get One; What Not To Wear.

It seems there’s a little pressure on, and that’s before you see the expensive women’s gymwear store and the physiotherapist practices all over town. You walk around a place like this for an hour and it’s almost impossible not to write a novel – the character; her clothes; her house; her cheating, flashily-dressed husband about to trade her in for the slinky Estonian au pair; her own affair with the sexy Spanish cyclist in head-to-foot Lycra that she met in the coffee shop are all walking about in front of you and it’s difficult not to sit down on the pavement and start Chapter One.

It was something like this that brought about Beautiful People – my fascination with what is behind the façade as much as the façade itself. Hope you enjoy it, anyway, and if you ever in the future come across a diamond-studded curtain pole in one of my novels, you’ll know where it came from!

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE by WENDY HOLDEN—IN STORES APRIL 2010!

A witty, utterly addictive novel from bestselling author Wendy Holden, Beautiful People is a tale wicked in its observations yet buoyant at its heart: an irresistible confection you’ll want to devour immediately.

Darcy—a struggling English rose actress when The Call comes from L.A. An Oscar-tastic director. A movie to make her famous. The hunkiest costar in Hollywood. So why doesn’t she want to go?

Belle—a size-zero film star but she’s in big, fat trouble. Hotter than the earth’s core a year ago, she’s now Tinseltown toast after her last film bombed. Can she get back to the big time?

Emma—a down-to-earth, down-on-her-luck nanny trying to weather London’s cutthroat childcare scene and celebrity mom whirlwinds. What will it take for her to get back in control of her own life?

Jet to London, Hollywood, and Italy; toss in a passionate star chef, a kindhearted paparazzo, and a reluctant male supermodel; and find Wendy Holden at her best—a smash international hit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wendy Holden (U.K.)  was a journalist on The Sunday Times, Tatler and The Mail on Sunday before becoming a full time author. She has now published nine novels, all top 10 bestsellers in the UK, and is married with two young children. Her novels include Farm Fatale (in US Stores from Sourcebooks Landmark in July 2010), Bad Heir Day (also coming to US stores from Sourcebooks Landmark in September 2010), Simply Divine, Gossip Hound, the Wives of Bath, The School for Husbands, Azur Like it, and Filthy Rich. For more information, please visit http://wendyholden.net/.

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have two copies of Beautiful People to giveaway!

Contest will run until 5/1/2010.

RULES:

1. You must live in USA or Canada.  No P.O. Boxes.

2.  You must be a follower!

3.  Just leave a comment below on this post, with an email address for me to contact you in case you win!

GOOD LUCK!

WEEKLY CONTEST/GIVEAWAY

Here is this weeks giveaway contest.

  At times, there will be more than one book, but most of the time I will be featuring a weekly giveaway of one book. For these giveaways, I will NOT contact you if you win.  I will announce the winner and you will have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear from you.  the book will be passed to the next winner in line. 

Now here is the book(s) for this week and the rules will follow after the description:

USED HARDCOVER

FIRST SHE WAS WATCHED.

In this breathtaking new story from the astonishing imagination of James Patterson, a girl has to save herself from an army assembled just to capture her - and maybe save the planet while she's at it.

THEN SHE WAS THREATENED.

Maximum Ride is a perfectly normal teenager who just happens to be able to fly, the result of an out-of-control genetic experiment. Max and the other members of the flock - five kids who share her remarkable ability - have been asked to aid a group of environmental scientists studying the effects of global warming. The expedition seems like a perfect combination of adventure, activism - and escaping government forces who are watching the flock all the time.

THIS IS HER FINAL WARNING.

But even in Antarctica, enduring in the harshest weather on our planet, Maximum Ride is an irresistible target in constant danger. For whoever controls her powers could also control the world...

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1. You must be a follower to enter.

2. Contest is only available to the USA.  
Sorry, but limited funds at this moment in time. 
This could change later.

3.  Leave a comment on this post.

OPTIONAL: 

4. Mention the contest on your blog for +1 extra entry.

(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)

5.  Tweet about this contest for +1 extra entry. 

(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)

6. Follow me on Twitter for +1 extra entry.

(Please post the link in a separate comment to qualify.)

7. Subscribe by email for +1 entry.

This contest is open until 5/03/2010 with the winner being announced on 5/04/2010.

GOOD LUCK!!

WICKED BECOMES YOU by Meredith Duran

WICKED BECOMES YOU

Author: Meredith Duran

Source: Publisher

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1 edition (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416593128
• ISBN-13: 978-1416593126

SYNOPSIS:

She’s been burned not once but twice by London’s so-call ed gentlemen . . .Gwen Maudsley is pretty enough to be popular, and plenty wealthy, too. But what she’s best known and loved for is being so very, very nice. When a cad jilts her at the altar—again—the scandal has her outraged friends calling for blood. Only Gwen has a different plan. If nice no longer works for her, then it’s time to learn to be naughty. Happily, she knows the perfect tutor—Alexander Ramsey, her late brother’s best friend and a notorious rogue. 

So why won’t a confirmed scoundrel let her be as bad as she wants to be?Unbeknownst to Gwen, Alex’s aloof demeanor veils his deepest unspoken desire. He has no wish to see her change, nor to tempt himself with her presence when his own secrets make any future between them impossible. But on a wild romp from Paris to the Riviera, their friendship gives way to something hotter, darker, and altogether more dangerous. With Alex’s past and Gwen’s newly unleashed wildness on a collision course, Gwen must convince Alex that his wickedest intentions are exactly what she needs.

MY THOUGHTS:

What would you do if you were left at the altar twice? Would you keep doing what you have been doing, or would you do the complete opposite? Sheltered and naive Gwen decides to quit being the nice girl and opts for being the naughty girl now.  She looks to Alex for help in being naughty and desirable. Alex is her late brother's best friend.  He has always had a thing for Gwen, but she has never extended the same feelings.  I found both characters fun and lively.  Alex can get on your nerves a bit, but he grows on you throughout the book.  Overall this was a great new author read for me.  I liked the writing and the flow of the book.  Plus, look at the great colors in the cover! To me, it shows how naughty Wicked Becomes You can be.

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY WINNER!

I used Random.org to pick the winner for the weekly giveaway. The lucky winner is:

misskallie2000

CONGRATS! Please contact me at djsfoxylady @ gmail.com with your mailing address.

Please include in the subject line: WEEKLY WINNER

Stay tuned for a new weekly giveaway to be posted this afternoon!!

INTERVIEW: Author Megan Crewe

Today I have the wonderful pleasure of welcoming author Megan Crewe. She is the author of Give Up The Ghost.  Let's give her a warm, huge welcome and see what she had to say!

To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

I'm Canadian, and have lived here in Toronto all of my life.  My parents are both avid readers, so I thank them for my love of books and story-telling.  I'm also an animal-lover: right now I have three cats (just got a new kitten!) and in the past I've owned ferrets, mice, hamsters, and fish.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release?

GIVE UP THE GHOST is about a high school outcast who can talk to the dead, and uses the secrets her ghostly friends dig up to expose her fellow students' wrong-doings. But then the popular student council V.P. discovers *her* secret, and, to her surprise, asks her for help...

I am a fly on your wall.  What would I report back to my master of the daily grind of Megan Crewe?

I don't have to leave the house for my day job until mid-afternoon, so I'm generally in pajamas all morning.  And I'm not "allowed" to turn on my desktop computer to get online until after I've done my morning's writing on the computer.  :)

When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors that are must reads?

I try to read a variety of genres, both because I enjoy lots of different types of stories, and because I think it's useful as a writer to see techniques and get ideas from books that are different from what I usually write.  I read a lot of young adult fiction, of course--mostly paranormal, fantasy, and SF, but some realistic stuff as well; some adult fiction of all sorts; and the occasional book for younger readers.  What's most important to me is a story that pulls me in and characters I care about, and as long as a book has those things, I'm happy regardless of genre!

A few of my favorite YA authors are E. Lockhart, Megan Whalen Turner, Diana Wynne Jones, and Monica Hughes.  Adult faves include Connie Willis, Lois McMaster Bujold, Terry Pratchett, and Daphne du Maurier.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a new book?

I must have an outline, to give me a sense of where I'm going and how I'm going to get there (though I always veer off here and there).  I must have my laptop, because for some reason I find it much easier to write on that than on my desktop computer.  Because it feels more like a notebook, I think.  And I must have a sense of why this story is important to me.  If I haven't found the heart of the story, I can't write it properly, no matter how exciting the idea might be.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books?  Twitter?

I do!  My website is megancrewe.com, and you can find my blog at megancrewe.com/blog.  My twitter username is megancrewe, which makes me easy to find.  :)

Now for some fun stuff:

1. What came first--the chicken or the egg?
The egg--fish were laying them before there were any chickens!

2. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
It does, there's just so much of it it can't all stick.

3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn?
Purple!

4. If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
Maybe he wrote it?

Favorite perfume: Tulzscha by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
Favorite TV show: Monty Python's Flying Circus
Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Favorite Drink: Dr. Pepper
Favorite Dessert: Black Forest Cake

Thanks for joining us on My Overstuffed Bookshelf!!

Thank you for having me!

GIVE UP THE GHOST by Megan Crewe

GIVE UP THE GHOST

Author: Megan Crewe

Source: Library

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805089306
• ISBN-13: 978-0805089301

SYNOPSIS:

Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody…and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school. 

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees. 

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s surprised to realize he’s not so bad—and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance….

MY THOUGHTS:

I came across this book awhile back and had it on my wish list.  I finally got a chance to read it and I enjoyed it so much!

I loved the characters of Cass and Tim.  They seemed like they would become a couple but the author focused on other plots of the story instead of making this a teen romance.  I like how they started as enemies, slowly became friends, and left it hanging that they might be a couple in a follow up book.  This book had the paranormal ghosts, the witty writing and a cute plot that all ages could enjoy.  The only things I didn't like about the book were some things were left unfinished.  We never got to know why Cass is the only one who can see the ghosts.  We never get to find out if Cass and Tim become a real couple.  Did Paige get to move on and some characters just faded away near the end. 

Overall, I still loved the book. It was cute and fun even if it dealt with some serious issues like death.  A fresh new read for the young adult genre that will easily be loved by the adults as well!

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

WINNERS!

The contest for Lydia Dare's books has ended.  The two lucky winners are:

cait045

and

linz

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TREADING WATER TODAY by Emily Angelica Roldan

TREADING WATER TODAY

Author: Emily Angelica Roldan

Source: Author Submission

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1449973035
• ISBN-13: 978-1449973032

SYNOPSIS:

This collection is presented from a teen's view of life. From love, to pain, to joy, to loneliness.

MY THOUGHTS:

This was a quick read for me because this book features poetry and short stories.  This book is written by a girl who is a Sophomore in High School and has already had some of her work published in magazines.  The book is poems and stories from a teen's point of view and with each one focusing on sometimes one and sometimes many different emotions.  

If you are a fan of poetry or short stories, this would be a good book to read, especially for teen girls. I liked the style of writing and enjoyed almost every piece of work in the book.  I had some favorites, but I also had some that I didn't like, but overall the book was great for the age of the author. 

MY RATING:

 
Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

SPACEHEADZ Book 1: by Jon Scieszka

SPACEHEADZ

Book One

Author: Jon Scieszka

Source: ARC from Publisher

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Product Details
• Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, June 2010
• Hardcover, 176 pages
• ISBN-10: 1416979514
• ISBN-13: 9781416979517
• Ages: 7 - 10
• Grades: 2 - 5

SYNOPSIS:

The perfect combination of the age old experience of holding and pouring over a physical book with newest media technology that kids love!

Michael K. just started fifth grade at a new school. As if that wasn't hard enough, the kids he seems to have made friends with apparently aren't kids at all. They are aliens. Real aliens who have invaded our planet in the form of school children and a hamster. They have a mission to complete: to convince 3,400,001 kids to BE SPHDZ. But with a hamster as their leader, "kids" who talk like walking advertisements, and Michael K as their first convert, will the SPHDZ be able to keep their cover and pull off their assignment?

 

MY THOUGHTS:

First of all, this a book I think that a boy would be more interested in than a girl. Also, it is geared for the younger teen crowd ages 7-10.  With that in mind, I tried to read it from that perspective. 

First the bad of the book.  It is very confusing to try and figure it out when trying to figure out where the plot is wanting to go.  It didn't flow like it should, and at many times I was left scratching my head.  It has a lot of references to different internet sites throughout the story and I am guessing the author wanted to have the book correspond with these sites.  Personally, I think getting a child to read a book is more important than having a child read a little, check a website, and then read the book more.  To me it wasn't what reading is all about.

The good points of the book are the illustrations.  I thought they were cute and funny.  They fit the feel of the book perfectly.  The cover is nice and bright and probably would be appealing to the younger readers.  Since the book is basically about space aliens, I do think it is great to have a book for the boys who read.  You just don't see a lot of books geared for boys anymore. 

In my overall opinion, the book was just okay.  It might be a little confusing for the age group it is targeting, and might even be more confusing if the child doesn't have access to the internet.  

MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it!