Early Review: Liesl & Po

Title: Liesl & Po
Author: Lauren Oliver
Genre: Children's, Ages 8-12
Format: ARC, Paperback, 320pp
Source: Author
On-Sale Date: 10/04/2011

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Synopsis


Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.
That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable
Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.
From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.



Review


This is an amazing tale of friendship, and it couldn't be more beautifully written. The story starts out in a small attic room, with a little girl named Liesel. Her father had recently died, and she is very sad. Then she meets a ghost named Po. They begin on an adventure to get her fathers ashes to the willow tree so he can finally go to rest.

There are nine characters who have nothing to do with each other, yet in the end they have everything to do with each other. The expression, "If you kill a fly, it will change the whole world" comes to mind. Sort of a chain reaction kind of story.


Lauren Oliver is my absolute favorite Author. She has a way of writing these stories that get stuck in your head. I think that if you are still thinking about a book months after you've read it, It's a very good story.




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This is the book trailer for Liesl & Po. The drawing are amazing! They're the same ones used throughout the book. The song is perfect for the story. I loved the trailer so much I thought I'd post it on here for those of you who haven't seen it. Enjoy!

Review: His Country Girl

Title: His Country Girl
Series: Granger Family Ranch #4
Author: Jillian Hart
Genre: Adult Romance
Format: Paperback, 218pp
Source: Harlequin Ambassadors

Connect with the Author

Website | Facebook


Synopsis


To fulfill a sick boy's wish, rodeo star Tucker Granger surprises little Owen in the hospital. But no one is more surprised than single mother Sierra Baker. She figures the carefree champion for a different kind of man. One who doesn't spend hours talking "cowboy code" with a hospital-bound child. One who can't have her dreaming of a second chance at love. Somehow, Tucker ropes her heart and fills it with hope. Hope that this country girl and her son can lasso the roaming bronc rider into their family forever.



Review


This is a very clean romance. This story is pretty cute. Although there were a few things I didn't like. There were a few parts in the book when I couldn't figure out who was talking. It was like they moved on to something else and I didn't know about it. Another thing that got me was all the back and forth. I love you, I hate you, you haven't really changed, but maybe you have, either way it won't work. The end kind of took me by surprise. Usually you get a chapter or two of a happily ever after, but in this one you get a couple pages. Maybe because its a part of a series, and you'll get to hear about them later? I don't know.

The main thing I loved about this book was the love Sierra had for her son. Every action she even though about doing, ran through a process in her, making sure it wasn't going to hurt owen in any way. Which I can relate to. My son comes before any thing else.

Overall this was a good book. I think it can be read as a stand alone book, but you would get more out of the story if you started at the beginning of the series.


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In My Mailbox # 12.5

Hosted by Kristy at The Story Siren,  inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Where we post about books we have received 

during the week via mailbox, local library, or store bought, etc.

_______

 

 

 

 

 

Last week I got all my days mixed  up.  I posted my IMM on Wednesday thinking it was Monday. Silly me. Any ways. That is why today is In My Mailbox 12.5, I have to share with you what I just got in the mail!

 

I'm just gonna *squee* right now and get it over with.. Lauren Oliver is my FAVORITE author. She held a giveaway on her blog for the last few months, and I was one of the August winners! So, here it is!

 

 This is the box the book came in!

 

 

 The front cover!

 

 She even signed it!

 

 

I was doing a happy dance in the kitchen after opening it and my 4 year old asks "Mommy? What are you doing?"

 Oh well, I'm having a really good day!

 

So, what did you get in your mailbox?

Leave me a comment with a link to your IMM!

Winner: Brightwing

I would like to thank Laura for taking the time to answer some questions for us, and also for giving away one eBook copy of Brightwing! I would also like to thank all of you for tweeting, re-tweeting, facebooking, and posting blogs about this giveaway! You are the ones who make these things possible!

Ok, on to the winner.

Using Random.org our winner is:

Paige Bradish!

Congratulations! I will send Laura your e-mail address now, she will take care of the rest!

Thank you so much for entering! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

It's My Blogoversary!

*Update: You guys are amazing! We hit 100 followers! So I am now adding a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

The Blogging Book is one year old today!

I just want to say thank you, to all of my followers. When I started blogging I never thought anyone would be interested in what I was writing. But here I am one year later, with almost 100 followers. You guys are great! So, to show how much I appreciate you, I am hosting a giveaway! 

There are 4 prize packs and possibly an Amazon GiftCard!

Prize Pack #1

What's in it:

Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner

Cherry Laffy Taffy Lip Balm

Stickers, Button & Bookmark Swag

Prize Pack #2

What's in it:

His Country Girl by Jillian Hart

Strawberry FunDip Lip Balm

Stickers, Button & Bookmark Swag

Prize Pack #3

What's in it:

His Country Girl by Jillian Hart

Stickers, Button & Bookmark Swag

Prize Pack #4

What's in it:

His Country Girl by Jillian Hart

Stickers, Button & Bookmark Swag

If I get 100 hundred followers by September 21, I will even throw in ONE, 10 dollar Amazon GiftCard!

So, that's 5 prizes to be given away! Because I get to do what I love most, which is read and tell people what I thought about the book! Thanks again!

Details:

•  For this giveaway you do not have to be a follower, but it is appreciated.
• Giveaway ends 09.30.11
• Winners Announced 10.01.11
• This giveaway is for US addresses only please.
• To enter just leave a way to contact you in the comments below!
• I will pick 4 (or 5) winners, the winners will go in the order I picked them, they will choose which prize they want.

The Man in the Moon

Title: The Man in the Moon
Series: Guardians of Childhood #1
Author: William Joyce
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Format: ARC, 29 pp
Source: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Connect with the Author

Website

Synopsis

   Up there in the sky.

    Don’t you see him?

    No, not the moon.

The Man in the Moon.

He wasn’t always a man.

Nor was he always on the moon.

He was once a child.

Like you.

Until a battle,

a shooting star,

and a lost balloon

sent him on a quest.

Meet the very first guardian of childhood.

MiM, the Man in the Moon.

Review


I usually don't review children's book on here, but I just had to let everyone know about this book. The illustrations in the book are beautiful. The story is one you will never forget. This is the first of six books from William Joyce, about childhood hero's, The Man in the Moon (MiM for short) Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Sand Man, Jack Frost.

The Man in the Moon is about a family that lives on the moon clipper and travels from planet to planet. MiM has never had a nightmare, so when Pitch, the king of nightmares hears this news he is determined to fix that.

This is a story for the young and old alike. Joyce is a genius with words.


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In My Mailbox 12

Hosted by Kristy at The Story Siren,  inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Where we post about books we have received 

during the week via mailbox, local library, or store bought, etc.

_______

For Review 

His Country Girl - Jillian Hart

The Fox Inheritance - Mary E. Pearson

Hades - Alexandra Adornetto 

The Man in the Moon - William Joyce

I have never seen a book of this size. It's HUGE!

I took a picture of my 4 year old son holding the book 

so you have something to compare it with.

 It's HUGE! And he love it even more! 

Well that's all for this week! What did you get in your mailbox?

Win Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Just twenty-two  days until SILENCE comes out! 

Enter for a chance to win Silence over at the Fallen Archangel!

Here's the details: 

1. Share the I'm Reading... badge and let the world know you're reading HUSH, HUSH or CRESCENDO then fill out the form included in this post and you're entered. Yes, you can enter multiple times. Each time you share the badge or just tell people you're reading the books you can enter, just be sure you provide the link where we can find it.
2. Open to everyone! Yep, that means anyone can enter and we will ship prizes internationally
3. Winners will be selected at random on Tuesday October 4th
4. Prizes will include hardcover copies of SILENCE and SILENCE posters

As you read, be sure to make note of some of your favorite quotes in both

HUSH, HUSH and CRESCENDO. FallenArchangel just might be holding

another contest to celebrate the release of SILENCE...

All These Things I've Done

Title: All These Things I've Done

Series: Birthright #1 

Author: Gabrielle Zevin 

Genre: Young Adult

Format: ARC, 354pp

Source: Publisher, Requested Review

Connect with the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Synopsis

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Review

All I can say is If Chocolate and Caffine is ever made illegal, I will go absolutely crazy. It's not hard to believe that things could actually come to this in the future. They ration water, paper is scarce, You have to have vouchers for things like candles, and ice cream. They close down amusement parks because they take up too much electricity, drain pools because they use too much water. And the weird thing is alcohol is legal at any age. I guess if it isn't a big deal if no one wants it.

Anya just wants to live a normal life, but you can't choose you parents. I don't know how any one person could go through as much as Anya did. When she was 4 her mom gets shot in the head, and runs the car into the tree while her brother was in it, making him mentally disabled. At 9, her father gets shot in the head while she and her sister are playing at his feet. But I guess any Mob family would have to worry about that kind of stuff. She has to take care of her brother, sister and her grandma. She's only sixteen. And when her grandma dies, she has to worry about the family being split apart. She is a very strong character.

I really liked the romance in this story. They were completely head over heels in love with each other and didn't try to question it. This is a very good book. I can't wait for the next one to come out. 

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Review: Blood Magic

Title: Blood Magic

Series: Blood Journals #1

Author: Tessa Gratton

Genre: Young Adult

Format: ARC, 408 pp

Source: Random House

Connect with the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog


Synposis

Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla.



Review

This book wasn't what I expected at all. I usually stay away from the magic books. They confuse me. But I actually liked this one. It all boils down to mystery and romance. Both of which I love!

Silla has had a pretty good life, until one day she comes home and her parents are murdered in the library of their home. Things just get worse from there. They live in a small town where everyone knows everything, even the bad stuff. Her parents used to be loved by everyone, now they think Robert murdered his wife and killed himself, and they deserved what they got. But Silla knows better. She knows her father would never do that and she has to reveal the truth.

I really liked the whole magic theme in the book. It brought the main characters together and gave them a reason to stay together. There are two stories you follow in this book, and it will keep you guessing until the very end. The ending really got me though, I won't give it away but it kind of made me mad. It sort of just stops. There will be a second book (Expected publication: 2012), I hope it starts where the first one left off. I really don't like cliff hangers. It bugs me until I figure out what happens.

 

 

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