Author Interview: Andrea Cremer


Andrea Cremer is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, Nightshade. Nightshade is the first book in a new and exciting series about werewolves. Andrea was amazing enough to let me interview her this month for the Ultimate Reviewers Challenge. Check out our interview and don't forget to enter the challenge... an ARC of Nightshade is included in my prize pack and you don't want to miss your opportunity to get your hands on this book!

Synopsis:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?




What are your must haves when writing?

Coffee, coffee, and coffee.


Describe Nightshade in three words.

Seductive, thrilling, addictive.


What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your book?

At ALA someone asked me if Calla was born a wolf or human (since Guardians shift back and forth at will). I hadn't really thought about it - and I'd say it could go either way.


Who was your favorite character in Nightshade or who was the one you identified with the most?

They're all favorites - the character I identify with the most is Ansel, who is loosely based on my younger brother. Since my brother and I are a lot alike I really to that character.


What is a typical day in the life of Andrea Cremer like?

It really depends. During the school year my schedule is based around the classes I'm teaching. Right now, however, I'm on sabbatical so my days revolved around writing instead. I usually get up around 9 a.m. stumble through my apartment until I get coffee. Then I check email and blogs and twitter. After that I usually turn to writing whatever project I'm working on and I'll write through the afternoon, taking breaks to walk the dogs or eat. When my husband gets home we'll make dinner together, hang out, and play World of Warcraft. When I'm feeling motivated I also do yoga and go for runs.


What's next for you?

I just turned in Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) and once I have my editorial letter I'll work on revisions. Then it's onto Book 4, which doesn't have a title but is a prequel to the Nightshade series.


A HUGE thank you to Andrea for taking the time to answer my questions and for donating an ARC of Nightshade for the Ultimate Prize Pack! I have read Nightshade and absolutely loved it. To read my review, please click here.

(Credit for the photo of Andrea: Gina Monroe)

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

Synopsis:

YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

I DON’T THINK SO.


Release date: January 1, 2011

*squee* I'm a couple books behind in this series but what I have read so far, I have loved! What are you waiting for? Leave me a link! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (18)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, borrowed, or bought this past week:

Won:
Take Me There by Susane Colasanti
Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr (signed)

I won these books as part of a prize pack for being voted Friendliest Rather on the Rath&Ruins forum on the Wicked Lovely website. The award was part of The Marr Awards which were awards voted on by fans of Melissa Marr's work. Check out The Rath if you're a fan of the Wicked Lovely Series, you won't be disappointed!

Borrowed:
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
The Duff by Kody Keplinger
(both from my amazing brain twin, LENA!)
Intertwined by Gena Showalter from the fabulous KAREN!
Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov from my BFF, Cheryl.

Definitely a good week, made it nice coming home from vacation! So what did you get this week? Please leave me a link so I can check it out! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Synopsis:

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch an object and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case — but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother — who has supernatural gifts of his own — becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Release date: March 1, 2011


Wow. This one sounds AWESOME. I can't wait to read it! What are you waiting for? Leave me a link! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Dead Beautiful

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

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!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon.

All of a sudden I felt an incredible urge to feel something more: pain, happiness, it didn't matter. In front of me the water was tenuously still, as if the night air were weighing down on it with immense pressure.

And then I saw something rise to the surface. It was round and long, and had what looked like a train of tattered clothes hanging off of it, lolling in the ripples of the water. Its surface was a sickly white. pg. 22


I'm definitely intrigued by this book so far! I JUST started it, can't wait to get further in. Leave me a link to your teaser! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Clockwork Angel

Synopsis:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.


*squees uncontrollably* I am in love with Cassie Clare’s books. Seriously. In LOVE. I adore The Mortal Instruments Series and am unbelievably happy that she’s writing more books in it. And now? I’m also completely in love with The Infernal Devices. This new series is set in the same Shadowhunter world that The Mortal Instruments is, just quite a bit in the past. And Clockwork Angel, the first book in the series, will NOT disappoint you.

Clockwork Angel follows Tessa, an American girl who has just arrived in London, as she is thrust into a world that she never knew existed. She learns that she herself is part of this world thanks to an amazing ability she has... the ability to transform into another person. Unfortunately, she learns about her ability by being kidnapped and tortured by the Dark Sisters, two very scary and cruel women. Tessa ends up being aided in her escape by the Shadowhunters, gifted human warriors who fight evil.

Tessa stays at the Institute with the Shadowhunters so she can help them figure out what is going on with the clockwork creatures and the mysterious person behind it all, the Magister. In exchange, the Shadowhunters will help Tessa find her brother. Included in this group of Shadowhunters are Will and Jem, two teenage boys that Tessa finds herself drawn to as she delves deeper and deeper into their world.

I really can't say much else of the plot without spoilering and THAT would be a travesty because this book is AMAZING. I was completely engaged in the story and literally had to pry the book from my fingers at times. Cassie Clare has done it again! I don't think I realized how much I had missed this world until reading this book.

Things I can tell you: This book is action-packed! Definitely no yawning while reading this one. And the boys? RAWR. Two delectable choices. Though I am firmly on one side of the fence, I adore the other boy as well and when does that happen? The writing is beautiful and I love the descriptions... I literally felt as if I were there at times. And if you like mystery and intrigue, this one is for you! I have NO idea where the story is headed next and I love that. And Will? Wow. He is so intriguing and interesting, I have GOT to know what has happened in his past. I'm drawn to characters with layers and man, does he have some! All of the characters were great, really. I felt bonded to all of the Shadowhunters we meet. And who doesn't love Magnus? My only complaint is not more of him!

This book is a seriously great read. It will stick with you after you're done. I can't stop thinking about it and feel tortured that it's going to be so long before book two comes out! You MUST add this to your TBR pile if you haven't already. It releases August 31st so what are you waiting for? Pre-order!! You won't regret it! *XOXO*

Better Know a BLOGGER: Meet Taylor... The Library Lurker!

Your Name: Taylor

Name of your blog? The Library Lurker. Check it out here!

Started when? January 2010

Number of followers? 166

What do you review? YA Fiction of all kinds.

How did you get the name for your blog? Well, I get most of my books from the library and I'm there a lot. When I was brainstorming ideas for a name, The Library Lurker just popped into my head. I did a search to see if anyone had used it for a book blog before, because surely it must have been taken, but the only link was to a blog that no one had ever posted on.

How would you describe your blog? My blog is a reflection of me. The colors that it is (bright green and purple) are two of my favorites. I don't have a ton of clutter on my sidebar because I like all of the focus to be on my actual posts and don't like things messy in real life. I have a loose schedule for my weekly post outlines because I can't stand not having a plan.

What kind of blogger are you? Very organized or fly by the seat of your pants? I'm a little bit of both. Like I said above, I have a loose outline of what I'm going to post in the near future, but if I think that something unscheduled is worth posting I won't hesitate to.

What is your favorite review or post from your own blog? Definitely my opinion post My Thoughts on Size in YA. It's the first time that I've ever really expressed my opinion about something like that on my blog, and I was proud of myself for actually posting it. I'm generally pretty reserved, so putting my opinion out there for others to criticize was huge for me.

Your favorite blog? I like all of the usuals (you know the ones!), and I also really like Katie's Book Blog, she's so nice! Erika of Moonlight Book Reviews started a little bit after me, and her blog is great! But really, any book blog is my favorite blog. I just love reading about books.

What are you reading right now? I'm planning on starting The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting once I get done with all this bloggy stuff. I'm really excited to read it!

Can you give me a picture of either your TBR pile or your bookshelves? This is my TBR bookshelf! That does include the books on top, but the books on the floor I've read, one pile is for giveaway/trade/sell, the others I'm keeping. Now I just need to go sign up for the event!

Taylor: Thanks again!

A HUGE thanks to Taylor for letting us interview her! Be sure to check out her site here. And if YOU would like to be featured on Better Know a BLOGGER, please email me at nflkaren(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Synopsis:

Someone’s been a very bad zombie.

Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be thisclose to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except... the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating... zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend... not even Kate...

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

Release date: July 11, 2011


I love Goodreads! I saw the cover for this book on the site when a friend of mine added it to their TBR list and I was instantly intrigued. You have to admit, that is a sweet cover! Sounds like a fun read, can’t wait to check it out. What are YOU waiting for? *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Infinite Days

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

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!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week’s Teaser Tuesday comes from Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel.

His eyes set into mine and bore deeply into what would have been my soul, if I had one. “Anywhere you go, I will go,” he said. We turned from the balcony, the only indication of our presence… the carnage. pg. 76

I’m really enjoying this so far! I’ve been told that it gets really, really sad… unsure about whether or not I’m looking forward to that. The writing is beautiful though and I’m definitely into the story. What are you reading? *XOXO*

Manic Monday! (11)

Welcome to Manic Monday! Manic Monday is all about finding things to look forward to on Tuesday, because who loves Monday? And we all know Tuesday means NEW RELEASES!! So each Monday, I'll highlight a book or two that are coming out the next day. Just a little something to help you find that silver lining!

The first book I’m highlighting is The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller:

Synopsis:

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves, before all is lost and the cycle begins again.


Definitely sounds interesting! Some early reviews on Goodreads have made me want to check it out for sure! The second book I’m highlighting is Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt:

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old high school senior Shannon Card needs money. And lots of it. She's been admitted to Wellesley, but her dad just lost his job, and somehow she has to come up with a year of tuition herself. But Shannon's dream of making big bucks waitressing at the local casino, the Collosio, disappears faster than a gambler's lucky streak. Her boss is a tyrant, her coworker is nuts, and her chances of balancing a tray full of drinks while wearing high-heeled shoes are slim to none. Worse, time is running out, and Shannon hasn't made even half the money she'd hoped.

When Shannon receives a mysterious invitation to join Aces Up, a secret network of highly talented college poker players, at first she thinks No way. She has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.

Soon Shannon's caught up in a web of lies and deceit that makes worrying about tuition money or a high school crush seem like kid stuff. Still, when the money's this good, is the fear of getting caught reason enough to fold?

This fun, sexy, recession-proof story is a bubbly summer read with surprising depth—great for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.


I want to read this one because it sounds very different from a lot of the books I’ve been reading lately. Can’t wait to check it out!

I want to throw out a mention of Winter Longing by Tricia Mills:

Synopsis:

When Winter's boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she's robbed of the future she'd only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer's presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can't change. Can she open herself to a new future… and a possible new love?


I’ve already read this book so I probably won’t pick it up right away, but I really, really enjoyed it and will DEFINITELY be adding it to my collection when money is flowing more freely, haha. To check out my review of Winter Longing, please click here. And as always, Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (17)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, borrowed, or bought this past week:

Borrowed:
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel from my brain-twin LENA!
*I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
*Change of Heart by Shari Maurer
*Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
(*All borrowed from the fabulous KAREN!)

I didn't buy any books this week since I've been reading some truly fantastic books thanks to some amazing friends. Probably means I'll have a large order the next time I go to B&N, haha. So... what did YOU get this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out! *XOXO*

100 Follower Contest: WINNERS!

It took me a few days to go through all the entries... a HUGE thank you to everyone who entered the contest! *hugs* And welcome again to my new followers!

And now... the WINNERS!! :D

*drumroll*

Allison

and

The Book Vixen

*tosses confetti*

An email will be heading to you both so please be on the lookout! If you don't respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

And if you didn't win, no worries! We've got a MASSIVE contest going on right now: The Ultimate Reviewers Challenge! Click on the link for details and get those reviews written!

Thanks again to all who entered! *XOXO*

Better Know a BLOGGER: Meet Em!

It's time to meet... EM from Twisted Fates' Cafe!! :D

Your Name: Em

Blog Stats: Unique hits are between 30 and 80 a day.

Name of your blog? Twisted Fates' Cafe. Check it out here!

Started when? It officially became Twisted Fates in February of this year.

Number of followers? 60

What do you review? Everything. Really. Books (lately it's been mostly YA), movies, and music.

How did you get the name for your blog? When I asked Kim and Catie to join me as a group blog because I needed help, we sat around thinking of a name. Twisted because we're all weird. Fates because there is three of us, like The Fates. Cafe because we talk about all the things you'd discuss in a cafe (minus politics). Yes, we can be overthinkers. ^_^

How would you describe your blog? All the taste of entertainment without the fat? We're three crazy women tackling everything from light and fluffy reads to heavy hitting shows, action packed movies to tear jerking issues people can make a difference with. In other words, we review books, movies, and music, and feature band, author, and non-profit organization interviews and showcases. We try to be entertaining and amusing while being honest and forward. We provide our readers with opinions, facts, reviews, and features to keep them entertained, informed, and hopefully coming back for more of our quirkiness. Anything you'd want to discuss over a nice cup of Joe (or tea, if you're a tea person) you can usually find at Twisted Fates' Cafe.

What kind of blogger are you? Very organized or fly by the seat of your pants? Both? I have a schedule, everything is planned out. But the posts themselves only get written ahead of time when I'm in a very productive mood. I'll be ahead for two weeks and then spend a month writing posts as I go. Lol. My reviews get written a day or two after I'm finished with whatever I'm reviewing. But the rest of the post is usually last minute.

What is your favorite review or post from your own blog? I'll give you two because my absolute favorite is a review of a play. I reviewed The Pride, an amazing play, and that's my favorite because of how in depth I got with the review. My favorite book review is probably the one for The Body Finder. It's the most recent review I've posted and shows that I've grown leaps and bounds since I first started this silly reviewing business since I loved the book and didn't just gush about it the whole time. Lol.

Your favorite blog? Ya know, I don't read many because I'm always so busy working on mine or writing or reading. But I LOVE Shannon's blog because of her amazing use of alliteration, which I have a thing for. Check out Shannon's blog here.

What are you reading right now? Right now I'm reading The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff and Forget You by Jennifer Echols.

Can you give me a picture of either your TBR pile or your bookshelves? I have a TBR bookcase. The pictures don't catch the full beauty of it, but the top shelf has 57 books, middle shelf has 69 (yes, I found that amusing too), and the bottom shelf has 33 books (there is a stack of Comics also, but I've read those). All books waiting to be read.

Em: This was a lot of fun! Thanks. ^_^


A HUGE thanks to Em for the interview! Please be sure to check out Twisted Fates' Cafe to read more from Em and to meet her partners-in-crime, Kim and Catie. And if YOU would like to be featured on Better Know a BLOGGER, please email me at nflkaren(at)gmail(dot)com.

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Synopsis:

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.


Release date: April 12, 2011

*squee* I saw the cover of this today on Goodreads and just had to post it! I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan and I cannot wait for this new series! *happy dance* If you haven't read her Darkest Powers Series, I HIGHLY recommend it. So... what are YOU waiting for? Leave me a link and I'll check it out! *XOXO*

Ultimate Reviewers Challenge!

The Ultimate Reviewers Challenge has begun!!! :D *squee*

Addicted 2 Novels, For What It's Worth, Tiger's All-Consuming Books and I are hosting this event. For details, click here. Basically, throughout the month of August, we invite ALL bloggers to post as many reviews as possible. Consider it a "back-to-basics" contest!

One of the best parts? It's super simple! All you have to do is sign-up on each of our blogs so we know you're participating, write a review anytime this month and then enter it in the Mr. Linky below. But first... check out our official rules.

Rules:

* You MUST sign up HERE. You can sign up any time. There's no deadline!
*These must be real reviews, meaning more than just a couple of sentences describing the book. We'll be checking to make sure you're posting legitimate reviews!
*No review can be posted twice on the same blog. That doesn't mean you can't post the same review on each one of our blogs though so make sure you link your review on all 4 blogs for the best chance of winning!
*The review must be written in August. No using reviews you've already written!
*You must be a blogger to participate.
*This contest will be international. There will be 4 winners total.
*Contest ends August 31st at midnight, CST.
*Rules and regulations are subject to change depending on current situations. Don't worry, you'll be informed if that's the case!

The Prize: At the end of the challenge, one lucky reviewer from each blog will receive the Ultimate Prize Pack. The prize packs are different, depending on the host. Here's a sample of the prize pack that will be given away here:

Books:
-Nightshade (signed ARC)
-Bones of Faerie
-The Unwritten Rule
-Beautiful Creatures (with bracelet and sticker)
-Something Like Fate
-The Iron King
-Things I Know About Love
-The Summer of Skinny Dipping

Swag:
-Sea bookmarks
-Radiant Shadows bookmarks and bookplates
-The Iron King bookplates
... and much, more more! We've got a TON of swag.

Throughout the event, we'll also be hosting mini-contests, interviewing some of your favorite authors and bloggers, and adding MORE books to the prize packs, so be sure to follow our blogs!

We would also be super grateful if you'd sport our button on your blog throughout the event. Snag it here:




So... what are you waiting for? Get linking those reviews! Best of luck to you all! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (16)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, borrowed, or bought this past week:

Given:
Nightshade ARC from the wonderfully generous Andrea Cremer. This ARC was given to me to include in the prize pack for the Ultimate Reviewers Challenge. Be on the lookout for an interview with Andrea that will be posted soon!

Borrowed:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare from my BFF LENA!

Bought:
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
Oh My Gods by Tera Lynn Childs
Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

So what did you get this week? Leave me a link and I'll check it out! *XOXO*
 
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