In My Mailbox [137]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Normally this would be my Christmas Edition of IMM. But I haven't got the chance to spend my gift cards, so that post will be for next week. I did get a few exciting titles this week.

Review:

Broods of Fenrir- Coral Moore

Thank you to Coral Moore.

Paperback Swap Forums:

Jessica Rules the Dark Side- Beth Fantaskey

Born Wicked- Jessica Spotswood

Bought:

Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide- Michelle Rowen & Richelle Mead

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.
_______________________________________________________

Happy 2012!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe time celebrating the new year.

December 2011 - Reading List

Water for Elephants- Sara Gruen [5 Stars]
Last Breath- Rachel Caine [4 Stars]
Courting Darkness- Yasmine Galenorn [4 Stars]
A Taste of Darkness- Lara Adrian [4 Stars]
His Dark Bond- Anne Marsh [4 Stars]
The Bite Before Christmas- Lynsay Sands & Jeaniene Frost [3 Stars]
Grave Sight GN Vol. 2- Charlaine Harris [3 Stars]
Storm Born, Issue #4- Richelle Mead [4 Stars]
Shadow of the Moon- Lori Handeland [3 Stars]
Shades of Midnight- Lara Adrian [4 Stars]
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening- L.J. Smith [3 Stars]

Compared to other months, this one wasn't a good one. At least reading wise. Although I reached my goal of 200 books this year. I found myself going through a terrible reading funk this past month.  Not sure what the problem was, but I'm glad it's over with. Especially with some of the good titles coming out in 2012.

 Upcoming Events in January

• Top 2011 Books  
• January Giveaway
• Feature Kim Culbertson (flash fiction contest)
• Guest Blog with Coral Moore

Holiday Giveaway Winners

and the winner is...

PNR/UF Box: Sara M

YA Box: Carrie at In the Hammock Blog

Congrats! Please send your mailing

information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

Winner - Moonlight in the Morning

and the winner is...

Margay

Congrats! Please send your mailing

information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

January Book Releases

1st

Midnight Reckoning- Kendra Leigh Castle
Claime the Night- Rachel Lee
The Lure of Song and Magic- Patrice Rice
Hold Me If You Can- Stephanie Rowe
Wolf Whisperer- Karen Whiddon
A Demon Does It Better- Linda Wisdom

3rd

Serengeti Sins- Vivi Andrews (pbk)
Turn It Up- Vivian Arend (pbk)
Immortal Hope- Claire Ashgrove
Wild Cat- Jennifer Ashley
The Daemon Prison- Carol Berg
Flashfire- Deborah Cooke
Bloodrose- Andrea Cremer
At the King's Pleasure- Kate Emerson
All That Bleeds- Kimberly Frost
The Bride Wore Black Leather- Simon R. Green
Dreaming Awake- Gwen Hayes
Between Their Worlds- Barb & J.C. Hendee
Switched- Amanda Hocking
Raven Cursed- Faith Hunter
Gift of Magic- Lynn Kurland
Haunted Warrior- Allie Mackay
King of the Isles- Debbie Mazzuca
The Zero Dog War- Keith Melton (pbk)
Cinder- Marissa Meyer
To Walk the Night- E.S. Moore
Charmfall- Chloe Neill
Born of Ashes- Caris Roane
Hammer Down- Moira Rogers
Under the Never Sky- Veronica Rossi
Sins of the Demon- Diana Rowland
The Departed- Shiloh Walker
Eternal Blood- Laura Wright (enovella)

5th

Dragonswood- Janet Lee Carey

10th

The Gathering Storm- Robin Bridges
Lothaire- Kresley Cole
Jessica Rules the Dark Side- Beth Fantaskey
Dmeon's Caress- Crystal Jordan
Runner- Anitra Lynn McLeod
A Million Suns- Beth Revis

17th

Tempest- Julie Cross
Hallowed- Cynthia Hand
Stolen Away- Alyxandra Harvey
Dark Victory- Michele Lang

24th

Darker After Midnight- Lara Adrian
Mesmerize- Artist Arthur
The Twisted Kiss- Anya Bast
Forbidden- Syrie James & Ryan M. James
Fallen In Love- Lauren Kate
Horizon- Sophie Littlefield
Diabolical- Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5: The Asylum- Smith, Williams & Plec
Clash- Yolanda Sfetsos
Life Eternal- Yvonne Woon

31st

Firelight- Kristen Callihan
All Things Wicked- Karina Cooper
Lair of the Lion- Christine Feehan (re-issue)
Undone Deeds- Mark Del Franco
Kiss of the Vampire- Cynthia Garner
A Devil Named Desire- Terri Garey
Darkest Highlander- Donna Grant
The Red Queen- Philippa Gregory (mmp)
Brightwater Blood- Shona Husk
Third Grave Dead Ahead- Darynda Jones
Burned- J.F. Lewis
A Little Night Magic- Lucy March
His Dark Bond- Anne Marsh
Incarnate- Jodi Meadows
Wrong Side of Dead- Kelly Meding
Wings of the Wicked- Courtney Allison Moulton
Article 5- Kristen Simmons
An Affair with Mr. Kennedy- Jillian Stone
If You See Her- Shiloh Walker

[ARC Review] - At the King's Pleasure by Kate Emerson

Title: At the King's Pleasure
Author: Kate Emerson
Series: Secrets of the Tudor Court
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: January 3, 2012

I received this book for review from Simon & Schuster.

Summary:  Married to one man. Desiring another. Beautiful Lady Anne Stafford, lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, is torn between her love for her husband, George, Lord Hastings . . . and the king’s boon companion, the attentive Sir William Compton. But when King Henry VIII, amorous as always, joins the men clustering around her, Anne realizes she has become perilously enmeshed in the intrigues of the court.

Will she be forced to decide between the two men she desires—and the one she doesn’t?Kate Emerson charms again with a heroine who steps out of the pages of history to win our hearts in this sumptuous novel of Tudor scandal and intrigue

Thoughts: Lady Anne Stafford is a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon. A married women. But she catches the eye of King Henry and his close friend Sir William Compton. Lady Anne learns fast how life at court can turn dangerous.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  I liked Lady Anne Stafford. She is quite outgoing and charismatic. But I also felt bad for her too. Sadly her brother, the Duke of Buckingham and her husband Lord Hastings take an innocent situation and blow it into a scandal.  I have to say there were many times while I was reading that I would have loved to slap up both brother and husband. But all in all At the King's Pleasure is great read. Temptation and court intrigue. Everything I've come to love from Emerson's Tudor books. She has a wonderful writing style that automatically takes me back to that time. I love it.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/

Upcoming Releases:
The King's Damsel (Secrets of the Tudor Court #5)- 2012

In My Mailbox [136] & Happy Holidays

Whatever you are celebrating this year, I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday. :)

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library. Here is what I got this past week...

Thank you to Arianne for sending me the Mythos Academy bookmarks!

Bought/Received:
Switched- Amanda Hocking
Night Pleasures- Sherrilyn Kenyon
Lawe's Justice- Lora Leigh

What did you get this week?

Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Cover Discovery

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Release Date: June 26, 2012

U.K. Cover

U.K. Release Date: July 5, 2012

U.S. Release Date: August 14, 2012

Re-issue for U.S. Release

Release Date: July 31, 2012

[Trailer] - Switched by Amanda Hocking

Coming January 3, 2012

From Amanda Hocking, million-copy bestselling author and internet sensation comes the Trylle series… it all begins with Switched, available everywhere 1.3.12. As a special gift to readers, Switched contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “The Vittra Attacks,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

The Trylle series continues with Torn, on-sale 2.28.12, and concludes on 4.24.12 with Ascend.

SWITCHED… at birth:

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/amandahockingtrylle

[Review] - Storm Born, Issue #4

Title: Storm Born, Issue #4
Writers: Richelle Mead & Grant Alter
Artists: Dave Hamann
Cover Artists: Dave Hamann & Jennyson Rosero
Series: Dark Swan
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: August 2011

I received this book for review from Sea Lion Books.

Summary:  Yesterday, Eugenie Markham thought her life was complicated. But today, she will learn a secret that shakes her world to its very core. Everything she thought she knew was wrong. And if that wasn't enough, she still has Jasmine Delaney hanging over her head...

Thoughts: All hell breaks loose. Eugenie is betrayed in this issue, making her a very unhappy camper.  More secrets come to light that Eugenie doesn't want to believe. Another great issue.  I'm loving this series. The colorful art and action keeps the story moving along. Kiyo reappears. Definitely one of the high points to the story. Eugenie so obviously attracted to him, but still trying hard to stay away from him. This issue had a fantastic cliff hanger ending. I look forward to more.

Score: 4 Stars

Where to Buy: Sea Lion Books | Things From Another World

Waiting On Wednesday [33] - Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine. A feature showcasing upcoming releases that are eagerly anticipated.

I'm a bit behind in this series but I can't wait to read this one. Hard to believe we are finally getting Sterling Chase's story.

Title: Darker After Midnight

Series: Midnight Breed

Author: Lara Adrian

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Book Description:

In the dark of night, a blood war escalates within the hidden world of the Breed. After existing in secret for many long centuries, maintaining a fragile peace with the humans who walk beside them unaware, a single act of retaliation has put the entire vampire nation at risk of discovery. It falls to the Order—a cadre of Breed warriors pledged to protect their own and humankind alike—to stop Dragos, the power-mad vampire at the center of the conflict, before his push for domination can explode into catastrophe.

At the center of the Order’s quest is Sterling Chase, once a morally rigid enforcer of Breed law, now a warrior fallen from grace, whose biggest battle is the one he wages against his own savage nature. With addiction beckoning him toward eternal darkness, Chase’s path to redemption has never seemed more out of reach. But when his eyes meet those of Tavia Fairchild, a beautiful witness who identifies him at the scene of a mission gone terribly wrong, Chase finds himself drawn to the woman—and convinced she is something much more than she seems.

Pulled into a vortex of intrigue and danger she can neither resist nor understand, Tavia is uncertain whom to trust. And while everything sane and logical warns her against getting close to Chase, she cannot deny that the handsome, deeply haunted male stirs something primal and ravenous within her. But even as she surrenders to her cravings, nothing can prepare her for the shattering truth of who—and what—she truly is.

As the Order’s enemy mobilizes for the battle of the ages, Dragos and his Minions unleashing a hell on Earth like nothing ever seen before, Chase and Tavia are thrust into the heart of the violence. With time running out and the streets running red with the blood of innocent lives, both Breed and human, together Chase and Tavia must find a way to defeat Dragos once and for all—or die trying.

Midnight Breed series

Kiss of Midnight

Kiss of Crimson

Midnight Awakening

Midnight Rising

Veil of Midnight

Ashes of Midnight

Shades of Midnight

Taken by Midnight

Deeper Than Midnight

A Taste of Midnight (novella)

Darker After Midnight

Giveaway: Moonlight in the Morning by Jude Deveraux

Thanks to Simon & Schuster I have a copy of Jude Deveraux's upcoming release, Moonlight in the Morning to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winner will be announced on December 29th. Good Luck!

Moonlight in the Morning

By Jude Deveraux

Edilean #6

Coming on December 27, 2011

Sparks are flying between Jecca Layton and Dr. Tristian Aldredge. At the urging of dear friend Kim, Jecca puts the ruthless New York City art world on hold to spend the summer pursuing her passion for painting while enjoying Edilean's tightly knit artistic community.

For years, Kim's cousin Tris-the town's handsome dedicated doctor-felt a deep connection to Kim's college "sister" Jecca, thought they had met only once before; now, Jecca is swept off her feet by this strong, sensitive man in a summer of sensual delights. But when long shadows announce Jecca's return to "real life" and the big city, the lovers must decide: Can they survive the distance? And who will sacrifice the life they've created for themselves to be together?

Google Friend Connect & Changes to the Blog

As many of you know, coming in March non-blogger sites/users will not have Google Friend Connect available for their use.  If this is one of you there are other ways to follow Anna's Book Blog. Here are the other options.

Email Subscription: (you can also find this form on my sidebar.)

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

You can also follow me on: 

RSS Feed/Feedburner

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_____________________________________________________________

Changes to the Blog:

The biggest change is that starting this month (December 2011) I'm not accepting Ebooks for review until I get caught up on the ones I have.

The exception to this is... If you are a author I've worked with in the past, feel free to contact me and I will try to work you in to my review schedule.

My full review policy can be found here.

In My Mailbox [135]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Here is what I got this past week...

A special Thank you goes out to Michelle G for sending me 

such a wonderful Christmas package.

Review:

A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing- Terry Spear

Thank you to Sourcebooks.

Received:

At the King's Pleasure- Kate Emerson

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me a finished copy.

Gifts:

Winging It- Deborah Cooke

Tied with a Bow- Leigh, Kantra, Wilks and Frost

Dreamveil- Lynn Viehl

Frostfire- Lynn Viehl

Nightshine- Lynn Viehl

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Winners - The Calling

and the winners are...

Na

Cybercliper

You will be contacted shortly.

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

Guest Blog with Michelle Moran

Revolutionary or Royalist?

This December 1st marked the 250th anniversary of Marie Grosholtz’s birth. And while that name may not be immediately recognizable, Marie’s married name – Madame Tussaud – is probably one of the most famous in French history. It comes as a surprise to many people that the name behind the famous wax museums actually belonged to a real woman. Born in 1761, Marie grew up in a middle-class family on the Boulevard du Temple in Paris. As the daughter of a prominent wax artist who had friends in every walk of life, her family entertained impoverished young lawyers and hobnobbed with royals like the Duc d’Orléans. It was a rich and incredibly varied existence for Marie on the Boulevard. One day she might be dressed in a towering white pouf for a visit with the queen, while the next she might be working in a dirty artist’s apron. She knew how to curtsy and how to spice venison for stew, and was as comfortable in her uncle’s Tuesday evening salons as she was in his workshop, where she modeled wax figures of the rich and famous (and sometimes infamous) for their museum.

But when discontent began to spread throughout Paris, evidenced by the heated debates which took place in her family’s weekly salons, Marie had a choice to make. Would she side with the revolutionaries who were calling for fair taxation and an end to nobility, or would she support the royal family whose patronage had turned her Parisian museum into a must-see event for both French and foreigners alike?

While writing the book, I tried to imagine what I would have done in Marie’s place. I imagined that I was an acquaintance of Marie Antoinette’s, and that I was good friends with the king’s sister, Madame Elisabeth. As the Revolution gathers support from the masses, I witness firsthand the panic gripping the Palace of Versailles. At first, the king dismisses the uprising as a few discontented rabble-rousers. But as the protests becomes more violent, he begins to realize that this is something serious – something dangerous, in fact. Still, no one around him is telling him the truth. Not about the anger, or the violence, or even the state of his own treasury. Should I risk my place at court to speak up? If so, would he even believe me? And even if he did, what would it change at this late stage? There are also my three brothers to consider, all of whom are employed in the king’s Swiss Guard. Yet for all of my royal ties, I can see the revolutionaries’ point as well. People are starving in the streets, jobs are scarce, yet the rich are exempt from taxation.

So do I wear the black and white cockade to symbolize my support of the Bourbons, or do I wear the red, white and blue for revolution? It turns out that Marie did both. As the Revolution gained steam, anyone dressed in clothing that was deemed too “fancy” was subject to arrest. To be seen in public without a tricolor cockade meant literally risking your life. And at a time when nearly 40,000 people were guillotined (more than 80% were commoners), execution was a very real threat. So while Marie kept her ties with the royal family – even when it was dangerous to do so – she was also a very public (and unintentionally influential) figure in the French Revolution.

I can’t imagine the horrors Madame Tussaud lived through during this time, but I can empathize with the very difficult choices she eventually made in an attempt to survive. I didn’t always agree with them, but Madame Tussaud is - without a doubt - one of the strongest women I will ever write about.

Madame Tussaud

A Novel of the French Revolution

Coming to paperback on December 27, 2011

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away
from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

Where to Buy:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

http://michellemoran.com/

http://michellemoran.blogspot.com/

Giveaway: Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

On December 27, 2011 Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran will be available in paperback.  In celebration Crown Publishing & Michelle Moran are holding  a HEADS WILL ROLL photo contest and giveaway.  Starts today December 15th, with the winners being announced on January 16th. Click the link above to enter.

GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to Michelle & Crown Publishing I have (1) paperback copy of Madame Tussaud & a set of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S residents. The winner will be announced on January 9th. Good Luck!

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire…but who was this woman and how did she become one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous story comes to life as only Michelle Moran could tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin…

Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American Ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, and when word arrives that the royals themselves are coming to see their likenesses, Marie never dreams that the king’s sister will request her presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. Yet when a letter with a gold seal is delivered to her home, Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie becomes acquainted with her pupil, Princess Élisabeth, she is taken to meet both Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen, to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into to a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution…Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more importantly, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

http://michellemoran.com/

http://michellemoran.blogspot.com/

Waiting On Wednesday [32] - Hidden

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine. A feature showcasing upcoming releases that are eagerly anticipated.

Clay and Elena are two of my favorites in the Otherworld series, 

so I'm pretty eager to get my hands on this one.

Title: Hidden

Series: Women of the Otherworld Novella

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: December 31, 2011

Book Description:

Hiking through the snow, holiday baking and playing board games by the fire – what’s not to love about an old-fashioned family Christmas?

Werewolves Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers want to give their four-year-old twins, Kate and Logan, something their parents never had: a nice, normal holiday. No Pack responsibilities, no homicidal half-demons or power-hungry sorcerers to deal with – just the four of them, alone, at a chalet outside Ontario’s Algonquin Park. Then a strange werewolf shows up at their door…while the town is buzzing about a young man, back from college, found half-eaten in the woods. And there’s the missing little girl…

With all the signs pointing to a rogue mutt with a taste for human flesh, Elena and Clay have no choice but to investigate. But are they the hunters – or the hunted?

Book information from the author:

Hidden is a novella from Subterranean Press and will include 6 full colour interior illustrations by Angilram (my graphic artist for “Becoming” and much more). It will be released in two formats: 1000 leather-bound signed & numbered hardcovers, plus unsigned cloth-bound hardcovers (also a limited run to be determined, but not less than 5000 copies)

Please note that this is a 200 page novella, not a full-length novel. There are plans for a Kindle and Nook edition. The e-book version will not contain the artwork.

Scholastic Launches “One Million Bookprints for One Million Books”

Scholastic Launches “One Million Bookprints for One Million Books” Campaign to Donate New Books to Children in Need

For Every Person who Creates a “Bookprint” at the Online Community, youarewhatyouread.com, a New Children’s Book will be Donated to

New York – December 12, 2011 – A new campaign, ONE MILLION BOOKPRINTS FOR ONE MILLION BOOKS, kicks off today, inviting readers of all ages to create a “Bookprint” at the online community, youarewhatyouread.com. For every Bookprint created, Scholastic Book Clubs will donate a new book to a child in need (up to one million books).  Books will be distributed through the national school readiness initiative Reach Out and Read.

What’s a “Bookprint”? The five books that most impact someone’s life comprise their Bookprint.  They can be children’s or adult books and Bookprints can change over time.  On the “You Are What You Read” website, more than 200 “Names You Know” from entertainers to authors to journalists and even two U.S. presidents have shared their Bookprints. The donation launches with 20,000 books – one book for each of the 20,000 Bookprints created by users already on youarewhatyouread.com.

The One Million Bookprints for One Million Books campaign is part of Scholastic Book Clubs annual ClassroomsCare program which helps teachers engage their students around the importance of reading and giving.

“Creating a Bookprint is a great way for adults and children to talk about the importance of books in our lives and how books introduce us to heroes and role models or take us on exciting journeys to new places,” said Judy Newman, President, Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.  “Through Scholastic Book Clubs ClassroomsCare initiative, students and teachers can also participate in the Bookprints for Books campaign and help put books into the hands of the children who may otherwise not have the opportunity to own their own books and experience the profound impact books can have on someone’s life.”

The One Million Bookprints for One Million Books Campaign comes at a critical time for children’s literacy organizations such as Reach Out and Read and Reading Is Fundamental.  Recent government funding cuts are straining these organizations that provide books to the neediest children and critical advice to parents on how to develop their children’s early literacy skills at home.

“It is crucial for reading to begin at a young age and for all children to have books in their home,” says Earl Martin Phalen, CEO of Reach Out and Read. “The recent loss of government funding has impacted the ability of literacy organizations to continue to get books into the hands of children in need, so we thank everyone who creates a Bookprint in support of this campaign.”

In addition to making a donation of a book to a child, by creating a Bookprint at www.youarewhatyouread.com, participants will:

• Join 205+ famous reading role models, including: Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Gates, Paulo Coelho, Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, Suzanne Collins, Tony Hawk, Taylor Swift, Daniel Radcliffe, President William Jefferson Clinton, President George H.W. Bush, and many others

• Connect with book lovers, similar readers from 140 countries and discover new reads based on books in other Bookprints

• Enter a safe social network all about books with two separate communities – one for adults, the other for children under 13 years old

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.

Reach Out and Read builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children, beginning at 6 months of age. The more than 3.9 million children served annually by Reach Out and Read read together more often, and they enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies, stronger language skills, and a six-month developmental edge over their peers.

Reach Out and Read doctors and nurses distribute more than 6.4 million books to children at 4,779 pediatric practices, hospitals, clinics, and health centers in all 50 states, with a special emphasis on children growing up in low-income communities.

For more information on the Read Every Day campaign, visit http://www.scholastic.com/readeveryday.

Interview & Giveaway with Ashley Lynn Willis

Hi Ashley, Welcome to Anna's Book Blog! I'm glad to have here. To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?
I live in the Midwest with my husband of nine years. I used to be an engineer in general aviation but quite my job in January to be a full time stay-at-home mommy to two preschoolers. When I’m not wiping snotty noses, kissing boo boos, or performing my short-order cook duties, I’m writing. That’s pretty much my life. Oh, and I found out a few weeks ago that there is another little Willis currently taking up residence in my tummy who is due to make an appearance this summer.

The Calling is your latest release, can you tells us a little about it?
The Calling is sort of a mix of both paranormal and contemporary romance. The hero and heroine are normal people who are dealing with everyday problems. Mandy is coming out of a dark place because she’s had a mastectomy due to breast cancer, and to make her life more difficult, her fiancé left her a week before her surgery. She’s learning to cope with a new reality. Justin has been dealing with the separation of his family for almost his whole life. Needless to say, they both have a lot of unresolved issues. All that may sound grim, but a number of people have said there are as many light scenes in the book as dark scenes, and I’d have to agree. Add to that the paranormal aspect, with Justin’s supernatural ability to command the seas, and you have the makings of a strange story. But hopefully in a good way.  

What is your writing day like?
Unfortunately, I don’t have writing days; it’s more like writing minutes that I snatch between requests for goldfish crackers and juice. The only large blocks of writing time I have are on the weekends when my wonderful husband entertains the kids for a few hours. God Bless the man. 

When you’re not writing what kind of books do you like to read?
Currently I’m reading the Nightwalker Series by Jacquelyn Frank. I’m on book three Elijah. It’s a great paranormal romance series with very hot demons, druids and shifters. I’ve also been in the Christmas mood lately so I’m reading Holly Lane (Destiny, #4) by Toni Blake. If you enjoy contemporary romance, Toni Blake is a great author who writes very realistic love stores that will make you swoon.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a book?
A strong cup of coffee, internet for research and a thesaurus. That’s about it. Of course, the most important of the three is the coffee. Oh, wait. I forgot to add earplugs. I wear them on the weekends when my hubby is watching the kids. He might keep them out of my office, but they still sound like a tribe of monkeys swinging from the ceiling fans.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I never thought “I can do this,” until I finished The Calling in the Spring of 2011. I wrote my first book, Killing Abel, in the fall of 2009, then spent a year revising and editing and rewriting and revising some more. I felt like I was never going to make that book worthy of publishing, so I put it away and started The Calling. Seven months later, I handed it off to my editor, and I felt confident about the story. All the lessons I’d learned while writing my first book were applied to The Calling making the process smoother, easier and much more fun. After that experience, I knew I wanted to be an author.

How did you come up with your idea for The Calling? Anything particular inspire you while writing?
This is always the hardest question to answer because my stories generally pop into my head as a character or two. As for Justin, I knew he was the descendant of a water god, and I knew Mandy had had breast cancer. Then, the ending played over and over in my mind like a broken record. By the time I even put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), I knew how the story ended, how it began, and who the main characters were, though I had absolutely no idea where the central idea for the story came from. It was probably a combination of brainstorming and moments of blind inspiration. I know that doesn’t answer your question, but hey, it worked for me.  

If you could give your lead characters one piece of advice, what would it be?
No matter how much I torture you, no matter how many obstacles you must overcome because of my wicked mind, I will make your wildest dreams come true at the end of the story/series. There will be times when you want to give up, times when you want to curse me for being so mean, but nothing worth having comes easy. So suck it up! 

Since becoming published, what has been your favorite part of the process?
I love the whole shebang. I think that’s because I’m self-published and therefore in total control of the final product. Working with my cover artist to come up with a memorable image was a blast. Working with my editor and critique partners is painful but so worth it when I see how much better the story is because of their input. And while it’s scary to send my baby into the world to review bloggers, even that is fun because I love interacting with their followers and receiving their opinions on my story good or bad. If the feedback’s good that validates my writing. If it’s bad, I take it as a lesson learned and try to do better next time. 

If you can, tell us what is up next for you?
I’ll sum it up in two words: Killing Abel. That’s my next book, scheduled to release in the Fall of 2012, maybe sooner. It’s an urban fantasy about a band of immortal brothers and the woman who tears their world apart. Killing Abel is the first in a five book series, and it’s actually the first story I ever wrote. In other words, it’s going through extensive edits to fix all the bad habits I had back when I wrote it. I’ve never seen so many adverbs on one page in my life! If you want to know more about it, you can find the blurb and the first chapter here.  http://authorashleylynnwillis.blogspot.com/p/killing-abel.html

Thanks for having me, Anna!

THE CALLING

BY ASHLEY LYNN WILLIS

Out Now!

Mandy Hardy lost more than a breast to cancer; she lost her fiancé when he dumped her a week before her mastectomy. Her ego bruised and her self-esteem battered, Mandy’s sure she’ll never fall in love again.

Justin Seward is a headstrong Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer with a heart of gold and the supernatural ability to command the seas. He had to hide his feelings while Mandy was engaged to his best friend. Now that she’s free, he’s vowed to make her his.

Together, they may hold the key to each other’s salvation. But when Justin’s past catches up with him, and Mandy’s ex-fiancé wants vengeance, they realize they might not live long enough for happily ever after. The Calling is a 360 page contemporary romance with a paranormal twist.

Where To Buy:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

http://authorashleylynnwillis.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to Ashley I have (2) digital copies of The Calling to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to everyone, International too. The winners will be announced on December 17th. Good Luck!

In My Mailbox [134]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Here is what I got this past week...

Also this week I received some Men of the Otherworld postcards from Yasmine Galenorn & Midnight Breed bookmarks from Lara Adrian. Due to the copyrighted items sent by Ms. Galenorn I didn't post a picture. But you can find more info at the links.

R.A.K.:

Kiss of Frost- Jennifer Estep

Thank you to Rain Maiden (Jen).

Bought:

A Taste of Midnight- Lara Adrian

Shadow of the Moon- Lori Handeland

What did you get this week?
Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

Winner - How To Worship A Goddess

and the winner is...

elaing8

Congrats! Please send your mailing

information here:

annasbookblog@gmail.com

You have 5 days to claim your prizes.

All giveaway winners are chosen through Random.org

TBR: Recent Additions [9]

Rift
Nightshade Companion Novel #1
Andrea Cremer
2012

Moonrise
Low Red Moon #2
Ivy Devlin
January 31, 2012

Nightborn
Lords of the Darkyn #1
Lynn Viehl
March 6, 2012

A Game of Thornes: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1
George R.R. Martin, Daniel Abraham
March 27, 2012

The Wolf Who Loved Me
Lydia Dare
April 1, 2012

Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal
The Duke's Daughters #2
Grace Burrowes
May 1, 2012

Dark Frost
Mythos Academy #3
Jennifer Estep
May 29, 2012

Shadow's Claim
Realm of Blood and Mist #1
Kresley Cole
August 21, 2012

Beneath A Rising Moon
Ripple Creek Werewolf #1
Keri Arthur
July 31, 2012

Holiday Giveaway

Welcome to my Holiday Giveaway! Last year I believe I had several giveaways, but since this year I have a lot of books to get rid of I'm splitting them into 2 boxes. One contains PNR & UF and the other one has YA titles.

To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Also don't forget to mention which box you want to win. Open to U.S. & Canada. The winners will be announced on December 29th. Good Luck!

Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy, Box #1

Books included: Angels of Darkness (anthology), Blood Trinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love, Spiders Bite by Jennifer Estep, Hunter of Shadows by Nancy Gideon, Sexiest Vampire Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks, Adam by Jacquelyn Frank, Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur and Black Wings by Christina Henry

YA, Box #2

Books included: Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand, Passion by Lauren Kate, Crossed (ARC) by Ally Condie, Matched by Ally Condie, Evernight by Claudia Gray, Rage (ARC) by Jackie Morse Kessler, After Obsession (ARC) by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel & Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Happy Holidays!!

Guest Blog & Giveaway with Stephanie Julian

Stephanie Julian’s Top 10 for 2011

10. Glee on Fox
Yes, I’m a total Gleek. My mother raised me on musical theater with many trips to Broadway (before the Disneyfication of Times Square, which isn’t totally a bad thing) so this should be no surprise. I love the dancing, the singing, the mashups, the Sondheim, the Barbra and, yes, I even love when they do Gaga. Go figure.
9. “American Capitalist” Five Finger Death Punch.
As the mother of two sons, I realized when they hit their teens that I could scream at them to “turn that music down” or I could embrace it. I embraced. Hell, I hugged the crap out of it. While my guys and I share a love of Bullet For My Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold, FFDP is a band that’s solely mine in our house. And I think their newest album is their best yet. Fast, furious, angry, bitter and wonderful.
8. “Begin Again” Hell Or Highwater
Saw these guys at the Mayhem Fest this year. They’re unsigned but the members have been around awhile. When they started to play, my youngest son and I looked at each other and nodded. Oh yeah, we liked. I bought their album and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. Solid, hard rock fronted by former Atreyu drummer-singer Brandon Saller. Give “Gimme Love” a listen and tell me you weren’t singing it all day.
7. Once Upon a Time on ABC
Maybe I’m biased. I do write stories featuring fairies and elves and magic, so this show must have been written just for me. Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Rumpelstiltskin, Jiminy Cricket…still waiting for Belle and the Beast and Ariel, the Little Mermaid, and I’m sure they’ll show up eventually. I’m rooting for Snow and Charming and I’m hissing at the Queen and I’m hanging on every episode.
6. Community on NBC
One of the two funniest shows on TV. Modern Family is the second but while Modern Family draws laughs from the common experiences we share as parents, sons, daughters and lovers, Community draws on pop culture. And I’m a pop culture junkie. The writers don’t go for the easy laugh. Every single joke is hard-won and if you watch the show a second time, you laugh harder at everything you missed the first time around. The characters are quirky and hard to love and yet, you do. And Joel McHale is HOT! Brilliant TV.
5. CHANGES by Jim Butcher
I’ve been a Harry Dresden fan since I bought STORM WARNING for my husband, who read five pages and said, “This isn’t for me.” Turns out it was definitely for me. I’m so in love with Harry. When I read a Harry book, I hear Harry in my head. He as a very distinct voice. CHANGES, for me, was a game changer. I’m not going to discuss the storyline because if you haven’t read it, I don’t want to spoil anything. And if you have, well, then you already know this is one amazing book. I haven’t read GHOST STORY yet, so I’m putting my fingers in my ears if you want to discuss it. I’m actually saving it for a time when I need a sure thing.
4. KISS OF SNOW by Nalini Singh
How do you satisfy readers who’ve been waiting for the culmination of a love story that’s spanned years? Singh manages to pull it off in spectacular fashion. KISS OF SNOW was epic in length and scope and fed my voracious appetite for her world. Hawke and Sienna’s love story is perfect and that’s the highest compliment I can give.
3. Royals Hockey
My husband and I have season tickets for the Reading Royals, a professional ECHL hockey team based in Reading, PA. My husband is a huge hockey fan. I wasn’t until the Royals opening night in 2001. Then I realized just how wonderful the sport of hockey is. And how hot the guys are. Football and baseball players may steal most of the spotlight but for my money, hockey players are hands-down more athletic by far. And make much better heroes…
2. Avenged Sevenfold
I saw them twice this year (if you want to get picky, I saw them three times in 13 months). I’m a huge fan, have been since my sons began listening to them about six years ago. I took my guys to the 2008 Taste of Chaos tour, mainly because I wanted to see Bullet for My Valentine (another band that makes me scream like a teenager). And then A7X took the stage. I was transfixed. I’ve become a total fangirl. When I learned they were going to play the arena in my home town in January, I was one of the first in line for tickets. My favorite song remains “Little Piece of Heaven” and I have a huge crush on lead guitarist Synyster Gates, who is the physical model for Tivr, Etruscan God of the Moon, which leads us to…
1. Writing HOW TO WORSHIP A GODDESS
Seriously, I so enjoyed writing this book that I even enjoyed revising it because it gave me the chance to go through the book and read it again. I love Brandon, a professional hockey player. I did mention earlier I had a thing for hockey players. I love to revisit favorite characters from my series and in HTWAG, I got to spend time with Cal and Tessa from WHAT A GODDESS WANTS, and give more face time to Cat and Ty. I hope readers enjoy it as much as I have.

How To Worship A Goddess

By Stephanie Julian

Out Now!

HE'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED...

Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon. These days the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, where one ferociously handsome player inflames her divine blood...

AND SHE UNLEASHES HIM LIKE A FORCE OF NATURE...

Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row. A man could fall hard for a distraction like that...

Where to Buy:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

http://www.stephaniejulian.com/

GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have (1) copy of How To Worship A Goddess to giveaway. To enter leave a comment along with your email address. Open to U.S & Canada. The winner will be announced on December 10th. Good Luck!

In My Mailbox [133]

 In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Each week we share what arrived in our mailboxes, bought or found in swaps or at the library.

Here is what I got this past week...

R.A.K./Received:

Tempest- Julie Cross

Thank you to Sara M. @ Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog.

Bought:

Across the Universe- Beth Revis

Deadlock- Moira Rogers

What did you get this week?

Feel free to leave your IMM link in the comments.

November 2011 - Reading List

Ghost Town- Rachel Caine [3 Stars]
Flesh and Fire- Laura Anne Gilman [3 Stars]
Palace of the Damned- Darren Shan [4 Stars]
How To Worship A Goddess- Stephanie Julian [5 Stars]
The Guardian- Sherrilyn Kenyon [5 Stars]
The Hollows Insider- Kim Harrison [3 Stars]
Adam- Jacquelyn Frank [4 Stars]
Dirty Blood- Heather Hildenbrand [3 Stars]
Sacrifice- Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz [3 Stars]
Beautiful Chaos- Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl [5 Stars]
Bleeding Hearts- Alyxandra Harvey [4 Stars]
The Calling- Ashley Lynn Willis [5 Stars]
Bite Club- Rachel Caine [3 Stars]
Bound In Darkness- Cynthia Eden [3 Stars]
Always A Witch- Carolyn MacCullough [3 Stars]
Passion- Lauren Kate [3 Stars]
First Kill- Heather Brewer [3 Stars]
The Pendulum- Anne Elizabeth [3 Stars]
At The King's Pleasure- Kate Emerson [4 Stars]

Upcoming Events:

• Guest Blog with Stephanie Julian
• Holiday Giveaway
• Interview & Giveaway with Ashley Lynn Willis