Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Waiting On Wednesday: 1.28.09

It's time for the last Waiting on Wednesday post of January! As such, I'm starting to get into some releases for next month.

Alis by Naomi Rich

From Amazon.com: "At fourteen, Alis has never been outside her strict religious community. But when her parents arrange for her to marry a forty-year-old man, she flees desperately to the dangerous, unfamiliar city. She learns quickly that the only way to survive there is to become a thief—or worse. Facing an impossible choice between a forced marriage or life on the streets, Alis seizes control of her own fate. But the path she chooses sets off a disastrous chain of events that leave her accused of murder. Steadfastly loyal, Alis must decide: will she betray a loved one or sacrifice herself?"

So I still have The Patron Saint of Butterflies on my to-read list (come to think of it, what's not on my to-read list), and this topic fascinates me. Can't wait to read it!

Alis will be released on February 19th and is available for pre-order from Amazon.com:

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

So Where Have I Been?

My blog has been a little neglected lately. So where have I been? Well, to make a long story short, I was at Disneyland. :-) We went there for my aunt's birthday on January 19th, and so that trip cut into my blogging a bit.

Plus I just got a new job. Part-time freelance, but hey, it pays some bills! So with my working at the store and that, and one other project, I have the equivalent of two full-time jobs. It's a bit exhausting, but there you go.

Anyway, we're back to our regular Contest Monday as of yesterday. And I know I'm behind on posting Cybils nominees, so I'll be sprinkling those in throughout the week rather than just on Thursday. And tomorrow will have a Waiting on Wednesday post, so look for that.

By the way, whoever used my Amazon link to order my recommendation from my last Waiting on Wednesday, thank you. I love it when people use my Amazon links (it pays for essentials such as milk and bread), but it makes me feel so warm-fuzzy when someone orders a book I've featured or reviewed. So thank you! (If you want to learn more about why I use Amazon.com links, you can see the post on that here.)

And here's a preview of something else you can look forward to. I really am going to try and get through the stack of books that is sitting on my floor waiting to be reviewed. It's like 50+ books, I'm really kinda embarrassed about it. So look for more reviews (hopefully) coming soon. Not only am I behind on my blogging, but also my blog-reading, so maybe I'll throw up some links I've found interesting in the past few weeks. Some of them are quite old, I should've posted them a while ago.

And I also want to start a new feature! I'm not going to say much here at this point, because I don't know when I will be able to get the first post up. But keep an eye out on Saturdays for a new regular post. Speaking of regular posts, I just learned about Audiobook Fridays, so I may be participating in that soon too.

Well, that's it for this update. Hope to be back on my computer soon!

Winner of Contest Monday: Escape the Mask

And the winner is....
Rikua

Congratulations! See, those extra entries can help. :-) Rikua, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of Escape the Mask in the mail to you.

Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for a chance to win a copy of Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee. And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can pre-order your own copy of Escape the Mask from Amazon.com:

Monday, January 26, 2009

Contest Monday: Win a copy of Absolutely Maybe

After a little blip last week, it's time for another Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free ARC copy of Lisa Yee's new novel Absolutely Maybe.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "Meet Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut, named for two Miss Americas and her mother Chessy's favorite brand of mascara. Chessy teaches the students in her charm school her Seven Select Rules for Young Ladies, but she won't tell Maybe who her real father is -- or protect her from her latest scuzzball boyfriend. So Maybe hitches a ride to California with her friends Hollywood and Thammasat Tantipinichwong Schneider (aka Ted) -- and what she finds there is funny, sad, true, and inspiring . . . vintage Lisa Yee."

How to Enter: To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post. That's easy, right? Or, if you can't leave a comment, send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "Absolutely Maybe Contest" and include your name, your email address, the correct subject line.

How to earn Extra Entries:
  1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. Post a link in the comments, or email the link to me.
  2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know)
  3. Post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link)

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, February 2, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. Everyone in the US and Canada is eligible, even if you've won a contest in the past. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. See above for instructions to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, February 3. Look for an announcement tomorrow to find out who won last week's contest.

Absolutely Maybe is also available for order from Amazon.com:

Monday, January 19, 2009

Contest Monday: Update

Hey everyone!

Sorry I've been a bit scare lately, but I'm out of town at the moment. As such, this week's Contest Monday is that the deadline has been extended. However, I may add a runner up prize to the mix just to make it more interesting. So if you haven't already, head over to the original post to sign up.

I'll be back soon!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Winner of Contest Monday: The Girls


And the winner is....


Paradox

Congratulations! See, those extra entries can help. :-) Paradox, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of The Girls in the mail to you. Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for another chance to win a copy of Escape the Mask. I had so many entries this week and only one book to give away, unfortunately. So everyone make sure you enter again, because I want to give a book to all of you!

And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can pre-order your own copy of The Girls from Amazon.com:

Monday, January 12, 2009

Contest Monday: Win a copy of Escape the Mask

Welcome to Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free hardback copy of David Ward's book Escape the Mask.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "The first in a new adventure trilogy full of danger, bravery, and unexpected friendships.

Welcome to Grassland, where the only hope of freedom is to go beyond the reach of sinister, silent masters, and the only family you know are your fellow captives. Coriko has never known a world beyond his cell and the fields where he toils all day. He does what he’s told and tries not to anger the Spears, the cruel, masked jailers who guard him and the other child slaves. If he gathers baskets of shards and keeps quiet and orderly, then he can spend time with his cellmate and best friend, Pippa.

But without warning, the children’s orderly lives begin to change—slowly at first, with the arrival of a pair of siblings who speak Coriko and Pippa’s language. Soon after, violent events shake up the quiet world of Grassland, and Coriko must find the strength to grasp his freedom. Full of heartstopping action, Escape the Mask introduces Coriko, Pippa, and their friends—and begins the journey of The Grassland Trilogy."

How to Enter: In an effort to make this easier, I'm chaning how to enter. To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post. That's easy, right? Or, if you can't leave a comment, send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "Escape the Mask Contest" and include your name, your email adress, the correct subject line

How to earn Extra Entries:
  1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. Post a link in the comments, or email the link to me.
  2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know)
  3. You will get one extra entry for each meaningful comment you make on this blog throughout the week.
  4. Post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link)

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, January 19, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. Everyone in the US and Canada is eligible, even if you've won a contest in the past. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. See above for instructions to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Escape the Mask is a 2008 Fantasy Sci-Fi Cybils nominee. Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, January 20th.

Escape the Mask is also available for order from Amazon.com:

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Sidenote: Sometimes I hate mornings

I'll be the first to admit that I usually don't sleep very well. That means dreaming is usually out of the question. But when I do dream, they are usually really weird. Not scary weird, but the kind of dreams that make you go "okayyyyyyyyy..." to yourself as soon as you wake up.

But when I'm about to kiss my very own Mr. Darcy and my alarm clock goes off, I'm about ready to hurl it across the room.

Hope your morning was better than mine. :-)

Thursday, January 08, 2009

2008 Cybils finalists: Picture Books

As those who read this blog regularly may have noticed, I was very scarce the past few months. Although some of it was because of school, it was also because I was deeply involved on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy panel for the 2008 Cybils. Finalists were announced Jan. 1, and the winners will be posted in mid-Febuary. To count down to that anticpated day, I'll be reposting finalists and the coresponding panel's blurbs every Thursday until the final announcement. So without further ado, here our our first two lists, fiction and non-fiction picture books. You can learn more about each book by following the links below.

Non-Fiction Picture Books
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams written by Jen Bryant
This biography follows "Willie Williams" from his days as a smart, athletic youngster to his later years as a physician. As readers see him aging, they also see the inexplicable pull of poetry in his life and the making of a man as a poet. The multimedia illustrations closely compliment the text, making for a book that exudes the spirit of Williams in every way. The book concludes with timelines of both Williams' life and world history during Williams' lifetime.

Astronaut Handbook written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
How does one become an astronaut? McCarthy opens the door to astronaut training and lets readers in on all the secrets. The eye-popping illustrations offer ways to understand information that would be too difficult for the target audience had it been presented only in text. The back matter includes a page of fascinating facts and a bibliography of books, web sites, videos and places to visit.

Duel!: Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words written by Dennis Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
Fradin's historically accurate telling of the story of the duel between Hamilton and Burr is dramatically told. Both men are cast as well-rounded human beings with flaws and strengths, and both are shown to be at fault for the duel. The book concludes with a lengthy bibliography.

Fabulous Fishes written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale Peachtree
This Seuss-like look at the world of fish uses bold illustrations and rhyming text to introduce young readers to the wide variety of ocean fish. Stockdale follows up her textual overview with a few pages of additional information about each fish pictured. A long list of resources is also included.

Nic Bishop Frogs written and illustrated by Nic Bishop
Jam-packed with amazing and sometimes quirky facts, and gorgeous photos, this book takes readers on a journey through the wonderful world of frogs. Scientifically, Bishop doesn't talk down to young readers, but rather helps to make the mystery that is life and science more understandable. A glossary and index are included.

Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray
Using Gág's own words, Kogan Ray tells the story of a woman born into an art-loving family who followed her own dream to create art, no matter what obstacles stood in her way. This biography follows Gág from her childhood years up through the publication of her Newbery award-winning book, Millions of Cats.

Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter Winter's bold illustrations and straightforward prose tell the story of this Nobel Peace Prize winner's efforts to bring the green back to Kenya. Focused on her early life, this biography introduces readers to a girl who loved nature, decried its destruction, and worked tirelessly to reforest her beloved homeland. The back matter includes an author's note and quote from Maathai.


Fiction Picture Books
Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend)written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix
In a year abundant in releases about our 16th president, this picture book title stands out for its originality, vibrant illustrations, and interactive flair. While the setting is historical, the mood is thoroughly modern in this clever celebration of the oral storytelling tradition.
--Travis Jonkers, 100 Scope Notes

Big Bad Bunny written by Franny Billingsley and illustrated by G. Brian Karas
No rushing stream or mucky swamp can stop Big Bad Bunny and his long sharp claws. Through the tangly bushes he marches, fierce and scowling--and a worried mama mouse has just discovered her baby mouse is missing. Suspenseful pacing, engaging art, and a delightful twist ending make this an enchanting tale for the preschool set.
--Melissa Wiley, Here in the Bonny Glen

Chester's Back! written and illustrated by Melanie Watts
A sublimely pushy cat vies for attention and control with his author and illustrator in this wildly funny book. With creativity and innovation, the author allows her persistent character Chester to scrawl over her illustrations and text with a red marker, creating immediacy, tension, and humor.
--Cheryl Rainfield

How to Heal a Broken Wing written and illustrated by Bob Graham
When a pigeon is injured in the middle of a busy city, no one stops to help until a little boy and his family take the bird home to heal it. Told mainly through pictures with minimal text to drive the plot forward, the story is touching one of kindness, patience, and humanity.
--Pam Coughlan, MotherReader

Katie Loves the Kittens written and illustrated by John Himmelman
The dog Katie can’t contain her desire to play with the new kitten companions in her home, but unfortunately her exuberance is overwhelming to the tiny creatures. With redirection and restraint, Katie finally finds a way to show her love for the kittens. The humor in, the situation, the story-telling, and illustrations will engage kids of all ages in this fun, romping story.
--Pam Coughlan, MotherReader

The Sea Serpent and Me written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Catia Chien
An extraordinary friendship begins when a sea serpent drops from a faucet into a little girl's bath. As their friendship grows so does the sea serpent, until the girl has to admit that this creature belongs in the sea. This charming tale of friendship is propelled by lovely, energetic watercolor illustrations that create a world full of whimsy the reader will find hard to leave.
--Stephanie Ford, ChildLit

A Visitor for Bear written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady Denton
When a mouse ignores the sign on Bear's door that reads "NO VISITORS ALLOWED", Bear can't get back to business as mouse continually reappears in Bear's home finally making Bear wonder if he really prefers to be alone after all. The text begs to be read aloud and the subdued watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations chock full of personality that creating a tale every member of the family will adore.
--Stephanie Ford, ChildLit

Wabi Sabi written by Mark Reibstein and illustrated by Ed Young
A Japanese cat searches for the meaning of her name, and discovers that beauty can be found in simple, ordinary things and experiences. The text shows many layers and depth, the haikus are well-integrated into the story, and the collage illustrations are astonishing in their texture and beauty.
--Cheryl Rainfield

For more information on the Cybils, visit their website. And look for more Cybils finalists next Thursday.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Waiting On Wednesday 1.7.09

Welcome to the first Waiting on Wednesday of the new year. Okay, so technically this book came out yesterday, but I still can't wait to read it. :-)

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

From Amazon.com: "After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy."

You know me. I love retold fairy tales. And time travel. And romance. Well, some anyway. Either way, I can't wait to read this one. Hopefully I'll get my hands on a copy soon.

My Fair Godmother
is now available for order on Amazon.com:

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Winner of Contest Monday Jan 5, 2009

And the winner is....

Katie J. (bball11kt)

Congratulations! Katie, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of The Debs in the mail to you. Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for another chance to win another great book.

And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can order your own copy of The Debs from Amazon.com:


Monday, January 05, 2009

Contest Monday: Win a copy of The Girls

Welcome to another Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free ARC paperback copy of Tucker Shaw's new novel The Girls.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "Meet Mary: She’s beautiful, and her ski-star boyfriend is cheating on her.

Meet Crystal: She’s a townie, and she’s cheating with Mary’s boyfriend.

Meet Sylvia: She’s nasty, and she’s got something up her Prada-designed sleeve.

Meet Amber: She’s a flake, she’s the barista at the hottest coffee shop in Aspen, and she serves up gossip even hotter than grande skim lattes.

Meet Peggy: She’s Mary’s best friend, and she has no idea how to cope with all these girls.

A modern retelling of the classic play The Women (which featured not one male in the cast), The Girls is a quick-witted, stylish comedy about friendship, love, and most important, gossip! An elite Aspen prep school sets the stage for jealousy and intrigue as the lives of many girls tangle into a wickedly fun mess (in which no boys ever appear)."

How to enter: Send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "The Girls Contest" and include:
Your name
Your email adress
The correct subject line
If you post about the contest somewhere, let me know and get a free entry

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, January 12, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. Post ab0ut the contest to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

The Girls won't be available in stores until April 2009, so this contest is a great way for you to read it before anyone else. :-) Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, January 13th.

The Girls is also available for pre-order from Amazon.com:

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Back Up

Alright, I'm done playing with things for now. Just a few tweaks to the template. I know Blogger has had the new gadget design for about two years, but I still hadn't converted over yet. So it's changed now, and you can now follow this blog, and subscribe via RSS and all sorts of cool things. You'll find them over the sidebar. I'm still going to tweak things around, so let me know what you'd like to see.

Meanwhile, don't forget to enter the contest for a free copy of The Debs. Check out the sidebar for the link.

Under Construction

I'm going to be playing around with my template in the next few hours. Things will be moving around, and links might be broken. Just to give you a heads up! I'll be back in a few hours. :-)