Ack

I know. I've been a bad, bad blogger. Not much new the past few days. All I can say is that it's been really busy here at home. Oh well, be back when I can.

In the meantime, I did update the contest sidebar. See? I still can get some things done!

Contest Roundup: July 20th

This is week two of the new contest schedule, which means today is roundup day. It's a super busy week for me, so I only have a few contests to add to the roundup. As soon as I have some free time, all of these will be available in the sidebar, but until then, here's some great chances to win books:

Let's start of with some Austen inspirations. Celi.a is giving away a copy of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I just got my own copy, and I'm super exicted to read this one. Ends July 26th.

You can also find an Austen contest that's a little less zombie-ish by entering to win a copy of Prada & Prejudice over at I Heart Monster. Ends August 5th.


Moving on to other paranormal pleasures (love alliteration!) there's a contest going on for Ghost Huntress Book 1 at The Book Buttefly. Ends on August 2nd.

Rebecca over at Rebecca's Book Blog (who's Amazon lists I follow religously) is giving away a copy of A Sweet Disorder. Seems she's got a Tudor theme lately with her contests. :-) Enter by July 26th if you want a chance to win.

The lovely Liyana (who designed my Contest Monday banner) is having a contest to celebrate 150 followers. Way to go Liyana! She's giving away several books, and a new one for every 25 comments! Right now the list includes Academy 7, Eyes Like Stars, and An Abundance of Katherines. Enter by July 31st to win.


Adam just celebrated his 20th birthday, and is giving away four books from BEA to celebrate. As you probably guessed, this contest includes Fire. Ends July 31st. Happy birthday Adam!

Don't forget you can win a signed copy of Derailed right here at The Shady Glade this week. Ends July 27th. And every comment you make on posts for July enters you to win a signed copy of Blue is for Nightmares too.

So what are you waiting for? Go win some books! Sidebar updated soon!

LOL of the week: What's so funny?

If you'd like to learn more about LOLcats, you can check out the website, or read my review of the book. Have a great week!

June's Search Terms

Well, this is a little late, but at least it's still July! Let's see what wild and wacky stuff people came up with to get to my blog during June...

June Search Terms

"catching fire" prequel- It's called The Hunger Games. But most of the world knows that already. Just not you, it seems. :)

"thirteenth child "wrede torrent- I got a lot of "torrent" searches this month, which I never have before. Do they make torrents of books now? Makes me sad to think of all those books cut up into tiny pieces, even if they do get put back together again...

background of the book "the fairy's gift"- Well, the two versions I've read are both fairy tales. Not much background there.

books young adult adult vampire fantasy supernatural humour- They know EXACTLY what they want!

chapter +summaries of fairest by gail carson levine- Hmmm... another student trying to skimp out on a book report?

dramacon vol 2 read free-While you can read the first chapter free on Tokyopop's website, you'll only find a review here.

helpful starter ideas for a princess novel- Anyone? Anyone?

review blog beauty sleep cameron dokey -buy- So let me get this straight. You want to read a review from a blog but not buy the book. Does that sound about right?

the ballad of mulan the book that i can read on computer right now- instant gratification not fast enough?

the king's rose by alyssa libby character- Actually it's Alisa Libby. Big difference. :)

what books can i buy books that have the same storyline as twilight- Well, there's Twilight, and then um... Twilight. Any other book would have a different storyline after all.

download beth fantaskey- What if she doesn't want to be downloaded?

fairy- I have no idea how you ended up on my blog, since searching just that one word would have given you scads of websites, all (I'm sure) way above mine.

pearls before swine gators- My absolute favorite comic strip characters. Glad to know someone else likes them too.

Not much in the way of unusual this month. Most of my hits were for the Catching Fire and Shiver contests. We'll just have to see what next month brings!

Guest Post: What is about vampires?

Today I'm happy to announce my first guest post. If you'd be interested in doing your own guest post, you can find all the details on the guest post policy page. And now here's the post. Take it away Jessica!

There's nothing better than a great vampire book for summer, am I right? Besides, vampires are everywhere. They've taken over every aspect of pop culture with the movie Twilight, and the soon to be released New Moon. They've taken over television with True Blood (and a new CW TV show, The Vampire Diaries, based on the YA books by L.J. Smith, premieres in the Fall). And have seriously dominated in books (hence this post). Lots of people may wonder why vampires are so popular, but I, being a vampire-addict myself, am not surprised in the least.

Vampires have the bad-boy/girl draw. They're mysterious, and keep us on the edge of our seats, flipping pages. The seductive part of being bitten is only part of the reason why people feel drawn to the dark, brooding creatures of the night.

Vampire books are full of action. People always seem to be fighting, or dying, or doing something that makes us glare menacingly at anyone who tries to interrupt our reading at that moment.
Because what's a great book without action? If nothing else, you have to admit that vamps deliver in that category.

Vampire books have TONS of variety. Vampires can sparkle in the sun, or turn to dust. You could get a vampire romance, or an action-packed vampire looking for revenge. A vampire who lives in an academy, or in Manhattan. I've read so many, but none of them blend together because they're all so different.

And besides, vampire books branch out to many different genres. Books about our favorite blood-suckers, turn into werewolf books, and that turns into witches, and that turns into fairies, and the chain goes on forever!

Some of my personal favorite vampire books deliver in all of these categories. I'd recommend them all in a heartbeat. They are: The Twilight Saga (unoriginal response, but I can't hide my love), The Vampire Diaries, The Evernight Academy Series, and the Blue Bloods series. (City of Bones also has vampires, but it's not the main attraction so I'll leave it out.) But there are still many vamp books that I've yet to read, so this could easily change!

From Bram Stoker to Anne Rice, vampires, along with other paranormal creatures, constantly keep us in suspense. They can be serious, big books, or light, fun reads, but we almost always love them. And for good reason. I mean come on, what's not to like?


Thanks for stopping by Jessica! Jessica from Shut Up! I'm Reading has been addictively reading for a couple of months, and has very recently devoted a YA book blog to said addiction. Her favorite genre (as you just read about) is paranormal. This is the teenager's first ever guest post.

More Twilight News

First of all, my hands are feeling much better now (still a little sore), so thank you very much to everyone who wished me well!

Secondly, I just found out some interesting news and had to share. Although at the rate these things travel, you probably already know...

Via Maw Books Blog, Twilight will be made into a graphic novel. I find this really interesting, because they seem to going with an Asian flair for the artwork. It always eyeopening to see a best loved novel turn into a graphic novel. GNs especially interest me, and I was able to be on the graphic novel Cybils committee for both 2006 and 2007.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one...

Another delay

I'm having another carpal tunnel flare up. Be back when I can type without my fingers going numb...

Waiting on Wednesday: 7.15.09

Wow! It's sure been a long time since I've done one of these. So let's bring it back with a bang. Here's a book I'm super, super excited for:

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

About the Book (from the author's website): "When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back--if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her--until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice."

First of all, it's a fairytale retelling. So you know I'm totally there. Second of all, it's Sarah Beth Durst! Her books are amazing, so I know this is going to be great too. And Sarah is a great person, I love reading her blog. And thirdly, Tamora Pierce (one of my absolute favorite authors) gave it a great cover blurb again. And if Tammy likes it, I know I'm going to love it too. And, you know, I like the cover too (I know, I always talk about the gorgeous covers!) I. Can't. Wait!

Ice won't be released until October 6th. Majorly Sad Day. But you can currently pre-order your copy from Amazon.com, which makes things look up a little:

Winner of Contest Monday: Gettysburg The Graphic Novel

Well, you know what time it is. It's time to announce a winner! So help me give a big round of applause to:

Celi.a

Congrats! You're a winner! You have until July 21st to claim your prize. Email me with your mailing address and I'll get your new copy of Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel in the mail to you ASAP. Everyone else, you already have a new chance to win a signed book in this week's contest.

If you didn't win this time, you can order your own copy of Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a Copy of Derailed

Today is the first Contest Monday with the new two-week rule applied. So let's make it a big contest. The prize this time is for a SIGNED copy of Derailed by Jon Ripslinger.

About the Book (From Amazon.com): "Wendell “Stony” Stoneking is not one to worry. Everyone likes him. His girlfriend is gorgeous and very willing to please—anytime, anywhere. He is the star of his high school football team. And when he graduates, there’s a steady job in the gravel quarry waiting for him. Then he meets Robyn, a single mom with a dark past. Suddenly Stony is more bothered than he has been in a long time—not only by the violence Robyn has endured, but by the danger she could put him in. For the first time, Stony reflects on his own life, his broken family, and the dizzying notion of a wide-open future. Evocatively set in rural Iowa, Derailed is the story of what happens when you open your eyes and start to care enough to risk everything."

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

How to earn Extra Entries:

1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. +1 for a sidebar post, +2 for a regular post. Post a link in your comment.
2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know).
3. Come up with and post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link).

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, July 27th, 2009. Open to US and Canada residents, 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. Rules about claiming prizes can be found here. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner of this book on Tuesday, July 28th.

Derailed is also available for purchase on Amazon.com:

*The amazing Contest Monday banner was designed by Liyana.

Mondays and Contests

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. The past week was extremely busy because of some company that was visiting. I kind of threw a wrench into my blog updates.

So while I try to get back on track, I want to make an important announcement. Due to my changing schedule for the summer, Contest Monday will now be extended for two weeks indefinitely. This also helps with postage, because costs are getting a little steep lately. I want to discontinue this after the summer, since I know most of you enjoy seeing a new contest every week, but we'll have to see how my schedule works out. So a new Contest Monday will be posted today, and it will run for two weeks instead of one.

I still want to try and post something contest-related every week. So I'm alternating weeks with contests and contest roundups. Since a new contest will be posted later today, a new roundup will go up next week. And so on.

If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them. See you back here later today for a new Contest Monday!

LOL of the week: Laziness

My cat does this all the time!

If you'd like to learn more about LOLcats, you can check out the website, or read my review of the book. Have a great week!

Review: Gettysburg The Graphic Novel

This is one of those books that’s kind of hard to summarize. Despite the title Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel, only half of the book is dedicated to the enormous and bloody battle that consisted of three days of fighting. The majority of the book looks at the aftermath of the fighting and the dedication of the battleground. Of course, you can’t really talk about Gettysburg without talking about Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. Each line of that famous speech is illustrated with its own picture, which of course takes up half the book by itself.

I do want to mention that although this book is really marketed towards younger readers, I would hand it over to them with some caution. Kids who don’t understand about war/death may find this art in this book disturbing, since it does show some of the fighting and battlefields both during and after the battle was over.

That being said, it’s also impossible to talk about graphic novels without bringing up the art. I’m not really a fan of monochromatic art (if you’re going to do a graphic novel in color, shouldn’t it have more than one color?), but I think the blue-toned artwork is appropriate for the subject. There isn’t anything particularly outstanding about the art either, (Lincoln kind of scared me) although it certainly wasn’t bad.

Overall, this is great book for those who’d like to learn a little bit about the Battle of Gettysburg and have a hard time digesting boring history books. The cast of characters and author’s notes will help guide readers through the battle enough to get them to separate fact from fiction. This isn’t going to give you an in-depth account by any means, but some knowledge can be gleaned from the content for sure. Really, this is more of a tribute to the monument of Gettysburg, as opposed to the actual battle, so despite being a book about war it ends on a relatively hopeful note.

Shady Glade Rating: 6/10

If you'd like to win a copy of this book, enter the Contest Monday giveaway before July 13th.

Winner of Random Contest: Scavenger Hunt

It's time to announce the winner of the random contest. So congrats to

Genevieve

You are a winner! Email me and let me know your top three choices from this list (and your mailing address) ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who participated! There were some great entries! Stay tuned for more great contests next week, and check out the opportunities in the right sidebar too.

Notice of Absense

I'm off to San Fransisco today to go see Wicked, so I'll be gone. Be back tomorrow with more stuff. Don't forget to check out episode 3 of Royal Rebels.

Winner of Comment Contest: The Sky Inside

Well, now that the new Comment Contest has been posted, you can probably guess that we also need to choose a winner for last month's prize of The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle. There were 170 qualifing comments last month, and the random number generator picked lucky number 95 as the winner. Which means that

Amanda (That Teen Can Blog)

is our winner, with her comment on the LOL Cat Singing Fish post. Congrats Amanda! You have one week from today to claim your prize. Email me with your mailing address and I'll get your ARC of The Sky Inside in the mail to you.

And (surprise!) there's another winner! So this time, congrats to

Janssen

who wins the runner-up contest with her comment on my Book Slump post. Congrats Janssen, you've won a set of signed bookplates for the Hollow Kingdom books and By These Ten Bones, also by Clare B. Dunkle.

For those of you who didn't win, don't forget there's already a new contest. Every comment you make in July will get you closer to winning that prize. And you can always check out The Sky Inside and it's sequel The Walls Have Eyes (out Aug 25) from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a copy of Gettysburg

I hope everyone had fun with the Contests in June. Both Catching Fire and Shiver got tons of entries, so I hope that many of you new readers are enjoying the blog!

So it's time to start the Contest Monday that should have been posted last week but was delayed due to my Blogger difficulties. As I mentioned in Friday's post, this week will be a sort of tribute to Abraham Lincoln/Civil War subjects. Hence why the new background is staying a few days. And we're starting off with Contest Monday. Today's prize is a hardback copy of Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel.

About the Book (From Amazon.com): "Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is familiar to all Americans. But never has his most famous speech—his 271 indelible words—been presented in such a visual and accessible format. Graphic artist and Civil War aficionado C. M. Butzer deftly uses a detailed, comic-book style to depict the Battle of Gettysburg; the national movement to create a memorial there; and the quiet day in 1863 when Lincoln delivered his galvanizing speech. Butzer uses only primary sources for the text, drawing from first-person letters and diaries, speeches, and Lincoln's own writing to unpack this series of historical events. The address itself is played out over eighteen pages, with every phrase given a visual interpretation that will resonate with young readers."

You can also read my review of Gettysburg before entering.

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

How to earn Extra Entries:

1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. +1 for a sidebar post, +2 for a regular post. Post a link in your comment.
2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know).
3. Come up with and post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link).

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, July 13th, 2009. Open to US and Canada residents, 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. Rules about claiming prizes can be found here. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner of this book on Tuesday, July 14th.

Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel. is also available for purchase on Amazon.com:

*The amazing Contest Monday banner was designed by Liyana.

July Comment Contest: Blue is for Nightmares

New month, new comment contest. I'm catching up on this and Contest Monday rather than posting a contest roundup this week. But you can always check the sidebar for more ways to win. Comments made since July 1st will count toward this contest, even though this isn't being posted until the 6th. The winner of June's contest will be announced tomorrow.

How to enter: Each comment you leave on this blog equals one entry into the pot. These must be genuine comments, and other contest entries won't count for this contest. By genuine comment I mean it must add something to the conversation taking place. In other words a comment that says simply "cool" or "please enter me" will not help you win this book. Your fate is in your own hands. The more you comment, the better chance you have at winning. At the end of the month I randomly pick one winner for the prize. It's that easy.

Want to know what your playing for? July's prize is a brand new, paperback, signed copy of Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz. To win it, comment away until July 31st at midnight PST. The randomly selected winner will be announced early in August. Good luck to everyone!

About the Book (from back cover): "Stacey's junior year at boarding school isn't easy. She's not the most popular girl at school, or the smartest, or the prettiest. She's got a crush on her best friend's boyfriend, and an even darker secret that threatens to ruin her friendships for good.

And now she's having nightmares again again. Not just any nightmares--these dreams are too real to ignore, like she did three years ago. The last time she ignored them, a little girl died. This time they're about Drea, her best friend who's become the target of a seriously psycho stalker.

It started with weird e-mails and freaky phone calls. Now someone's leaving Drea white lilies--the same death lilies that have been showing up in Stacey's dreams. Everybody thinks it's just a twisted game...until another girl at school is brutally murdered.

There are no witnesses. Worst of all, no one has a perfect alibi. With everyone as a potential suspect, Stacey turns to the one secret weapon she can trust--the folk magic taught to her by her grandmother. Will Stacey's magic be strong enough to expose the true killer, or will the killer make her darkest nightmares come true?"

LOL of the Week: Cats and Books

Here's a bookish LOL for you this week:

You can count them. There really are ten.

If you'd like to learn more about LOLcats, you can check out the website, or read my review of the book. Have a great week!

Want to trade?

So last month I started my new wishlist feature. And thank you to everyone who'e emailed me to set up trades, I've got some great stuff from everyone!

But I'm about to donate a huge amount of my books to a school library. So I'm posting a slideshow of the books I have available in case anyone wants to trade before I do that. So if you see something you like, email me right away and let me know so I can save the book for you. Otherwise, most of these are going to get shipped off on July 8th. And if you want to trade, you can see my wishlist in the sidebar over there <---- near the middle. (If you're reading this in a feed, you might need to click over to the acutal post to see the slideshow)