Oops, I forgot. We have winners!

Yeah, so I had these two contests a loooong time ago, but as I'm shuffling things around for my move next week, I noticed these prizes sitting here unclaimed. So here we go.

The three winners of The Dark Divine Nail Polish are:
Robin K
Ann Diana Dinh
Lindsay's Photographys

And the winner of the ARC of The Reluctant Heiress is:
Lisa R

Winners, please email me your addresses at shadyglade(AT)mail(DOT)com within the next 72 hours. That way I can ship your packages before I leave for the summer!

And speaking of comment contests...

You may have noticed I didn't do a comment contest for May or April. With my move to Florida for the summer and my time being spent on the book battle, I haven't been on top of those things like I normally am. But as soon as I come back, the contests will resume! In the meantime I'll try to do better about weekly contest roundups, since I've been neglecting those lately too...

Book Battle: Round 1 Winners (Part 2)

So we've got one more announcement for you today. And there will be a few more tomorrow too, so come back to find out even more winners. But right now it's time to concentrate on this one:

Bracket 1:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey VS. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Judged by Raspberry from Two and a Half Book Lovers

Another difficult bracket, with two very different books. Silver Phoenix was one of the most highly praised nominations back in the beginning of April, and yet, the Goodreads polls predicted Jessica coming out as the winner, with a spectacular 80% of the vote.

So which prediction is correct? Judge Raspberry had this to say:

"I'm not a big fan of vampires for starters. I can get past the whole werewolf thing, angels, you name it. But vampires? Blood-sucking? Teeth in the neck, destroyed by sun thing? It's not often I find one of those main characters a good find. When I do it's usually written by Annette Curtis Klause or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I'm also not a huge fan of the mystical Chinese world that the cinema can provide, and thought it wouldn't be any better in a book. In both cases I was wrong, making this a harder decision than I anticipated."

And with those thoughts, the winner is... Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey!

By a small margin, Jessica's Guide comes off triumphant. It will be moving on to Round 2, where it will compete against Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler in Bracket 13. And make sure you check out the full judging post to get all the details on why it won.

Meanwhile, Silver Phoenix still has a chance to get pulled back into the battle in Round 4. Will it make the coveted spot? Only time will tell...

Come back tomorrow for more winners!

Need Your Help

Does anyone have a copy of Brightly Woven that they would either be willing to trade for, or let someone borrow (via mail)? I'll make sure it gets sent back to you if you want to go the borrowed option.

If you're interested in trading, let me know and I can send you a list of available books.

Thanks!

Book Battle: Round 1 Winners (Part 1)

Well, here we are. The moment you've been waiting for. Sorry I didn't get this up sooner, but it is Mother's Day and I had some pampering to do today. :)

Anyway, it's now time to make the announcements of who won the brackets for Round 1. But, I'm only going to announce two today. I know, I know, I'm making you wait more. The other 10 results will be spaced throughout the week while the Round 2 judges get busy on their reading.

So without further ado, let's see what we have today.

Bracket 2:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler VS. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
Judged by Jenn from Book Crazy

This one was a tough bracket, with a favorite from last year (Twenty Boy Summer) and a new book that's gotten plenty of good press (Match Made in HS). Even our Goodreads group poll was close, with Twenty just barely edging out over Match with 53% of the vote.

So was the poll right? Here's watch Judge Jenn had to say on the subject:

"A Match Made in High School does make one laugh though, which after reading the emotionally charged 20 Boy Summer, I was almost glad for. Both of these authors, I am happy to report are now on my radar, both of them spoke volumes about what amazing work can come from them both – I felt both of them nailed teen life, though in VERY different and dramatic ways – they both “got it” and I can't WAIT to read more!"

And so the winner is.... Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler! Make sure you check out Jenn's full post for all the details. Twenty Boy Summer will now be moving on to compete in Bracket 13 during Round 2.

And moving on to another announcement we have...



Bracket 11:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Judged by Misty from Book Rat and Natalie from Mindful Musings

It's a good thing Misty and Natalie were teamed up for this one, as this was another hard choice to make. Both of the books here were strong fan favorites. The Goodreads group was obviously split, with each book getting exactly 50% of the vote. And what did the judges think?

Judge Misty makes this comment:

"...this book is a gem... it will make you think, and it will make you uncomfortable in the best way, and it will leave it's mark for awhile to come, and that is the sign of a talent and a classic..."

Judge Natalie adds:

"It's a book that I think will stay with me for a long time. It's a story of love, of friendship, of tragedy and redemption."

Which book are the talking about? Let's have the envelope please... the winner is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver!

Wow! That's one I certainly didn't see coming. Check out both Misty's and Natalie's posts for the full details. Meanwhile, Before I Fall is moving on to Bracket 18 of Round 2

So the final results (in case you missed it), the winners are Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler and Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

Meanwhile, the losing books (A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker and The Iron King by Julie Kagawa) will both have a chance to earn the coveted revived slot in Round 4 to earn one final chance at the top spot.

What will be eliminated next? Stick around this week to find out!

Bracket Announcements

Round 1
Bracket 1:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey VS. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Bracket 2:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler VS. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

Bracket 3:
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey VS. You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Bracket 4:
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves VS. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Bracket 5:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl VS. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Bracket 6:
Ash by Malinda Lo VS. The Season by Sarah MacLean

Bracket 7:
Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas VS. Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Bracket 8:
A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee VS. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Bracket 9:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick VS. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Bracket 10:
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken VS. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Bracket 11:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Bracket 12:
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev VS. The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan




Round 2
Bracket 13:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey VS. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Bracket 14:
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey VS. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Bracket 15:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl VS. The Season by Sarah MacLean

Bracket 16:
Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich VS. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Bracket 17:
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting VS. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Bracket 18:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev




Round 3
Bracket 19:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler VS. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Bracket 20:
The Season by Sarah MacLean VS. Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Bracket 21:
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken VS. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver




Round 4
Bracket 22:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler VS. The Season by Sarah MacLean

Bracket 23:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (revived)




Round 5 (Final Round)
Bracket 24:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. The Season by Sarah MacLean

Meet the Judges, Part 1

So I know I've been scarce lately, between a new job and organizing stuff for the Book Battle, things have been a little crazy. But I'm not the only one who's been busy working to make the book battle a success. I'm joined by an amazing panel of judges,who are actually doing most of the work since they have to pick the winners. So before the announcements from Round 1 get underway tomorrow, let's get to know a few of our judges.

I sent out emails asking everyone to introduce themselves, and this is the result. So without further ado, I'll let them take it away. Here are some of our Round 1 Judges, in their own words, in no particular order:

Christie from The Fiction Enthusiast:
I am the mom of three, a military wife, and an avid reader. I am a newbie to the blogging world but have enjoyed it so far. When not reading I enjoy jogging, yoga, baking, and video games. I read a variety of genres but my favorites are young adult, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and dystopian.

Christie is joining us at the judge of Bracket 10 (Brightly WovenVS. Magic Under Glass).


Crystal from My Reading Room:
My name is Crystal and I started the My Reading Room blog a little over a year ago because I wanted to keep track of my books better and how I felt about each one. I started out reviewing my books and library books but through the help of other book bloggers found the road to review books. Now it seems that I never get to the books on my tbr shelf due to wonderful review books and new recommendations of book bloggers. I rank some YA novels amongst my favorite books and cannot wait until my sons are older so they can read some of my favorites. I joined the YA Book Battle because it seems like a fun project and I was right - I am enjoying reading my two books and deciding which one I think should win and really thinking about the reasons why.

Crystal is partnered up with the lovely Erica from The Book Cellar:
My name is Erica and I'm 16. When I'm not blogging or reading, you can usually find me at show choir or in whatever production is in the works at the local theater. I love to sing, and love anything musical.

Together the pair will be judging Bracket 4 (Bleeding VioletVS. Prada and Prejudice).


Kassandra from Eternal Night:
My name is Kassandra. I'm 14 years old and I decided to create my own book blog because i LOVE books. And i mean LOVE!!! Books are my drug. I created my book blog to let other book lovers know when cool books are coming out and my opinion on the best books out there.

Kassandra is partnered with Haley from The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object. Together they will be judging Bracket 8 (A Spy in the HouseVS. Hex Hall).


Rachel from Jacob's Beloved:
I grew up a bookworm and excelled in school simply because I was an avid reader. Books were my closest friends, my safe haven from the world, my reward for hard work, and my secret indulgence. My first full-time job was in a bookstore - it felt like coming home. The sight of rows and rows of books, the new book smell every shipment, moving books around all day every day, talking about books, was like balm for my soul. I was there 3 years before I moved away. Only recently have I discovered the world of book blogging, and I can't get enough of it.
Oh yeah, and I love cooking, being a mom to my two beautiful girls, and wife to my wonderful / infuriating husband!

Rachel is partnered with The Book Vixen and together they are judging Bracket 6 (AshVS. The Season).


Natalie from Mindful Musings:
I'm a nineteen-year old college student double-majoring in English and Global Studies with a Spanish minor. I love to read a little bit of everything, but my favorite category is YA, and my favorite genres are paranormal romance and urban fantasy. My blog, Mindful Musings, is an outlet for me to express all of my feelings about bookish things (and the random movie or TV show).

Natalie is partnered with Misty from The Book Rat. Together they will be tackling Bracket 11 (Before I FallVS. The Iron King).


Raspberry from Two and a Half Booklovers (the picture is the "half" booklover. Isn't he adorable?)
My husband and I started a book blog in order to free up our family blog. I (Raspberry) do most of the work/reading/posting, and I'll be the one judging for the Book Battle. We read upwards of half a dozen books a week each, and record those reads on Shelfari. We do Memory Monday and Friday Finds, but otherwise it's all reviews; lots and lots of reviews! We especially enjoy YA literature, but include a bit of juvenile, adult, and even some non-fiction on our blog.

Raspberry is in charge of judging Bracket 1 (Bracket 1:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark SideVS. Silver Phoenix) and will be one of the first to announce her winners tomorrow!


Michelle from Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks:
Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and I'm a bookworm from Hawaii. I share a blog with my younger sister called Michelle & Leslie's Book Picks. Our blog reviews both YA fiction (by Leslie and me) and romance novels (all me). One of my favorite books of all time is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Other than reading and blogging, I do arts and crafts, watch TV (I love Glee and Criminal Minds!) and cook.

Michelle has the task of reading and judging the books in Bracket 9 (Hush, HushVS. The Body Finder).


That's it for this round of Meet the Judges. Stay on the lookout for more information from our Round 1 group as they start to announce tomorrow.

The End Draws Near...

... of Round 1 anyway. :) That's right, Round 1 of the YA Bloggers Book Battle ends tomorrow! Announcements of the winners from this round will start on May 9th, with a few announcements every other day for the next two weeks.

So this is your last chance to predict a winner! If you are a member of Goodreads, head over to our group page to vote in 12 polls to let us know who you think will win each bracket. And as a reminder, here's a reminder of who's up against who (or you can refer to the bracket graphic here):

Bracket 1:
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey VS. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Bracket 2:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler VS. A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

Bracket 3:
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey VS. You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Bracket 4:
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves VS. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Bracket 5:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl VS. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Bracket 6:
Ash by Malinda Lo VS. The Season by Sarah MacLean

Bracket 7:
Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas VS. Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Bracket 8:
A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee VS. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Bracket 9:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick VS. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Bracket 10:
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken VS. Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Bracket 11:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver VS. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Bracket 12:
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev VS. The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

So what do you think? Who will come out conqueror? And who will go home crying? Let me know in the comments, and if you're a Goodreads member, go vote in the polls! (And if you're not a member, it's free to join if you wanna).


Will the predictions be right, or is there a major upset in the making? Come back Sunday to find out! And come back tomorrow to get to know a few of our Round 1 judges a little better before they make their announcements.