LEAP INTO BOOKS Giveaway Hop

Time To Get Your Hop On!

I'm so excited to be participating in the LEAP INTO BOOKS Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Jinky is Reading.
I admit I bought this book purely based on the amazing cover. I fell in love the minute I saw it and I'm giving it away to one lucky follower.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .
Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .
Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed .
So who's in the mood for a paranormal mystery romance?
**Rules for the Giveaway:
1. Please enter contact information in comment section along with your book choice.
2. This giveaway runs from February 28th to March 7th. A winner will be selected on March 8th.
3. You must be 13 years or older to participate.
4. If you are selected as the winner, you will be notified by email. If you do not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.
5. This giveaway is open to everyone-BUT you must be a follower.
Good Luck!!

Singin the School Library Blues

Due to budget cuts and a small town economy my local middle school has been unable to purchase new books or magazines for about 5 years. New books are usually purchased by the librarian out of her own pocket. Sometimes a parent or teacher will donate a book.
I know that there are countless school libraries around the country suffering similar circumstances.
In an effort to get newer titles in the hands of kids I've been donating finished copies of books sent to me for review and books that I win from contests. It's not a lot, in fact it barely seems to scratch the surface. But it feels like I'm making a small difference.
So here's my question-Does anyone else donate to their local school libraries or public libraries? What do you do with the books you review? Do you keep them or pass them on?

Books On My Radar

Two books that are on my radar.....

 

 

THE WHOLE STUPID WAY WE ARE

By N. Griffin
FEB. 2013
368 Pages
Simon and Schuster

What happens when everything you’ve got to give isn’t enough to save someone you love?It’s Maine. It’s winter. And it’s FREEZING STINKIN’ COLD! Dinah is wildly worried about her best friend, Skint. He won’t wear a coat. Refuses to wear a coat. It’s twelve degrees out, and he won’t wear a coat. So Dinah’s going to figure out how to help. That’s what Dinah does—she helps. But she’s too busy trying to help to notice that sometimes, she’s doing more harm than good. Seeing the trees instead of the forest? That’s Dinah.
 And Skint isn’t going to be the one to tell her. He’s got his own problems. He’s worried about a little boy whose dad won’t let him visit his mom. He’s worried about an elderly couple in a too-cold house down the street.
 But the wedge between what drives Dinah and what concerns Skint is wide enough for a big old slab of ice. Because Skint’s own father is in trouble. Because Skint’s mother refuses to ask for help even though she’s at her breaking point. And because Dinah might just decide to…help. She thinks she’s cracking through a sheet of ice, but what’s actually there is an entire iceberg.

THE GATHERING DARK
By Christine Johnson
FEB. 2013
512 pages
Simon and Schuster

A mysterious teen boy knows the secrets of Keira’s dangerous hallucinations in this gripping romantic fantasy from the author of Claire de Lune.Keira’s hallucinating. First it’s a door hovering above the road; then it’s a tree in her living room. But with her parents fighting and her best friend not speaking to her, Keira can’t tell anyone about her breakdown.
 Until she meets Walker. They have an electric connection, and somehow he can see the same shadowy images plaguing Keira.
 But trusting Walker may be more dangerous than Keira could have ever imagined. The more she confides in him, the more intense—and frightening—her visions become. Because Walker is not what he appears to be. And neither are her visions.

YA PARANORMAL HOP

A SUPER FUN YA PARANORMAL HOP!

Hey bloggers and followers!
Here's your chance to win some free books.
I'm not participating in this hop but wanted to give ya all a heads up.
Follow the links and hop along. Hop is hosted by-
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and YA Between The Lines

Wednesday Chuckle

What a great idea!

How cool would it be if your town did this?

For full story go here
Little Library

JOHN GREEN on copy right laws

I'm not really sure I have ever really discussed my love for John Green...
Yes, for his books of course but also for his amazing mind and his awesome sense of humor which is captured in this video as he discusses Copy Right Laws.
Copy Right Laws is a very boring subject you say....ummm not when my sexy nerdfighter explains it.
Seriously something is to be learned here-listen up.
The Digital Shift

Book Review- LEGACY

LEGACY
By Molly Cochran
2011
432 Pages
Simon and Schuster
When her widowed father dumps 16-year-old Katy Jessevar in a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts, she has no idea that fate has just opened the door to both her future and her past. Nearly everyone in Whitfield is a witch, as is Katy herself, although she has struggled all her life to hide her unusual talents. Stuck at a boarding school where her fellow students seem to despise her, Katy soon discovers that Whitfield is the place where her mother committed suicide under mysterious circumstances when Katy was just a small child. With dark forces converging on Whitfield, it's up to Katy to unravel her family's many secrets to save the boy she loves and the town itself from destruction.
My Thoughts:
Although Molly Cochran is credited for writing 26 previous books, Legacy is her first Young Adult title. This tale combines magic, romance and relationships in a story I found interesting and entertaining but also sometimes confusing.
The plot speeds along as Katy is abandoned at a boarding school by her cold, distant father who is more interested in his girlfriend than the needs of his teenage daughter. She meets love interest Peter who is also cold and distant in the beginning but soon the two are madly in love and destined to be together no matter what.
I enjoyed that Katy discovers long lost family in the form of a grandmother and aunt who are great side characters, as well as a mysterious past that reveals that Katy's mother had committed a horrible act before supposedly killing herself. This bit of information made me understand why the towns people and students wanted to steer clear of Katy. But at the same time had me scratching my head in confusion of why Peter who want anything to do with Katy-Seems to me that the whole little brother/mother thing would be a giant relationship breaker? I'm trying not to reveal too much here.
The interesting bits and pieces about witches and the history of Ainsworth kept me turning the pages as I tried to understand Katy's lack of magical knowledge on one page then suddenly being spell savvy enough to teach Peter magic.
Legacy lacked flow at times and seemed a bit choppy in places-all in all not a great story but a good one. I'm interested enough to pick up the sequel Poison and see what happens next.
I bought this book on my Nook through Barnes and Noble. My advice to you is to save your money and check this one out at your local library.

Beautiful Darkness Giveaway

In celebration of today's movie release of Beautiful Creatures-
Mug of Moxie is giving away the second book in the series- Beautiful Darkness!
Because as soon as you watch the movie you will want to run home and read about what happens next!

Here's your chance-
To Enter my giveaway for a hardback copy of Beautiful Darkeness simply-
1. Put your name and contact information in the comment section
2. Be a US resident
3. Be a follower of Mug of Moxie
4. Be over 13 years old
So easy.
I will draw a winner March 1st
Good luck!

E-Book Deals for your Nook

Who doesn't like to save a buck or two?
Here's a few books you can get for a great price right now for your Nook.

EPIC FAIL
Claire LaZebnik
$2.99

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER
Jessica Brody
$3.99

UNDER THE NEVER SKY
Veronica Rossi
$2.99

Emma Roberts connected to Divergent project

Paparazzi recently snapped the actress, Emma Roberts toting around a copy of Lauren Oliver's dystopian drama "Delirium." But, as it turns out, the novel isn't just a pleasure read—according to Entertainment Weekly, the actress has snagged the lead role of Lena Haloway in the upcoming Fox television adaptation!

"Delirium" is set in an alternate reality where love is a disease (amor deliria nervosa) that must be cured. Each citizen is required to have the lobotomy-like procedure when they turn 18, but weeks before Lena is to receive the cure she falls in love with Alex—changing everything she understands about her society and its rules.
I can't wait to see how they bring this great book to the small screen!

HERE I GO AGAIN

In celebration of this hilarious new book by Jen Lancaster Book Riot has asked people to submit their high school horror stories. Go to their site to read submissions and vote.

HERE I GO AGAIN
by Jen Lancaster
Synopsis:
Twenty years after ruling the halls of her suburban Chicago high school, Lissy Ryder doesn't understand why her glory days ended. Back then, she was worshipped...beloved...feared. Present day, not so much. She's been pink-slipped from her high-paying job, dumped by her husband, and kicked out of her condo. Now, at thirty-seven, she's struggling to start a business out of her parents' garage and sleeping under the hair-band posters in her old bedroom.
Lissy finally realizes karma is the only bitch bigger than she was. Her present is miserable because of her past. But it's not like she can go back in time and change who she was...or can she?
Sounds like a fun read-I'm adding this to my "check out" list.

Books on my Radar....

Going Underground
by Susan Vaught
Published Date: September 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: YA
The Story:
Del is a good kid who’s been caught in horrible circumstances. When we meet him, he is 17, trying to put his life together after an incident in his past that made him a social outcast - and a felon. As a result, he can’t get into college; the only job he can get is digging graves; and when he finally meets a girl he might fall in love with, there’s a whole sea of complications that threaten to bring the world crashing down around him again.
But what has Del done? In flashbacks to Del’s 14th year, we slowly learn the truth: his girlfriend texted him a revealing photo of herself, a teacher confiscated his phone, and soon the police were involved.
Basing her story on real-life cases of teens being charged with sex crimes for texting explicit photos, Susan Vaught has created a moving portrait of an immensely likable young character caught up in a highly controversial legal scenario.

 TenAuthor: Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Genre: YA Horror
Format: Hardcover

294 pages

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.
It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.
But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.
Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no Internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

BOOKS ON SCREEN

Need a date idea for Valentine's Day?
How about a movie!
Beautiful Creatures is the latest YA book featured on the big screen.
Out on Februrary 14th!
 It follows Ethan Wate as he meets the mysterious Lena Duchannes and together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their small Southern town.
Beautiful Creatures
Cast: Alice Englert, Viola Davis and Emma Thompson
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 14th
Based On: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This movie is definitely on my must see list.

BLOG HOP FUN!

It's finally here!
The ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR Blog Hop!
I'm not participating in this one but I definitely want to get the word out on the fun BLOG HOP going on. Over a hundred and fifty blogs are giving away awesome prizes.
Here's the link I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Rachael Anderson so don't forget to drop in and join the fun over the weekend. Have fun!

Winner of My Beautiful Failure

And the winner drawn for ARC My Beautiful Failure is-
hungryforham
Thanks to everyone who entered.
I'll be participating in Romance in the Air giveaway hop starting on February 8th.
Don't forget to join in the fun.