Okay, okay, I get it now. It took me a while to appreciate Holly Black's work. I started with her co-written series The Spiderwick Chronicles (which, by the way, I actually listened to as an audio book, read by the ever-amazing Mark Hamill!!—I *highly* recommend it), which admittedly targeted a slightly younger audience than her usual crew. Then I read Tithe, which for some reason I just really didn't get into at the time (I'm tempted to go back and reread it now). So I put Holly Black away on a back shelf for a while and moved on.

Then, I heard that both Holly Black AND Cassandra Clare are coming to Third Place Books in Seattle to promote their newest releases! TWO young adult writers in one night, for free? What?!? So, of course, I answered the call of duty and picked up both Holly Black's White Cat, which is the prequel to her new release Red Glove and Cassandra Clare's City Of Bones, which I actually had read AGES ago and never picked up the sequel. Lucky me, now I can read all the way through her newest release The City Of Fallen Angels without interruption. Hey, sometimes being behind the times is a good thing!!

So let me talk with you about White Cat for the moment. Great book. Late-middle-school and up, if you're curious, due to some party scenes and adult situations. I'd let a 14 year old read it if they seemed mature enough. I love stories that are set solidly in an alternate world, where the magical elements of that world are seamlessly integrated into the over-all story. In this world, people can be "workers", able to manipulate various elements of the human condition from emotions to memories and beyond. Holly Black's strength here is assuming we already know this, but in a way that never borders on confusing. Huh? Yes, of course everyone has to wear gloves because no one can touch each other due to potentially hazardous magical workings. Duh, of course. Old news.

And so, with the alternate world of Holly Black's imagination clearly set, we engage immediately in a story of Cassel, who awakens to find himself on the roof ledge of his boarding school with no memory of getting there. He only recalls dreaming about a white cat. After being sent home, we find he is the youngest brother of three in a family of low-level criminals, all of whom are Curse Workers. His mother is in jail for using her emotion-working powers, and his brothers are both involved in the local cartel of semi-magical thugs. Only Cassel is ungifted and has always been told he is basically a dud——or is he? As he contin

Suzanne Collin (author of the "Gregor" series) hits it out of the ball park with THe Hunger Games. First in a series of three, this novel has gotten nothing but rave reviews and for good reason: it will hook you in and leave you craving more. In a futuristic post-apocalyptic world (don't the best ones seem to start that way?) there are 13 districts rippling out from the Capitol; and in order to mark the failed uprising of the 13th district, the Capitol holds the immensely popular Hunger Games. Each year two tributes from each District are chosen to compete to the death in a staged arena until only one victor emerges. Did I mention that the tributes are children? But of course. Because how best to perpetually punish a botched rebellion and keep people under the Thumb than by killing off their children? Sick? Totally. Disturbing? Absolutely. WIll you be able to put it down? Not a chance.

Imagine "American Idol" meets "Gladiators". The tributes are cast into a spotlight that echos the bustle of starlets in Hollywood, are filmed at every moment, are watched by every citizen. Main character Katniss is strong and savvy, Peta is kind and constant; both come from the shambles of District 12 and must fight to stay alive in the Hunger Games arena. But the methods they use will have the Capitol panicked and the populace rioting.

Believe the buzz. It's a great read for young adults and grown-ups alike. You'll be reaching for the sequel withint days.

Suzanne Collin (author of the "Gregor" series) hits it out of the ball park with THe Hunger Games. First in a series of three, this novel has gotten nothing but rave reviews and for good reason: it will hook you in and leave you craving more. In a futuristic post-apocalyptic world (don't the best ones seem to start that way?) there are 13 districts rippling out from the Capitol; and in order to mark the failed uprising of the 13th district, the Capitol holds the immensely popular Hunger Games. Each year two tributes from each District are chosen to compete to the death in a staged arena until only one victor emerges. Did I mention that the tributes are children? But of course. Because how best to perpetually punish a botched rebellion and keep people under the Thumb than by killing off their children? Sick? Totally. Disturbing? Absolutely. WIll you be able to put it down? Not a chance.

Imagine "American Idol" meets "Gladiators". The tributes are cast into a spotlight that echos the bustle of starlets in Hollywood, are filmed at every moment, are watched by every citizen. Main character Katniss is strong and savvy, Peta is kind and constant; both come from the shambles of District 12 and must fight to stay alive in the Hunger Games arena. But the methods they use will have the Capitol panicked and the populace rioting.

Believe the buzz. It's a great read for young adults and grown-ups alike. You'll be reaching for the sequel withint days.

Basic idea: boy turns to wolf every time it gets too cold.

Imagine if Twilight's Jacob character was an emo teen who turned into a regular old wolf (instead of a werewolf) and eventually would get stuck forever as a forest-dwelling howler and you've got Sam, one of two mains characters in Shiver. Grace has watched a certain yellow-eyed wolf roam outside her home ever since she was bitten by a pack of wolves as a child. The affinity she feels for this certain wolf becomes realized when she discovers that he is, in fact, a shape-shifting boy named Sam, and the two develop a plodding smooch-filled teen relationship that largely involves him waiting in Grace's car while she goes to high school. As is my major complaint with most teen books, the parents are conspicuously infantile or absent. In this case, the parents are artistic dingbats who are never home and when they are home tend to do weird things like paint in the nude and forget to make dinner, which makes it very easy for Sam and Grace to develop a lets-play-house relationship. Maybe there really are parents like this. I don't know. Even being raised by a single mom as a teen I wasn't allowed to have my bedroom door closed with my boyfriend over, so maybe it's just outside of my reality.

Anyway, the language is lovely and the first half of the book is especially well-written. It invokes the feel of the stark northern mid-west (think Leif Enger's Peace Like A River>. While not fully developed, the characters are thoughtful and interesting and the premise of the wolf transition is a new take on the ever-popular werewolf theme. If you're on Team Jacob and need some good werewolf filler, go ahead and pick it up!

Basic idea: boy turns to wolf every time it gets too cold.

Imagine if Twilight's Jacob character was an emo teen who turned into a regular old wolf (instead of a werewolf) and eventually would get stuck forever as a forest-dwelling howler and you've got Sam, one of two mains characters in Shiver. Grace has watched a certain yellow-eyed wolf roam outside her home ever since she was bitten by a pack of wolves as a child. The affinity she feels for this certain wolf becomes realized when she discovers that he is, in fact, a shape-shifting boy named Sam, and the two develop a plodding smooch-filled teen relationship that largely involves him waiting in Grace's car while she goes to high school. As is my major complaint with most teen books, the parents are conspicuously infantile or absent. In this case, the parents are artistic dingbats who are never home and when they are home tend to do weird things like paint in the nude and forget to make dinner, which makes it very easy for Sam and Grace to develop a lets-play-house relationship. Maybe there really are parents like this. I don't know. Even being raised by a single mom as a teen I wasn't allowed to have my bedroom door closed with my boyfriend over, so maybe it's just outside of my reality.

Anyway, the language is lovely and the first half of the book is especially well-written. It invokes the feel of the stark northern mid-west (think Leif Enger's Peace Like A River>. While not fully developed, the characters are thoughtful and interesting and the premise of the wolf transition is a new take on the ever-popular werewolf theme. If you're on Team Jacob and need some good werewolf filler, go ahead and pick it up!

Geez, what a slacker I am!!! The problem is, I've been reading so many wonderful YA books way too fast and not catching up on reviewing them. But believe me, there are some seriously STELLAR novels out there that I want you to get your hands on!!!

Here is a list (you can hold me to it!) of upcoming posts:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Catching Fire by Susan Collins
City of Bones (Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
Tempted (House of Night Novels) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Betrayed (book 2 of above)
Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull y
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) by Richelle Mead
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I feel like there's more, but I'll start there! Hurray for awesome fiction. Check back soon, and thanks for reading!

Geez, what a slacker I am!!! The problem is, I've been reading so many wonderful YA books way too fast and not catching up on reviewing them. But believe me, there are some seriously STELLAR novels out there that I want you to get your hands on!!!

Here is a list (you can hold me to it!) of upcoming posts:

✔ Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Catching Fire by Susan Collins
City of Bones (Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
Tempted (House of Night Novels) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Betrayed (book 2 of above)
Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull y
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) by Richelle Mead
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

NEW ONES:

FIre by Kristin Cashore
Gracelingnby Kristin Cashore
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I feel like there's more, but I'll start there! Hurray for awesome fiction. Check back soon, and thanks for reading!

Zombies + post apocalypse=good stuff. In a futuristic America, there has been a zombie invasion that has reduced the known world to a single clearing of people fenced in by a system of metal gates. The Unconsecrated, as the zombies are called, bang and drone at the gates daily trying to get at the small settlement of humans and can turn a person by biting them. Our story's heroine, Mary, has lost both parents to the Unconsecrated and is forced to live with the Sisters, the religious core of the society. But when a young girl seeks refuge from somewhere outside of the fence, Mary begins to believe the stories she has heard of a world outside of the fence, and of the ocean.

It's a page turner. I read through it in just a few days. I felt a bit disappointed by the ending, and Mary's incessant and sometimes illogical drive bothered me. There's romance, surprisingly—considering it's hard to think of anyone getting hot and bothered with zombies milling about trying to eat people. As with many Young Adult novels, there's the suspension of belief that the only people left to save society are teenagers, but what can you do. Lyrically written, engaging and well-paced, this zombie thriller is a perfect October read.

Click this link to watch a video preview of this book!

Zombies + post apocalypse=good stuff. In a futuristic America, there has been a zombie invasion that has reduced the known world to a single clearing of people fenced in by a system of metal gates. The Unconsecrated, as the zombies are called, bang and drone at the gates daily trying to get at the small settlement of humans and can turn a person by biting them. Our story's heroine, Mary, has lost both parents to the Unconsecrated and is forced to live with the Sisters, the religious core of the society. But when a young girl seeks refuge from somewhere outside of the fence, Mary begins to believe the stories she has heard of a world outside of the fence, and of the ocean.

It's a page turner. I read through it in just a few days. I felt a bit disappointed by the ending, and Mary's incessant and sometimes illogical drive bothered me. There's romance, surprisingly—considering it's hard to think of anyone getting hot and bothered with zombies milling about trying to eat people. As with many Young Adult novels, there's the suspension of belief that the only people left to save society are teenagers, but what can you do. Lyrically written, engaging and well-paced, this zombie thriller is a perfect October read.

Click this link to watch a video preview of this book!

Oh, it's been ages since I've posted a book review! In part, it's due to the busy-ness that is the holidays, especially here in Seattle where we got snowed in like we've never gotten snowed in before! But it's also because I've been absolutely HOOKED on the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, which are not what I'd consider kids' lit. They could maybe get by as a good teen read. I think I would have enjoyed them as a teenager, especially if there was already this vampire frenzy stirred up by Twilight. I just finished the last Sookie Stackhouse book and the next one isn't due out until May. What am I to do??!? Does anyone have any suggestions of good reads in the meantime?

SO, in kidlit-dom, I have just picked up Airman by Eoin Colfer, who wrote the very enjoyable Artemis Fowl series. I miss faeries and demons already, but I'm putting faith into Colfer that he will deliver.

I will try much more earnestly to be a more frequent blogger!

Oh, it's been ages since I've posted a book review! In part, it's due to the busy-ness that is the holidays, especially here in Seattle where we got snowed in like we've never gotten snowed in before! But it's also because I've been absolutely HOOKED on the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, which are not what I'd consider kids' lit. They could maybe get by as a good teen read. I think I would have enjoyed them as a teenager, especially if there was already this vampire frenzy stirred up by Twilight. I just finished the last Sookie Stackhouse book and the next one isn't due out until May. What am I to do??!? Does anyone have any suggestions of good reads in the meantime?

SO, in kidlit-dom, I have just picked up Airman by Eoin Colfer, who wrote the very enjoyable Artemis Fowl series. I miss faeries and demons already, but I'm putting faith into Colfer that he will deliver.

I will try much more earnestly to be a more frequent blogger!

I'm making all my Christmas gifts this year. Crazy? Always. Especially since this year, in addition to have a three-month old baby AND a 3-year old toddler, we just all had the plague, otherwise known as the Norwalk virus. Anyway, I've been working on these bookmarks for my bibliophile friends. I culled through various book quote and hand-selected the best of the best. I can post them later, if you would like to repeat this project for your own gift-making.



I've been totally into Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books. I won't officially review them since they are NOT young adult novels, but they are SOOO much fun. If you liked Twilight, you'll like these. It's like if Twilight had some friggin' backbone. HBO has been airing a series called True Blood based on these books. I rented the pilot episode for free from Blockbuster and couldn't stand to be left on such a cliffhanger, so I went out and bough Dead Before Dark the next day!

Sookie is a waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana and has what she calls a "disability": she can read minds. Vampires have recently "come out of the closet" and Sookie unexpectedly realized that she can't read a vampire's thoughts, which is a most welcome relief. Soon she finds herself deeply involved in the emerging vampire culture and discovering more than she ever knew about various creatures that go bump in the night. Sexy, mysterious, funny, wicked fun. Little candies.

You'll find a lot of similarities between Twilight and this series, but I'd probably be more comfortable with my teenage daughters (when I have 'em) reading this series than Twilight, oddly enough. There's tons of sex, but it's not dealt with in the weird mormonistic way that Twilight deals with sensuality. What I really like about the books is that Harris has really thought about what it would be like if vampires really did make a sudden appearance on the cultural scene. Special airlines, hotels, bars. Synthetic blood markets. Fang-bangers (humans who get a kick off being bit). Drinkers (human junkies for vampire blood). New rights, laws, and regulations. Very fun for the brain.

I'll post the book quotes soon!

I'm making all my Christmas gifts this year. Crazy? Always. Especially since this year, in addition to have a three-month old baby AND a 3-year old toddler, we just all had the plague, otherwise known as the Norwalk virus. Anyway, I've been working on these bookmarks for my bibliophile friends. I culled through various book quote and hand-selected the best of the best. I can post them later, if you would like to repeat this project for your own gift-making.



I've been totally into Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books. I won't officially review them since they are NOT young adult novels, but they are SOOO much fun. If you liked Twilight, you'll like these. It's like if Twilight had some friggin' backbone. HBO has been airing a series called True Blood based on these books. I rented the pilot episode for free from Blockbuster and couldn't stand to be left on such a cliffhanger, so I went out and bough Dead Before Dark the next day!

Sookie is a waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana and has what she calls a "disability": she can read minds. Vampires have recently "come out of the closet" and Sookie unexpectedly realized that she can't read a vampire's thoughts, which is a most welcome relief. Soon she finds herself deeply involved in the emerging vampire culture and discovering more than she ever knew about various creatures that go bump in the night. Sexy, mysterious, funny, wicked fun. Little candies.

You'll find a lot of similarities between Twilight and this series, but I'd probably be more comfortable with my teenage daughters (when I have 'em) reading this series than Twilight, oddly enough. There's tons of sex, but it's not dealt with in the weird mormonistic way that Twilight deals with sensuality. What I really like about the books is that Harris has really thought about what it would be like if vampires really did make a sudden appearance on the cultural scene. Special airlines, hotels, bars. Synthetic blood markets. Fang-bangers (humans who get a kick off being bit). Drinkers (human junkies for vampire blood). New rights, laws, and regulations. Very fun for the brain.

I'll post the book quotes soon!

Welcome to today's guest blog by authors Ethan and Christine Rose! This husband and wife team has co-written their debut novel Rowan of the Wood which I'm about half-way through and it's totally fun. They've interviewed their main character, Cullen, on how it feels to be the the star of a book. Don't forget to check out the Rose's give-away!!! Follow their links and also check the previous post for more information. Christine Rose will be around all today to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to leave comments! Thanks to the Roses for dropping by and sharing their interview with us, and congrats on your award-winning debut novel!



C&E: We’re here today with Cullen Knight, the hero of our new book Rowan of the Wood. Tell us Cullen, how does it feel to be a main character?
Cullen: Well, to be honest, it kinda sucks. It’s like having your most personal thoughts and most embarrassing moments published by the National Enquirer.
C&E: I guess we don’t give you much privacy.
Cullen: Are you kidding? I’ll be in the bathroom doing, well, you know, and I’ll be wondering if you’re watching and taking notes for your next book!
C&E: Well sure, Cullen, we can see how that might be annoying, but it’s for the good of the book. We have to make you a well-rounded character!
Cullen:
C&E: Okay! Let’s move on. Tell us about becoming a wizard. That must be exciting!
Cullen: Yeah, it must be; but I’m never around to see it… remember?
C&E: Um.
Cullen: Yeah! What’s up with that? I don’t really become a wizard?! I’m just possessed by a wizard!! And whenever I start to spaz out, he takes over my body and turns bullies into mice or something. Thanks for that, btw. As if I wasn’t mocked enough before, now when I’m scared my body is taken over by a wizard! What are you two drinking?
C&E: At the moment, Chocolate Martinis, with a peppermint twist.
Cullen: Okay Trudy. I guess we see where the inspiration for that character came from!
C&E: So! That about does it--
Cullen: You know that Stephanie Meyer lady gave her protagonist a hunky boyfriend. What about me?
C&E: --for our interview with Cullen Knight today.
Cullen: Do I get a girlfriend? What about a romance for me?
C&E: Join us Thursday (12/11) on Midnight Twilight Blog for our interview with Fiana.
Cullen: Her? You’re going to interview that psychopath? You know she’s insane, right?
E to C: Just walk away. Just walk away.

Please follow Christine & Ethan on the rest of their Geekalicious Blog Book Tour. Tomorrow they'll be over at Harmony Book Reviews with a guest blog post entitled After Twilight Comes the Knight. For the complete tour schedule and information about their holiday contests (giving away over $600 in prizes, including a digital camcorder), visit their webpage and sign their visual guestbook while you're there!

width="200">

Christine and Ethan Rose are the authors of the new YA fantasy novel
Rowan of the Wood

Welcome to today's guest blog by authors Ethan and Christine Rose! This husband and wife team has co-written their debut novel Rowan of the Wood which I'm about half-way through and it's totally fun. They've interviewed their main character, Cullen, on how it feels to be the the star of a book. Don't forget to check out the Rose's give-away!!! Follow their links and also check the previous post for more information. Christine Rose will be around all today to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to leave comments! Thanks to the Roses for dropping by and sharing their interview with us, and congrats on your award-winning debut novel!



C&E: We’re here today with Cullen Knight, the hero of our new book Rowan of the Wood. Tell us Cullen, how does it feel to be a main character?
Cullen: Well, to be honest, it kinda sucks. It’s like having your most personal thoughts and most embarrassing moments published by the National Enquirer.
C&E: I guess we don’t give you much privacy.
Cullen: Are you kidding? I’ll be in the bathroom doing, well, you know, and I’ll be wondering if you’re watching and taking notes for your next book!
C&E: Well sure, Cullen, we can see how that might be annoying, but it’s for the good of the book. We have to make you a well-rounded character!
Cullen:
C&E: Okay! Let’s move on. Tell us about becoming a wizard. That must be exciting!
Cullen: Yeah, it must be; but I’m never around to see it… remember?
C&E: Um.
Cullen: Yeah! What’s up with that? I don’t really become a wizard?! I’m just possessed by a wizard!! And whenever I start to spaz out, he takes over my body and turns bullies into mice or something. Thanks for that, btw. As if I wasn’t mocked enough before, now when I’m scared my body is taken over by a wizard! What are you two drinking?
C&E: At the moment, Chocolate Martinis, with a peppermint twist.
Cullen: Okay Trudy. I guess we see where the inspiration for that character came from!
C&E: So! That about does it--
Cullen: You know that Stephanie Meyer lady gave her protagonist a hunky boyfriend. What about me?
C&E: --for our interview with Cullen Knight today.
Cullen: Do I get a girlfriend? What about a romance for me?
C&E: Join us Thursday (12/11) on Midnight Twilight Blog for our interview with Fiana.
Cullen: Her? You’re going to interview that psychopath? You know she’s insane, right?
E to C: Just walk away. Just walk away.

Please follow Christine & Ethan on the rest of their Geekalicious Blog Book Tour. Tomorrow they'll be over at Harmony Book Reviews with a guest blog post entitled After Twilight Comes the Knight. For the complete tour schedule and information about their holiday contests (giving away over $600 in prizes, including a digital camcorder), visit their webpage and sign their visual guestbook while you're there!

width="200">

Christine and Ethan Rose are the authors of the new YA fantasy novel
Rowan of the Wood

Dejah View is excited to host Christine and Ethan Rose, authors of the new, award-winning YA fantasy novel Rowan of the Wood during their Geekalicious Yuletide Blog Book Tour! The authors are stopping by here on Sunday, December 7th to interview their protagonist, Cullen Knight.

An ancient wizard possesses a young boy after a millennium of imprisonment in a magic wand. He emerges from the child in the face of danger and discovers Fiana, his new bride from the past, has somehow survived time and become something evil.

The authors are also hosting a contest on YouTube and giving away a digital camcorder just for following four simple steps. Check it out!

Come back and visit on Sunday, read their blog, and post comments. The authors will be available all day Sunday and Monday to answer your questions. Every comment on this blog is an entry to win a signed, limited edition print of Christine's Green Man II painting. The authors are also giving away autographed books and over $600 in other prizes through their website.

marginheight="0" frameborder="0">

Dejah View is excited to host Christine and Ethan Rose, authors of the new, award-winning YA fantasy novel Rowan of the Wood during their Geekalicious Yuletide Blog Book Tour! The authors are stopping by here on Sunday, December 7th to interview their protagonist, Cullen Knight.

An ancient wizard possesses a young boy after a millennium of imprisonment in a magic wand. He emerges from the child in the face of danger and discovers Fiana, his new bride from the past, has somehow survived time and become something evil.

The authors are also hosting a contest on YouTube and giving away a digital camcorder just for following four simple steps. Check it out!

Come back and visit on Sunday, read their blog, and post comments. The authors will be available all day Sunday and Monday to answer your questions. Every comment on this blog is an entry to win a signed, limited edition print of Christine's Green Man II painting. The authors are also giving away autographed books and over $600 in other prizes through their website.

marginheight="0" frameborder="0">

There was a lot of good ju-ju about the "Reading Is Sexy" mug, so I thought I'd pass on some otherway cool holiday gift goodies!

How can you not totally be in love with this kids' shirt?!?! from BuyOlympia.com I also love their "guybrarian" tee-shirt, all by artist Sarah Utter. They have seriously awesome stuff over there...books, mugs, tees, music...and paper goods from my most FAVORITE designer, Jill Bliss! Her journals are so beautiful. I have gone through three of them, and they'd make wonderful gifts for taking notes and reflecting on all those great books for the readers in your life. But, being the financially-challenged DIY mom that I am, I'm leaning towards making gobs of these bookmarks. I love how creative people are! I just get lost in the world of craft blogs. Almost as addicting as clicking through the vast and neat-o world of kidlit blogs. I'll keep my eyes out for other awesome gifts for bookworms!

There was a lot of good ju-ju about the "Reading Is Sexy" mug, so I thought I'd pass on some otherway cool holiday gift goodies!

How can you not totally be in love with this kids' shirt?!?! from BuyOlympia.com I also love their "guybrarian" tee-shirt, all by artist Sarah Utter. They have seriously awesome stuff over there...books, mugs, tees, music...and paper goods from my most FAVORITE designer, Jill Bliss! Her journals are so beautiful. I have gone through three of them, and they'd make wonderful gifts for taking notes and reflecting on all those great books for the readers in your life. But, being the financially-challenged DIY mom that I am, I'm leaning towards making gobs of these bookmarks. I love how creative people are! I just get lost in the world of craft blogs. Almost as addicting as clicking through the vast and neat-o world of kidlit blogs. I'll keep my eyes out for other awesome gifts for bookworms!

I am totally in love with Scott Westerfeld's books. This wasn't a strong as the Uglies series, but it still hooked me. The premise is that vampirism is caused by a parasite. Original, huh? Our particular parasite-positive, or "peep", is a guy who got infected on a one-night stand but due to some biological quirk isn't the blood-hungry raving monster that other peeps are. Instead, he helps track down nutty peeps and help them into recovery. But when he goes on a search to track down the peep who infected him, he begins to find a slew of mysteries and oddities that will have you reading way past your bedtime.

I am totally in love with Scott Westerfeld's books. This wasn't a strong as the Uglies series, but it still hooked me. The premise is that vampirism is caused by a parasite. Original, huh? Our particular parasite-positive, or "peep", is a guy who got infected on a one-night stand but due to some biological quirk isn't the blood-hungry raving monster that other peeps are. Instead, he helps track down nutty peeps and help them into recovery. But when he goes on a search to track down the peep who infected him, he begins to find a slew of mysteries and oddities that will have you reading way past your bedtime.

Sew, Mama, Sew! is blogging its second annual guide to a handmade holidays. It's a terrific site, and if you're into craftiness you should check it out. Today's theme is handmade gifts for book lovers. Be sure to take a peek! While not handmade, per say, the Reading Is Sexy mug is especially cool. It's made out of 100% biodegradable corn plastic and comes from our neighbor to the south, Olympia! I have a button on my purse with this logo and get comments on it all the time.


I just finished three awesome books, so check back soon for some fresh reviews.

Also, in the holiday spirit, don't forget to preorder copies of J.K Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard!!!! You can do that by clicking the image below..

Sew, Mama, Sew! is blogging its second annual guide to a handmade holidays. It's a terrific site, and if you're into craftiness you should check it out. Today's theme is handmade gifts for book lovers. Be sure to take a peek! While not handmade, per say, the Reading Is Sexy mug is especially cool. It's made out of 100% biodegradable corn plastic and comes from our neighbor to the south, Olympia! I have a button on my purse with this logo and get comments on it all the time.


I just finished three awesome books, so check back soon for some fresh reviews.

Also, in the holiday spirit, don't forget to preorder copies of J.K Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard!!!! You can do that by clicking the image below..

MotherReader: The Comment Challenge: 21 Days To Community

MotherReader is hosting a Comment Challenge! The goal is to post 100 comments between now (well, really it started November 6th) to November 21st. The idea is to make commenting on fellow kidlit blogs a habit. Commenting builds community and readership, and maybe even links you to your very own book-reading soul mate. It's a great way to explore the awesome world of kidlit blogs, which I'm only just now starting to journey into. If you have a kidlit site, or are a bibliophile, please comment below!!! I'll check out your site and, if we jive, I'll add you to my blogroll.