Book Blogger Hop!

Hippity Hoppity Hoo!
The Book Blogger Hop (hosted by Crazy for Books) is a weekly opportunity for bloggers to hop over to each others sites, say hi, follow, etc. If you're new to my blog, Welcome! Be sure to leave the link to your blog so I can return the visit! I am always looking for awesome new blogs to follow, and I'd love to see yours!

This week's question: "Which book blogger would you most like to read in real life?"
What a cool question! I actually have two (I know, I'm going to give two names instead of one):
Stephanie @ StephtheBookworm
&
Eleni @ La Femme Readers

And this is even cooler...I actually will get a chance to meet these lovely ladies at BEA in a few weeks! Super stoked. Steph was one of my first followers, literally, back when I had like 10 or so, and she's been a friend ever since. Eleni also started following me when I was a lil' backwoodsie blogger just starting out, and both are ladies I really look up to! You could not ask for nicer blog buddies. Go visit them, if you haven't already!

xoxoxo!

Thank you followers GRADUATION GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys!
So...in 10 days, I will officially end my college days. Finally, after five years (ssshhh) and several changes in major, it's going to be over! Woo-hoo!
To celebrate, I'm going to give YOU a present. One winner will receive a $20 amazon e-card (that way you can use it on any book you want!). Contest ends 5/15/11.

Let's keep it easy and simple! To enter, you...
1. Must be a follower
2. Comment with your email address
Winner will be announced Sunday, May 16.

Thank you all for being the best bloggy friends - those who stop by, those who comment - I read every single one and love them all! Thanks for sticking by me this past semester especially, even when I haven't been the best at posting, reviewing, blogging...

*hugs all around*

do you have rEaDiNg HaBiTs?

I originally asked you guys this last summer. I don't know about you, but several of my reading habits have undergone drastic makeovers over the last (almost) year.

I used to have this rule that I wouldn't begin a series until all the books were out, or until the second-to-last book was out. The reason? Pretty much the anticipation... if I got started reading a series and I had to wait like over a year for the next book to be published, I seriously would go out of my mind. I can't let the story go! I will seriously stay awake at night wondering "what's going to happen next? WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?!?"
And actually, the majority of the books I read this year are the first in a series/trilogy. I think I just realized that if I waited around until all the books in a series were out, I'd have nothing new to read! So that's one thing that's changed.

And because I am such a major planner, I try to plan out which books I'm going to read, in what order. Very rarely will I just pick up a book and just start reading, because I like having an order (as weird as that may sound). The problem with this is that I buy a lot of books thinking that I'll read them down the road, and then I don't get around to them, and they just sit all by their lonesome on my shelves. I think I need to try and be a bit more spontaneous.
Anybody else plan out the books they're going to read in advance?

This is kind of a bad habit, considering that I read a lot, but...I have to have a snack when I read. I don't know, but something about reading and eating just goes together. It's hard though to try and jumble a book in one hand and a cookie in the other, or a handful of goldfish, or (uh-oh) cheese puffs! It's especially tricky when I'm out in public with my book and I get the munchies...

I still have a hard time reading during the day, as weird as that may seem. It is just so much easier for me to concentrate at night...and nighttime seems like the time most associated with imagination! You know, I just can't imagine Edgar Allan Poe composing some of his most famous poems outside in the midmorning, with Mister Golden Sunshine out in all his bright glory. I know, moving on...

Oh! and one other thing that has almost entirely changed. See, I used to operate this way...no matter, I had to finish a book. Had to. Right then and there. I could not put it down, find something else, and then go back to it later. I had to plow on through. Now, though, I find it a lot easier to say 'no thank you' to certain stories that I just can't get into and set it aside for later (or not). But yeah, that's almost completely different than how I started out. Now, if I can't get into it, I set it aside. No big deal. I've actually done that 5 times already just since January. Just sayin'.

So what about you all? What are your reading habits, and have they changed over time?

Review - VAMPIRE CRUSH

Vampire Crush - A.M. Robinson
Genre: YA Paranormal
# of pages: 416 (pb)
Publisher: Harper Teen
Recommended for: HS & Beyond!
Vampire Crush Quick Check

I swear, my life was always totally normal.

Normal house, normal family, normal school. My looks are average, I don't have any superpowers, no one's showing up to tell me I'm a princess—you get the picture. But when my junior year started, something not normal happened. There were new kids at school . . . new kids with a wardrobe straight out of a 19th-century romance novel, and an inexplicable desire to stay at school until sundown. And on top of that, James Hallowell showed up. James, who stole my sandwiches in fourth grade and teased me mercilessly through middle school. James, who now seems to have the power to make my heart race any time he comes near. But something weird is going on. Because James rarely goes out during the day. And he seems stronger than your typical guy. And he knows the new kids, all of whom seem to be harboring some kind of deep secret. . . .

First of all, a **huge** shout-out and thank you to Eleni from La Femme Readers for spotlighting Vampire Crush here. I hadn't even heard of this book till I saw it on her site, and I probably would have missed it otherwise!
My favorite review of Vampire Crush (one I read on Goodreads) called this book the 'anti-Twilight' and I think, on so many levels, that is a very apt description (nothing against Twilight that is--I actually like that book). For one thing, the humor in this novel was ah-mazing. I mean, incredibly smart and witty. The author's tone grabbed me from the first chapter and did not let go. By contrast, Twilight and a lot of other vampire-centric novels aren't all that humorous, so that's one thing that gave this book an extra edge, in my opinion.
In fact, the tone of the whole novel was very light-hearted and just fun. Not that it's a silly book or anything - there were still tense situations and moments of suspense, but this was just one of those books that is so easy to enjoy and lose yourself in.
Much of the tone of the novel was set through the voice of the main character, a practical and driven journalism student, Sophie, whose only concern at the story's beginning was being named editor of her high school yearbook. Needless to say, she soon finds that she has a lot more to worry about. I liked her narrative voice, especially at the beginning of the novel, when she was churning out witty commentaries on daily life and being all kinds of hilarious. She also impressed me, as a narrator, with her strong sense of identity. Unlike a lot of other protagonists out there, Sophie seemed to know exactly who she was, what she wanted, and what she was willing, or unwilling, to do to get what she wanted. And I found that very refreshing. I will say, though, that she had a tendency to be a teeny weeny bit 'me-centered.' I'm all for characters having hobbies and being driven and all that, but there were a few cases where she deliberately sabotaged or manipulated people around her to get her own way, which contrasted with her usual maturity and made her seem (occasionally) shallow. But as the story progressed, so did Sophie, so that was good. Besides Sophie's personality, I would have liked a little more emphasis on the love story element, just because it seemed like Sophie and James (the boy next door who used to tease her mercilessly) went from bickering all the time to being lovey-dovey. Wuuuuuut?

Supporting characters were fun, as well. Again, if Vampire Crush is the 'anti Twilight' then you'd expect characters who are more humorous and (dare I say?) entertaining. And they were, overall.
Not only was the overall tone of the story rather satirical (and the vampires here reminded me of a play on the Cullen clan), the characters were as well. Some characters I liked more than others, but overall, they all brought something to the table and they all had their own identities.
And the "villain." Easily the most entertaining character of the story. I haven't seen a villain this diabolically delightful since Queen Redd from the Looking Glass Wars series. I absolutely loved his personality.
Yall, I am so glad I picked up this book. What a fun piece of entertainment! If you're looking for a YA book that offers something just a little different from the norm, you'll want to check out Vampire Crush!

Final Rating

In My Mailbox [8]

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

I actually got a few books this week!
For Review
Dark Eden - Patrick Carman
Special thanks to Harper Collins

Bought
Red Riding Hood - Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
The Goddess Test - Aimee Carter

Yeah, I had to go to the mall one day, and my plan was just to walk right past the bookstore...but I couldn't. And so my little broke self bought two books. I've put myself back on a book buying ban until I hit up Books of Wonder and Strand in a few weeks!
What did everyone else get this past week? And has anybody read any of these yet? What did you all think?!

Review - BY THESE TEN BONES

By These Ten Bones - Clare Dunkle
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
# of pages: 229 (pb)
Publisher: Henry Holt, Macmillan
Recommended for: MS & Beyond

There's hidden places all over this land-old, old places. Places with a chain for them to chain up the wolf when it's time.

A mysterious young man has come to a small Highland town. His talent for wood carving soon wins the admiration of the weaver's daughter, Maddie. Fascinated by the silent carver, she sets out to gain his trust, only to find herself drawn into a terrifying secret that threatens everything she loves. There is an evil presence in the carver's life that cannot be controlled, and Maddie watches her town fall under a shadow. One by one, people begin to die. Caught in the middle, Maddie must decide what matters most to her-and what price she is willing to pay to keep it.

My Thoughts

When I found out that Clare Dunkle's newest book was getting a cover makeover and being rereleased, I was so excited. I'd only read one other novel of hers, The Hollow Kingdom, but it remains one of my absolute favorite books of all time. I just had to grab a second helping of some Dunkle literary genius. I read By These Ten Bones in literally 24 hours - started at 8:00 one night and finished at around 8:00 the next night. It was that absorbing. If nothing else, reading this book will *not* be a waste of time. At all.
So to keep it all simple, I'm going to divide this review up into 3 categories:

Does it Better than...what I remember

The setting in this book was so vibrant, so alive, I really felt like I was reading this at the foot of some giant rolling hill high up in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by mist. The atmosphere lends itself well to the apprehensive and wary tone of the novel...eerie, eerie, eerie! I can't say enough how the setting just came to life here. I always look for that when I read, and I definitely felt that extra connection to the story here.

Just as good as...what I remember

Dunkle's writing style is so special. She really has a knack for making storytelling seem easy and effortless. What I really enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to read - it didn't contain nuanced or over-the-top language, it wasn't overly flowery with literary devices. No, instead the prose was simple, yet elegant, and the simplicity is what made it so absorbing. Just as absorbing, in fact, as what I remembered in The Hollow Kingdom.

The story is also so incredibly creative. Dunkle previously worked with goblins and elves in The Hollow Kingdom, and here she takes on werewolves. Tired of werewolf stories? You'll likely appreciate this one.For one, it just seems more like a fantasy: no urban setting, no high school, no "ohh, what if he doesn't shift back in time for prom?!" Instead, By These Ten Bones reminded me of a longer, more epic campfire story.

Could Have Been Better

All these things said, I could have done with a little more character development. Bones is not very long, so at times it felt like I was missing some character connection that a few more chapters might have remedied. Maddie was a headstrong and determined protagonist, sure, but there were times when I wondered what drove her to be so brave, and headstrong, etc. I said this book reminded me of a campfire story...well, a campfire story is something you hear, not something you see, so I didn't always feel like I was observing the characters closely enough to have a true emotional investment in them. The love story was sweet, but seemed slightly underdeveloped. However, I'm certainly not complaining, and don't let that sway you from possibly checking this out. There's way more to the story than the romance aspect, plenty more in fact to keep you entertained (and delightfully creeped out!).

All in all, By These Ten Bones was a fun, decent, distracting read that I devoured in about 24 hours. If you're in between books, in a slump, or just itching to pick up something you would normally pass over, I definitely suggest giving this one a try!

Imagination in Focus is LEGIT! Business cards!

Just got my business cards in the mail and eep! They're so pretty!
I'd seen on a couple of blog sites that business cards were a good idea for BEA attendees, and that Vista Print did good work.
They were so right!
I was able to design my own, include my button, and ended up paying about $15 for 500.
They also quoted me May 2nd for the delivery, but I got them yesterday.
If anyone is thinking about doing business cards (for their blog or anything else), I sincerely recommend using Vista Print! I thought around $15 for 500 was very reasonable.
The cards aren't really smudgy in real life - I just blurred out my address & last name.
Teehee!
What do you guys think?