Morganville Vampires Reading Challenge 2012

Jo at Ink and Paper is hosting an awesome Challenge: the Morganville Vampires Reading Challenge 2012! I haven't read these books yet, and I love vampires, so I immediately signed up.

The challenge will run from Jan 1st to Dec 31st, 2012.
I'll use this post to update my progress.
I'll be trying the Oliver level: 1-6 books.

1. Glass Houses: TBR
2. The Dead Girls' Dance: TBR
3. Midnight Alley: TBR
4. Feast of Fools: TBR
5. Lord of Misrule: TBR
6. Carpe Corpus: TBR

Sign up, there'll be prizes!

Outside In (Insider, #2), by Maria V. Snyder

Release Date: March 1st, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 5 Stars 
Categories: Sci-Fi, Space Travel, Action
Goodreads Page
Read from November to December 2011

Summary:

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

My Opinion:

Thanks to the Insider Series, I now like Sci-Fi books. I didn’t use to; I started Inside Out thinking it was just another Dystopia and ended up being surprised: it was a sci-fi, and I loved it! It was also my first Snyder book, and it got me hooked! Now I want to read every book by her.

Outside In begins where IO left off: the Force of Sheep had won the rebellion, the Insiders learnt they were travelling through Outer Space, the Travas were arrested, a Committee was formed and new levels were discovered. Trella and her friends thought they had nothing else to worry about, but soon they found out how wrong they were.

I truly love how Maria crafts her characters’ personalities, I could sometimes guess how some of them would act, but most of the time, everything was a surprise, which was brilliant!

This book is all about love, trust and betrayal, and making tough choices in the name of everyone on board. Trella must figure out who she can trust and defend everything that’s being threatened in Inside.

A must for Snyder and Sci-Fi fans everywhere!

Spirits of Glory, by Emily Devenport

Release Date: October 24th, 2010
Publisher: Smashwords
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 3 Stars 
Categories: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Time Travel
Goodreads Page 
Read in December 2011

Summary:

One morning the people of the North woke up and the people of the South were gone. That's the first thing every child learns on the colony world of Jigsaw. But for one girl, knowing about The Disappearance is not enough. Hawkeye wants to know why.

That's why she spent half her life researching The Disappearance. And that's also why eight Neighbors show up on her doorstep, demanding that she accompany them into the Forbidden Cities ruled by the Southern gods to speak with the Spirits of Glory. Everyone thinks Hawkeye is an expert on Neighbors, these almost-humans who move, talk, and think as if they were born inside one of the Time Fractures. But she can't imagine what they want to ask the ghosts of their ancestors, or why they need her to go along. The Southern gods caused every human inhabitant of the Southern cities to disappear overnight - what else might they do?

But the Northern gods say Hawkeye should go and her curiosity won't let her refuse, even though she's going into more danger than she can imagine. Pain and puzzlement wait along the broken interstate, along with scavengers who want to kill them all. Hawkeye's questions only generate more questions as they move farther and farther into the South, right into the heart of the Disappearance, until Hawkeye's questions have all been answered.

Even the ones she was afraid to ask.

My Opinion:

Spirits of Glory is a short but well crafted novel, with a lot of elements to put together in the end, keeping you hooked to the story. 

I really liked how Emily built this new world -Jigsaw- and how she presented us with its history and background, little by little, making us want more. 

The idea of the Time Fractures was very nicely done (being a Doctor Who fan, I tend to pay a lot of attention to these sort of things): once Hawkeye and Co. were in a Fracture, Time seemed to stretch for them, what would take a minute to do, in a Fracture it takes hours. I also enjoyed the visual of the book; Emily put a lot of detail into it. 

But that's my main argument against this book: there was, perhaps, a little too much detail, and not so much action. Whenever we got action, though, it was brilliant!

Hawkeye's growth throughout the book is also nicely written; we read how she becomes a much more mature (than she already is!) girl and how she learns how to handle things in a much better fashion, despite her disability. There's some romance in there, but the way Emily wrote it was great: it wasn't too fluffy, it was barely there, but it was definitely sweet and it worked for the book. 

It's a standalone (a plus!), I think, and a nice book if you're looking for an interesting sci-fi with a really well built world. 

I really wish we'd seen more action, because I think it would have been a great book with it.

Ryan Gosling Reads Young Adult

Oh, you didn't know? Well, he does. And sometimes he cries. 

(I don't know why people created this meme, but it's amazing!)
xo,
Ella

Giveaway-ers: The Book Depository DOESN'T ship everywhere. Better World Books DOES.

Being an international blogger, I'm often out of a LOT of awesome giveaways. Most of them are only US/Canada limited, and that sucks. BAD.

BUT, a lot of considerate people do hold international giveaways. Where do they buy the prizes? From The Book Depository. WRONG! TBD only ships to a number of different countries, and they claim their shipping is international, but this is not entirely true.

Last year, my Secret Santa got me a Gift Certificate for Better World Books. They DO ship internationally and their prices are great too!

Now, I don't want you to think this is a big advertising post for BWB, I just want YOU (who are thinking of holding an international giveaway soon) to think of buying the prize at BWB, so EVERYONE can enter. 

I'll be holding an international giveaway of my own soon, so stay tuned. 

xo,

Ella

UK Book Trailer for Hallowed (Unearthly, #2)

WOW. Creepy. I just loved Unearthly and I've requested Hallowed from NetGalley, so hopefully I'll be reading and reviewing it soon. I have to know what happens to Tucker!

And I think I like this style of cover more, don't you?

Borrowing Abby Grace #1: The Shadow, by Kelly Green

Release Date: October 17th, 2011
Publisher: Backlit Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 3 Stars 
Categories: Paranormal, Body-Swap, Mystery
Goodreads Page - Twitter - Facebook
Read in December 2011

Summary:

Sent to repair the lives and loves of teenagers on the edge of disaster, smart and sassy Abby Grace has everything going for her, except one thing: a body.

My Opinion:

BAG is a book with a lot of potential, and I felt it really could have given us more. It was all there, but not completely there. 

We meet Abby, a ghost (we're not sure about this yet) to give it a term, who's inside a girl's body: Brooke needs her help with something and Abby's here to do the job for her. 

When I was asked to review this, I said "Why not? Sounds good!". And it was, but I wish we'd gotten more info about Abby and her handler (?) Will, and also, about her Borrowing businness. I know we'll get all this in the next books, but for a First in a Series, it lacked that thing that makes you want to run to the bookstore and buy the sequel. 

Nevertheless, The Shadow is a short book (only 50-ish pages) and a fun read for a cold afternoon when you want to curl up in a sofa and read.

Up next, BAG #2: Girl Steals Guy!

Happy book birthday Clockwork Prince, Deadly Little Voices, Ruthless and Surrender

Some awesome books are coming out today. Have you pre-ordered any of these, and are anxiously awaiting for it?

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2), by Cassandra Clare
HARDCOVER
I read Clockwork Angel last year, and I loved it! I've yet to read TMI, though.
And guys, YOU CAN HEAR THE 1ST CHAPTER READ BY ED WESTWICK ON GOODREADS!!! GO, GO, GO!

Deadly Little Voices (a TOUCH novel), by Laurie Faria Stolarz
HARDCOVER
I haven't read any of these yet. Should I?

Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars, #10), by Sara Shepard
HARDCOVER
I don't know if I'd like these, sometimes I think I would, other times I just find a book that I want to read more.

Surrender (Haunting Emma, #2), by Lee Nichols
PAPERBACK
Haven't read the first one either, but I hear it's good!
You can win a copy on Goodreads! US only, though.

Happy release day to The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler!

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

Loved the summary the first time I read it; I know this is a book I'll end up loving :) 

The Future of Us is now in bookstores and is available through online retailers. 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1), by Michelle Hodkin

Michelle Hodkins's blog - website - goodreads - twitter

Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 5 Stars 
Categories: (I don't want to spoil it for you.)
Read in November 2011

Summary:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

My Opinion:

If you haven't read any other reviews for this book, and all you know about it is what you've read in that summary, then Mara Dyer's story is not something you'll be expecting to read. It begins with mystery and ends with madness. 

From the start, you're sucked up into Mara's world, one of hallucinations and tragedies and feel like there's no way out. Michelle crafted her beautifully, showing us the many sides of her personality, building it all up until that big revelation is finally out in the open. And boy, what a revelation! I'm honest when I say I did not see that one coming when grabbing this book! I was expecting something else entirely, and in the middle, I fell for this story. 

What I loved about this book was just that, the surprise we get in the end. Also, its darkness. Mara is a girl with real issues, but with an even bigger problem beneath the surface. It was how getting to that problem was written what I loved most about this book. 

And Noah's character doesn't hurt ;) Who doesn't love a bad boy with a British accent? His role in Mara's story will grow as the book progresses, and believe me, you'll end up loving him and wanting to smack him in the face at the same time. 

I strongly recommend this book to suspense, mystery and paranormal lovers.

Guest Post: Working Through Writer's Block, by Anthony Garcia

Solutions to Writer's Block

When you have a writer’s deadline, nothing is as frustrating as writer’s block. Whether the “victim” is a student who has a deadline for an assignment in graduate programs online, or whether it is a professional writer with an internal expectation to get a certain amount of work done, writer’s block is incredibly frustrating and intimidating for writers of all ages and experience levels. There are solutions to get over writer’s block so that the blank page or computer screen stop staring back and taunt them with their lack of progress.

Be Prepared

Sometimes writer’s block comes from being under-prepared to write about specific topics. This might mean having to write about a topic they have little knowledge about and haven’t prepared for, or because the topic was assigned and the writer has little interest. If this is the kind of preparation the writer lacks, then a solution for that problem is to research. Whether writing as a student or as a professional, gaining background information can be an integral part of making the brain click so that the words will flow more readily.

Another part of preparation is to think about where the writing will go before you start. You can make an outline before writing, or you might try brainstorming possible topics to include in the writing. Some people can do this by talking through the story, even if the writer is only speaking to herself. Many times getting those main ideas out there, whether on paper or some other manner can lay out what needs to be done so the writer may begin.

Start in the Middle (or the end)

Sometimes the issue for writers is how to start, or even where to start. One solution is to start with what is known. Sometimes we know that something important happened, but it can be the difficult to figure out how to get the reader to that point. One solution for the writer is to ignore the beginning and go the part they know well, the middle, or the end, or wherever the climax occurred. By going to the arc of action, the writer will often better understand what information is left out of the writing, and then the writer will know what to include in the beginning.

Walk Away

There comes a point for anyone suffering through writer’s block that sitting and staring at the blank page or the blank screen elicits diminishing returns. If you have tried other solutions but are still experiencing writer’s block, you may just need a mental break. Breaks help, even if they are short. It is possible that a writer can do too much concentrating, so much so that no original or free-flowing thoughts can penetrate the bullet proof wall that won’t allow the writer to get anything accomplished. Sometimes, taking 15 minutes to think about something unrelated to writing is all that is necessary in order to start writing. If something pops into their head right away, it might not be Pulitzer Prize material, but it can get the writer started.

Talk to People

The writer who still has writer’s block should talk to someone. It is not necessary to talk to people about writer’s block. As a matter of fact, it can be helpful to talk about baseball, a television show, or a song, or anything in the world other than writing. For the writer, there is in the back of their mind no matter what, so it is possible that while talking, or watching television something will click. However, it can also be really helpful to bounce ideas off of others about the writing itself. Maybe someone has an experience with something you are writing about, and could shed light on the topic. Since all of us have different life experiences, it can be really useful to get a multitude of perspectives when you are at a loss for ideas. With writer’s block, almost anything can allow the block to go away and help the writing process to start.

There are few things more frustrating than writer’s block, especially when there is a deadline or a commitment that must be met. However, few people have died from writer’s block, so by trying a few different proven strategies, writer’s block too shall pass. My best advice: just don’t’ give up! 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anthony recently completed his graduate education in English Literature. A New Mexico native, he currently resides and writes in Seattle, Washington. He writes primarily about education, travel, literature, and American culture.

SHATTER ME's Release Day and MARA DYER News!

Today's the release day of SHATTER ME, by debut author Tahereh Mafi! I think I'm right in saying it's one of the most anticipated books of the season. Just look at its cover!

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Or, look at its trailer (which is ah-mazing!):

*drops jaw* 

Happy book birthday SHATTER ME! I shall soon get my hands on you!

And, speaking of awesome books: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER is on its SECOND PRINT! Just after being on the shelves for 6 weeks! SIX WEEKS! Wow, that's great! 

I'm reading this book right now (as a matter of fact, I'll go and keep on reading it as soon as this post it up) and I tell you, I'm loving it. My review will probably be up next week.

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

I still have uni to worry about, but classes are ending which means I'll have more time to read soon!

xo,
Ella

What does 2012 hold in (book)stores for us

2011 is nearly over, and we're all still alive, yay! And thanks to uni, I failed -yet again- to complete any challenges I signed up for this year. It's fun, though, to try and participate, so be sure I'll be signing up for any 2012 challenges I come across!

Uni is also nearly done for me, which gives me time to catch -a little- up on my reading. This year I read less books than last, but I was more busy than I was in 2010, so it's not so bad for me.

A lot of new books are reaching Argentine stores, maybe I'll take some pics and make a special post about that later... But it makes me super happy! Maybe publishing homes are realising Latinamericans expect new books to be published in their home countries just as eagerly as Northamericans and Europeans? Buying books from online reteilers isn't cheap, you know. Apart from the book itself, we have to pay for shipping, which costs nearly more than the book! Crazy... But, moving on!

So, 2012 books! Some great titles are coming next year, take a look -click on the pics to enlarge, and view the covers in all their splendor!- (every link leads to Goodreads):

Innocent Darkness (The Aether Chronicles, #1), by Suzanne Lazear

The Gathering Storm (The Katerina Trilogy, #1), by Robin Bridges

Small Medium at Large, by Joanne Levy

Breaking Beautiful, by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Auracle, by Gina Rosati

A Breath of Eyre (Unbound, #1), by Eve Marie Mont

Gilt (The Royal Circle), by Katherine Longshore 

Love & Leftovers, by Sarah Tregay

May B., by Caroline Starr Rose

Never Eighteen, by Megan Bostic

Scarlet, by A. C. Gaughen

Touched (Touched, #1), by Corrine Jackson

Look at the pretty covers! AURACLE's is amazing! And it's synopsis is even more so! A Breath of Eyre was one of my WoW's this year, not that long ago. 

Remember these are debut authors, so you can add any of these titles to next year's 2012 Debut Author Challenge!

These are just a few of next year's releases, you can look at the rest here (Goodreads) or here (Class of 2k12).

xo,
Ella

Root - A new interactive story from Guardian Teen Books

Remember I told you about Michael Grant's new interactive project a few months ago? Well, someone from The Guardian has just emailed me something really exciting, and not unlike Grant's project:

Guardian Teen Books has partnered with Random House for a new interactive, serialised story called Root - a fast-paced thriller set in the shadowy world of computer hacking and espionage. 

ESPIONAGE! I love the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore, I read a few of them -that were not reviewed here-, and ever since I've loved the idea of teen spies.

Every weekday for six weeks a new chapter will be released on guardian.co.uk/teen-books. The content will be directly influenced by readers’ contributions, such as their ideas for characters' personalities and skills.

The story's already begun, it's on its twelfth chapter now. But I'm definitely gonna start reading it as soon as I can!

The heroine Molly Root is a 15 year old computer genius whose friend Danny is killed after being caught stealing priceless data from a ruthless global corporation. Now she's in over her head. So far Molly Root's mission to get to the bottom of her best friend's murder has taken her on a perilous trail across London. Her key lead is a dodgy police detective - and her attempts to expose his shady contacts are testing her ingenuity to the limits.

Yep, I'm loving the summary!

As well as incorporating suggestions from readers, the story will also be brought to life via several social media platforms. For example, Guardian Teen Books' Twitter and Facebook accounts will be providing behind the scenes updates of how Molly is progressing, along with clips on Audiobooks featuring the voicemails that Molly has discovered. This will be accompanied by onsite quizzes and photo puzzles on Flickr.

How exciting is that? I know it's convinced me! You can go and take a look if you want, click on any of the links above to visit the site.

The ReadIt1st Movement

Right, Doctor? Nerdfighters are cool, he says.

Nerdfighters are among the coolest people on Earth, and they've created something that deserves to be spoken of. 

I only just learned about it, and I already think it's amazing.

Have you ever watched a film based on a book and swore you'd never waste your time reading said book? Well, you might have missed out on reading a really good book, all because of its crappy on-screen adaptation. 

The ReadIt1st Movement (I don't know if it's actually a movement, I just like to call it that) is all for reading the book before watching the film! It's something I've always believed in. I haven't watched the Jane Eyre remake because I still have the book waiting for me in a box (I know, tragic, but I still haven't gotten shelves for my new flat).

I love it when you can see on the big (or small) screen something you've previously imagined in your mind. It's magic, isn't it? Of course, a book's adaptation to a film isn't always accurate (The Vampire Diaries is a series I love, but on TV, the show's taking turns that L. J. Smith didn't even write! And it isn't necessarily a bad thing.) and we must remember that when watching a film or a TV show based on a literary work. 

So, if you also think like me, and you're willing to take the pledge, you can go to readit1st.com and sign up!

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, by Various Authors

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, by Various Authors on Goodreads
Release Date: July 28th, 2009
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 4 Stars 
Categories: Vampires, Paranormal, Romance
Challenge: 100 Books in a Year
Finished in November 2011

Summary:

There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephenie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including:
• Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
• Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
• Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
• Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
• Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
• Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
• Kelley Armstrong (Women of Otherworld)
• Maria V. Snyder
• Sarah Rees Brennan
• Lili St. Crow
• Karen Mahoney
• Dina James
They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

My Opinion:

Vampires are among my favourite otherworldly creature, and this book didn't disappoint! What an amazing book from such talented authors!

From romances between vampires and their hunters (the drama!), and vampires who've been so for years to people who've just changed or are hoping to be turned, this book has it all.

I seriously can't remember reading a book so full of action as well as sexual tension, and so well written. Because, let's be honest, teens' hormones are all over the place 24/7, it's no use denying it. And these writers use it to their advantage, creating stories that'll leave you pining for an undead boyfriend/girlfriend of your own! Just subtle kisses (hence, the book's title) that make you feel a chill crawling up your spine and keep on reading until the end are what this book is about.

You'll find your typical gorgeous type of vamp and vampires that are anything but glamourous and living in ghettos, surrounded by police guarding them so they don't leave that place.

Many of these authors I'd never heard of, but now, I'm definitely going to start looking into their work.

If you love vampire stories as much as I do, you'll love this book.

I'm not dead!

WOW, I can't believe that even though I'm not here, this blog still keeps getting a lot of visitors a day, THANK YOU!

I've been receiving a lot of review/interview requests, that I'd love to accept, and I want to go back to being active on the blogosphere, but sadly, university is taking up most of my time.

So, during the next couple of months, I'll be online as much as I can -meaning, you'll probably see a blog post every three weeks!-, but after uni is done for the year, I'm all yours bloggy world!

I've also got some projects I want to share with you guys, and I need your imput, so stay around.

xo,
Ella

WOW #21: A Breath of Eyre

Waiting on: A Breath of Eyre (Unbound, #1), by Eve Marie Mont

Expected publication date: April 1st, 2012

Publisher: Kensington

Summary from Goodreads:

Get lost in a good book. Literally.
Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…
Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

How cool is that summary? I love the idea of a teenager getting sucked into a classic tale, and I adore the classics! I'll be pining for this one.

I'm slowly turning into a Whovian.

Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler

And I'm loving it! I've known about Doctor Who for some time now, but I just started watching it last week. I've devoured the first two seasons, am about to finish the third, and I'll keep on going until I get to where everyone else it right now! After that, I want to watch the Classic Episodes :)

This show's brilliant, it's got everything you could ask for: adventure, amazing new worlds, romance, suspense, mystery, it's got it all! 

For those of you who haven't watched this amazing show, it tells the story of the Doctor (currently in his Eleventh regeneration), a Time Lord (basically an alien who can travel through time and space). 

Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler

On the 2005 season, the Ninth Doctor was played by Christopher Eccleston. And I loved him! He was so good! That season finale was amazing, and I wanted to see more of him, but no such luck. 

Now, I'm watching the Tenth Doctor's seasons, the third one, to be exact, and I'm not too happy about the changes. 

I still love the show, but I'm kinda hoping the old days will come back. 

The Doctor's new companion, Martha Jones, is nice, but I'm missing Rose too much. They say she comes back soon, so I'm gonna have to keep watching to find out when. 

I think I'll be on season 6 by next week. 

Do you like DW? 

xo,

Ella

The Day I Decided to Switch Stories

Doesn't she look happy?

Yeah, that's today. And I feel like the girl on the picture, honestly.

I'd been secretly dating another Idea -the horror!- while trying to finish Insomnia. But the thing is, even though I know exactly where Insomnia's going, I don't really want to keep writing it anymore. At least, not for now.

What started out as something fun became a sort of duty (I HAVE to finish this book! Or else...), in a bad way, and I don't want to feel that anymore. 

I do feel kind of bad for leaving my characters behind, now that I know them so well. But I think it's not the right time for me to write that story. So, I'm changing courses and following that other Idea I told you before.

And I'm very excited! I've already started drafting my character's personalities and their world, so before I dive into writing it, I know just where I'm headed.

I'll totally share stuff about it with you, when I have something to share, lol ;)

I think this is a good thing, something fresh and new. I'm glad I made this decision.

What are you writing? Let me know!

xo,

Ella

Do you buy used books or books from different sellers on Amazon?

Click to enlarge.

Hey guys, I have a quick question for you.

I recently started buying books from Amazon: pre-ordered Lola and The Scorpio Races and I'm really happy about it, because it's the same as buying books here in my home country, the cost is practically the same. The only difference is that when I buy books on Amazon I have to wait to get them.

A few days ago I started thinking: "Would it be worth it to buy used books or books from other sellers on Amazon? They certainly are cheaper, but what are the guarantees?"

So, my question to you is: Have you ever bought used books or from a different seller on Amazon? Is it worth it? Is the books' quality good when you get them?

xo, Ella

Lauren DeStefano discusses the perils of Goodreads

Awesome video. So funny, I had to share!

Kami Garcia sells a new series to Little, Brown!

Excerpt from Publishers Weekly:

Garcia’s ‘Legion’ Heads to LBBYR… and Hollywood

“Kami Garcia, coauthor of the bestselling YA series Beautiful Creatures, sold the first two books in a new series, called the Legion, to Julie Scheina at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Scheina bought North American rights to Unbreakable and Unbound from Jodi Reamer at Writers House; the series is set to launch in fall 2013. The first book, Unbreakable, is also already in development in Hollywood with producer Mark Morgan (the Twilight Saga and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) attached… LBBYR called the series a “frightening and thrilling urban fantasy’”full of “suspense, romance, and dark paranormal forces.”

Are you curious yet? Here’s a preview:

Kennedy Waters’ entire life changes when she finds her mother dead and discovers she is a member of a secret society formed two hundred years ago to protect the world from a powerful demon determined to find a way out of his dimension and into ours, and from the dangerous spirits he controls.

(from beautifulcreatures.com)

Wow, awesome news! I'm a huge Beautiful Creatures fan; I love Kami and Margie's writing, and cannot wait to read their solo projects! Remember, Margie also sold her new YA Sci-Fi series to LB. These ladies are taking new paths, and I'm sure they'll do great in their new projects.

Good luck, Kami!

The Scorpio Races New Book Trailer!

How awesome is that?! As usual, Maggie did it all herself (with help, of course, but it's all her anyway). I'm dying to get this book and have already pre-ordered it (the perks of having a debit card!).

Here's the summary if you don't know what the book is about:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.  (Taken from Goodreads).

Maggie's having a contest on her blog where you can win an ARC of TSC. Click here to enter.  

Pre-Order the book: The Scorpio Races(Amazon)

Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2), by Becca Fitzpatrick

Becca Fitzpatrick's website|blog|FB|Twitter

Release Date: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster's Children's Publishing
Age Group: Young Adult
Overall: 4 Stars 
Categories: Paranormal, Romance, Angels
Challenge: 100 Books in a Year
Other books in the series: Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1), Silence (Hush, Hush, #3)
Read in August 2011

Summary:

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

My Opinion:

Hush, Hush was such an amazing, exciting, and fun beginning to a series, that I was hoping to be even more in love with Patch in Crescendo. But I was a little disappointed. 

It took me a while to remember that Nora's sixteen years old, therefore some of her actions and decisions seemed a little immature to me. Even so, I couldn't help think sometimes that she could make a better choice. Or tell her, "Why don't you see what he's doing to you?" (he being either Patch, Scott or Rixon).  

All that aside, I loved how Becca put even more drama into Crescendo, making Nora question her father's death, thinking it might have been Patch who did it, which led to the two of them eventually breaking up. All I could think was, "No! Don't do that! You can't leave Patch, he loves you!" But I've got to admit, she was very determined, and didn't change her mind like some little girl who says first they want one thing, and then they want another. I liked that.

The Marcie Drama was a little too undeveloped, I think it needed more, I needed to know more. But the Scott Issue was really well written! I loved that.

And the ending! Argh, you can't do that Becca, that's mean! Why did you leave us hanging like that? I tell you, it was all worth it for those final chapters!

So, all in all, while I didn't love this book as much as I did Hush, Hush, I still liked it, and that's why I'm giving it 4 Stars. 

Have you read Hush, Hush and Crescendo? Are you waiting for Silence too?

Do you love Patch as much as I do? *swoon*

xo, Ella

Kate Hegarty's New Book Trailer: The Saskatoon Balloon

When Kate's Mieradome came out, everyone said they loved it. I didn't get a chance to read it yet, but Kate's sent me this new book trailer for her new novel, The Saskatoon Balloon, and now I feel like reading them both!

I still haven't read Faerie Books (I know! I know!), and I really want to read this ones. Maybe I will soon!

Did you like the trailer? Have you read Mieradome?
You can follow Kate's blog here. 

xo,
Ella

Michael Grant's New Interactive Project

A few days ago, I was contacted by Jennifer who's working with GONE author, Michael Grant, in a new and exciting project.

This winter, we'll be able to experience Michael's new transmedia series, which according to Jennifer "is essentially [...] an interactive narrative told through the written word, video, puzzles, and more. But most importantly, it encourages fans to become part of the action."

Looks like we'll be able to read and interact with this new story in awesome sites (http://nexushumanus.com/ and http://societytwins.com/, maybe?). Isn't that exciting?


Can't wait to hear more about this, stay tuned for more!

Recreate PANDEMONIUM's cover international contest!

We're having an international contest over at Deliriously Falling, where you can win a Pre-Order for Pandemonium!

All you have to do is recreate Pandemonium's cover. Read the full details here.

Getting into Pottermore or How I Nearly Had a Panic Attack

So, unless you've been living under a rock, you must have heard of Pottermore. Maybe you think it'll be cool, and you're willing to wait til October to try it, or, if you're like me, you were up all night last night, refreshing the site like crazy and chatting with as many Potterheads as you could, trying to see if you could help each other solve the clue.

I'm one of those people that, when they want something, they need it NOW. I had been up from 11pm the night before, waiting til it was 5am when maybe the clue'd be up. 5 came, and no clue. 6 came, and still no clue. That was when people starting thinking, "Well, if the first clue was up at 9am BST, and the second at 10, then this one will probably by up at 11." It was 6: something here in Arg -4-hour difference with London-, so we had to wait til it was 7. By then I was more than awake, I don't know what I was. A bundle of nerves, that's what I was. I was literally shaking, you guys (I HAD to get in, I couldn't stay up any other day!).

And then, FINALLY, it was 7 am Arg - 11am BST, and the clue was up. 

I didn't even have time to think the answer, when someone told it to me. So I tried it. I was taken to this page:

Click to enlarge.

And I thought, "Where is the bloody Quill?!?!?" I tell you, I spent the most horrible 10 minutes of my life trying to see if the Quill was hidden somewhere. Until I screencapped my screen, and showed it to my friends. Someone told me I had to deactivate my Adblock, and I'd see the Quill. So I did, and it worked! 

Levitating the Quill was another problem, it took me several tries. But after having spent hours up waiting, getting an almost-heart-attack because I couldn't see the damn Quill, and then finding it and registering (I forgot my password right after creating the account, I was so nervous), it was worth to see this:

My username is CharmFirebolt58, a nice one! It was a whirwind of emotions, but I made it out alive. I got to bed at 8 this morning, and I'm happy as a clam (if that's the right expression!). Now I have to wait a few weeks for that other email telling me I can access the site!

Tell me if you got in early too! I want to know everyone's usernames, so I can friend you (or w/e it is we'll be able to do once we're on there) later!

xo,

Ella

Happy birthday J. K. Rowling!

(I love tumblr. These posts I've reblogged can better express my feelings right now.)

Twenty years ago today, Harry Potter was lying on the floor of an old lighthouse, counting down the minutes to his eleventh birthday, when the magic began. Today, millions of his fans worldwide are eagerly counting down the minutes to midnight, when the magic will begin again. For all of us.

We potterheads will always remember when we crashed Pottermore before it even started.

(In the meantime, we keep waiting for something to happen at pottermore.com...)

How To Get Published: A Flowchart by Kate Hart

I saw this in Kate Hart's blog, and thought it was hilarious, as well as funny and useful!

FEVER's cover is out!

And I'm not really in love with it.

I do like the face that they've kept the theme from the first cover. But that one was so much more haunting, don't you agree?

The girl in FEVER's cover looks kinda drunk to me. I don't really like it aesthetically. 

What do you think?

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1), by James Dashner

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1), by James Dashner on Goodreads

Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

Overall: 5 Monkeys
Categories: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi

Challenge: 100 Books in a Year
Other books in the series: The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner, #2), The Death Cure (The Maze Runner, #3)
Read in July 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Imagine waking up one day in total darkness, unsure of where you are and unable to remember anything about yourself except your first name. You're in a bizarre place devoid of adults called the Glade. The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids -- the Runners -- venture into the labyrinth, trying to map the ever-changing pattern of walls in an attempt to find an exit from this hellish place. So far, no one has figured it out. And not all of the Runners return from their daily exertions, victims of the maniacal Grievers, part animal, part mechanical killing machines.
Thomas is the newest arrival to the Glade in this Truman-meets-Lord of the Flies tale. A motley crew of half a dozen kids is all he has to guide him in this strange world. As soon as he arrives, unusual things begin to happen, and the others grow suspicious of him. Though the Maze seems somehow familiar to Thomas, he's unable to make sense of the place, despite his extraordinary abilities as a Runner. What is this place, anddoes Thomas hold the key to finding a way out?
In The Maze Runner, Dashner has crafted a creative and engaging novel that's both mysterious and thought provoking.

My Opinion:

I'd read a lot about this book, some really good reviews, and it had always been on top of my TBR list. So when I saw it in my local bookstore, I knew I had to buy it. Not that many American books find their way to Latin America, so I was really happy to find this one. 

Cover of my/Latin American edition.

And it did not disappoint! What an awesome first-book-in-a-series! It left me aching for more!

I missed the buzz over this book when it was first published, so I'm not going to make this a long review, as I imagine you may have read a lot of reviews already, but I am going to say this: I saw The Scorch Trials in my bookstore, and I'm getting it when I have money (lol).

I can't remember ever reading a book about a Maze, this one was something fresh. Every chapter ended leaving you more confused and with more questions than before, and I can definitely see why some people compare it to Lost. It has that mysterious air that the TV show had, and that I loved. I can definitely see myself becoming a fan of this trilogy. 

Another thing that suprised me in a wonderful way, was the fact that James wrote a book where teenage (this is a crucial fact) boys are capable of working and living in a very well crafted community. Yes, they got help from the "Makers" (? - I read the book in Spanish, so I don't know the term in English), the people who put them there, but in the end it was up to them to get things done. Eventually, the girl who arrived at the Glade also participates, but the boys are the ones who've built up everything before she got there. 

Why do I like this? Because it shows teenagers can do more than care for trivial matters! Leaving aside the fact that this is a Sci-Fi, these boys worked hard not to let anguish and pain bring them down. So, kudos to Dashner, Thomas and the Gladers!

This book is full of fast-paced action, suspense, mystery and some laughs thrown in there too. I highly recommend this is you still haven't read it!

Stay, by Deb Caletti

Stay, by Deb Caletti on Goodreads

Release Date: April 5th, 2011.
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Overall: 5 Monkeys
Categories: Romance, Drama, Contemporary, Relationships

Challenge: 100 Books in a Year
Read in June 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he's willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...

My Opinion: 

For my first Caletti book, it was awe-some. It had drama, it had love, it had strange relationships... everything you can ask for in a Contemp!

The way Deb created Clara -at first a shy girl, who becomes someone new with Christian around- was incredibly belieable. I could really see her, hurt and broken, trying to find herself again in that little place on the beach, where she and her father go to escape from the city. Every one of her decisions made sense, once you got to "know" her, which helped me understand her throughout the whole book, and made me want to grab her off the pages and keep her safe myself! She was a really grounded person, and I loved watching her grow.

The rest of the characters was brilliant as well. Her father, and his secrets; her best friend and her personality, Christian and his... he was really well written too, crazy as hell, but a great character, plot-wise.

I loved this book so much, I can't wait to read some other Caletti book! 

If you're looking for an intense Contemporary book, then run to the book store and get this one!