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