And the Winner Is ...

Thank you to everyone who entered my August Competition for a copy of Frostbitten OR The White Queen OR Sisters of the Prophecy. What a turn out; 144 individual entries + extra entries totalling over 240 entries in random.org *phew*

and the winner is:

Pirate Penguin

Congratulations Pirate Penguin, you have won yourself a copy of

Prophecy of the Sisters Please contact me ASAP with your mailing addie.

Your book will be purchased by me personally,

from The Book Depository

and mailed to you directly.

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Fire by Kristen Cashore OR Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick OR Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Check back tomorrow for details. International entrants welcome.

Mailbox Monday

Thank you to Marcia at the Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week. Another great week for me with 2 more books landing in my mailbox!

Stay tuned for my reviews of these books :-)

Wait Until Twilight by Sang Pak

(from publicist - for review)

A debut coming-of-age novel about a motherless teenage boy who discovers a terrifying secret in his small Georgia town, and finds that sometimes the most gruesome monsters are those inside ourselves. What I need to do, needs to be done before it gets too dark . . . Sixteen-year-old Samuel confronts his own inner monster when he discovers a set of deformed triplets whose mother believes they were immaculately conceived. Soon, the babies have taken hold of his waking and sleeping thoughts, and, unable to escape them, he decides to save them, but their shutin mother and violent older brother want nothing to do with him. Samuel must fight the trouble within him and the trouble he sees around him to determine who he will become in a year that forces him to grow from motherless boy to self-defined man. Set in a small Georgia town, this psychologically complex story of survival and self determination explores the dark, often contradictory worlds of young contemporary life, laying bare the ugly truths and secrets that haunt all of us.

Dancing With Ana by Nicole Barker
(from author - for review)

Beth is a lucky girl... She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed. Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

What Are You Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

Looking forward to reading Hush, Hush & Dancing With Ana and I have more vampire reading to do for my upcoming week on Royal Reviews. Vampire Week is from the 6th September so be sure to pop in and show your fangs!

************
Books Completed Last Week:

THE WHITE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory - 4.5 stars

HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost - 5 stars

 ************
  This Week's Reading List:

THE UNDEAD NEXT DOOR by Kerrelyn Sparks - page 45

HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

THE VAMPIRE'S BRIDE by Gena Showalter (audiobook) - chapter 7

DANCING WITH ANA by Nicole Barker

************

Click on the title to see my reviews for:

CORALINE by Neil Gaiman

THE DARKEST HOUR by Katherine Howell 

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Series:The Cousins War Book 1

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 411

Book source: Review copy thanks to Katrina from Wiredset

Synopsis: The first in a stunning new series, The Cousins War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of The War of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings this family drama to colourful life through its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower whose fate remains unknown to this day. www.philippagregory.com

Philippa Gregory's skill as a storyteller is renowned and The White Queen proves no exception. Ms Gregory takes a fascinating period in history, with powerful historical figures and weaves a compelling and intriguing tale. I found the Plantagenets and the House of York just as interesting, if not more so than the Tudors, possibly because I'm less read in this time period but also because this truly is an enthralling story.

The White Queen is told through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville, a widow of the House of Lancaster with 2 sons to her first husband, Sir John Grey. Elizabeth, reputably one of the most beautiful women of this time, catches the eye, and the heart of King Edward IV and a secret marriage follows as Elizabeth refuses to be the York King's mistress. Without giving too much away, this is where treachery & betrayal really come into play. Elizabeth's reputation as Edward's acknowledged queen is not aided by her dabbling in witchcraft & as she understandably promotes her family and their postion, resentment grows. The York faction fight not only the Lancastrians but turn on each other, alliances are made and broken & when Elizabeth & Edward's sons are born the treachery reaches an all new level. King Edward's brothers, George, the turn-coat (boy did I loathe him) & eventually loyal Richard become players in an ongoing battle for the crown.

“Edward lives as if there is no tomorrow, Richard as if he wants no tomorrow, and George as though someone should give it to him for free.” comment from Anthony to his sister Elizabeth Woodville.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gregory's portrayal of Elizabeth as a devoted mother, loving & faithful wife and if not entirely likeable, then strong, & spirited. I think like many strong, passionate women in history, Elizabeth Woodville is much maligned by her detractors to encourage prejudice that has remained throughout history. Yes she becomes vengeful & spiteful, especially when employing her "pagan tricks" but considering the circumstances it would probably have taken a saint, not to.

There were a few places in the novel that read like a recounting of events, a little lacking in emotion but what I loved about The White Queen is Philippa Gregory's use of literary licence. I was enthralled by the author's characterisations, her take on the Melusine legend & the the fate of Edward & Richard, the Princes in the tower. Shrouded in contradictions and speculation, an unsolved mystery to this day, I believe Philippa Gregory's scenario is quite plausible.

Once again the author's notes are a helpful addition, letting the reader know what parts of the story are fact or based on fact and what's ficticious. My suggestion to keep track of the complex relationships is to check out the family tree of the Houses of York, Lancaster & Tudor in the front of the novel or print out the family tree from Philippa Gregory's website. I found it helpful to keep this & a list of Elizabeth & Edward's children with me so I wasn't completely bamboozled by the generations of Edwards, Richards, & Georges. (12 children is quite a feat, 10 to Edward, not all of which are mentioned in the book and 2 Grey sons)

Don't miss this one, it's a great introduction to the War of the Roses period both for the uninitiated & fans of historical fiction. I now have a newly acquired craving to learn more about this era and I can't wait to see what's in store for us with The Red Queen and The White Princess.

Visit Philippa Gregory's website to find out more.

Winner of Frantic

The winner of Frantic by Katherine Howell is: Dottie @ My Blog 2.0

Congratulations Dottie, you're in for a great read. Please contact me ASAP with your mailing address. Your copy of Frantic will be posted directly to you by the author.

Sincere thanks again to Katherine for her generosity.

For those of you who missed out, you can purchase a copy of Frantic at The Book Depository

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: 2006
Pages: 192

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous. But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life. www.neilgaiman.com

This is what Neil Gaiman had to say on his website about his motivation for writing Coraline and the result - "I started to write a children's book. It was for my daughter, Holly, who was five years old. I wanted it to have a girl as a heroine, and I wanted it to be refreshingly creepy. It was a story, I learned when people began to read it, that children experienced as an adventure, but which gave adults nightmares. It's the strangest book I've written, it took the longest time to write, and it's the book I'm proudest of."

This was indeed delightfully creepy, but no creepier than a traditional fairytale like Hansel and Gretel. I didn't have nightmares but it does make you feel like you've just woken from a disturbing dream and I don't think I'll ever look at buttons in quite the same way.

Coraline is engaging, she's bored, curious, brave, smart & a little lonely. Her parents are distracted & always seem too busy for her. Coraline's exploring leads to an alternate universe where at first everything seems wonderful but quickly gives credence to the old adage 'if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.'

Coraline wisdom: "I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything. What then?" "when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave."

Neil Gaiman creates a unique & vivid fantasy world that takes your imagination on a wild ride. I'm actually busting to the see the movie Coraline, even the trailer looks awesome but I think it would take more than begging to get my 15 year old son to come with me ... hmm maybe bribery!

See my review for my favourite Neil Gaiman novel: The Graveyard Book

Visit Neil Gaiman's official website for young readers Mr Bobo's Remarkable Mouse Circus, it's absolutely brilliant, loads of fun and well worth the time. Also check out http://www.neilgaiman.com/ for books and the latest Neil Gaiman news.

 

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Support Your Local Authors

Literary Locals, a monthly event, highlighting our local authors, both past and present!! This event is a wonderful idea hosted by Tif Talks Books, head on over to her blog to sign up and support your local authors.

I was very excited to come across local author Katherine Howell when I picked up her debut novel Frantic by chance. When her 2nd novel, The Darkest Hour proved just as riveting, I became a devoted fan!

Australian crime author Katherine Howell is a former ambulance officer. She was born & raised in Sydney & now resides on the New South Wales north coast. Katherine is working on her 3rd novel, Cold Justice, due for Australian release in Feb 2010. She is also a delightful lady to correspond with :-) Katherine's novels look at crime from a very unique angle; the dual viewpoint of paramedic and police gives the reader a distinctive & atypical perspective.

You can see my reviews of Katherine's novels by clicking on the titles - Frantic (Don't forget, you can win a copy of Frantic by clicking here but hurry, contest ends Friday 28th)

The Darkest Hour
 

Check out these great quotes about Katherine's work: "Author Katherine Howell is a former Sydney paramedic and is set to do for that profession what US author Patricia Cornwell did for forensic pathologists." - http://www.bdrecorder.co.uk/  

“... her fast moving plots, sharp writing and well-developed characters grip the reader from the first page. Both novels feature a woman paramedic and draw on Howell’s considerable experience in the field.” - Sisters in Crime

"Howell may have left the ambulance service but she can still drive a narrative at full speed with the sirens blaring. Pass me the oxygen." - Sydney Morning Herald

FRANTIC won the 2008 Davitt Award for best crime novel by an Australian author, then on the 21st August this year THE DARKEST HOUR won the 2009 Davitt Award for best crime novel in the Reader's Choice category. What an awesome achievement!!

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell

Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Copyright: 2008
Pages: 384

Synopsis: Paramedic Lauren Yates stumbles into a world of trouble the night she discovers a dead man in an inner city alley, for the killer lurks nearby. When the murderer threatens to make her life hell if she tells the police, she believes him - he's Thomas Werner, her sister's ex, and a very bad man indeed. But when a stabbing victim tells her with his dying breath that Werner attacked him too, she finds herself with blood on her hands and Detective Ella Marconi on her back.

Will Ella's investigation put her career on the line, just when she's finally got her foot in the door? And can Lauren keep her family safe before Werner makes good on his promise, or will they all pay the ultimate price?

Review: After reading Katherine Howell's brilliant debut novel, Frantic, I had my fingers crossed that The Darkest Hour would live up to my high expectations. I'm thrilled to say, it did that and more ... this is one taut, engrossing read.

Detective Ella Marconi, of 'Frantic' fame is back as the investigating officer but we are introduced to a new paramedic, Lauren Yates and her partner Joe. Once again we are given an 'up close & personal' look at the private and working lives of the main characters & further insight into human psychology; exposing vulnerabilites and flaws, the lengths people go to to protect loved ones and the often rash decisions made in times of severe stress.

In my humble opinion former Sydney paramedic Katherine is a master in this genre. Looking at crime from a very unique angle; the dual viewpoint of paramedic and police gives the reader a very distinctive & atypical perspective. Drawing on personal experience to bring the reader not just a paramedic scene, but the sights, sounds, smells & emotions of that scene makes for a gritty and realistic read. I did suffer from some serious brain strain keeping up with the complexity of the plot and I wondered how the author would tie everything together. But fear not, it is accomplished very well and I think that as the killer is clearly identified at the start of the book, (to Lauren & the reader) the complexities, & twists are the necessary component in creating the nail-biting suspense.

I can't wait for the release of Katherine's next novel, Cold Justice. (Feb 2010)
To stay up to date on Katherine Howell news visit her website.

Breaking news: THE DARKEST HOUR wins the 2009 Davitt Award for best crime novel in the Reader's Choice category. (21st August 2009) The Davitt Awards were set up by Sisters in Crime in 2001 to celebrate the achievements of Australian women crime writers. Katherine Howell won the 2008 Davitt Award for best crime novel with her novel Frantic. Congratulations Katherine, keep the awesome reads coming!

Love this quote about Katherine's work - "Howell may have left the ambulance service but she can still drive a narrative at full speed with the sirens blaring. Pass me the oxygen." - Sydney Morning Herald

You can see my review of Katherine's first novel Frantic & enter the competition to win a copy by clicking here


This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Teaser Tuesday

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts this cool weekly event. Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. Share the title & author of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser. Please avoid spoilers! "When you are laughing and dancing with Edward, you could pass for twenty, but when you are still and thoughtful, you are as lovely as the statues they are carving in Italy. No wonder women loathe you." page 208 The White Queen by Philippa Gregory This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

The books on my list from last week that I didn't get a chance to read will have to be postponed for another week while I read an ARC and a couple of books for Vampire week on Royal Reviews.

************ Books Completed Last Week: THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett - 5 stars - review coming LOVING NATALEE by Beth Holloway - 5 stars - click on the title to see review ********* This Week's Reading List: THE WHITE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory - page 205 HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick - ARC NIGHT'S KISS by Amanda Ashley KISSING SIN by Keri Arthur

************ Click on the title to see my reviews for LONG NIGHT DANCE by Betsy James

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you to Marcia at the Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week. 2 books in my mailbox this week and I was jumping up & down like a kid on Christmas morning. The White Queen arrived courtesy of the wonderful Katrina from Wiredset, thank you so much Katrina. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory The first in a stunning new series, The Cousins War, is set amid the tumult and intrigue of The War of the Roses. Internationally bestselling author Philippa Gregory brings this family drama to colourful life through its women, beginning with the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a common woman who ascends to royalty by virtue of her beauty, a woman who rises to the demands of her position and fights tenaciously for the success of her family, a woman whose two sons become the central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the Princes in the Tower whose fate remains unknown to this day. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores the most famous unsolved mystery, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

I think Hush, Hush is my very first 'official' ARC, thank you to Simon & Schuster

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life. This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Long Night Dance by Betsy James

Series:The Seeker Chronicles Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: 1989
Pages: 224
Book Source: Library borrow

Fifteen-year-old Kat is more her father's housekeeper than his daughter. Just like all Upslope women, Kat is required to stay close to the hearth and as far away from Downshore and its savage people as possible. Kat must remain respectable -- and that means covering her wild red hair, finding a husband to care for, and never singing, swimming, or dancing. But Kat knows there must be more to life -- she can feel it in her heart. She can hear the call -- the sound of drums beating, drawing her to the forbidden beach. When Kat can no longer resist the call, she discovers what she thinks is a fatally injured seal washed up on the shore. Instead, she has found a Rig, one of a charmed race of mythical seal people. The only way to save this mysterious man is to defy her father and her community and seek aid in Downshore. But does Kat have the strength to stand on her own?

I was captivated by this original, easy-to-read tale, written beautifully in a haunting, poetic style. It's the story of a girl's coming of age, her quest for something better in life and the price that's paid for wanting more. Kat's 'awakening' takes place in a world of opposing culture & views; hatred and understanding, right and wrong, prejudice & acceptance, duty and freedom, land and sea.

Kat is the child of a scandolous marriage between a Hill woman & an Upslope man. She has cared for her father & brother since the death of her mother but when she finds Nall, a Rig, her restrictive life changes forever. Despite fear & prejudice Kat is determined to save the injured man.

Betsy James creates vivid pictures, you can clearly imagine the windswept shores, the sea calling, the haunting Rigi song & the freedom of dancing at Long Night. I really want to see if Kat gets a HEA with Nall so I'll definitely be following her story in Dark Heart & Listening at the Gate.

About the Author: I knew very little about Betsy James & wanted to find out more, the copy of Long Night Dance I picked up from the library was published in 2005 but I knew the story was first published much earlier. The origins of The Seeker Chronicles is a fascinating story. When she was 12, Betsy heard the the folksong, The great Silkie.

"In the lore of Scotland, Ireland, and Norway, "silkies," or "selchies," are a mysterious tribe of seals that come out of the sea, take off their skins, and are human. One verse of that song begins in much the same way as the Rigi's song:" I am a man upon the land, I am a silkie on the sea.

Betsy felt compelled to tell the story of a seal man and & a land-bound girl & being an illustrator, decided to tell the story in paintings. She painted every morning for almost 2 years, resulting in 315 watercolors called The Morning Series. They eventually became THE SEEKER CHRONICLES: Long Night Dance, Dark Heart & Listening at the Gate.

Betsy James is the author and illustrator of many children and YA books. Visit her website for more information.

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Loving Natalee by Beth Holloway

Genre: True Crime
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 234
Book Source: Library borrow, recommended by Yvette from True Crime Book Reviews

In May of 2005, Beth Holloway received the worst phone call a parent can imagine. Her beautiful daughter, Natalee, had disappeared without a trace in Aruba during her high school senior class trip. Two years later, for the first time, Beth Holloway steps forward in this astonishingly candid and inspirational memoir to tell of her harrowing ordeal and her never-ending belief in the power of faith that gave her hope against all odds. Natalee's senior class picture was splashed across the front pages of the country's newspapers and on television. Desperate for a clue as to her daughter's whereabouts, Beth and an army of faithful volunteers searched tirelessly for the missing eighteen-year-old. In their pursuit of Natalee, they encountered many roadblocks. As the horror stretched out, Beth stood on her foundation of faith, which at times was all she had to give her strength against a barrage of unbearable questions with no answers. Natalee's disappearance remains unsolved and her location unknown to this day. Beth's search continues - book cover

I do remember seeing news of Natalee Holloway's disappearance but being in Australia it probably wasn't publicised to the degree that it was in the US. Beth's story is absolutely heartbreaking, I cried from the very first page but was also inspired by Beth's faith, the compassion of many Arubans, and the innate goodness of most people. I can relate to the grief of a child's death, having lost a daughter myself but cannot even begin to comprehend the anguish and torment Beth & her family have gone through and continue to go through with the nightmare of not knowing. Reading 'Loving Natalee' is difficult enough, I can't imagine living it and I hope I never have to.

This is the story no one should have to tell, about the nightmare no one wants to live, told by the parent no one wants to be. It's time to feel with the heart what the mind is incapable of comprehending.

Not only did I shed quite a few tears throughout the book but I also found myself shaking with anger. The apathetic approach by Aruban officials, the lost evidence, missing statements, the wicked attitude of those 'in authority' in Aruba, the lies and corruption was just staggering and I was horrified at how much needless pain was contributed to an already unbearable loss. Can you imagine being faced with this from an officer while frantically waiting to give a statement about your missing daughter "I'll have to eat my frosted flakes first ... "and get a shave before I can deal with you." US officials & the FBI were on-site waiting for an invite from the Aruban government to assist in the investigation. When no invite was forthcoming the United States was left helpless to provide any official assistance to the so-called investigation or to the Holloways. This book certainly stripped away any naive ideas I had about the support which might be expected in an emergency when you are a foreigner in a country with an entirely different legal system and a corrupt government.

Loving Natalee is a raw, honest, coherent & courageous account. My heart goes out to Beth Holloway and her family and the many others in similar situations. Beth Holloway tours the United States presenting the 'Safe Travels' Student Safety Awareness message to high schools and colleges. She is spearheading the campaign to strengthen travel safety & establish a website for The International Safe Travels Foundation. 

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

2009 BBAW - I'm a Nominee

I received an exciting email today saying The Eclectic Reader has been nominated for a BBAW 2009 Award in the Most Eclectic Taste category.

Well that is certainly true, I do have very eclectic taste in books, enjoying everything from historical fiction to horror, paranormals to suspense/thrillers, good romances, mysteries, fantasy, and a few thought provoking non fictions thrown in!

A big thank you for the nomination ... I am very surprised & honoured, I've only been blogging for 10 months so this is completely unexpected. Doin the old *happy dance* :-)

This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

101 Best Fantasy Books

101 of the Best Fantasy Books has been so popular that it now has a new home at 101 of The Best Fantasy Books. Nominations close August 31st and then the fun really starts with voting. To date there are 700 nominations! Who should apply? Vampires, werewolves, wizards and even time travellers… Have you read a fantasy book that was so fabulous that you think everyone should read it? Let us know what it is so we can add it to the 101 Best Fantasy Book List. If you haven't already done so, click on the link or picture above to go straight to the new site and put your nominations in. This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

BBAW Intro Meme

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is coming up September 14-18, 2009. BBAW was created by Amy from My Friend Amy and she's started a BBAW intro meme for bloggers to get to know each other. I only began blogging in October 2008 & this is my first BBAW so I'm answering the newbie questions. 1) What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you? The highlight to dazzle all highlights has been the friends made all over the world. It has been a heartwarming & wonderful experience to get to know and connect with people from the book blogging community & some of these bloggers have become firm friends that are interested in, not only what book we'll be reading next but also about each other and our familys'. Warm, friendly, generous, funny, helpful people. I have always been an eclectic reader, enjoying books from different genres but blogging has certainly diversified my reading tastes even further. 2) What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you? There have been many bloggers who have helped me out, bloggers on a whole are a friendly, inspirational & generous bunch. I was inspired to start my blog by Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings, she has one of the most beautiful blogs in the blogosphere and being friends in the same town we get to share & borrow books from each other and generally chat for hours about all things book related. J.Kaye from J.Kaye's Book Blog was my very first follower and always, always commented on my posts which was such a highlight when my blog was just getting off the ground. Lea from Closetwriter was the very first blogger that I didn't know, who out of the blue offered to give my blog 3 columns and still updates my awards slideshow. She is one of the most generous souls, always helping and tooting other people's blogs. Melissa from Melissa's Bookshelf posted awesome 'how to' blog tips and hints and was always willing to answer questions when you found things a tad confusing, which I did quite often. 3) What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer? If you've missed nominating blogs, what's the best way to participate & get involved with BBAW? This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Bingo's Beautiful Blog Award

Thank you so much to J. Kaye & Nikola for this super cool award. J. Kaye nominated The Eclectic Reader for 'Beautiful' and Nikola picked 'Outstanding' so I was very chuffed. If you don't already follow J. Kaye's Book Blog you are missing out, head on over there. J.Kaye always makes you feel welcome, she's one of the friendliest and most generous bloggers out there. Nikola's Book Blog is a new blog to me but it sure has the cutest blog design and great book reviews. This award was started by Bookin With BINGO and here are the rules: This "B-I-N-G-O" BEAUTIFUL BLOG AWARD means that this blog is... B: Beautiful I: Informative N: Neighborly G: Gorgeous O: Outstanding Please look carefully at as many blogs as you can to find the top FIVE blogs that YOU think also exemplify these standards and pass it along to them. Please don't break this chain of FIVE! If you are someone who doesn't want awards or doesn't pass them on, please tell the person who is giving it so they can share it with someone who would want it. Thank you. Also, link your award to the person who gave it to you so when people link on the person's name or blog name, it will take them there to see that person's BINGO-RIFFIC BLOG.

I figured that since I received this award from 2 people I could nominate 2 for each category, so here goes. Beautiful - Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic & Briana from The Book Pixie Informative - Melissa from Melissa's Book Shelf & Michelle from Galleysmith Neighbourly - Staci from Life In The Thumb & Jenny from Jenny Loves To Read, these two bloggers truly have become my pals across the pond! Gorgeous - Dottie from My Blog 2.0 & Kim from The Book Butterfly Outstanding - Lea from Closetwriter & Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century Wow that was really difficult, there are so many beautiful, informative, neighbourly, gorgeous and outstanding blogs out there. I hope you can stop by each one of these wonderful blogs and leave a comment, it truly is worth taking the time to visit. This month on The Eclectic Reader you could win Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong OR The White Queen by Philippa Gregory OR Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.