It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a Whinge & a Halloween Birthday!

A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. Thanks Sheila :)

Sending you warm hugs across the miles Sheila as you grieve for your little friend Elmo x

Sorry for taking up this post with a massive 'whinge' but desperate times call for desperate measures and I'm doing my best to retain a sense of humour. I find that 'putting it out there' so to speak ... helps and that way family gets a break; not that I'm a bad patient, but I worry that they'll get sick of me, after all I'm sick of myself. Laughter is great medicine, I can't tell you how much the video clip above cracked me up; sent to me by a friend on fb (ignore this one if you find slight crudeness offensive.) So if you have a good joke ... don't hold back; please share!

Happy Halloween & Happy 20th Birthday to my son Anthony (on right)

I spent 2 days in bed resting & sleeping so I could go to Ant's birthday dinner; poor Cal has the flu too but we scrubbed up ok.

left to right:

Callum, Michaela (niece), Narelle, (sister) Kevin (bil), myself, Mike, Ant & Christine

I'm still hoping to go to scrapbook retreat this weekend but my diagnosis of Thryotoxicosis was the icing on the cake after 2 weeks of bizarre illness. My nuclear scan showed a rare form of thryoiditis which is now being symptom controlled except for the high blood pressure & excruciating head pain. Mike has flown back out to Chinchilla this week; he has been my rock and my safe harbour while I've been sick and miserable. I'm so thankful that I didn't have to go through this without him by my side. 

I'm having a CT scan of brain tomorrow just to rule out anything else and then I'm going to have some acupuncture to see if that helps relieve the pain where conventional medicine hasn't. You know when you're just as sick of yourself as you are of being sick?? Well that's me. I'm trying to stay positive but when your head feels like it's been hit-on by a baseball bat for the last few weeks, it's a little difficult, so please help me out by sending good thoughts or jokes this way. 

Failing that, if I could just remove my head, I'm sure I'd be fine to go to camp :)

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Fortunately I had a lot of things already scheduled last week so I didn't have to worry about too much.

I posted reviews for: (click on title)

YOU ARE MY ONLY by Beth Kephart ~ Beth writes from the heart!

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh ~ a favourite for 2011.

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Giveaways:

OCTOBER CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY ~ 3 winners. International ~ enter here. Last Day!!

Destined by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast ~ enter here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME AGAIN by Brian Rowe ~ enter here.

Winner of THE COUNTESS by Rebecca Johns ~  The Brunette Librarian

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Finished last week:

LILY OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray - enjoyable

BONJOUR 40: A Paris Travel Log (40 years. 40 days. 40 seconds) by Karen A Chase - loved it, review, interview and giveaway scheduled Wednesday.

MY SOUL TO STEAL (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent - will probably do a group review of these.

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This Week's Reading List:

DEARLY, DEPARTED by Lia Habel ~ page 15

SONG OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray

JUNIOR'S DESSERT COOKBOOK by Alan Rosen, Beth Allen ~ I hope to at least flick through this one even though I'm not up to cooking anything this week.

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Reviews still to do:

IF I TELL by Janet Gurtler

MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent

MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachael Vincent

Giveaway: Destined by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Genre: YA Paranormal
Series: House of Night  #9
Release Date: October 25, 2011

Pages: 352

In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

To find out more visit the House of Night Website

GIVEAWAY:

1 copy of DESTINED by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

US/Canada Only - sorry

Leave a comment with your email address.

Extra Entries:
+2 tweet about giveaway & leave a link.
+5 per comment on a YA review in October

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

YOU ARE MY ONLY by Beth Kephart

THE GIRL OF FIRE & THORNS by Rae Carson

WITHOUT TESS by Marcella Pixley

COLD KISS by Amy Garvey

Giveaway ends 6th November and winner will be announced on my blog ~ good luck everyone!

Thanks to Tara from Zeitghost Media for giveaway.

The Language Of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: 23rd August 2011
Pages: 336
Book Source: Random House Publishing & NetGalley

Synopsis: The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude.

After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

"The Language of Flowers" is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.

Review:

The Language of Flowers is a gorgeously constructed bouquet; it tantalises the senses, it's exquisite in detail, provokes an abundance of emotions and is quite simply ... irresistible.

Weaving hypnotically between Victoria's past and present in alternating chapters, Vanessa Diffenbaugh reveals Victoria's scarred childhood; abandoned, a life spent in foster care, emancipated from the system at age 18, but destitute and homeless. She's damaged, emotionally detached, socially inept and mistrustful, she's built up a defensive arsenal to protect herself from further pain  and while she could be perceived as prickly and unlikeable, Diffenbaugh portrays Victoria with such sensitivity that I couldn't help but find her endearing. Her struggle to love and trust with so little experience of being loved herself captured my heart.

Victoria's only respite from the foster care system is a year spent with down-to-earth Elizabeth at age 10. She meets her first experience of love and understanding with sabotage and rage but as she slowly learns to trust something tragic happens and she's returned to state care. What she takes from her time with Elizabeth is a love and knowledge of flowers and plants; the symbolism in flower-given messages.

Working with Renata at Bloom allows Victoria to develop her gift with flower messages, allows her to express herself in the only way she knows how and introduces her to Grant.

I placed a rhododendron on the plywood counter before him. The cluster of purple blossoms was not yet open and the buds pointed in his direction, tightly coiled and toxic.
Beware

The flower descriptions and meanings are beyond words, I cannot tell you how much I adored the beautiful detail; it's not only fundamental to the story but there's just something totally romantic and sentimental in communicating without words ~ *sighworthy*

I've always loved giving and receiving flowers, I'd now love my own Victorian flower dictionary to add special meaning to the joy of flowers.

The Language of Flowers is a story about love, forgiveness and family, the family you make your own. It has a deep well of pain and sadness but it's ultimately uplifting and a 'keeper' on my bookshelf.

Visit The Language of Flowers website to find out more.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh is a foster parent herself and is the founder of the Camellia Network in support of youth making transitions from foster care to independence. www.camellianetwork.org.

You Are My Only by Beth Kephart

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: 25th October 2011
Pages: 256
Book Source: Egmont USA & NetGalley

Synopsis: Emmy Rane is married at nineteen, a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock.

Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the "No Good." One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that gives Sophie the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever . . .

Review:

This is a story full of subtleties; quietly moving, intimate, aching, escalating in tension and quite beautiful.

Once I understood the reason for Beth's writing style in You Are My Only, I fell in love with it. I guess it may not be appreciated by everyone but when you think about an author's means of conveying such emotion in a small time frame, it makes perfect sense.

I also love stories with alternating narratives, especially when done well and Beth portrays Emmy and Sophie with insight and compassion. Emmy's voice is almost breathless, loose and disjointed but at the same time poetic which is extremely fitting considering her distressing & pitiful circumstances.

“I have Baby’s sock in my purse. I have the smell of her in my heart.”

It was wonderful to see Sophie gain courage and enlightenment once she had a support network of friends with next door neighbour Joey and his Aunts. In some ways she seemed a lot younger than her 14 years with the running from the unexplained "No Good" but in other ways she was wise beyond her years.

Beth Kephart gives as much attention to her 'minor' characters as she does Emmy and Sophie. I loved Joey and his adorable Aunts, Cloris and Helen and sweet Autumn, Emmy's 'roomie' in the psychiatric institution.   

It was easy to relate to the heartache, the circumstances beyond their control but I didn't find this a depressing read. It was equally easy to revel in Sophie's new-found joy in small wondrous things; eating a cookie, flying a kite, having a friend.

I'm wholeheartedly recommending this one to mature YA readers and adults and Beth will go on my "author's who write from the heart" list! 

Check out Beth's blog here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Update :)

A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. Thanks Sheila :)

Well an eventful fortnight, I'm really hoping for a couple of dull, boring weeks so I can get my head back on straight lol.

In the fun stuff, Callum's Year 12 Formal went off well, I got some fantastic photos to scrapbook and they had a great time. Very little sleep was had as this mum wanted to make sure Cal and his mates were home from the After Formal Party safe and sound ... they were at 4am :)

Cal & his best mate Alex

My nose suture line has healed fantastic after the course of antibiotics so I was really happy to get a nice photo of Callum and myself at pre-formal photos.

In the not so fun stuff, last weekend I had a serious toxicity reaction to a medication I was taking, ended up experiencing hallucinations, tremors and all sorts of unpleasant effects ... hence no Monday post last week and I'm still feeling a little shaky, with my blood pressure all over the place so whatever I get done this week great, and everything else will just have to wait ... you know the drill; bare with me pretty please :)

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I posted reviews for: (click on title)

THE GIRL OF FIRE & THORNS by Rae Carson ~ exhilarating fantasy

WITHOUT TESS by Marcella Pixley ~ bucket load of tears but so worth it!

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Giveaways:

OCTOBER CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY ~ 3 winners. International ~ enter here.

THE COUNTESS by Rebecca Johns ~ enter here. Ends 26th Oct

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME AGAIN ~ enter here.

Winner of MY LIFE UNDECIDED by Jessica Brody ~ Winnie

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Finished last week:

YOU ARE MY ONLY by Beth Kephart ~ unusual GOOD

LIVING WITH IT: A Survivor's Guide to Panic Attacks by Bev Aisbett

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This Week's Reading List:

LILY OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray ~ page 110, enjoyable

MY SOUL TO STEAL (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent (audiobook) ~ really like this series and I'm halfway through the audio.

BONJOUR 40: A Paris Travel Log (40 years. 40 days. 40 seconds) by Karen A Chase          

JUNIOR'S DESSERT COOKBOOK by Alan Rosen, Beth Allen ~ I'm hoping to try one or two recipes, apparently it's making Junior's Restaurants best-loved recipes feel right at home in any kitchen.

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Reviews still to do:

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (review scheduled this week)

IF I TELL by Janet Gurtler

MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent

MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachael Vincent

The Girl Of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Fire and Thorns #1
Copyright: September 2011
Pages: 432
Book Source: ARC HarperTeen & NetGalley

Synopsis: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Review:

The Girl Of Fire and Thorns is a coming of age story, rich fantasy embroidered with magic, adventure, rebellion, betrayal and just a touch of romance.

I liked that Elisa wasn't a 'typical' heroine, she's overweight, easily manipulated and full of self doubt but she's also the chosen one, the bearer of the Godstone, destined for heroic service. Over the course of the story Elisa comes into her own; she recognises her inner strength as she faces adversity and slowly grasps the magnitude of her potential.  She's smart, quick-witted and brave and from a readers  point of view, very easy to cheer on.

The one thing I found a bit monotonous was the frequent references to Elisa's weight or loss of. I was aware of her insecurities from the get-go and thought the constant reminders where unnecessary.

Carson serves up a colourful cast of characters, I really enjoyed the revolutionaries Humberto & Cosme, nursemaid Ximena and I hope Ms Carson plans on giving us more Lord Hector.

Alongside the author's vivdly crafted world is another positive, she doesn't shy away from dealing out some tough love to these wonderful characters or giving the reader a WOAH ... didn't see that one coming!

An exhilarating debut fantasy, well paced and the ending ... it's good! We're not left hanging by our fingernails for the next installment but quietly anticipating book 2 of the Fire & Thorns trilogy, The Crown of Embers.

Want to know more about Rae Carson? ~ Visit her website.

Giveaway: Happy Birthday To Me Again by Brian Rowe

Genre: YA

Series: Birthday Trilogy # 2

Release Date: Sept 22nd 2011

Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day… again. And this time... he's going backward!

When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can’t get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.

Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell?

Want to know more about Brian Rowe and his work? ~ Check out his blog.
Find him on Twitter or Goodreads


GIVEAWAY:If you'd like to win one of 2 eBook copies of HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME AGAIN leave a comment & don't forget to include your email address.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
+2 post about this give-away on twitter or your blog & leave a link

Competition is International. Ends November 2nd and the winner will be announced on my blog. Good luck everyone!


Happy Birthday To Me Again is on sale at Amazon & B&N for just $2.99

Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: October 11th 2011
Pages: 224
Book Source: Macmillon Children's & NetGalley

Synopsis: Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.

Review:
If you're anything like me I'd recommend having a box of tissues close while reading Without Tess. Then again maybe I'm just soppy, I was crying long before I reached the really sad part, I cried at the 'toad scene' and I dont even like toads!

10 year old Lizzie adores her 11 year old sister Tess; the bond between the two is palpable, swinging wildly between idolisation, love, protectiveness and resentment as Tess' disturbing behaviour and cruelty impacts Lizzie emotionally and physically. Tess's fantasy world of imaginative gameplay descends into psychoses; convinced of her own immortality she's delusional and dangerous. Distressing to read of at any age but heartbreaking in a child.

Tess' poems scattered throughout the novel are quite beautiful, often disturbing and sometimes downright creepy but they're another vivid instrument for depicting Tess's mental instability.

My only question is why Tess' behaviour wasn't picked up earlier, acted upon, or taken more seriously ... by her parents or school teachers. This "oversight" didn't really make much sense to me; earlier intervention may have meant a different outcome??

"No," I say finally. "I don't believe in heaven. But I'll tell you what I know for sure. There definitely is such a thing as hell. And you know what? You don't even need to die to get there."

5 years on from Tess' death, Lizzie is scarred and defensive but with the help of school psychologist Kaplan, she's trying to come to terms with moving on without her sister. The relationship between Lizzie and Kaplan is portrayed with insight and sensitivity; revealing, painful, amusing and hopeful. The author writes with such emotional depth that I couldn't have been more involved in Lizzie's journey through Tess' Pegasus journal, her own childhood memories, illusions, guilt and grief.

For those of you thinking it's all despair and doom ... it isn't. Marcella Pixley's writing is perceptive & beautifully lyrical, there are splashes of sarcastic humour and the story isn't without hope. Without Tess is emotionally draining but so worth the tears.

Want to know more about Marcella Pixley? ~ check out her website

Giveaway: The Countess by Rebecca Johns

 

 

In January 1611, one of the highest-born members of the Hungarian nobility, Countess Erzsébet Báthory, was walled inside her castle tower and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Her crime—the brutal torture and murder of at least thirty-five women and girls, mostly servants in the countess’s employ. Nicknamed the “Blood Countess,”Báthory is the first and one of the most prolific female serial killers in history. While her story is horrific, her legend has nevertheless persisted in the popular imagination—inspiring a well-established cult following intrigued by her strange gothic legacy.

Rebecca Johns re-creates Báthory’s story in her own words, detailing how this daughter of a noble family is betrothed at age ten but rebels against her mother-in-law by bearing an illegitimate child. She is forced to marry Count Nádasdy, a man she barely knows, and resorts to spells and potions to give him a child. While the Count toils on the battlefield, the Countess wages a constant war in her household, relying on strict discipline and severe punishments to keep her servants in line. After the count’s death she conducts an ardent love affair with the man who would eventually imprison her. After he spurns her, she turns to the vicious torture and murder of her servants. The Countess offers an intimate, strangely sympathetic, and ultimately disturbing account of one of the most reviled women in history - a woman who was capable of gruesome acts of torture but also intensely passionate love.

About the Author:

Rebecca Johns is an assistant professor of English at DePaul University and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her first novel, Icebergs, was a finalist for the 2007 PEN/Hemingway Award.

To find out more about Rebecca Johns & her work visit her website or blog.

GIVEAWAY:1 paperback copy of THE COUNTESS by Rebecca Johns

US/Canada Only

Leave a comment with your email address.

Extra Entries:
+2 tweet about giveaway & leave a link

Giveaway ends 26th October and winner will be announced on my blog ~ good luck everyone!

Thanks to Jonathon @ Random House for giveaway.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. Thanks Sheila :)

Look at the visitor we had last week, after making a noise like a herd of elephants we found this little fellow sitting on the screen door on our back deck. He didn't look so cute hissing & baring his teeth LOL

 

Alaine & Annie returned from UK, they brought back stunning photos, funny stories, wonderful memories & pressies, which is always loads of fun. Look at my cute mug :)

In other news, Callum is doing great, looking forward to his Year 12 formal (I think this may be like homecoming in US.) I've been back to the specialist and am now on antibiotics for a low grade infection in the suture line on my nose. It's now been 4 weeks and it's still not healing like it should be which is annoying, being on my face!

I'm hoping to get a few reviews up this week and I have heaps of great giveaways on the go and more coming this week. Make sure you check them out!

I reviewed COLD KISS by Amy Garvey

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Giveaways:

OCTOBER CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY ~ 3 winners. International ~ enter here.

MY LIFE UNDECIDED by Jessica Brody ~ enter here.

THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD by Rebecca Coleman ~ enter here.

 

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Finished last week:

WITHOUT TESS by Marcella Pixley ~ 5 stars  & a bucket load of tears! (review scheduled Tue)

IF I TELL by Janet Gurtler ~ really enjoyable

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This Week's Reading List:

LILY OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray ~ need to read the 1st book in the Cleopatra's Daughter series as I have book 2 to review towards the end of October.

YOU ARE MY ONLY by Beth Kephart

JUNIOR'S DESSERT COOKBOOK by Alan Rosen, Beth Allen ~ I'm hoping to try one or two recipes, apparently it's making Junior's Restaurants best-loved recipes feel right at home in any kitchen.

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Reviews still to do:

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

THE GIRL OF FIRE & THORNS by Rae Carson (review scheduled this week)

LOVE STORY by Jennifer Echols

MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent

MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachael Vincent

Giveaway: My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration.

Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

Want to know more about Jessica Brody ~ visit her website or check out the My Life Undecided website.

GIVEAWAY:

1 copy of MY LIFE UNDECIDED by Jessica Brody

US/Canada Only

Leave a comment with your email address.

Extra Entries:
+2 tweet about giveaway & leave a link.

+5 comment on a review in October (I'll add them as posted) & let me know.
Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Giveaway ends 15th October and winner will be announced on my blog ~ good luck everyone!



Thanks to Tara from Zeitghost Media for giveaway.

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Genre: YA Fantasy

Copyright: September 2001
Pages: 336
Book Source: HarperTeen & NetGalley

Synopsis:

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved. Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart. Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

Review:

Everyone knows that bringing back a loved one from the dead cannot end well but Wren obviously missed that chapter in Stephen King's Pet Cematary. All jokes aside Cold Kiss is much more than a zombie story, while Wren has some pretty substantial paranormal abilities, fundamentally this is a tale of love, loss and redemption. 

Having been through the grieving process myself, losing my baby daughter and more recently my mum I connected with Wren and her utter devastation over the death of her boyfriend Danny; the overwhelming desire to return things to the way they were, to talk with, laugh with, kiss, love, to touch the one you love with all your heart, again. Probably a good thing I didn't have Wren's powers as I'm not quite sure I wouldn't have done the same thing in the face of such overwhelming heartache.

I loved how the author gave us Wren & Danny's backstory, it provides the reader with an intimate view of their relationship & gives credence to Wren's actions. Amy Garvey does a brilliant job exposing the depth of Wren's grief, her inability to let go, her slow realisation that Danny is a husk of his former self, her desire to take responsiblity for her grievous mistake and her growing desperation to make everything right. Other's have said what was Wren thinking? Why would she do something so selfish? I think that's the point, she wasn't thinking, she was reacting to a grief so encompassing it was crushing.

I didn't think much of Wren's mum but maybe there's more to be discovered about her reasons for silence. I liked caring, down-to-earth Gabriel and the fact that Wren had someone to confide in as she began to unravel although I'm not sure I saw the need for him to so quickly step up as her next romantic interest. That aside, I'm looking forward to finding out more about Gabriel's clairvoyancy and watching Wren & Gabriel's relationship develop over time.

A haunting, hopeful, beautifully written story with a touch of  'creep' factor.

Hopefully questions will be answered and loose ends tied up in the follow up to Cold Kiss. Not too sure when the sequel is due for release.  Anyone know?

Want to know more about Amy Garvey? ~ check out her blog All Made Up

October Celebration Giveaway ~ 3 Winners

October's Giveaway is in celebration of my 3rd Blogoversary and a huge birthday month for our family. My 3rd blogoversary is a whopper of a milestone, each year when things get stressful on the homefront I consider having a break from blogging & book reviewing and each year I'm still here ... amazing. Partly because I genuinely love it and in part due to wonderful friends across the world, friends who share a love of reading, comment on my blog & send love and support across the miles when our family is going through a rough patch. 

 

To thank friends, old and new three lucky readers (3 years ... 3 winners lol) will win the book of their choice from above and one will also receive a Bonus Book. All choices are books I've ordered, part of a series I'm reading or from a favourite author. Good luck choosing ;) 

All books are brand new and the winner's choice will be purchased by me from The Book Depository in the UK or the US specifically for the winner. If the winner is not in a Book Depository delivery area then they will receive a $15 Amazon book voucher.

Please read the full post carefully and follow the instructions

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

Hiding from her past, Ellie is looking for a fresh start. But then an old friend tracks her down, forcing her to face what she has been trying so hard to escape. Meanwhile her boss Zack seems to have it all, everything except the woman he loves.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

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.

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Casters Chronicle # 3

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

One Grave At A Time by Jeaniene Frost
Night Huntress # 6

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.

Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?

Crossed by Allie Condie
Matched # 2

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and,The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

BONUS BOOKS:
Books I've loved that have received less attention than deserved either on my blog or in the reading community so I'm giving them another plug & you can WIN one. (see extra entries)

I don't want to make it a condition of entering that you comment on a review but it is disappointing when people only visit for a giveaway. I review to share my love of books and I'd like to hear your thoughts too :)

Click on a Title to see review

Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess ~ beautiful, ageless, agonising
The Taste Of Apple by James Laidler ~ innovative, poignant, hard-hitting
Clean by Amy Reed - intimate, powerful, important
Abithica by Susan Goldsmith ~ mesmerising, sinister, unique
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson ~ breathtaking, addictive, unorthodox


TO ENTER:
Open to Followers Only (if you're not a follower & you'd like to enter just click on the follow button on the left hand side of my blog - easy peasy) International.

Leave an email address telling me which book you'd love to win! Don't forget the bonus book!

EXTRA ENTRIES:
+2 tweet or blog about giveaway & leave a link.
+5 comment on a bonus book review (one or all) and let me know which one you'd like as a bonus.

Competition is International. Ends October 31st and the winners will be announced on my blog. Good luck everyone!

I hope you like this month's give-away on The Eclectic Reader. I purchase books to give away as a way of supporting my favourite authors, highlighting books I'd love to read and also to give a little something back to readers of my blog!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

A weekly event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. Thanks Sheila :)

A busy, busy week for the last week of school holidays and not much reading done. Callum had all his sutures removed, everything is healing nicely. We had 2 lovely days with my sister and her family, late nights, early mornings, some scrapbooking, a massage and a glorious day at the beach. Spent a really nice day meeting the rest of Mike's family, and saw Aussie-made "Red Dog" at the movies and howled my eyes out, if you get a chance go see it!!

Little Bella waiting for Callum to come out of the surf

Callum & his cousin & Bella on the sand dunes at Sunshine Beach

My sister & I - photo taken Oct 2010 (scraplift from Narelle) 

 

And this week my best friend Alaine and her daughter Kristianne return after a month long holiday in UK & Scotland ... we have lots of catching up to do!!

Last week I also participated in Sheila's promotion of Banned Book Week with a review of the fabulous TWENTY BOY SUMMER.

I posted a review, interview & giveaway for THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD by Rebecca Coleman.

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Giveaways:

THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD by Rebecca Coleman ~ enter here.

October is a huge month; it's the 3rd anniversary of my blog and we have lots of family & friends celebrating birthdays. It's my eldest son's birthday on Halloween so to celebrate I'll be hosting a Celebration giveaway. Come back tomorrow and check it out :)

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Finished last week:

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh ~ beautiful!

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This Week's Reading List:

WITHOUT TESS by Marcella Pixley ~ page 20

IF I TELL by Janet Gurtler

LILY OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray ~ need to read the 1st book in the Cleopatra's Daughter series as I have book 2 to review towards the end of October.

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Reviews still to do:

COLD KISS by Amy Garvey (tentative review this week)

THE GIRL OF FIRE & THORNS by Rae Carson (review scheduled this week)

LOVE STORY by Jennifer Echols

MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent

MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachael Vincent