Eli to the nth

12.09.2011

Follow Friday (13)

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee at Parajunkee's View and Alison at Alison Can Read. It is an awesome opportunity to network other book blogs.

Welcome to Follow Friday! Let me tell you what is going on today.

First Parajunkee & Alison will be featuring one blogger from this great community each Friday along with having the Follow My Book Blog feature.

Each week one blogger will be selected as a feature, so sign up for the Follow Feature. Future features are picked randomly.

This week's question is:
Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

This is such a hard question!! I love so so many books! I think I'll have to split this into two categories: prose & poetry. I read so much poetry (which some of you may or may not have known since I don't really talk about it much), and obviously read a lot of prose. There are certainly books from each category (not even going into YA vs Adult, Fiction vs Non-Fiction, etc.) that I think everybody needs to read, and that I would buy for my whole family (of course I can't guarantee they'd appreciate the gesture...)

My picks:

PROSE

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book has made such an impact on my personal and literary life. It is one of the most amazing books I've read, and it really tells such a brutal, beautiful story. This is a must-have on everybody's shelf, even if you aren't into "young adult". My family practically knows the book by heart, as well, since I talk about it all the time.

POETRY

Etcetera by E. E. Cummings

This man is my poet. Each poem I read, I find a connection and a cadence that I fall in love with. Some people find his poems perhaps overly complicated or just strange, but I find he uses that to make the words shine. It is in the absurdity of some of his works that I find inspiration. Another work needed on each shelf, and something I know most of my family won't get, but will love because I love it!

It is interesting to think that I am the only "reader" in my family. Of course, each member reads their own thing: romance, sci-fi, military. But I am the only one that runs the gamut. In a way, it makes it hard to share what I love with them, but at the same time a joy to help them experience something wonderful and new!

My 2012 Debut Author Challenge List!

For my first reading challenge (besides my own) I signed up for is the 2012 Debut Author Challenge.

This is one challenge that I've been wanting to do! It looks so awesome. You can sign up for this challenge at The Story Siren.

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:
To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 - January 31, 2013.*

*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

RULES & GUIDELINES:
You must have a blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads.
Your blog must be written in English.
Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:
Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

BOOKS I'M GOING TO READ (hopefully):
The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams – January 3, 2012

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom – January 10, 2012

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges – January 10, 2012
~~Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic – January 17, 2012~~

Fracture by Megan Miranda – January 17, 2012

~~Incarnate by Jodi Meadows – January 31, 2012~~
~~Intangible by J. Meyers – January 31, 2012~~

Article 5 by Kirsten Simmons – January 31, 2012
~~Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral – February 2, 2012~~

The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers – February 14, 2012

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby – February 28, 2012
~~STARTERS by Lissa Price – March 13, 2012~~

Slide by Jill Hathaway – March 27, 2012

~~Above by Leah Bobet – April 1, 2012~~
~~Immortal City by Scott Speer~~ ~~– April3, 2012~~
Storybound by Marissa Burt – April 3, 2012

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers – April 3, 2012

~~Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves – April 8, 2012~~

~~The Selection by Kiera Cass – April 24, 2012~~
Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell – May 1, 2012

~~The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze – May 8, 2012~~
~~Talisman of EL by Alecia Stone~~ ~~– May 20, 2012~~

BOOKS ALREADY READ:
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
STARTERS by Lissa Price
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Above by Leah Bobat
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Talisman of EL by Alecia Stone
Intangible by J. Meyers
Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves
Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Immortal City by Scott Speer

12.08.2011

Trailer Thursday

The Gathering Storm

by Robin Bridges

On-sale: 01/10/12

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I love love love this trailer. The premis of the book sounds awesome; ever since I watched the movie Anastasia I've ben obsessed with Russian royalty, and that era of history. The fact that this is when the book takes place makes me so excited to read the book!

Nearly New Books for You

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer hosts this awesome feature each Tuesday. I too love to receive books in the mail, and to buy the books I want to read, then I hoard them! Muhahahah...uh hem. And while I might not get rid of the books I read (I re-read them all the time), there are some books that don't have a place on my shelves. I figure giving them away would be nice! This won't be a feature every Tuesday, it might even be on other days, but it'll pop up now and then.

So without further ado, here's the books I have to giveaway!

Both have never been read, and are in perfect condition!

Click on the covers to read more about each.

To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter below! Easy Peasy!

Please remember this is U.S. ONLY!

12.07.2011

Waiting on Wednesday (27)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we seriously can’t wait for.

Here's my pick for the week, that I seriously can't wait for:

Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

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Balthazar is one of my FAVORITE characters from the Evernight series. I'm so happy he's getting his own book because I want to know all there is to know about him! Luckily, readers can enjoy this book as a stand-alone, but I encourage you to read the Evernight series as those books are really good!

12.06.2011

Top Ten Tuesday (6)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

The topic this week is: Top Ten Childhood Favorites!

Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

The Berenstain Bears: Trick or Treat by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World by Richard Scarry

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

Curious George Goes to School by Margaret and H. A. Rey

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard

There you have it. I was able to really narrow it down to my all time, most read, falling apart books when I was a kid. I still own each of these books, and I'm going to read them to my kids one day. If you haven't had a chance to read any of these, indulge your inner child and pick one up! If you have read them, leave me a comment! I always love to share the love of books!

Teaser Tuesday (26)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following!

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share a few teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.

MAKE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (you don't want to give too much away and ruin the book for other readers)

Share the title and author too, so that other readers can add your book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!

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Legend by Marie Lu

Day's exploits used to fascinate me. But now he is my matched enemy—my target. My First mission.

I gather my thoughts for two days. On the third day, I call Commander Jameson. I have a plan.

(Page 49)

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Legend was released on November 29, and it is so worth picking up! I love that the main female protagonist was raised in a military position. this isn't something you see often. Usually the story starts off with the female, while not weak, having to learn to become something tough. This is the opposite, and I find it very cool to read!

12.04.2011

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by one of her friends, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie where we get to post about the books we receive each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests won, and libraries.