Wednesday, November 13, 2013

One & Only Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

We're so excited to be apart of the blog tour for. . .
One & Only by Viv Daniels!

Title: One & Only
Series: Canton #1
Author: Viv Daniels
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Nov. 8, 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Buy: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Amazon UKKobo | Smashwords

Summary:
One night they can't forget...

Tess McMann lives her life according to the secrets she's sworn to keep: the father who won't acknowledge her, the sister who doesn't know she exists, and the mother who's content playing mistress to a prominent businessman. When she meets the distractingly cute Dylan Kingsley at a prestigious summer program and falls in love, Tess allows herself to imagine a life beyond these secrets. But when summer ends, so does their relationship -- Dylan heads off to Canton College while Tess enrolls at the state university.

One love they can't ignore...

Two years later, a scholarship brings Tess to Canton and back into Dylan's life. Their attraction is as strong as ever, but Dylan has a girlfriend…who also happens to be Tess's legitimate half-sister. Tess refuses to follow in her mother's footsteps, which leaves her only one choice: break the rules she’s always followed, or allow Dylan to slip away for a second time.

...And only one chance to get things right.

~~~~~

The Guest Post (by Viv Daniels)

In my book, ONE & ONLY, the hero, Dylan Kingsley, is a bioengineering major and an avid foodie. When he first meets the heroine Tess, he extols the virtues of Cornell cheese. Later, he makes her dinner based on a recipe for baked shrimp and feta cheese that he learned while on a trip to Greece the summer before. This is how you make it:
Dylan’s ONE & ONLY Shrimp and Feta

—1 Tbsp olive oil
—1 medium onion, chopped
—2 cloves garlic, minced
—2 cans of diced tomatoes
—1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
—1 Tbsp minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
—1 lb medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (can leave tails on), thaw if frozen but running under cool water for several minutes
—Salt and pepper to taste
—1 cup feta, crumbled

~~~

1) Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds more.

2) Add the tomatoes (with juice) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the juices thicken a bit.

3) Prepare an oven-proof casserole dish with thawed, raw shrimp, herbs, and feta. Remove onion/tomato mixture from heat, pour over the shrimp, etc., in the casserole dish. Place pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, until shrimp are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

Serve immediately with a loaf of crusty bread and the person you love most in the world.

But wait! There's more:

The first time he and Tess spend the night together, he makes her homemade baklava. Baklava is a sticky, buttery, decadent Greek dessert, and it’s not actually that hard to make on your own. Here’s Dylan’s recipe:

Dylan’s ONE & ONLY Baklava

—1 package phyllo dough
—4 cups chopped walnuts
—1 teaspoon cinnamon
—1 1/2 sticks melted butter
—2 cups honey
—1/2 cup water
—1/2 cup granulated sugar
—2 teaspoons vanilla extract

~~~

1) Thaw a package of phyllo dough in fridge for 24 hours. When ready to make baklava, take dough out of package and cover with a damp cloth to keep moist while working.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Butter the bottom and sides of a glass, 9x13 inch baking pan.

3) Toss the chopped nuts with the cinnamon.

4) Butter a sheet of phyllo and place it in the pan. Repeat this process six more times.

5) Spread a thin layer of the nut mixture on the top sheet.

6) Butter two more sheets of phyllo and place them in the pan.

7) Repeat steps 5-6 until you run out of nuts (usually this is 3-4 layers, total).

8) Top with 6 more sheets of buttered phyllo dough. Butter the top sheet.

9) Cut the pan through all the layers into a diamond shape by cutting 5-6 long diagonal cuts from corner to corner across the pan.

10) Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

11) While baklava is cooking, make sauce by simmering water and sugar until melted, then stirring in honey and vanilla until smooth and melty. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for about 20 minutes.

12) As soon as baklava leaves oven, drizzle sauce over the top. Start with half the sauce, then keep adding until it’s good and saturated.

13) Leave sit for several hours until it’s all nice and sticky. Eat it all up. If you have leftovers (and why would that be?) don’t cover them, as it makes the baklava soggy.

Enjoy with a loved one!

About the author:
Viv Daniels writes love stories for the young and young at heart. Like many of her characters, she met her husband in college, and knows all the ins and outs of navigating that kind of relationship — from how to date when you’re both flat broke to how to fit two people in narrow dorm room bed.

Her favorite new adult authors include Tammara Webber, J. Lynn, and Cora Carmack.

Viv can usually be found on her Facebook page or Twitter feed, chatting with readers about her favorite New Adult fiction, or sharing pictures of cute boys.


~~~~~

The Giveaways
Viv is generously offering a One & Only "swag pack" (including a O&O bookmark & charm, and assorted gifts and books by Viv and other NA authors) to one lucky T3 reader! All the rules are in the rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Viv is also hosting a blog tour-wide giveaway, for a myriad of prizes! View all the rules in the rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Trailer Reveal: Foreplay by Sophie Jordan

We're so excited to be apart of the trailer reveal for. . .
Foreplay by Sophie Jordan!

Without further ado. . .

Now a little bit about the book.
Title: Foreplay
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: William Morrow/HarperCollins
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Buy: Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs. 

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…


I love this book so much (review to go up this weekend), and I think the trailer gives the perfect tease as to what you can expect.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Cover Reveal: Where Silence Gathers by Kelsey Sutton

Today The Mod Podge Bookshelf and Mod Podge Blog Tours are hosting Kelsey Sutton’s exclusive 
WHERE SILENCE GATHERS 
cover reveal!

Without further ado. . .
In this companion novel to the critically acclaimed Some Quiet Place, Alex must choose between Revenge and Forgiveness.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster’s house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex’s family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There’s just one problem: Forgiveness. Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice—getting even or moving on. It’s impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear . . . and Forgiveness whispers in the other.

~~~~~

Enter to win a pre-order of WHERE SILENCE GATHERS below!

(This giveaway is international.)

~~~~~

Kelsey Sutton has done everything from training dogs, making cheeseburgers, selling yellow page ads, and cleaning hotel rooms. Now she divides her time between her college classes and her writing. Kelsey lives in northern Minnesota with her dog and cat, Lewis and Clark.








What do you think of the cover? I think it's gorgeous!

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Cover Reveal: Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs

We're so excited to be apart of the cover reveal for. . .
Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs
hosted by William Morrow/HarperCollins!

With out further ado. . .

In book two of her breathtakingly magical series, Abigail Gibbs draws us even further into the dangerous and romantic world of the Dark Heroines.

Autumn Rose lives in a sleepy seaside town in the southwest of England, but buried deep under the surface of her quiet life are dark secrets. Her grandmother is dead, murdered eighteen months before, and the whirling social scene of London in which she was brought up is a world away. Even worse, at her new school she is shunned and condemned-all because of the swirling marks on her skin that prevent her from blending in the crowd.

But the appearance of a handsome young man at her school-who has the same curious markings as Autumn Rose-sends her world into turmoil. Suddenly the marks are cool and Autumn is thrust into the limelight, but her sudden popularity brings danger as her secrets threaten to come to light. Plus, there is the fact that Autumn keeps dreaming of a human girl who is about to be seduced by a very dark Prince… and Autumn must figure out how to save her before it is too late.

~~~~~

Abigail Gibbs was born and raised in deepest, darkest Devon, England. She is studying for a B.A. in English at the University of Oxford and considers herself a professional student, as the real world has yet to catch up with her. Her greatest fear is blood and she is a great advocate of vegetarianism, which logically led to the writing of her first novel, Dinner with a Vampire. She splits her time between her studies, stories, and family, and uses coffee to survive all three.

What do you think? I love it!

Cover Reveal: Pretty in Pearls by Tera Lynn Childs

We're so excited to be apart of the cover reveal for. . .
Pretty in Pearls by Tera Lynn Childs
hosted by the author!

Without further ado. . .
No description yet. 

Pre-order Pretty in Pearls! Out January 7th, 2014!


What do you think? I love it!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Cover Reveal: A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers

We're so excited to be apart of the cover reveal for. . .
A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers
hosted by William Morrow/HarperCollins!

Without further ado. . . 
In the follow-up to Lisa Desrochers’ explosive New Adult novel A Little too Far, Alessandro Moretti must face the life he escaped and the girl he loved and left behind.

Twenty-two year old Hilary McIntyre would like nothing more than to forget her past. As a teenager abandoned to the system, she faced some pretty dark times. But now that’s all behind her. Hilary has her life on track, and there’s no way she’ll head back down that road again.

Until Alessandro Moretti—the one person who can make her remember—shows up on her doorstep. He’s even more devastatingly gorgeous than before, and he’s much too close for comfort. Worse, he sees right through the walls she’s built over these last eight years, right into her heart and the secrets she’s guarding.

As Hilary finds herself falling back into love with the man who, as a boy both saved and destroyed her, she must decide. Past or future? Truth or lies?

Pre-order A Little Too Much! On sale November 12!


What do you think of the cover? I love it! *fans self* So hot!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Rating System Changes

Hey guys! So we took a short little hiatus after Vamp Week so we could get ourselves prepared for our fresh start. (Also, I was traveling almost the whole time, and it was easier to just wait.) To start off this new beginning, we changed our rating system—from 0-2 lumps of sugar to 1-5 sugar cubes. The old system made it hard to promote good reviews, and we often ended up using decimals in our ratings (essentially having a 5 lump system), so this just made sense. The new systems is as follows:
5 Sugar Cubes - This book was amazing!
4 Sugar Cubes - This book was great!
3 Sugar Cubes - This book was good.
2 Sugar Cubes - This book was okay.
1 Sugar Cube - This book was terrible, and/or not my cup of tea.
(All of our past reviews will be updated with the change in the next day or two.)

We also (finally) have a review policy up, which you can view here if you wish. And tomorrow we'll debut the slightly revamped Tuesday Tea Break.

See you then!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

This is the End (AKA Gallagher Girls Read-a-thon)

I found the last Gallagher Girls book, United We Spy, at Barnes & Noble yesterday (a few days early, it officially releases Tuesday), and I was flipping through and caught the dedication:
And I realized that this was it. This was the end. I mean, I'd always known Untied We Spy was the last book, but I guess it never really hit before that it was the last book. There would be no more. Gosh, just writing this is making me all emotional. Anyway, I have yet to read book 5, Out of Sight, Out of Time, so I thought I would start from the beginning and re-read the series. Books as You Know It hosted a GG read-a-thon a month-ish ago, so this is just for me, but if you would like to join me, great! Leave a comment.

I'm traveling right now, and therefore without my books, so I'll start read-a-thoning Wednesday (possibly Thursday, I'm not quite sure when I'll arrive home). Updates will be posted here periodically as I get through the series, and I'll have reviews for each book too, though those may not be posted 'til I completely finish the series. I'm not going to set a deadline for myself, and I may read 1 or 2 other books in-between GG books, all depends on if I'm in the series-binge mood.

See you soon!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Cover Reveal: Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood

The lovely Jessica Spotswood just revealed the cover for the 3rd book in her Cahill Witch Chronicles series, and I think it it just GORGEOUS—I had to share it with you all! So without further ado. . .


Here are Jessica's thoughts on the cover and title (from her blog):
It’s my favorite since the original BORN WICKED hardback, which has an enduring place in my heart since it was the first book I saw all book-shaped with my name on it. I love that we get to see all three sisters, but only Cate is looking at us – and with such a fierce expression! She looks kind of pissed off, which – well, if you’ve read the end of STAR CURSED, she’s got every right to be, and keeping control of her temper is something our girl struggles with in SISTERS’ FATE. I also, on a shallow note, love their pretty pretty hair. And I love that fiery sunset sky. Fire is a bit of a recurring danger in this book…

As for the title – my editor came up with this one, but my original title was Thrice Fated (to go along with the original earlier titles Thrice Blessed & Thrice Cursed) so  I’m excited that “fate” is incorporated in there! And sisters – well, to me, the heart of the story has always been about Cate’s relationships with Maura and Tess, so that’s perfect.

Now here are the 3 covers in the series, lined up next to each other (all linked to Goodreads):

Jess also has a giveaway going to celebrate the cover reveal, for a bunch of upcoming PenguinTeen ARCs, so check out her blog to enter!

I'm absolutely in love with this cover! I think it's my favorite of the bunch. What do you think?

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Vampire Week: Poll Results Announced

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

This is the last Vampire Week post. I'm kinda sad about that, even though it was crazy hectic on my end. I hope you guys enjoyed this week, and I'm already thinking of maybe doing a Vampire Week next year, so we'll see how that turns out. ;) If you want to see us do this again, leave a comment!

Well I'm just to get right down to it. First up is the results for the Top 10 Vampire Novels poll.

TOP 10 VAMPIRE NOVELS
Books/Series featured:
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine
Dracula by Bram Stoker
House of Comarré by Kristen Painter
Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst
Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith
Cheshire Red Reports by Cherie Priest

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE IN A COLDTOWN?

And that's all, folks! Thank you so much for coming by all this week.

Today's other Vampire Week post: 

See you soon!

Vampire Week: Signed Eternal Kiss Anthology Giveaway

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

It's the last day of Vampire Week! To end it with a bang, we're having one more giveaway. You could win one of my favorite vampire anthologies, The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, signed by Holly Black! This is the antho that debuted Holly's Coldtown short story, so it seemed like the perfect closing-giveaway prize. :) The giveaway is US only, and ends at 11:59pm EST on September 13th. Be sure to read all the rules (listed above the rafflecopter) before entering.

The Prize:
—A paperback of The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, signed by contributing author, Holly Black

The Rules:
—Must be 13 years or older to enter the giveaway.
—Open to US only.
—Giveaway ends 9/13/13 at 11:59 EST
—Winner will have 48 hours to respond to our email, if no response is given a new winner will be chosen.
—All entries are checked, and any false entries will be deleted.
—We at T3 are not responsible if a package is lost or damaged in the mail.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Today's other Vampire Week post:
Vampire Week comes to an end + poll winners announced

See you soon!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Vampire Week: Movie Review: Let the Right One In

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

Title: Let the Right One In (Swedish version) (linked to IMDb)
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Staring: KÃ¥re Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson
Release Year: 2008
Genre: Horror
Length: 115 mins (1hr, 55mins)
MPAA Rating: R

Summary:
Oskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl who turns out to be a vampire.
(Taken from IMDb)




Post-"taste" Review:
I really cannot say enough about this film, it is a definite must see, and one of the best vampire stories you will ever experience.

Review:
For Vampire Week here at Tea for Three, I chose to review the film, Let the Right One In, based on the novel of the same name by author John Ajvide Linqvist. Please do not mistake it for it's American remake Let Me In. While a decent adaptation, I do not feel that it captures the essence or magic of the 2008 Swedish original. Since it's release, this movie has held me captivated with it's unique take on the vampire mythos. Quiet and haunting, this film takes everything you think you know about a good vampire story and turns it on it's head.

It takes place in a obscure village in Sweden, where a young boy by the name of Oskar tries desperately to find some purpose in his twelve year old existence. When a young, dark haired girl by the name of Eli moves in next door, a rather tenuous relationship is formed. Much to the dismay of Eli's older caretaker. When several locals come up missing or dead, Oskar is forced to question who and what his new friend is. What follows is a tale of friendship, young romance, and survival. What is Oskar willing to do to keep Eli's secret and what is Eli willing to do to protect Oskar?
LtoR: KÃ¥re Hedebrant as Oskar, Lina Leandersson as Eli
What makes this film so effective is it's use of classic vampire tropes utilized in ways you've never seen before. The film removes a lot of the Transylvania mysticism commonly associated with the vampire, and presents a more gritty and realistic need for a vampires survival. Although there are subtle allusions to the more mysterious elements to a vampire, such as Eli's aversion to light, and her inability to enter a home without being invited. These things are presented in a way that does not detract from the tone set by the rest of the movie.

Another major and immediately obvious departure from the iconic vampire image, and one of my favorite facets of the film, is Eli herself. So accustomed are we to the image of a tall, dashing, male vampire in the lead; that we forget any other role a vampire can play. This is where the film takes the traditional gender roles, and flips them drastically. In this story it is Oskar that needs rescuing, not Eli. Oskar is smaller than his classmates, he is bullied and tormented, a social outcast. Eli is strong, willing to take action, and not afraid to sacrifice anyone who gets in her way. The juxtaposition of the image of a young twelve year old girl, and the horrendous violence she commits, is incredibly striking and highly unique.

What I also think makes this film so compelling is it's calm. Scenes exist that do not need words, only scenery and the viewers emotions. So much of the movie is a silent crescendo building to the apex of the movie's graphic climax. A soft score and Sweden's austere landscapes creates the atmosphere that holds the film together.

Today's other Vampire Week post:
Erin interviews herself about vampire novels

Vampire Week: Erin Talks Vampires

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

Today I bring you an interview I conducted with myself about vampires and vampire books (mostly vampire books) (Because something fell through and I had to make up a fill-in last minute :D).

Who was your favorite Coldtown character? Why?
Probably Gavriel, because in a way he reminded me of Myrnin from Rachel Caine's Morganville Vamipres, and I am quite in love with Myrnin, even though he's crazy as hell. But back to Gavriel, he's sane with bouts of crazy (where Myrnin is crazy with bouts of sane), so I have to give him the edge over Myrnin. Plus he is so adorable at the end of Coldtown.

What did you think of the Coldtown short story elements featured in the novel?
I loved them! When I was about 100 pages into the novel, I paused and re-read the short story, and when I came back to the novel I was all like, "Ooooohhh." There were parts that mirror the short story, down to a couple almost exact passages, and I thought that was so cool!

Would you want to be a Coldtown world vampire? Free or locked up?
Hmm. . .well, personally, I wouldn't want to be a Coldtown vampire, but I also wouldn't want to be a human (Always watching the sun and afraid of getting bitten, possibly going Cold. No thanks). So I guess, if forced to choose, I would go vampy. And I would want to be in a coldtown, just so I wouldn't have to always wonder when I would get my next meal. (Gross, I know, but I'm a vampire in this situation, so I gotta tell it like it is.) Also, I think coldtowns are just a tiny bit safer for vamps than the outside would.

Would you want to be a vampire in general?
YES. I think I would want to be a Night World vamp, they always stuck with me. I mean, they can go in the sun and only get a slight weakening of their powers. And they have mind powers, and that's really cool.

What are your favorite vampire books?
 I did a more complete list yesterday, so I'm going to stick with my Top 2 today. #1 is The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. And #2 I'm gonna say is Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz, though Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is a very close 3rd.

Who is your favorite vampire from those books?
Well, you know who my fav vamp from Coldtown is already, so from Blue Bloods it would have to be Jack. (And from VA, Adrian.)

Is there a certain book that got you into vampires?
Twilight. I read the Twilight books in 6th grade, and they really opened up the vampire (and YA!) world to me.

Read any good non-vamp books lately?
No :( I've been in quite the reading slump, so if you have any recs, drop them in the comments. (PLEASE!)

(Since we are all about tea here, I must ask myself a tea-related question.) If you were to be a tea, what kind would you be?
I don't know. I'll just go with my favorite tea, Chocolate Mint. Mmmmm, Chocolate Mint. I'm going to make a cup right now!

Today's other Vampire Week post:
Lisa reviews the vampire movie Let the Right One In

See you tomorrow for the last day of Vamp Week!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Vampire Week: Our Vampire Books + We Want to See Yours!

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

I personally love seeing other people's bookshelves, so today for Vamp Week, Amanda and I are going to show our vampire shelves. And we would like to see yours, too! Tweet or Instagram a photo of your vamp shelves or books and tag me (@bookklovr22), and get an extra entry to both of our Vampire Week giveaways (found in the sidebar)! If you don't have an Instagram or Twitter, just comment on this post with what books are on your shelves, and you're good. So you know, the "Comment on a Day 4 post" is the entry option for all posts today. If you tweet or Insta me your pic, you do not need to comment, just tell me your Twitter/Insta handle in the rafflecopter.

On Saturday, I will compile all of the pics you guys send me into a post, so everybody can see. (If you would like to be excluded from the compilation, but still want the entry, just let me know and I'll leave you out of the round-up.) Now onto the fun stuff! Pictures of books!

(Click to embiggen)
As you can see, I have A LOT of vampire books. And those are just my "pure vampire" novels, that's not including the books I have featuring vampires as side characters/creatures. Listing all of these out for you would take forever, and make for a very long post, so I'm just going to highlight some of my favorites.

     —the Night World series by L. J. Smith (Not vampire-exculsive, so to speak, but these books do heavily feature them. Plus, I love them all to pieces)
     —the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz (This series. Just so amazing.)
     —The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey (I've discovered that I'm guaranteed to get a book hangover if the book has multiple hot boys I like. This series has SEVEN mega-hot Drake brothers, so, you know, GOLDEN.)(This series is just amazing in general, too.)
     —the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead (I haven't read Bloodlines, so I can't include that.)(I love this series so much that I have 3 copies of the first book.) (Win a signed copy of book 1 + your choice of VA or Bloodlines book.)
     —The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine (This series is looooong, so the books are almost episodic, which I quite love.)
     —Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block (I picked it up for the vampires, but stayed for the writing. Seriously though, this is such a different spin on vampires, and the writing is so, so lyrical you can't help but love it.)
     —The Eternal Kiss anthology, featuring Holly Black, Rachel Caine, Kelley Armstrong, Cassandra Clare, Melissa de la Cruz, and other top authors. (Out of all the anthologies I own and have read, this one has the most stories marked "favorite." It also includes the short story that started the novel that started this whole event, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black.) (On Saturday we'll have a giveaway for a copy signed by Holly.)
     —Edit: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (Toooootally forgot to include this. It's super-fantastic-amazing, so I don't know why I did. Hmm. . .) (Win a signed & personalized copy of the book.) (Also, here's my review.) (And vote in the poll.)

(Click to embiggen)
Note: Not all my books are in one place/unpacked, and Erin took this picture, so this is definitely not all-inclusive.

Books on my shelf:
     —the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton
     —part of the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
     —Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
     —Soulless by Gail Carriger
     —Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines

Now show us yours!

Today's other Vampire Week post:
A signed Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead giveaway

See you tomorrow!

Vampire Week: Signed Vampire Academy Giveaway

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

Today I have a signed copy of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, waiting to be given away. And I'm giving away winner's choice of a Bloodlines or VA book, too! So you get 2 books for the price of 0! (Sadly, the 2nd book won't be signed, as the bookstore I will get it from doesn't have any more signed stock.) The giveaway lasts until the end of the day Sept 10. Standard rules apply (all listed above the rafflecopter), with one exception—the winner only has 24 hours to respond, instead of 48.

Note: Both polls are no longer accepting entries, but I've left the "vote in the poll" option on the rafflecopter, because, while it seems unlikely, I don't want to accidentally delete the valid entries you guys got before either poll closed. All "vote in the poll" entries after 12am Sept 7th will be deleted. (But, as it states in the "Day 2 comment" entry, if you leave a comment to unofficially vote in the "Would you want to live in a coldtown?" poll, your entry will be counted.)

The Prize:
—A signed paperback of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
—Choice of book from the Vampire Academy or Bloodlines series', unsigned

The Rules:
—Must be 13 years or older to enter the giveaway.
—Open to US only.
—Giveaway ends 9/10/13 at 11:59 EST
—Winner will have 24 hours to respond to our email, if no response is given a new winner will be chosen.
—All entries are checked, and any false entries will be deleted.
—We at T3 are not responsible if a package is lost or damaged in the mail.
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Today's other Vampire Week post:
Our vampire books + we want to see yours!

See you tomorrow!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Vampire Week: Review: Blue Bloods

Vampire Week is an event hosted here at T3 to celebrate the release of Holly Black's
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Click the banner for more information.

Today for Vampire Week I actually give you a re-post of an old review. Blue Bloods was the very first review on T3, and it's also the start to one of my favorite book series, so it was only fitting that I talk about it. Why re-post? Well, I thought about reviewing the 2nd book in the series for Vamp Week, but decided against it because I really wanted to stick with a 1st book VW review, for people who had never read.

Title: Blue Bloods
Series: Blue Bloods #1
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Disney*Hyperion
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Pages: 302
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: 2 cubes of sugar

Summary: Schuyler Van Alen is confused about what is happening to her. Her veins are starting to turn blue, and she's starting to crave raw meat. Soon, her world is thrust into an intricate maze of secret societies and bitter intrigue. Schuyler has never been a part of the trendy crowd at her prestigious New York private school. Now, all of a sudden, Jack Force, the most popular guy in school, is showing an interest in her. And when one of the popular girls is found dead, Schuyler and Jack are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets of the mysterious Blue Bloods. But is she putting herself in danger? Melissa de la Cruz's vampire mythology, set against the glitzy backdrop of New York City, is a juicy and intoxicating read. 

(Taken from Goodreads)


Post-"taste" Review: 
Absolutely loved! A very different take on vampires unlike everything else I've read, and it was beautiful. A must-read for vampire fans.

Review: This was my third time reading Blue Boods, and I still enjoyed it as immensely as I did the 1st time around. De la Cruz offered a very lyrical and in-depth 3rd person POV of the glamorous (and not-so-glamorous) lives of New York's teenaged vampire elite. 

Something I loved, though at times felt was unnecessary, was being told what brand the important characters were wearing. Most of the time I don't really care what brand characters are wearing—any characters in any book—but because these characters are New York elite, they are supposed to be fashionable, and how better to get that across than to include top name designers in your descriptions.

I love the mythology of the whole story, and how all the committees work to keep the Blue Blood identity a secret. I absolutely loved where the book ended, with Sky discovering part of the Van Alen legacy, and deciding what she needed to do, even in the midst of tragedy. 

Today's other Vampire Week post:
Amanda's Top 9 favorite vampires, from books and TV

See you tomorrow!