Today's the day, people! #TeamKilt needs your help if our beloved Zachary Moore is to have any chance of advancing to the next round of the 2nd Annual YA Crush Tourney. To sweeten the deal, I'm adding a little giveaway, too. Read on to find out what's up for grabs!
But first, some reasons why you should vote #TeamKilt and prove to the world what we already know in our hearts: Zachary Moore is the sweetest, sexiest, most crush-worthy boy in YA. He deserves every heart he's won over since he first stepped onto the scene. And in the words of the ladies over at Fictitious Delicious, he's the "crushiest crushing crush in YA". :D
Allow me to show you:
photo courtesy of Fictitious Delicious
So what are you gonna do?
I can't hear you!!! I said, what are you gonna do?
That's a little better, but try again! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
YES! And do you know WHY you're going to support #TeamKilt and VOTE FOR ZACH, aside from the obvious? Here's why: I'm giving away a copy of SHINE plus signed swag!
Rules:
US residents only, sorry, unless you can provide a US shipping address.
One entry per household.
All entries will be verified. Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
Winner will be notified via email. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected.
TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! In this weekly feature, Ginger poses a question to her followers and then asks everyone to link up at the end of the post, sharing their responses.
This Friday's Question:
Authors Are Our Celebrities: Have you ever contacted an author you admired? How did that experience go? If not, which author would you love to have a chat with?
I love interacting with authors and bloggers alike. I'm not the most avid tweeter, but I do enjoy the occasional over-zealous tweet about a new release or a contest or what-have-you. I do, however, stalk a ton of authors on Twitter, as well as on their blogs, on Goodreads, and anywhere else I can track them down.
In my year or so of blogging, I've only been to one actual signing, and I drug my then 3yo daughter along with me. I don't have many real-life bookish friends, so it was just me and my Katiebug off to see Lauren Kate. And was Ms. Kate ever the nicest, sweetest person! She even posed for a pic with the Bugster! (Katie's kinda shy, can you tell? Hehe.)
As for actually reaching out to authors, sure, I've done that on Twitter, and to my amazement, they are always so, so nice and pretty much just excited that you're reading or interested in their book(s). After reading Fracture by Megan Miranda, I wanted to spread my love for that book so hard, so I contacted the author for an interview and signed swag for a giveaway, not expecting much because her book had just released and I was sure she'd be too busy for lil ole me. But Megan was beyond pleasant and was so quick to respond whenever I emailed her. It was defnitely a blog-changing experience, meaning because of it, I'll be much more likely to contact authors in the future.
Upon discovering the Shade series, I also discovered that Jeri Smith-Ready is like the most awesome author ever. I told her this in an email the other day, and she assured me all authors were that full of awesome, but I still have my doubts. Sure, they're all really great, but JSM is beyond great. She makes loving her books even more fun that it would normally be. She's a very involved author, and her interactions with her fans is one of the things I love best about her, after creating Zachary, of course. :D If you ever have the chance to read her books or chat/tweet with her, take the opportunity.
So, yeah, authors are my celebrities, for sure. My sis talks all day long about this starlet and that actor and in turn, I respond with, "Yeah, well, COURTNEY SUMMERS just thanked me for including This is Not a Test in my Teaser Tuesday post this week! Do your celebrities even acknowledge you exist?" Yep. I love my celebrities because they write the books I love and make me feel like a rock star. :0)
Title: Shine Author: Jeri Smith-Ready Series: 3rd & final book in the Shade series Publisher: Simon Pulse Publication Date: May 1, 2012 Source: advance copy from the publisher
In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
I started the Shade series in November of last year, listening to the audio with the incomparable Khristine Hvam narrating.I was so engrossed in these novels, so consumed by them, that I plowed through them without taking any notes or really any analytical thinking at all on my behalf.I never even reviewed them, instead choosing to keep all of those feelings bottled up and savoring them.But Shine NEEDS to be reviewed.It needs to be discussed.So, what I shall do here is write a rather general review of the series as a whole detailed character analysis and sprinkle in some feelings from Shine.If you’ve read the other books in the series, you already know if you want to read Shine.If you haven’t, this should give you a good idea as to why you should read the series.
First things first:Aura.The books are told from her point-of-view, after all.I love that, in the beginning – okay, in the middle some, too – Aura is a bit unstable.The thing is, she’s not, though…not when you consider what she’s been through and what she’s discovering about herself and the world surrounding her.But she survives and develops her inner-strength and becomes quite the force to be reckoned with.She’s impulsive and big-hearted, both of which land her in hot water quite often.But Aura is a heroine of the realist sort.Living through her mistakes as I read along reminded me of similar mistakes in my own life, and her imperfections and indiscretions made me love her that much more.Aura is at her best in Shine, though, providing further proof that she is awesome and worthy of the no-less-than three boys that fawned over her throughout the series.
Speaking of…Zachary, oh Zachary…why can’t you be real?This is the guy we want our heroines to fall for.He is polite and sweet and mild-mannered, almost to a fault.And he is head-over-heels in love with Aura.From their very first meeting, there was a spark, and that flame only burned brighter throughout the course of the series.Zachary will (and does) go to any lengths to protect Aura and keep her safe from those who would do her harm.If that doesn’t do it for you, he’s got a Scottish accent and a kilt, to boot!Swooning yet?
But I haven’t even gotten to the Keeley brothers yet!When the series starts, Logan is actually Aura’s boyfriend.He’s in a band with his siblings, and though you might expect him to be one of “those” guys, he’s actually quite sweet and sentimental.Had it not been for Zachary and his Scottish brogue, Logan would have stolen my heart.For anyone worried about Logan’s presence in Shine, fear not…he’s very much there in spirit.(Ha, I’m patting myself on the back for that one.)
Despite delving immediately into characterizing the protagonist and her love interests, please do not read this and assume that there is automatically a love triangle.The relationships in this series are so much more complicated than that and it wouldn’t do the book or the characters any justice to label them.I am simply a character-driven reader and felt the need to point out just how amazing the characters crafted by Jeri Smith-Ready truly are.Even the supporting cast of characters are multi-faceted and fleshed out.Each serves a purpose and adds something truly special to the books.
Shine is just about the most perfect conclusion to the series that I could have possibly conceived.There are no lingering questions or doubts, but there were cataclysmic events that led to great discoveries, and I had so much fun on the ride.The series finale was everything I wanted it to be.It was sad, courageous, humorous, exciting and about a million other adjectives that all mean pure awesomeness.In other words, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.I’d always be up for more from JSR and the Shade world, but I’m also perfectly content with the way she left things.(And if she never writes another word about the Shade world, well, I can always revisit this series, right?Also, no offense to the original covers, but the new covers are just too pretty not to have their gorgeousness on my shelf.And again, I can now revisit the series any time I want so that I can swoon over Zachary some more.)And now I’m reviewing my schedule, trying to figure out where I can fit in JSR’s WVMP Radio series…
Teaser Tuesday 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 two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Title: Shine Author: Jeri Smith-Ready Series: 3rd and final book in the Shade series Publisher: Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Publication Date: May 1, 2012 Source: finished copy provided by publisher
In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
My teaser:
"Finally I fled to my car, parked in the same place as the night Logan had passed on. I didn't want anyone to see me through the windows, so I sat behind it, leaning against the tire.
That's where Mickey found me." -- p. 232
I can't believe I managed to hold off reading this book for nearly TWO weeks! But I've finally got the time to devote to it, and I shall savor every second!
In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
Why I'm waiting: Um, Zachary Moore, anyone? :P Seriously, I'm sooo excited for this book. I actually only recently found the series at the end of last year through an Audible sale (insert collective groan here...another one, you say?) and loved the narrator (Khristine Hvam, who also narrated Daughter of Smoke and Bone and several of the Vampire Academy audiobooks). I can't wait to see how Aura and Zach's story turns out!
Oh, and JSR just posted this very helpful advice about pre-ordering Shine. I, personally, would probably order from her favorite indie because I'm a little obsessive-compulsive and need my books to match, but to each his own. :)
I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Support Zachary & #TeamKilt in the YA Crush Tourney + Giveaway
I can't hear you!!! I said, what are you gonna do?
That's a little better, but try again! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
YES! And do you know WHY you're going to support #TeamKilt and VOTE FOR ZACH, aside from the obvious? Here's why: I'm giving away a copy of SHINE plus signed swag!
- US residents only, sorry, unless you can provide a US shipping address.
- One entry per household.
- All entries will be verified. Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
- Winner will be notified via email. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected.
- I am not responsible for lost packages.
a Rafflecopter giveawayFriday, June 22, 2012
TGIF #26 - Authors Are Our Celebrities
Authors Are Our Celebrities: Have you ever contacted an author you admired? How did that experience go? If not, which author would you love to have a chat with?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Review: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Series: 3rd & final book in the Shade series
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Source: advance copy from the publisher
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
I started the Shade series in November of last year, listening to the audio with the incomparable Khristine Hvam narrating. I was so engrossed in these novels, so consumed by them, that I plowed through them without taking any notes or really any analytical thinking at all on my behalf. I never even reviewed them, instead choosing to keep all of those feelings bottled up and savoring them. But Shine NEEDS to be reviewed. It needs to be discussed. So, what I shall do here is write a
rather general review of the series as a wholedetailed character analysis and sprinkle in some feelings from Shine. If you’ve read the other books in the series, you already know if you want to read Shine. If you haven’t, this should give you a good idea as to why you should read the series.Rating:
Book-A-Likes: Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Teaser Tuesday #3
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
This week's teaser comes from the following book:
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Series: 3rd and final book in the Shade series
Publisher: Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Source: finished copy provided by publisher
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
My teaser:
"Finally I fled to my car, parked in the same place as the night Logan had passed on. I didn't want anyone to see me through the windows, so I sat behind it, leaning against the tire.
That's where Mickey found me." -- p. 232
I can't believe I managed to hold off reading this book for nearly TWO weeks! But I've finally got the time to devote to it, and I shall savor every second!
What are you reading this week?
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Waiting on Wednesday: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.
Why I'm waiting: Um, Zachary Moore, anyone? :P Seriously, I'm sooo excited for this book. I actually only recently found the series at the end of last year through an Audible sale (insert collective groan here...another one, you say?) and loved the narrator (Khristine Hvam, who also narrated Daughter of Smoke and Bone and several of the Vampire Academy audiobooks). I can't wait to see how Aura and Zach's story turns out!
Oh, and JSR just posted this very helpful advice about pre-ordering Shine. I, personally, would probably order from her favorite indie because I'm a little obsessive-compulsive and need my books to match, but to each his own. :)
What book are you waiting for this week?
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
View my complete profile