Last year I missed this awesome event but this year (even though I have no time at all), I’m signing up to participate in Bloggiesta, a kick ass blogathon. I’m going to try and spend at least a couple of hours each day working on those things I’ve been avoiding… like our review archive *yuk*.
It’s time! Do you plan to fiesta with us the weekend of March 30, 31 and April 1? Do you have things you’d like to do on your blog that you haven’t managed to get to in forever? Do you want to do those things with lots of other bloggers from all over? Talk things over with them? Bounce ideas off them? Learn from them? Teach them too?
Stuff I need to do:
And probably a zillion other things.
Joining in? Sign up here. L xoxo
P.S. - We’re not dead or anything, though our lack of posts may suggest otherwise, just crazy busy. We still love you guys though! :)
Today’s interviewer at Character Backstage is AT Audot. In-story, she plays the role of “newfound ally.” She’s interviewing Jeremy White, a lawyer.
AT: Hi! I’m interviewing Jeremy White, who has that just-stepped-out-of-a-commercial scent.
Jeremy: Scent… You’re the girl with all the dogs, aren’t you.
AT: Uh, yeah.
Jeremy: Do you have licenses for those dogs? It’s very easy for a pack of dogs to run wild, especially if they’re not in the hands of somebody able to control them.
AT: I can control them just fine. They do everything I want. [quickly] So, you’re a pure human, right?
Jeremy: Of course. What else would I be?
AT: How did you get dragged into all this craziness?
Jeremy: Craziness? What are you talking about?
AT: You know. [pause] You do know your employer isn’t exactly human, don’t you?
Jeremy: I know he’s got access to many unusual resources.
AT: Why are you working for him?
Jeremy: He pays well. Plus, we’re going to change the world. That makes for a nice bonus, don’t you think?
AT: Don’t you ever wonder what you’re sacrificing by working with him?
Jeremy: Kid, sacrifice is not in my job description. So you can be pretty sure I’m not doing it. I always aim to come out ahead.
AT: I guess that’s a perk of being fully human. You get that choice.
Jeremy: Whoa, that sounds kind of bitter, kid. What’s your problem?
AT: I’m not bitter. I’m just… Nevermind. How did you first meet your employer?
Jeremy: He’s the patron of a charity I work with. He needed a representative in certain matters, and I was available and trustworthy.
AT: Doesn’t it bother you that sometimes you sort of… drift outside the law?
Jeremy: Do you have any actual proof of that? Proof that would hold up in a court of law?
AT: Well…
Jeremy: Word to the wise, kid. Law is complicated. There are a lot of different jurisdictions. Some of them are more meaningful than others. You go wandering in blindly, you’re going to get in over your head and drown. [laughs] You need more than the dog paddle to stay afloat, if you know what I mean.
AT: You’re just hilarious. Look, I—
[A dark-haired, olive-skinned woman in a neat suit steps onstage, handing Jeremy a cup of coffee as she bends over to whisper something in his ear.]
Jeremy: What? Her? You’re kidding. [He stares at AT for a moment. His coffee sloshes over his hand.]
[The suited lady stands up, smiles, and moves offstage again.]
AT: Oh, no. I was doing fine, Tia! Uh, sorry about that. You want a towel?
Jeremy: [stands up] I’m… I’m done with this interview. I have places to be, people to see. [mutters] People people.
And that’s today’s Character Backstage Interview. Thanks, AT and Jeremy!
Tune in for the next Character Backstage tomorrow at Hopeless Bibliophile! And don’t forget to join the discussion here and then stop by the Candlemark & Gleam blog to get your entry in our Matchbox Girls giveaway!
Marley Claviger is just trying to get her life together. Stumbling into an ancient conflict between celestial forces is going to make that a whole lot harder…
When Marley wakes up to a phone call from a pair of terrified children, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into a secret war. She rescues them from an empty house and promises to find their missing uncle. She even manages to feed them dinner. But she barely feels competent to manage her own life, let alone care for small children with strange, ominous powers…
And when a mysterious angelic figure shows up and tries to claim the girls, it all falls apart…
Plagued by visions of disaster, Marley has no idea what she’s gotten herself into, but she knows one thing: magical or not, the kids need her.
Matchbox Girls by Chrysoula Tzavelas will be published in paperback and digital form by Candlemark & Gleam on February 21, 2012. You can pick up a copy through the Candlemark & Gleam website, where all paperbacks come with a free digital edition, or through your favourite indie or mainstream book source.
Follow the author online at www.dreamfarmer.net or on Twitter @chrysouladreams
It’s Friday! Some of you may have been reviewing away already, but I managed to double book myself with the awesome Love-A-Thon so I’ll be starting bright and early tomorrow morning.
The review-a-thon has only one rule: REVIEW. Make a post with your goal, list the books you review as you go along (you don’t have to post them yet), and feel the relief of a bunch of books ticked off your to do list.
These are the books I’ve got awaiting me:
My goal is to review 5 books properly. If I can sneak in a set of 2 or 3 mini reviews on top of that, I’ll be ecstatic but I’m trying to be realist…
Just leave a comment with your post and I’ll come over and cheer you on! I’ll be on twitter using the hash tag #netgalleyrat if you want to chat.
Good luck! L xoxo
#2 - New (to me) Bloggers!
I’m being pretty vague with the term ‘new’ here. If I’ve only recently (let’s say past 3 months) found a blog, I’ll count it as new. I generally find my new blogs from twitter so make sure to follow these guys on there too!
Completely Booksessed @TheJennJenn - A super awesome blogger who offered to attempt A Game of Thrones readalong with me. She finished, I’m still reading… Anyways, Jenn has a really fun eclectic blog!
A Literary Odyssey @alliedanielson - Allie has a goal and she’s kicking its ass. She has a bucket list of (250) classics that she’s working her way through. I’m crazy impressed.
Bookish Evie @SeoEvie - First of all, pretty! Secondly (and more importantly) a fabulous mix of reviews, bookish deals, interviews and pretty much anything else you can think of!
My Books. My Life. @michelleerin - Michelle reviews a great selection of books. She’s one of those bloggers that if she likes it, I’ll almost certainly like it too! She’s super nice and always willing to talk to new people on twitter.
Po(sey) Sessions @PoseySessions - Found today! This is a great blog with lots of thoughtful reviews. Megan has a couple of really interesting posts up on her blog right now that need some love *poke*.
#3 - Book Blogging: Me, me, me.
I’m just adding this third post onto the bottom of the second because I’m so far behind. I’ve talked about this before on the blog, my issues with stress and avoidance. There was a bit there in the middle where I was letting the blog run away with itself and I was not enjoying it at all. My reading slowed down, I wasn’t commenting and posts became something I dreaded.
Then I decided that was stupid, got through my remaining obligations and purposely distanced myself from the bits of book blogging that weren’t working for me (endless blog tours and memes) and started figuring out what bits I wanted to keep.
And that’s where we are now! It’s so much more fun! I only do stuff I really want to do. I haven’t got enough time to spend my free/hobby time being bummed out. We have fewer posts, but they are better quality. It’s awesome. :D I’m glad everyday that I figured it out (with lots of twitter help) and stuck with blogging, I really do love it and the community that books tie together.
L xoxo
I started to write this post with a whole long monologue about why I started blogging and which blogs I found first and all that, and then my computer decided it was time to restart and it’s all disappeared. It’s probably better for you guys though because now I can just jump into the actual point of this post, giving a shout out and saying thank you to those bloggers who made me want to start (and keep) blogging.
Boof at The Book Whisperer: The absolute first book blog I stumbled on completely by accident during a manic google search for something I can’t even remember. I lost hours looking through her old posts and reviews, just reveling in the booky nerdishness of it all. I came back to Boof’s blog a dozen times before I realised that I could have a book blog too. Still one of my absolute favorites!
Chris at Chrisbookarama: I think I found Chris through a comment somewhere. I have no clue but she has always been a blogger I admire. I love her writing style, her confidence and her reading choices. Anything she recommends, I’ll probably enjoy!
And then there are the bloggers I found as I stumbled along. Miss Remmers’ Reviews, La Toya Literally, GReads!, Novel Niche, Red House Books, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing and Books Devoured are blogs that all spring to mind. Every one of these bloggers has inspired and encouraged me in my year and some of blogging.
A biiiiiig THANK YOU to all of these bloggers (and a zillion others I haven’t mentioned). You constantly inspire me and make me want to be a better blogger.
Much love - L xoxo
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she’s never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.
Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s searching for someone too. He’s also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.
If they can survive, they are each other’s best hope for finding answers. (Goodreads)
Under the Never Sky is one of those 2012 YA debuts that everyone was very excited to get their hands on. When I started reading it in December, I was not impressed. Nothing was happening, the setting was kind of weird and the characters seemed quite unlikeable. But, after a slew of very positive reviews came out, I kept reading and suddenly everything I didn’t like came together to make something amazing.
While the setting and ideas were amazing, what really made the book was the connection between the characters. Perry and Aria… Aria seems soft but is secretly badass. Perry is badass but actually has a ooey gooey melty center. A perfect balance that only got better as they moved through their quest. The story is told from their alternating viewpoints, an element I loved because it really lets you see the whole story, what’s actually going on.
With a completely original plot, twists and turns, and enough back story to make everything come together perfectly, Under the Never Sky is a wonderfully written book. One of the absolute best parts is that the current story is wrapped up to a satisfying ending, with plenty of potential for a great sequel (no cliffhangers, yay!).
Overall, a fabulous and unique contribution to this years round of YA debut novels. With plenty of action and great characters, I highly recommend Under the Never Sky to readers looking for something a little different.
L xoxo
So far I am loving this book. It feels like taking a step into something magical. As Natalia looks into her Grandfather’s life I feel like I’m making much more of a connection to her than I was at first. She seemed a bit cold and distant but through her Grandfather’s stories more of her personality is coming through. Most of all, I’m enjoying how the chapters are set up as tales all by themselves, with the connecting thread of the Tiger.
The fables (that’s what they seem like to me) give an interesting look into the past of the Balkan Wars. My favorite bit so far is the idea of the 40 days of the souls journey. The deathless man creeped me out entirely, much too reminiscent of vampires. I love the Jungle Book references and how they help the tiger story become much more possible (if that makes any sense at all) in my head.
Short but sweet today, my brain is feeling a bit off with being sick. So my questions for you are:
That’s all I can think to ask except, what do you think happens next? Do you predict that the two stories, past and present, will somehow meet up (because that’s what I’m hoping will happen!)?
How is your reading going? And what are your thoughts on the characters and stories so far?
Next Sunday we will be discussing chapters 5-8 inclusive.
Happy reading! L xoxo