Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Giveaway: Gift Certificate to CSN Stores

Giveaway!  $45 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores!!

I love shopping at CSN Stores and often have a difficult time choosing the product that I want.  With over 200 stores to choose from, it's no wonder people spend hours browsing their online stores.  I have pored over decor items for my house, and don't even get me started on the shelving units I want for my many books.  Here are a couple of items I have purchased in the past few months:

Nexxt 7 Piece Tetra Cube Shelf Set


Infinity Instruments Leaves and Medallions Wall Sculpture in Sage Patina

TO THE GIVEAWAY

One of my lucky readers is going to receive a $45 GC to CSN Stores.
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with your email address.  Contest is open to US and Canada residents only.  Contest closes on November 1st at 12 midnight.

Good luck!


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Nevermore
by Kelly Creagh
Release Date: August 31, 2010
2010 Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Hardcover Edition; 543 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0200-3
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due - so unfair - on the day of the rival game.  Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he'd rather not have anything to do with her either.  But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can't help but give this enigmatic boy with piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen.  Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unraven around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind.  Now she must find a way to read Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was captured by the haunting evocation of Edgar Allan Poe's work as it was deftly woven thoughout the novel.  While the novel has all the elements of a YA novel, it goes far beyond that as it weaves nightmares and dreams amongst the story so that you are instantly caught up in the nightmarish qualities of the story.

First of all, I have always been a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe, one of the primary reasons I was drawn to this novel in the first place and as people are obssessed with Jack the Ripper and what happened to him, I have always been interested in what could have possibly happened to Poe.  I love how Ms. Creagh weaves his uncertain demise into this novel and blends his work into Isobel and Varen's story.

While I wasn't crazy about many of the characters at the beginning of the novel, they sort of grew on me as the novel developped.  I found Isobel to be a stereotypical cheerleader at the beginning, but discovered there was a side to her that was different from the others, one who stood up for people, one who was sympathetic and vulnerable.  I liked her courage and her determination to do what she thought was right, despite what others thought she should do.  I adored Varen and would have loved to have learned more about him.  I found I was given tidbits of information here and there about his life, just tantalizing enough to want to learn more, but he was definitely a complex character, shaped by his home life and I was always eager to learn more.  He often ran hot and cold with Isobel, but she was able to overlook that and see straight through him to what he was truly feeling.  I enjoyed their developing relationship and was glad to see that they didn't immediately fall in love with each other or that it didn't become the main storyline.  I would have been disappointed if that was the case.

I enjoyed the paranormal elements in this novel, especially how Ms. Creagh brings out Poe's stories and poems and creates tension and dread.  The dreamworld that is created is unique and interesting, and anything can happen there. The part where Isobel is running through the park because she thinks she is being chased, and there are ravens surrounding her, gave me goosebumps. Who wouldn't think of the poem The Raven at a time like this?  I would love to get my hands on this Reynolds character and know more about him and how he can help Isobel and Varen. I could have gladly given Reynolds a shake if it would have answered any more of my questions.  It shows how deeply I connected with the characters that I felt that way.   If I have any complaints about Nevermore, it would be over the ending as it was definitely left open for the planned sequel and it will be difficult to wait to see what happens to everyone.  There is no closure or tidy ending in this novel.

Verdict
Nevermore was a fascinating read with many different paranormal elements that will keep any reader interested.  The romance between Isobel and Varen, although it explodes with sexual tension, never really goes beyond that and is good clean fun.  The dark elements, twisted with the works of Edgar Allan Poe has made reading fascinating and fun, interjecting a rather unique twist to a unique story.  It has rather effectively sent me back to my shelves in search of my Great Works of Edgar Allan Poe for some re-reading.  I am looking forward to the next novel in this planned trilogy, and anyone who loves a unique paranormal novel (with some romance) will enjoy this one too.

Upcoming Releases: October 11 - 17

I can't believe another week has flown by, and another Tuesday has almost gone by without my realizing it.  I think with having a holiday yesterday, it has completely thrown my week off and I am going to be confused every day this week until Friday.  Mais c'est la vie!  To help pass the time, here some great upcoming releases that I am looking forward to reading.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, Book 1)
by Rick Riordan
Release Date: October 12

It was hard to say good-bye to Percy--but fans don't have to! A lovable new generation of demigods have their own prophecy to prepare for, and their hero Perseus Jackson just may turn up in times of need.









Beautiful Darkness
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Release Date: October 12

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.


Passion Play (Erythandra Series, Book 1)
by Beth Bernobich
Release Date: October 12

The daughter of one of Melnek's more prominent merchants, Ilse Zhalina has lived most of her life surrounded by the trappings of wealth and privilege. She has wanted for nothing and many would consider her lot a most happy one. But there are dark secrets even in the best of families and Isle and the women in her family have learned that to be beautiful and silent is the best way to survive.

However, when Ilse fianlly meets the colleague of her father's selected to marry her, she realizes that this man would lock in her a gilded cage. In her soul, she knows he is far crueler and more deadly than her father could ever be.

Ilse chooses to run from this life. Her choice will have devastating consequences and she will never be the same.

But she will meet Raul Kosenmark, a man of mystery who is the master of one of the land's most notorious pleasure houses.and who is, as Ilse discovers, a puppetmaster of a different sort altogether. Together they will embark on a journey that will reshape their world.

The Scorch Trials (Companion to The Maze Runner)by James Dashner
Release Date: October 12
 
Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated - and with it, order - and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder - does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?


Revolution
by Jennifer Donnelly
Release Date: October 12

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She's angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she's about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights' most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn't want - and couldn't escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine's diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There's comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal's antique pages - until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine's words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things, Book 1)
by Anna Godbersen
Release Date: October 12

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined - and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.


Banished
by Sophie Littlefield
Release Date: October 12

There isn't much worth living for in Gypsum, Missouri - or Trashtown, as the rich kids call the run-down neighborhood where sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell lives. Hailey figures she'll never belong - not with the popular kids at school, not with the rejects, not even with her cruel, sickly grandmother, who deals drugs out of their basement. Hailey never knew her dead mother, and she has no idea who her father was, but at least she has her four-year-old foster brother, Chub. Once she turns eighteen, Hailey plans to take Chub far from Gypsum and start a new life where no one can find them.

But when a classmate is injured in gym class, Hailey discovers a gift for healing that she never knew she possessed - and that she cannot ignore. Not only can she heal, she can bring the dying back to life. Confused by her powers, Hailey searches for answers but finds only more questions, until a mysterious visitor shows up at Gram's house, claiming to be Hailey's aunt Prairie.

There are people who will stop at nothing to keep Hailey in Trashtown, living out a legacy of despair and suffering. But when Prairie saves both Hailey and Chub from armed attackers who invade Gram's house in the middle of the night, Hailey must decide where to place her trust. Will Prairie's past, and the long-buried secret that caused her to leave Gypsum years earlier, ruin them all? Because as Hailey will soon find out, their power to heal is just the beginning.


Enchanted Ivy
by Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: October 12

What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet!

Lily's test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he's her guard. That's weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons - the ordinary one and a magical one - and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets.

When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage - and a little magic - to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.

Ghost in Trouble (Bailey Ruth, Book 3)
by Carolyn Hart
Release Date: October 12

When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost - sometimes you see her, sometimes you don't - to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts.

However, on this latest mission, Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with - living or dead.

But solving Bailey Ruth's toughest case yet means managing a recalcitrant charge, a fraudulent medium, a mother's heartbreak, old passions and new, and a telltale rawhide dog bone. Heaven help her!


The Countess
by Rebecca Johns
Release Date: October 12

In 1611, Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a powerful Hungarian noblewoman, stood helpless as masons walled her inside her castle tower, dooming her to spend her final years in solitary confinement. Her crime - the gruesome murders of dozens of female servants, mostly young girls tortured to death for displeasing their ruthless mistress. Her opponents painted her as a bloodthirsty Skrata - a witch - a portrayal that would expand to grotesque proportions through the centuries.

In this riveting dramatization of Erzsébet Báthory's life, the countess tells her story in her own words, writing to her only son - a final reckoning from his mother in an attempt to reveal the truth behind her downfall. Countess Báthory describes her upbringing in one of the most powerful noble houses in Hungary, recounting in loving detail her devotion to her parents and siblings as well as the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age. She soon discovers the price of being a woman in sixteenth-century Hungary as her mother arranges her marriage to Ferenc Nádasdy, a union made with the cold calculation of a financial transaction. Young Erzsébet knows she has no choice but to accept this marriage even as she laments its loveless nature and ultimately turns to the illicit affections of another man.

Seemingly resigned to a marriage of convenience and a life of surreptitious pleasure, the countess surprises even herself as she ignites a marital spark with Ferenc through the most unromantic of acts: the violent punishment of an insolent female servant. The event shows Ferenc that his wife is no trophy but a strong, determined woman more than capable of managing their vast estates during Ferenc's extensive military campaigns against the Turks. Her naked assertion of power accomplishes what her famed beauty could not: capturing the love of her husband.
Monday, October 11, 2010

It's Monday! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I am somewhat sad today as this is the day we close up our trailer for the season.  It's hard to believe another summer season has come and gone, and my husband and I and our friends were left asking ourselves as we sat around the fire last night, Where did it honestly go?  This is one of those summers where the weather was absolutely gorgeous, and while we definitely got the rain, we had long, hot, beautiful, hazy days of summer that we always long for during those cold Febuary days.  I am not quite ready to move on to the cold days of winter quite yet.  Although you probably couldn't tell though, could you?  

I think part of the difficulty with closing the trailer is knowing we won't see some of our friends until next April.  Although we always talk about visiting, life is so busy and crazy that we get together maybe once during those six months.  Hello New Year's Eve!

I do love the fall however, and it's so beautiful here right now.  The reds, in particular, are especially vibrant this year and as I drive I am impressed by the colours.  I try not to think too hard about what comes after fall as I find as I get older the term "Snow Bird" is starting to sound better and better.  I could never understand the draw of the south, until now.  I always thought I would miss the snow; whatever was I thinking?

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?  This great weekly meme is hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey.  I am trying to get in some more reading time but life keeps getting in the way of those aspirations.  I was too busy at the trailer enjoying a fantastic weather weekend to even think about holing myself inside, enjoying my family and friends.  That means I have a lot of catching up to do.  Not happening!  This week is parent interview week at school and progress reports go out tomorrow.  Way too much stuff to do! 

What I Read This Week:

The Geneva Deception (Tom Kirk, Book 4) by James Twining - I am really enjoying this series and the world of art theft.  This was swift, tension-paced action that kept me turning the pages and had me hooked from the beginning. 

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - Review forthcoming.  I really enjoyed this book and had difficulty putting it down.

Check out my interview with Tom Llewellyn, the author of The Tilting House.  It was a very interesting interview, and his novel sounds fascinating.

What I am Currently Reading:

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - Yes, I am still reading this one.  I am enjoying it and will finish eventually.

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston - Unique and interesting.

All the Queen's Players by Jane Feather

What I Intend to Read:

To be honest, I don't really know what I am planning on reading next week as it's a pretty busy week.  I do have a fairly large pile to choose from, and since I'm usually very well organized, I think I'm entering one of those rebellious slumps where I want to read only what I want to read so I need to be careful what I choose to read next or it could totally mess up my TBR pile. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians! 
Thursday, October 7, 2010

Blog Hop Fridays!

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians!

I would like to wish everyone who lives in Canada a blessed and happy Thanksgiving on Monday.  I am looking forward to a fantastic long weekend at the trailer, even though we are closing it for the season after this weekend (sob, sob!).  I am debating whether to cook my turkey on the BBQ or do a beer-can type turkey over the open fire as it's only a small turkey.  My parents and in-laws aren't coming down until the end of the month to celebrate so it will just be hubby, kiddies, and myself.  I am looking forward to Friday and some relaxation time.  And of course, some reading time.

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.  It's a great way to visit blogs you already follow if you've been too busy during the week, to visit new blogs and to see the exciting things that bloggers are doing, and to have a chance to discuss our favourite topic, books.

If you are interested in participating, you must have part of your blog devoted in some way to books, including but not exclusive to, book reviews.  So head on over to Jennifer's blog and see what this is all about!


Question:  What's your favourite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

Answer:  It really depends on the time of day and my mood.  Usually during the day, it is water, once in a while I like to have a Diet RootBeer.  At night, I like my one cup of Chamomile Tea before going to bed as I read as I find it relaxing. 



Follow Friday, hosted by Parajunkee's View, is another great blog hop.  To participate in this one, you must follow the host blog and the special guest (This week it's seducedbybooks.blogspot.com.), but otherwise you are free to follow whomever you wish.  Just leave a comment and have fun!

Question:  How many reviews do you like to do in a week?

Answer: I have never set myself a prescribed amount of reviews in a week.  I just post a review whenever I feel like posting a review or if I am reading something for a publisher or an author who wishes a posted review.  To prescribe a certain amount of reviews every week would take the fun out of blogging for me and I don't think I would enjoy it as much as I do.  Sometimes I don't even post reviews for books that I have read.  I am even thinking of getting back into book clubs as I miss the continuous discussion of books.


Don't forget to check out my Hallowe'en candle giveaway,


Have a great weekend everyone, and happy reading!

Booking Through Thursday


Today's Booking Through Thursday Question is:

"When you travel, how many books do you bring with you? Has this changed since the arrival of ebooks?"


I don't have an e-reader although I am seriously looking at them and have been for several months now.  I see the advantage of them when traveling, and I do a lot of traveling.  Typically I overpack when it comes to books.  When I went to the United States this past summer for a three week trip, I brought along about 15 books (We drove so space wasn't as much of an issue.) and I definitely went overboard, but I would go to pieces if I actually ran out of something to read.  If I travel somewhere where I have to fly, I usually bring three books, but I search online for the nearest bookstore to where I am staying in case I ever run out of reading material.  I've come to the conclusion that I have a serious addiction to books and reading.

I don't actually do a lot of reading while on holidays, but the comfort of knowing the books are there in case I feel like reading is enough.  I wonder how many other people feel this way about their books.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Giveaway: Halloween Soy Candle (Ends 10/18)

Giveaway from Silk N Lights Designs

It's Hallowe'en Time!  For those of you who love Hallowe'en decorations, Silk N Lights Designs has just the thing to light up that party table.  The Scarecrow Holiday Loaf Pan Soy Candle will add that little decorative touch to your Hallowe'en decorating.  It contains 12 oz of pure soy scented in Gingerbread Maple (Yummy!), and is a double wick candle that should last approximately 60 hours, more than enough hours to last for any Hallowe'en entertaining.

What's also great about this candle, the candle holder is stoneware, dishwasher and oven safe, so if you wish to wash the pan once the candle is burned down, you now have a cute Loaf pan to use. 

PRIZE:  Silk N Lights Designs will give one lucky reader their very own Scarecrow Holiday Loaf Pan Soy Candle.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Silk N Lights Designs and comment about one item you like from the store.

BONUS ENTRIES: (1 entry for each)
** Follow Curling Up By The Fire on GFC.
** Follow Curling Up By The Fire on Twitter and post a message about this giveaway.
** Follow Silk N Lights Designs on Facebook (See the share buttom on the shop.)
** Follow Silk N Lights Designs on Twitter (See the share button on the shop.)

Another Opportunity with CSN Stores

It's always great to be able to work with CSN Stores and I was happy to have been contacted yet again to host another giveaway.  I'm sure most of you are familiar with the 200+ stores that CSN has to offer and all of the choices available, in all price ranges, which meet the needs of any consumer.  My husband and I have been searching for console tables for quite a while now, in particular the larger decorative ones for our front hallway, and there are many to choose from on their site.  My daughter is in need of a desk and bookcase, my son is in need of some bulletin boards and would love some space murals, and I am looking for some more wall scuptures to decorate my home, all of which can be found on the CSN Stores website.

I have typically found ordering from CSN Stores to be particularly easy, and the last thing I ordered, a wall sculpture, came within days, and came very carefully packaged and bound.  Many items include free shipping and the sales, if you are willing to shop around, can be great.   With Christmas just around the corner, I am sure you can find something for everyone!