Contests on BBB

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Bitten By Books is having some awesome contests! Be sure to check them out!

Book and Jewelry Giveaway: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Contest:

One grand prize winner will receive:
A handmade gold angel wing and labradorite lariat and a copy of Crescendo!

Four additional winners will receive:
A copy of Crescendo!

The contest ends Friday 10/1/2010 at 11:59 pm CDT. Open to US and Canadian entrants.

Author Rachel Vincent Guest Blog and Contest LIVE


CONTEST INFO: Open to readers WORLDWIDE

Prize: She will be giving away a full signed set of Shifters books as well as a signed set of Soul Screamers novels, including an ARC of My Soul To Steal, the fourth book, which comes out Jan 1. So that’s: Stray, Rogue, Pride, Prey, Shift, Alpha, My Soul To Take, My Soul To Save, My Soul To Keep, and an ARC of My Soul To Steal. Nine signed books. All of my novels, to date. All to one person.

The contest ends on 9/30/10 at 11:59 pm Central and the winner will be contacted via email.

Author Stephanie Draven Guest Blog and Contest LIVE!

CONTEST INFO: Open to readers WORLDWIDE

Prize: A $50.00 Electronic Amazon Gift Card!!

The contest ends on 9/30/10 at 11:59 pm Central and the winner will be contacted via email

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Compilation of Giveaways #2

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The contest ends in 2 weeks on Monday, November 8 at 11:59 PM, Central Time.


The Sweetness of Salt Giveaway
Contest is for US addresses only. Contest ends at midnight - November 8th CST.

A Tale of Many Reviews - Graceling Giveaway!
Open Internationally - Comment for a chance to win a copy of Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Giveaway ends November 6, 2010 at 6:00 pm Central Time.

Blogoversary + Contest
Description: Win a book of your choice from any of the books I have reviewed so far. Contest is open internationally or wherever the Book Depository ships. Ends on November 24, 2010.

Blogoversary Contest #2: Win a Signed ARC of Behemoth
Open those with a Canadian/US mailing address only
Ends on Nov 21, 2010

Description: To help celebrate the looming 1000 followers achievement and to follow through on my aim of talking more about my favourite books, I've decided to put together a worldwide giveaway courtesy of The Book Depository.

Secondhand Saturday No. 7
This giveaway is open internationally.


Cover vs. Cover Giveaway!!
2 winners will win their favorite book
Open International
Ends 11-26

November Debut Contest!!

Here’s what’s up for grabs:
A signed copy of Personal Demons (as usual) AND
A signed finished copy of Matched by Ally Condie

The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted on the blog after noon on November 26th.



Win a copy of BUMPED!
The contest will end Monday, November 22nd at midnight EST. This contest is open to blog readers outside the U.S.



Giveaway: The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
An ARC of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain and one bottle of The Lost Saint nail polish
US only. The winner will be chosen on November 22nd so enter before then.

In My Mailbox {7}

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Book Review : Blood Coven Vampires (#1 - #3) by Mari Mancusi

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http://www.bloodcovenvampires.com/images/cover_boysthatbite.jpgBoys that Bite (Blood Coven, #1)

When Sunny McDonald gets dragged to Club Fang by her twin sister Rayne, she doesn't expect to find anything besides a bunch of Goth kids playing at being vampires. But when some guy mistakes Sunny for her dark-side-loving sister and bites her on the neck, she finds out that his fangs are real—and deadly.

Now, Sunny has less than a week to figure out how to reverse the bite, or else she's going to end up as the perpetually undead. And not only will she be a vampire, she'll also be bonded to Magnus—the bloodsucker who bit her—forever. And forever is a really long time...

My thoughts:
Wow. This book rocks! I got hooked starting from the first few chapters and I just couldn't stop reading! It's amazing how a book can affect me like this. Sunny and Rayne are twins, but that's where the similarity ends. Their personalities are oh-so-different, and their dreams in life contrast greatly. Sunny's wish is much like a normal person: get into a good college, get married and have children, while Rayne's sole ambition is to be a blood-sucking creature of the night.

When Sunny is accidentally bitten by a vampire called Magnus who is initially arranged to be Rayne's blood mate, she discovers that she will turn into a vampire in seven days! This shocking event leads her to go on a journey to England with Magnus to find the Holy Grail to restore her humanity.

This story is somewhat refreshing, entertaining and different from the others of the paranormal genre because of its teenager-vise prose. Filled with humorous, witty descriptions and dialogues, this book is sure to make you laugh. The chemistry between the main characters in this book, Sunny and Magnus will surely pique your interest. They developed a strong feeling of love for each other on their mission to get the Holy Grail you can see sparks flying everywhere (well, literally) ! The main point is, is Sunny willing to give up her humanity for Magnus' sake? Or will she choose to give up the handsome vampire to embrace a normal person's life? You'll have to read this book to find out!

Rating: 5

http://www.bloodcovenvampires.com/images/cover_stakethat.jpgStake That! (Blood Coven, #2)

Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she's a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad.

After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?

My thoughts:
Stake That is a great continuation of Boys That Bite. I never expected Rayne to be selected as the new vampire slayer. Rayne has no choice but to accept her destiny. She is to act as an undercover in the Bite Bar, owned by an evil vampire called Maverick to find out his wicked plan to stage a coup d'état. And she is aided by Jareth, who hates her at first but eventually agrees to partner up with her to investigate the case. And I'm totally betting on Rayne's love relationship with Jareth, who is also the general of the Blood Coven. Even his name sounds sexy... >< Rating: 5

http://www.bloodcovenvampires.com/images/cover_girlsthatgrowl.jpgGirls That Growl (Blood Coven, #3)

Now that she's an official vampire and full-fledged member of The Blood Coven, Rayne assumes her vampire slaying days are over. Sure, she doesn't have any vampire powers, thanks to a mutated blood virus, but she and Jareth can go out in the sun, which is a pretty good trade-off.

But just when Rayne's starting to enjoy her afterlife, she's contacted by Slayer Inc once again. It seems that a member of her high school's football team has disappeared—and the powers-that-be think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now Rayne has to infiltrate the squad before the cheerleaders have a chance to sink their teeth into someone else...

My thoughts:
Mari added another paranormal creature in this book, the werewolves. It was interesting at first, with Rayne blackmailing the cheer-leading team captain who was once her BFF to get into the group. Not that she likes it, she just wants to find out the truth behind the mysterious disappearances of two football players. I was a little perturbed by the way she treats Jareth in this book. She is spiteful and irritable, and no matter what Jareth does, she feels that he is stupid and does not act like the Jareth he used to be anymore. Only when Jareth decides to break up with her that she decides to turn over a new leaf.

Girls That Growl is quite an entertaining read, although there are some parts that I don't really like, especially Rayne's cranky attitude. But somehow, the ending once again catches my attention. I can't wait to read the next installment of the Blood Coven Vampires!

Rating: 4.000




Mari Mancusi
Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school.

But she ended up in another blood sucking profession —journalism — instead. Today she works as a television producer for a women's lifestyle show in Manhattan and has won two Emmys. As if writing and TV producing weren't enough to keep her busy, Mari also enjoys videogames, goth dancing, manga, cheesy horror movies, and hanging with her dog Molly. She lives in Jersey City.

Mari Mancusi official website | Mari Mancusi's Blog

Book Review : First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

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First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, #1)
First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Product Details
  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Avon; Original edition (February 9, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061583227
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061583223

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

First Drop of Crimson is my first book by Jeaniene Frost. In my opinion, it is well-written and full of surprises, and it certainly has the elements that paranormal fans will enjoy tremendously. The story is mainly about a woman's quest to seek her ancestor who traded his soul with a demon long ago to save the lives of her few living kins whose safety are threatened by the demon. She realizes that she cannot do it alone, so she asks for a Master vampire's help, who turns out to be a friend of her best friend's husband.

The main characters in this novel are Denise (human) and Spade (vampire). I did not have any problems with this book, as it was entertaining and interesting. I'll start off with Denise. She is a kind, brave and caring woman. But sometimes, she gives me an impression of a headstrong, petulant child (yes, I know she's an adult, but still...) She felt as if she owed Spade a lot because he helped her out in finding her ancestor Nathaniel, who is, strangely, still alive because he was branded by a demon and therefore couldn't die. She denied her feelings towards Spade at the beginning because she felt guilty of falling in love with someone else shortly after the death of her husband.

As for Spade, he reminds me of the usual type of vampire which is always found in paranormal books - dark and brooding. He didn't realize it at first, but soon, he found out that he was falling for Denise in the process of helping her, as she is the one who made him feel the power of love again. He was willing to go at great lengths to assist Denise and made her feel comfortable on their journey.

Overall, this novel is quite good, and I'd recommend it to paranormal romance lovers. Don't say I didn't warn you: You'd probably get bitten!

Note: This book is intended for adults / readers above 18 years of age only.

Rating:
4.000


Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World novels. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to fourteen different countries. Jeaniene lives in Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she swears like a sailor, rarely cooks, and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cookbooks frighten her.

Jeaniene Frost Official Website

In My Mailbox {6}

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I've always wanted to read this book! Finally, I managed to get it from The Book Depository with the help of my internet pal, Alyson from Kit Lit Frenzy! Thank you so much, Alyson! :D

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF03RXcZpLTvJQ7Jo8fpsZab7AKWBCxpNFMN1tevvPzT3GPxvJSF5leXl2oVA1YEMXN4KI3xl_mvYacEY3Wc3KWM_LY1jjSQO7vgysMytqN-E8PcKJiEUUNpZBttftdZOtijl1B1eitSy9/s320/IMG_1448.jpg
A Clockwork Angel poster!
(Something that looks like this, minus the ARC and bookmark.)
I won this from Alyson's blog, Kit Lit Frenzy! :)

SANDALWOOD and VANILLA - facial cleansing grains - all natural, vegan
I won this SANDALWOOD and VANILLA - facial cleansing grains - all natural, vegan
from Fire and Ice.

Book Review : The Summer of Shambles (Ondine, #1) by Ebony McKenna

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Ondine: The Summer of Shambles
Ondine: The Summer of Shambles by Ebony McKenna

Product details
  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd (5 April 2010)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1405249617
  • ISBN-13: 978-1405249614

This is a brilliantly witty fairy tale with a mystery that is as surreal as it is sinister. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles is a cute book. There are a lot of entertaining scenes and hilarious moments, but sometimes, the happenings just doesn't make sense. I really appreciate Ebony's attempt to make the book funny and interesting, and I enjoyed reading it, but the book lacks of a good plot line. There aren't much action and suspense, the events are quite predictable.

The main characters are Ondine and her pet ferret Shambles, or Hamish in his human form. I like both of them, but there aren't much to discover. (You can see the picture to see what Shambles might be.) Ondine is a obedient daughter who helps her parents out at their restaurant. She is 15 years old and tends to swoon over handsome men. Shambles is cursed by Ondine's great aunt and has remained in his animal form for decades. Will the friendship between Ondine and Shambles evolve into something more passionate? Will Ondine fall in love with Shambles after seeing his oh-so-gorgeous human form?

Overall, this book is a fun read, it is quirky with a tinge of magic (Hamish changing back to his ferret form and vice versa). But somehow, I think it is more suitable for middle grade readers than young adults. I hope Ebony can focus on developing a better plot in her next book.

Rating: 3

I won an ARC of this book @ Becky's blog : The Bookette.


Ebony McKenna
The decision to leave a career in journalism was a logical choice for Ebony. There wasn't enough time in the day to write the fictional stories she wanted to tell, against the factual that she had to tell. She followed her heart towards writing science fiction, romance and young adult adventures. Ebony now writes full time and lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and young son.

Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter
http://www.memphisloveskids.com/images/love_symbol1.jpgOndine & Shambles on Facebook

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles is available at these places:
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK
Angus & Robertson Australia
Blackwell UK
Book Depository UK
Waterstone's UK
WH Smith UK

[Book Trailer] Alpha by Rachel Vincent

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Check out this cool trailer and enter the Alpha trailer and contest on Rachel Vincent's blog!

  • What's up for grabs: an early, signed copy of Alpha.
  • How you can enter: post this trailer on your blog, Facebook page, LJ, etc... and leave the link in the comments section. Direct links only, please. That means leave a link to the particular post where the trailer is embedded, not a link to your entire blog. If I can't find it, the entry doesn't count.
  • Deadline: Wednesday, September 15, 11:59 pm (central)
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