My Soul to Steal Trailer + Contest on Rachel Vincent's Blog!

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers, #4) by Rachel Vincent hits shelves on January 1st 2011!

YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to
take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she
survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

I DON'T THINK SO.

Available at:

1. Amazon
2. Barnes & Noble
3. WorldCat
4. Powells
   
   
5. IndieBound

View the trailer today!



Enter Rachel Vincent's New Release contest!

Best of 2010: Best Book Covers

I've compiled the 10 best book covers of 2010 in this post. Please let me know what are your opinions! And feel free to leave me a link in the comments if you have a similar post! :)

Nightshade (Nightshade, #1) by Andrea Cremer

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1) by Kiersten White


Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1) by Jenna Black


Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick


The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2) by Julie Kagawa

Perchance to Dream (Théâtre Illuminata, #2) by Lisa Mantchev

Pegasus by Robin McKinley


Torment (Fallen, #2) by Lauren Kate


Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters, #1) by Michelle Zink

Best of 2010: Best I've Read

This post features the best books I've read in 2010. It is not necessary that they are published this year, as long as I read them between 1st January - 31 December 2010. If you have a post with the similar theme, please tell me in the comments section and I'll check it out! :)

Deadly Little Secret (Touch, #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Read my review)
Reason: Bone-chilling, suspenseful and unexpected.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Reason: Love, lies, betrayal and redemption. Outstanding characters and a powerful story. Thought-provoking.

Devoured by Amanda Marrone
Reason: A creatively-fabricated retelling of Snow White.

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Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins (Read my review)
Reason: Gruesome, gripping and horrifying.

Forgive My Fins (Fins, #1) by Tera Lynn Childs (Read my review)

Reason: Quirky, cute and funny. Absolutely lovely!

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (Read my review)
Reason: A girl's fearless attempt to resist her fate of marrying her 60-year-old uncle. Brilliantly plotted and very convincing.

The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1) by Julie Kagawa (Read my review)
Reason: Awesome writing style and an exciting plot.

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2) by Julie Kagawa (Read my review)
Reason: More adventures and surprising outcomes.

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (Read my review)
Reason: Heartfelt, palatable and an extraordinary literary prose.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Reason: Brilliant story with lots of twists and turns. Intelligent protagonist.

Book Review : My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373210035
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210039
• Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
  

She doesn't see dead people, but she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

After Kaylee Cavanaugh experiences a grieve so frightening and the abnormal, powerful urge to scream when she sees a black shroud over a girl at a bar, she discovers that the girl is dead the next day. She questions her own sanity because of her ability to predict death, only to find out that she is not so normal after all. Kaylee soon discovers that she is a bean sídhe [bʲæn ˈʃiː], an omen of death.

My Soul to Take has an entertaining, refreshing plot and nice, likable characters. The author keeps me guessing who is the perpetrator / culprit behind the untimely deaths of young, beautiful girls, giving me a shock at the end. Together with Nash Hudson, the hottest boy in school who actually has a secret identity, and grim reaper Tod, Kaylee investigates the matter to prevent innocent lives from being ended.

This book will appeal to those who have a preference for Irish mythology and folklore, as well as paranormal YA lovers. It's a delightful twist in the paranormal genre which stands out from the overflowing abundance of vampires and werewolves. I enjoyed reading this book and I'm sure you'd like it too!

Rating:

You will like this book if you're a fan of:

• Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine
• Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer

Notes: This book has some graphic kissing scenes. Recommended to readers aged 15 and above.

Thanks to Alyson Beecher from Kid Lit Frenzy for helping me to order this book. *Hugs!*

BLOG :: WEBSITE

Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Find Rachel Vincent On:

Post-Christmas Update

Hello readers, welcome back! I hope you all had a great Christmas! I've written a new post over at Friends & Family entitled Toilet Bowl Terror, feel free to read it. I will be having an important exam next year (equivalent to the SAT in the US), so I won't be able to blog frequently anymore. But don't worry, because you're always on my mind, you're always on my mind... (Sorry, I got sidetracked.)

Here's a teddy bear for you:

I'm currently reading the UK version of Soul Screamers #1: My Soul To Take.

UK :: US

Which cover do you like better?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!
I hope all your wishes come true!

And, before I forget...
Happy Birthday, Mary!

Giveaway @ BestFantasyBooks.com

Attention, giveaway lovers!

BestFantasyBooks.com is giving away 3 prizes this month: 1 FREE Amazon Kindle WiFi, a $50 Amazon gift card, and a copy of Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings in a New Years Giveaway contest!

Anyone can apply – the only requirements are that you have a website, blog, or some means of sharing the contest online with other people. The more you “post” about this contest online, the more chances you have to win. Prizes to be given away by January 4th, 2011 — Winners will be contacted via email

Click HERE for more details.

Book Review : Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease by Julie Wise

Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease by Julie Wise

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse.com (September 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1450253180
• ISBN-13: 978-1450253185
• Available on: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
• Source: Won from Sweepstakes Lover
  

Take a moment to remember daydreaming as a child. Recall the joy, freedom, and sense of possibility you felt. Imagine being able to experience that every day!

You can with Dream BIGGER, Julie Wise's heartfelt and inspiring guide to realizing your deepest desires. Using her experience as a life and relationship coach, Wise provides personal anecdotes and numerous client examples to create a living, breathing roadmap for those seeking insight and wisdom on their daily path.

The workbook format deftly illustrates Wise's motivational message, giving you the chance to work through past disappointments, doubts and fears using simple yet effective techniques. She shows you how to stay focused and achieve your dreams by creating a workable action plan. Divided into easy-to read chapters, Wise offers inspiring stories from those successfully living their dreams and covers topics such as revealing the dream, befriending the gremlins, reawakening your potential, seeing the signs, and much, much more!

Your dream is within reach. Let Dream BIGGER show you how to make it a reality!

Dream BIGGER is a self-help book that assists you to unlock the doors to your biggest dreams and gives advices on how to make your dreams come true. Our self-conscious can find ways to deny our dreams, making us lose faith in ourselves and leaving our dreams deflated like balloons losing air. In this book, Julie Wise will teach you the way of overcoming your inner gremlins with positive thinking and some effort.

Julie uses extraordinary examples in her life to convince readers of the power of a dream. Her stories has the ability to inspire readers to pursue their dreams without holding back or waiting until something else has been done. With the Exercises, Dreamwork, Action Plan, and Dreammakers, readers will easily become a participant in the path of discovering and realizing their dreams. I would recommend this book to those who are unsure of your dreams or need a guide to find out exactly what you want to do and dream to be or have. Julie Wise's words of wisdom will prove to be a great help!

Rating:

Thanks to Julie Wise for sending me a signed copy of this book! :)

Julie Wise believes life is meant to be enjoyed. She loves to work with people, listen to their stories, and learn from their experiences. She is currently completing a Certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation from Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, and she has also completed a one-year healership mentoring program in Advanced Energy Healing and Awareness. She is a Celtic Reiki Master as well.

Website :: Blog

You can get in touch with Julie HERE

Book Review : Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805090053
• ISBN-13: 978-0805090055
• Available on: Amazon / The Book Depository
• Source: Review copy from publisher
  

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

As you can read from the synopsis, the protagonist Cheyenne is sick and blind. But her bad luck doesn't end there. When her stepmother, Danielle drives her to a pharmacy to get medicine supplies, she asks her to leave the key in the ignition to keep her warm. Then, when someone enters the car, she realizes from the person's micro-behaviours that he/she is definitely not Danielle. That's when reality hits - her car is stolen, and worse, she's inside it!

This book is different from other books which I've read before. I think the best thing about this book is that the author has successfully portrayed Cheyenne's character. Having a blind protagonist is not easy, and I'm sure April has done quite a lot of researching and reading on this part. She narrates the story skillfully (this book is told in third person), telling us what Cheyenne feels at a particular moment, how she reacts to perilous events, and how she plans to outwit her captors.

Griffin steals a Cadillac Escalade on a whim, without realizing that there's a girl in the backseat. When he discovers her, it is too late to let her go. So he brings her back to his dad's place, along with the car. He promises her that he will let her go once it is dark. But his dad declares that they will keep her as a captive after listening to the news broadcast reporting about the missing Cheyenne Wilder, for her father is Nike's president, and she is their one-way-ticket to wealth.

The friendship between Cheyenne and Griffin is honest and unfeigned, although it seems out of place because of their different roles - one captive and the other the captor. But still, Cheyenne doesn't trust Griffin entirely, despite the fact that he's the only one who's kind towards her. She even tries to knock him unconscious on the day his father and his sidekicks go to get the ransom which they demanded earlier from Cheyenne's father. I don't blame her for this, because this only proves that her survival instincts are functional and that she already knows that Griffin's father is not going to release her. I really admire Cheyenne's extraordinary spirit and strength. You would probably think that being blind, she will just give up and surrender. But this tough teenage girl will absolutely prove you wrong. She faces the problem calmly, and even tries to escape without the help of her cane. Her courage and determination to keep herself alive is indeed commendable. I couldn't imagine myself going through everything that Cheyenne has gone through - it was a really scary experience. And what's worse is that she's blind.

Girl, Stolen is really amazing! I devoured the book in one-sitting. The story is fast-paced thrilling and suspenseful. Even though I constantly feared for Cheyenne's safety, I remained hopeful for her survival. The climax of this novel left me in awe with the author's creativity and brilliant storytelling ability. The twist she inserted made my insides churn with fear for Cheyenne's fate. I'll stop here so that I don't accidentally spill anything. If you want to know whether Cheyenne escapes efficaciously, you'll have to read this book to find out.

Note: This book is a clean read. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a great, thrilling story.

Rating:

My deepest gratitude to April Henry and Kathryn Hurley from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read and review this amazing book! Thank you so much!

April Henry writes mysteries and thrillers. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her family. When she was 12, she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine. She has written eight novels for adults and teens, with more on the way.

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