When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.
Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…
If you love cupcakes, then you will adore this Etsy shop! Mad & Mable make sweets that look simply edible! Cookies, cupcakes and more grace their site! Even an egg or two!
The Cupcake Diaries is a delightful memoir with recipes by the sisters and stars of the hit TLC series DC Cupcakes. Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne inspire readers with their recipe for success: equal parts determination, smarts and the belief that if you do what you love, you can’t fail.
When Katherine and Sophie took a leap of faith and quit their secure jobs in fashion and finance to open a small cupcakery together, they knew they were risking it all. But from an early age, their Greek grandmother Babee instilled in them a love of baking and a fire to follow their dreams. From the moment they opened the doors to Georgetown Cupcake, crowds have been clamoring for their sweet, wholesome treats and they sell as many as 10,000 cupcakes a day. And for two seasons, fans have been following their escapades-including making a giant gorilla, a slot machine and a wedding gown out of cupcakes- on the hit TLC series, DC Cupcakes.
Georgetown Cupcakes meteoric rise is the realization of a dream rooted in the special bond that Sophie and Katherine with each other from childhood. The Cupcake Diaries is a tribute to that bond, the memories they share and the important lessons they learned, both about baking and about life. The book follows their personal journey that started in their grandmother’s kitchen years ago. Arranged by season, the Kallinis sisters reveal secrets of their business success and include over 30 delicious recipes including their bestselling red velvet cupcakes and the grandmother’s delicious Greek Easter bread.
Cover to cover, recipes, tips, heartfelt stories and gorgeous photography burst from every page. The Cupcake Diaries is a celebration of what it takes-luck, courage, family support and determination-to go from dreaming to doing.
Be sure to watch for new episodes of TLC DC Cupcakes!
When I first received this wonderful cupcake book from the publisher, I sat down and started thumbing through it, grin growing wider with each page. All of the stories, recipes and great photography grabbed my attention and I wanted to set to work making one of the recipes. I chose one from the winter collection.
The Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting was my choice.
The batter laid out…
Baked to perfection using the wonderful baking tip regarding toothpicks!
Frosted with Cinnamon Cream Cheese icing!
What I liked:
This book had great baking tips, some that I already knew and some I didn’t. The history of baking with their grandmother brought back memories of being in the kitchen with my own grandma, making Yugoslavian buns and Strukla. All of the wonderful life lessons and unforgettable memories warmed my heart and made this book all the more special.
The tips on frosting were great. My book girl on a budget baking tip collection is going to need a new tip after I tried to use one a little too small for the job and it went exploding off the end and into a heaping pile of cinnamon cream cheese goo. Obviously the wrong size, so when I make this recipe again, I will have the right tip ready for the job. I can happily say, with a mouth full of delicious gingerbread cupcake, slathered in cinnamon cream cheese icing as we speak, that this recipe is sure fire amazing and I can’t wait to cook my way through this book.
The combination of the cinnamon cream cheese and the gingerbread is wonderful.
What I didn’t: Not a thing.
Overall:
5/5
The recipes and baking tips are clear and give you lots of practical ways to make your baking experience pleasant. The flavor combinations are wonderful and the photography makes you wish the pictures were 3-D and edible. If you have anyone in your life that loves cupcakes, this book is a must have.
The Good Natured are a British electropop band that had their first EP Warriors out in 2008. This album got a great deal of press and from there, the band's second release Your Body Is A Machine (2009) was signed by Parlophone. Now in October of 2011, they are releasing their much awaited album, Skeleton.The band consists of Sarah McIntosh (vocals, keyboards), Hamish McIntosh (bass) and George Hinton (drums).
"Wolves" is a high energy mix of electopop keyboard action, playful drums, creative riffs and Sarah's magnetic voice. The lyrics play with dark and the light to weave a Gothic tale of suspense both in word and sound. This piece enraptured me and I wanted to hear more.
"Hourglass" is haunting and thought provoking. Lyrics spin around you as keyboard, bass and percussion weave a spell you simply don't want to break. Sarah's voice holds a duality of crushed velvet and steel. This album would be at home in a Goth club or on your favorite alternative playlist.
With every track on the album, you have the mysterious element that is so dark and compelling about Goth music, but you also have the electricity of pop that doesn't allow this band to stay in just one genre. I for one am putting this album on my wishlist.
What I liked:
Every track was amazing. Usually you have one or two that are not quite what you are looking for. This is not the case here. The Good Natured have outdone themselves with this CD.
What I didn't:
I wish it was longer. At 23:45 minutes, I found myself spinning the album more than once, but trust me when I say, that was not a problem.
Overall:
5/5
This album is up there on my favorite new band list and I look forward to hearing the next release from this talented group of musicians. Their combination of the dark Goth feel and the energy of a pop song really makes Skeleton a must have album. I highly recommend it.
Sixteen-year-old Riley Williams has been able to see ghosts since the car crash that took her mother’s life and shattered her family. Guilt-ridden over the belief that she’s somehow responsible for her mom’s death, Riley is desperate to see her mother’s elusive spirit to gain her forgiveness.
When her father moves the family to Scotland so they can all start over, Riley believes her life couldn’t get worse––that is until the ghost of nineteen-year-old Ian MacKinnon catches her purposely cutting herself. An uneasy truce quickly turns into friendship, and soon Riley’s falling hard for Ian.
Riley believes her gift could help Ian end the curse that has kept him tied to the land for centuries, but that would mean letting him go forever and she’s not sure she is strong enough to do that. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough, the spirit of the woman who killed Ian returns and she’ll stop at nothing to keep Riley from helping Ian find eternal peace.
When I started reading this book, I was drying my hair and didn't think much about it. An hour later, I am still standing in the bathroom, frozen in place hairdryer doing goodness only knew what. I actually did need to get to bed because I had to go to work the next morning, early, but this book was so good, I could not put it down. I read while I rolled my hair, I read as I got into bed and until I couldn't see anymore. First thing in the morning, on goes the e-reader and I read while I ate my cheerios and did my makeup. Yes, I was almost late for work.
I know you want to win a copy of this wonderful story? Of course you do! Enter here for a chance to win an e-book.
In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.
But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.
Sixteen-year-old Riley Williams has been able to see ghosts
since the car crash that took her mother's life and shattered her family.
Guilt-ridden over the belief that she's somehow responsible for her mom's
death, Riley is desperate to see her mother's elusive spirit to gain her
forgiveness.
When her father moves the family to Scotland so they can all
start over, Riley believes her life couldn't get worse––that is until the ghost
of nineteen-year-old Ian MacKinnon catches her purposely cutting herself. An
uneasy truce quickly turns into friendship, and soon Riley's falling hard for
Ian.
Riley believes her gift could help Ian end the curse that
has kept him tied to the land for centuries, but that would mean letting him go
forever and she's not sure she is strong enough to do that. As if her life
wasn't complicated enough, the spirit of the woman who killed Ian returns and
she'll stop at nothing to keep Riley from helping Ian find eternal peace.
Goodreads
Rating: 5/5
What I liked:
I really enjoyed the true life feel of this book. Riley's guilt about her mother's death and her own personality flaws make her feel like a living, breathing person. When her father moves the family to Scotland and she encounters Ian, a ghost haunting the countryside around her new home, things get really interesting. Enter the possessive wanna be ex-girlfriend and a little witchiness and you have yourself a page turner.
Funny story...I got the request from the author and downloaded the e-book while I was blow drying my hair. By the time I had my hair dry and in process of getting ready to go to bed, I was deeply entrenched in the book and was up until the wee hours of the morning. First thing in the morning, getting ready for work, I was back reading while I put on my makeup. I didn't budge until I had finished the book and was nearly late.
What I Didn't: Not a thing.
Overall: I loved it. Great characters that you grow to care about, excellent plot twists and a hunky ghost. What's not to like?
Exciting news: There will be more books coming out!
Greetings fellow book bloggers and welcome to Dana's YA Bookpile! Thanks for stopping in! Please join me on my sister blogs for the 10 Days of Halloween event happening right now! Halloween parties, Etsy artists, zombies, witches, giveaways, books, author interviews, recipes and more! Follow me by email and never miss an event here on the bookpile. Follow the other blogs for some zombie and witchy reviews and all kinds of fun. I am always looking for artists, musicians, guest posts, authors and fun things to make things a little more diverse than your average book blog. Bloggers, if you are interested in a guest post, please leave me a comment. I would love to have you!
Now for the Follow Friday fun!
Question of the week:
What is your superhero alter-ego?
Answer:
I have always kind of liked Wonder Woman. Invisible plane...lasso...nice island in the middle of nowhere. It would be cool.
Today we welcome the wonderful Sarah Beth Durst as she gives us an interview!
1. How did the idea for DSL come to you?
I was thinking about unicorns one day... You know, your typical Saturday afternoon: eat tortilla chips, ignore the laundry, and think about unicorns... And it suddenly occurred to me: unicorns are natural vampire hunters! Look at them! Built-in stake! And the whole story grew from there.
2. What is a favorite Halloween memory?
At age six, I was adamant that I wanted to be a pink monkey for Halloween. I don't remember why. But I remember the certainty. And I also remember the joy when my mother made me a pink monkey costume, complete with pink ears, a pink tail, and a pink belly. To date, I think it's the coolest costume I've ever worn.
3. What authors have influenced your work?
I love Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones, Charles de Lint... My favorite authors are the ones that make you think as you read, "Ooh, that's the coolest thing that could have possibly happened next!" I really try hard to emulate that feel.
4. Are you a monster movie fan? What is your favorite?
I am an utter coward when it comes to monster movies. But I can do funny monsters. I love Monsters, Inc. And Men in Black (if aliens can count as monsters). Also, The Mummy and the Mummy Returns (so long as I shut my eyes for certain scenes).
Wake up. Deal with life. Write. Eat breakfast. Deal with life. Write. Eat lunch. Deal with life. Write. Eat dinner. Deal with life. Write, write, write. Eat midnight snack. Sleep. Repeat.
7. What is Pearl's most quirky personality trait?
Not sure if "mostly evil" counts as a quirk, but Pearl is funny, fearless, and mostly evil. She made writing Drink, Slay, Love such a joy. Seriously the best writing experience I've ever had. Pearl is pretty much made of snark, and she does not suffer fools.
8. Do you outline your books or are you a pantster?
I outline. I like to see the barebones structure of the story before I begin. Plus I think an outline makes the whole endeavor feel more manageable because it subdivides the project into chunks. If you say, "Today, I shall write my novel," it can paralyze you. But if you say, "Today, I'll write this bit"... you can do that. Do it enough, and you'll eventually have a full novel.
9. What are you working on now?
I am working on revisions to Vessel, a standalone YA fantasy novel that will be out from Simon & Schuster in fall 2012. I'm really, really excited about it!
10. What is one thing you want people to get from your books ?
I want to give people a couple hours away from whatever is bothering them in the real world. I think books can be magic. They can cast a spell that transports you out of your life and into another. I want my books to cast that spell, to offer an escape, to make you laugh or make you feel or take you on a ride to places you've never been.
Skye, first sees dark, charming Asher and golden, reserved Devin on the night of her seventeenth birthday. She has no idea what they want or why they seem to follow her every move. They even know things about her that strangers could never know. Soon, she begins to question not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
Skye's torn between the one she can't help falling for and the one she can't stay away from. The consequences of her choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.
Paranormal romance with an angelic twist...
This is Jocelyn Davies first novel. Check out her website for more details. http://www.jocelyndavies.com/
If you like jewelry, this shop is for you! Looking around for some cute Halloween flair, I came across this shop and was awed by her very amazing variety of bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Mostly, the bracelets got me drooling though.
Laurel's world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. As she tries to piece together the shards of what remains in the eerie stillness of life after the tragedy, David- the son of the man responsible- swoops in and out of her life. Laurel finds herself attracted to him against her better judgement, and their connection will change them both in unexpected ways.
Fans of emotionally true and heartfelt stories will love this book!
It is right on top of my TBR pile and I can't wait to start. The book is now available at your local bookstore.
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, one of those souls vanished, and no one knows why.
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the capitol city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Sam believes that Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. Can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies- human and creature alike- let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Check it out February 2012!
This is Jodi Meadows first novel. Visit her online at:
Four months ago, Danny died. In a heartbroken fury, Wren used her mysterious powers to bring him back-never thinking that the Danny who returned would be just a cold shell of the boy she fell in love with. Now, Wren is struggling to hide the not-quite-living but definitely not dead Danny from the world. As she begins to lose control over what she has wrought and everything in her life starts to spiral into chaos, Wren realizes that she must find a way to make things right-even if it means breaking her own heart.
Cold Kiss is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures.
For those of you checking in over the last few days, you probably had a bit of a shock. I have been changing blog backgrounds like socks. But! Good news! I really like this one. It's got a good color scheme and fits the vibe I was looking for. Thanks for being patient while I upgraded the blog.
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
I started this book and can't put it down! Stay tuned for my up and coming review!
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.
Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.
But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!
Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.
But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.
Q. What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character?
Check out this great fan made book trailer...
A. I don't know who I would pick for the roles in the movie, but Nevermore would be awesome. The combination of Poe, fantasy and modern world real teen fiction had me captivated from page one. I loved the characters, the unpredictable plot lines and the overall presentation. The only thing I want to know is...when is book two? I would like to see Tim Burton in on the creepiness factor and Eban Schletter to do the soundtrack. If you haven't heard his work on the remake of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, then
When Melinda Sordino's friends discover she called the police to quiet a party, they ostracize her, turning her into an outcast -- even among kids she barely knows. But even worse than the harsh conformity of high-school cliques is a secret that you have to hide.
Goodreads
Anderson, Laurie Halse
Speak
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Challenged in the Republic, Mo. schools (2010)
because it is “soft-pornography” and “glorifies
drinking, cursing, and premarital sex.”
Source: Nov. 2010, pp. 243–44.
If you watch the video clip and listen to the poem written by Laurie Halse Anderson, you will understand the importance of this book. It will make your heart hurt for the kids this has happened to and spark your own feelings and memories of things that you wished you could forget. This book should NEVER be censored. Kids need to know that the party they thought was so safe, with people they think they know, can turn bad in a millisecond when drugs and drinking or guys with bad intentions are around. You have to be aware. Be in control of yourself and your surroundings. It may save your life someday.
Thanks for joining me here for the Hop. On a lighter note, please make sure you mark your calendar for the Zombie Girl Shambling and On the Broomstick 10 Days of Halloween giveaway fun!
I often accept books from authors and publishers in exchange for an honest review. I am also looking for Etsy artists with items that appeal to a YA audience. If you are interested in having me review your YA book in either e-book or physical form, or consider your Etsy shop for a feature article please contact me at:
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