Follow Friday

Here's a feature for book bloggers, such as myself *smiles*, who want to spread their joy of book blogging! There's even a weekly blog feature that anyone can sign up for so hurray for Follow Friday! Hosted by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read.

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?

There's so many but I would love to see Anna dresses in Blood by Kendare Blake made into a film.

It was a very fun read and no doubt it would be very entertaining if it was transformed into the movie theaters.
For Cal, the main character and ghost fighter in the book, I'd say Garrett Hedlund would play him perfectly and for Anna...Lyndsy Fonseca.

;)



















Don't let her smile fool you, she's a great actress and I think she can pull off Anna. She just needs to die her hair Black...

In my Mailbox

A weakly meme started by The Story Siren which features books we've received this week.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer (Traded: I want to give it another chance...)

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck (Bought after reading only half the book from ebook copy and because the cover is beautiful)

The Taker by Alma Katsu (From Simon and Schuster, Thank you)

Any books you've received in the mail recently?Or planning to receive?

Best of the Good ol'days

My trip to Memory Lane.
Do you have that special book, movie, or something that brings back that unique smile from so many years ago?

Featured Book:

Here's a book I read awhile back and still re-read till now:

Never After by Dan Elconin

I had such a good time with Never After and the characters. It was actually the beginning of my reading binge. I wish Dan Elconin would write another book. That would be a dream come true. And he's pretty good looking.
;)

Do you have a favorite author who you wish would write another book?

Featured Movie:

The Mummy Returns. I was in my early teens when I first watched this:

But that fight was probably the most coolest thing my 14 year old eyes have ever scene. Nefertiri and Anck Su Namun kicked ass!

*Skip to 0:35



Do you have a movie or scene from a movie you can never forget?

Featured Music:

Demi Lavato - Hold up
This is so 8th grade...
AND I'M LOVIN' IT!

Demi Lavato just released her latest album and most of the songs are worth hearing. Her album is worth buying...and I mean the actual album...from Target or Best Buy.
90's style!
;)



Do you have a singer from when you were young or a song that will stick by you forever?

Review: Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: October 4th 2011 by HarperTeen
My copy: Borrowed Arc

Book Description:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

~*~

My Review:

Megan moves to Ireland. New school. A turn of events. Hot guy and girl are destined for each other.

If you like these kind of stories then you'll be very satisfied with Leigh Fallons' Carrier of the Mark. When I read this I knew what I was going into...so I said "I'm up for it". The story was more filling then I thought, it was a lot to take in because there was so much gold trying to perfected all at once. Example: Megan and Adam's romance. It wasn't so memorable because to me it was one of those quick soul-mates kind of love. The Irish atmosphere in the story, however, is what I liked most in Carrier of the Mark, I decided it would be the heart of the story.

I could've loved it but a lot factors killed it for me whenever I got really into it. You can't blame for being turned off whenever an event similar to another YA book appeared. The Characters were good for the most part. I liked Megan, Adam...his family too. But I loved her friend Caitlin, she would probably appeal to most ya readers best.

But it was whenever the Irish feel of the story took place that I became captivated and hooked. At that time of the book, there was that sense of new happenings in a dull world. It was quiet but exciting. Very similar to the feeling I got when I saw first saw the cover of the book.

Overall? I liked it. For a debut author it was pretty good. I'll be continuing this series because I know there was a reason for everything that was happening, whether it was good or bad. I would recommend this book.

3.5/5

Winners!

Thank you to all who entered my giveaway.
Thank you to all my followers and I hope one day I can say you've all won.
I wish I had a bazooka that can shoot ARCs or...or present a day that rains endless advance reading copies!
...

One can dream. Right?

:D

So without further ado, The Three winner of my Almost 300 follower giveaway are:



Giselle Cormier,
Sarah @ The Book Life
and
Christa

Congratulations guys!
I've sent an email to which you have 48 hours to respond or else I'll have to choose another winner.

To everyone else, thanks again and before I forget, I'm hosting other giveaways HERE if you haven't already checked that out.


~*~

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley Giveaway (INT)

Finally right?
Yea! This book is great.
Click Here if you'd like to read my review.
~*~
So here's the deal with this INTERNATIONAL giveaway. This is not an ARC. This is an Aussie paperback copy of Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley that I'll be giving away. I bought it from Australia through Dymocks and it was published in August 2010 so the cover will be:

I like the Aussie cover more because I feel it matches the story better. This is the US hardback that will be published on Feb 14 2012 (Valentines Day hah!)

(US 2012 Hardcover)

By the way this cover is also great for the story...anything having to do with Graffiti Moon is great to me
*smiles*

Rules are very Easy:

1- Must be a GFC follower.

2-You must have a Twitter (I've mentioned that this will be a twitter giveaway before) and tweet this at least once.

*OPTIONAL for extra entries*

Just to be clear:
You are only required to tweet once and then all other tweets will be for extra entries.
Four Tweets Max including the required one! One per day, you may skip days and come back as long as it's four tweets in all.
(You don't have to have a lot of twitter followers to be eligible)

3- Please remember, if you can, to mention my twitter name (@midnightfume) in each tweet.

For example something like:

Graffiti Moon Giveaway (Int) @midnightfume (link)

4- These are the forms you must fill out:

**Enter GFC name and first tweet HERE**
(Above form is only to be filled out once)
(Below form is optional)
**Enter all re-tweets Here**
(max: Three (extra) tweets in the re-tweet form)

~*~

And that's it!

Ends November 20 (late because my sister will be getting married early November) . Winner will be chosen at random.
Good luck everyone!

~*~

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Hardcover, 316 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Tor Teen

Book description:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

My Review:

Wow, what a story. After a chapter or two I knew how exciting this book would come to be. It may have major similarities to the hit show, Supernatural, but with that and it's originality, it was keeper. I've always loved the idea of good looking guys fighting off bad ghosts for humans sake and when I heard Cas was in town, I had to buy this book. The story never really gets boring; it's got action, horror, thriller, a little romance and that cringe feeling you get when someone's nail scratches the school chalk board. *tremble*

As I and many readers would agree, a story needs good characters. At first, I was a little bi-polar with the characters but then they came together like a puzzle that I came to appreciate.

Cas was a good leader for the story, a good fighter. I was happy to find that that story was told from his point of view; YA fiction should learn from this...men can tell a story. As Cas moves from place to place, he's shocked to find himself having a little more than acquaintances in the place he currently lives. There were a good amount of teens involved that balanced the story admiringly...they weren't all over the place as I had feared. Anna was my favorite character though. Very close tie with Cas but Anna fascinated me from beginning to end. I felt like I needed to push a button with Cas in some parts and yell "Shut up and focus!"

As for the author, Kendare Blake gets full credit. The writing shows the best kind of effort which made reading Anna Dressed in Blood a great experience.

I say get this book. It fist-pumps with bustling horror and wicked thrills that's perfect for Halloween to come. All that with that bit of romance made it difficult not to enjoy.

4.5/5

In my...stomach? (2)

This is my second "In my...stomach?" post.
CLICK HERE for the previous.
You may be thinking...what has this got to do with books? Well, guess what...I have a good meal or dessert for every book I read, isn't that wonderful!?
*goofy face*

~*~

Chocolat cake from the Devil.
This one's for The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.


Sushi Madness!
This one's for Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan.


Soft and Warm Cocoa Drizzled Pastry from Heaven.
This one is for Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala.


Yum!

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine which welcomes books that we are anxiously waiting for.

~*~

These books haunt me in my dreams. I would be one happy gal if I had a copy of:

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Goodreads | Amazon

~*~

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland – called the Death Shop – are slim. Violent energy storms can strike suddenly, and even the very air she breathes might kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous – a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Because Aria alone holds the key to his redemption, Perry needs her, too. Their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Debut author Veronica Rossi is accumulating fans from all over the globe—the book has already sold to more than twenty countries. It’s not surprising that foreign rights for this title have been flying off the shelf. It’s a tantalizing romance in any language.

Goodreads | Amazon

~*~

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that’s just fine by her. She’s got her friends— the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She’s got her art— and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it’s hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they’re dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Goodreads | Amazon

~*~

What does one star really mean?

When a reader gives a book a rating of one out of five stars..what does it mean?

Let's talk about Rating Systems first...

Many blogs dealing with books and reviews have rating systems. This clarifies what each rating represents based on the blogger him/herself.

Take mine for example:


In the past, that one moon had said something like "Bad. Don't waste your time!"
Recently, I've changed that to "Not for me"

Why?

Because there really is no such thing as a really bad book, unless the grammar is too horrid to the point where it's unreadable...
Or there can be the occasional "this makes no sense" story but that doesn't really make it bad...just in a way, careless.

~*~

Another point I'd like to discuss is the ones who feel it necessary to send a direct message to me saying:

"Hi! Love your Blog!! But...like...what the...like...hell! That book was freakin awesome! Why would you be so totally blah and give it a low rating! Okay well, bye xoxoxo XD"

Alright, alright...I went too far but that's kinda what it feels like there telling me. And this happened to me a few times over the past year. Others have asked kindly so to you guys; don't be giving me the Elvis look haha, I don't mind you asking my opinion on a book I've rated one out of five.

But lack of understanding and judging a reader harshly based on what books they like or didn't like is above all, annoying. And a reminder: I'm sure you'd feel a lot better saying this book was "not my cup of tea" rather than "Holy Cannolis! This book SUCKED!".

...maybe.

But in all honesty, I say to you my followers. Do not be so harsh to the ones who carry hopes and dreams on their back. And don't have a verbal fight to see whose liking is correct. Everyone has their own opinion.

...Just be calm and honest. Most writers only want to share their ideas and hopefully bring a smile to your stubborn face.

Well, my stubborn face.

;)

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading in which anyone can join to share a quote or two sentences from a book they are currently reading.

"'Look, do you want the tip or not?'
'Yeah, go ahead.' My eyes were on the scrap of paper. Anna. Even though I knew it was just one of Daisy's cheap tricks, her name in blood looked beautiful.
'Anna Korlov. Murdered in 1958.'"

~*~

"Someone is following me. The sensation is so acute that I can actually feel my eyes try to slip through my skull and part the hair in the back of my head..."

-Anna Dressed in Blood

~*~

It's Monday! What are you reading?

"It's Monday! What are you reading is hosted by One Persons Journey through a world of Books. Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading."


Do you know what I'm reading?
Anna dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
FINALLY!
:D


I'll have the Teaser Tuesday posted tomorrow to give you guys an idea of how the book is.


What are you guys reading or looking forward to reading soon?

Trade/Buy books with Meghan

I got this idea from Reading Teen :)

US only.

Okay readers! I have some books I'm willing to trade so if you have a (list of) book(s) you'd like to trade with one of my books,

Contact me: marlenejaberblue[at]gmail[dot]com

Telling me what books you'd like to trade me with and the condition they are in.

Basically if there is a book I like from your trade pile then we have a swap!

Everyone is responsible for shipping on their side.

Or

You can buy any book by giving/send me an amazon gift card code(amz) of the price that I've listed next to the titles. It's an easy process, in my opinion, easier than involving the post office :)

Shipping included on marked titles.

*ARCs are only up for trade.

Click here for the complete list of books and more information.

Take My Breath Away Thursday

Take My Breath Away Thursday is a new meme started by Page Turners Blog. Just post a quote/scene from a book that leaves you breathless.




One of the best quotes/scenes that had me breathless was:

“Those blue, blue eyes, icy
blue, looking back at me as if I could
warm them up. They’re
pretty powerful, you know, those eyes, pretty beautiful, too.”

~*~

"Do you want some water?" you asked. "Food?"
I shook my head. I felt the tears on my cheek again. "What's
going to happen?" I whispered.
You took your head from your hands. Your eyes flashed at
me for a moment, but they weren't icy. They'd thawed a little.
They looked wet. For a second I wondered if you'd been crying
too. You saw me studying you and turned away. Then you went
out of the room and came back several minutes later with a
glass of water. You sat beside the bed and held it out to me.
"I won't do anything to you," you said.

-Stolen by Lucy Christopher



It may not be breathtaking just from those quotes alone but a book sometimes requires to read the whole book to have that effect. I loved Stolen. A very unique experience. The characters played the parts perfectly.