Author Event: YA FEST 2012

Hey guys!!

There's a REALLY amazing YA author event coming up this Saturday in Easton, Pennsylvania. It's the first annual...

**Drum-roll, please**

YA FEST!!!

There will be 30 YA authors in attendance, some of which include Brigid Kemmerer, author of 50 Shades of Merri- er...STORM and SPARK; Maria V. Snyder, author of the Poison Study and Touch of Power; and Jennifer L. Armentrout, author Half-Blood and Obsidian!!

It's going to be an amazing event so please be sure to drop by if you're in the area.  Also, if you guys spot Brigid Kemmerer please hug her for me? I give you permission ;)

For more information, including a list of participating authors, check out the information below:

YA FEST

August 4, 2012

Palmer Memorial Library

Easton, Pennsylvania

11:00am - 3:00pm

http://www.yafest.blogspot.com/

Twitter| Facebook

600 Followers!!!

Eeeeeeeeeep!!!!

I've just hit the 600 follower mark on my blog!!!

This pretty much sums up how I feel...

(via Darling It's True)

THANK YOU (always) for your inter-webby friendship and incredible support. It means so much!!

Happy Monday, friends!

:D

Blogspiration (29): Cross The Ocean

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.





Where my head is at the moment...

  
Happy Sunday!!

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Finnikin of the (Party) Rock

Synopsis (Goodreads): At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

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I honestly don't know where to start because I am suddenly at a loss for words.  Okay...not really. I just don't know how I'll be able to piece my thoughts together to form coherent sentences. But let me back up just a bit and show you what I mean...

This is my brain on a regular day:  

Ah, books! I love you books! Tra La La... Good day to you, sir. *gallant bow* Milady.

(Um, so apparently my mind is a chivalrous English gentleman...)

Now this is my brain on Melina Marchetta:  

WHAT??!! NOOOOO!!!??? *flails arms violently* SQUEEEEE *flails arms sensually* asldsajkdfh!!!!!!! *sobs* YEEEESSSS!!! *more sobs* Buh...buh...buuuut *SWOONS* JONAHMOTHEREFFINGGRIGGS!!!!! *clutches book to chest and never lets go...

except to shower*

I went into this novel expecting something along those lines. What I got, instead, was so much more!! Finnikin of the Rock was the very definition of fantastically enchanting storytelling!

To start, Melina Marchetta introduces us to a magical realm and a brand new set of characters. These wonderful, vibrant and perfectly imperfect individuals become our guides as we discover and explore the land of Lumatere, a battered kingdom plagued by death and deception. 

Like Marchetta's contemporary work, it doesn't take long before we start to unravel the intricacies and well-kept secrets of Lumatere and its exiles. Everyone has got a story to tell and, as always, no one is going down without a fight. In true Marchetta fashion, every thread unfolds beautifully. Each twist and turn leaving me spinning, yearning and begging for more.

I wish I could describe the connection I felt to these characters, but it's definitely something you have to experience on your own. It's indescribable how Marchetta will make you feel. Yes, I fell in love with our main protagonist Finnikin, but I fell even deeper in love with Evanjalin. She became the resident heroine in my eyes. I thought I'd be rooting for her as the underdog, but she surprised me with her strength and undeniable courage. While her story was oh so heart-breaking, it was her light and hope that really pulled me through the novel.

Finnikin on the other hand was just...GAH!! A stubborn male if there ever was one! Despite being completely frustrating at times, he worked his way into my heart and stayed there. I fought and grew with him. Ever the quick-witted hero, I began to fall in love with his charming sensitivity. By the end of the book, I was smitten.

The character that surprised me most, however, was Trevanion. Marchetta distanced herself from typical gender roles and it was refreshing to see a very tough soldier make bold and unexpected choices. To me, Trevanion's devotion to Finnikin and his love for Beatris became a bigger determinant of "manhood" than his role as Captain of the King's guard.

In all honesty, I am still in awe. For those of you who are unfamiliar with my obsessio- er...strong, lovey feelings towards Melina and her novels, please know that this book just further solidifies those emotions. Melina is still my goddess and as much as I loved her before, now I love her even more! The woman can do no wrong!

Finnikin of the Rock (and my heart) is such a fantastic tale! Gripping, powerful and quite reflective of modern times, this adventure managed to blow me away and definitely set a standard for high fantasy.

I recently finished Froi of the Exiles and I can't wait to share that review with you guys!! Again, the woman can do no wrong.

** In case you missed the post, I was lucky enough to meet Melina Marchetta at an author event here in New York City.  I didn't burst into fugly tears (thank heavens!) and I was able to tell her just how much her novels meant to me. Uh...I also may or may not (may) have told her (and everyone in attendance) that she was my goddess. 

#YoLo

The Stories Behind My Kindle

I guess you're probably wondering why I brought you here. *shy glance* 

Oh, wait. You're not?

Oh...

Well, this is awkward...

I guess I'll just come out and say it, then! I brought you here because I want to talk about my baby:  My Kindle. More specifically, my Kindle CASE.

I swear it's a tad bit more interesting than I've just made it sound!

Over the past couple of years (since 2009 to be exact), I've been collecting the autographs of some of my favorite YA authors. It all started at a Richelle Mead signing in New York City. Let's be honest, I wasn't going to ask her to sign my boobage (maybe if she was Adrian Ivashkov...you know he'd do it!) so I opted for the next best thing!

Ever since then, my kindle has followed me to every single book event! Every author signature has its story and I'm here to share those stories with you guys!!

Laurie Stolarz - Laurie's books were some of the earliest Young Adult books I ever read. Her Blue is For Nightmares series really got me into paranormal romance and when she finally came to New York I knew I had to meet her. And declare my undying affection for her characters! I met Laurie at Books of Wonder. She was awesome enough to sign EVERY SINGLE COPY of her books (yes, I own them all!) and we even chatted about The Vampire Diaries. If I remember correctly, we're both Team Damon. It's safe to say Laurie holds a very special place in my heart.

Rachel Caine - SQUEE!!! I actually met Rachel Caine while I was volunteering at New York Comic-Con! I may or may not (MAY) have flagged her down right before her author panel. Rachel is incredibly sweet and words can not describe how incredibly bad-ass this woman is! And her husband? R. Cat Conrad? Um...ROCKSTAR! He made sure to draw a little something on my copy of Glass Houses. He's an artist, you know!

Richelle Mead - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE HER!!! Richelle was my very first kindle autograph! How could I not love that? She's such a sweetheart in person and I definitely look forward to seeing her again, if she's ever in the area! Come on! The woman created Adrian Ivashkov and Dimitri Belikov. *fans self*

Carol Tanzman  - The woman who rocked my lady pants!! Carol Tanzman is a DOLL! So down to Earth and lovely. I got to meet her at special Teen Author panel here in New York City. She remembered my dancergirl review and we got to chatting for a bit. She even wrote up this lovely post that left me FLOORED. I'm SO excited about her second book, Circle of Silence!

Anna Godbersen  - I was never one for historical fiction until I read Anna Godbersen's The Luxe series. Anna's writing is beautiful so when she made a rare book signing appearance I jumped at it! She was just as lovely as her books and I definitely was at a loss for words upon meeting her! I missed class to see her but it was totally worth it!

Kimberly Derting - OH. EM. GEE!  Kimberly is one of THE nicest and coolest people on Earth. #FACT. I met her at Books of Wonder, I told her I loved her and she sent me the nicest little package, chock full of The Pledge goodies!! Um...my heart goes "bah boom" for her!

Cassandra Clare  - Okay, if you've ever seen this woman on tour, please know that she's an experience! And insanely ridiculous IN THE BEST WAY experience. She's such a bundle of energy and enthusiasm that it's hard not to smile like a goof if you're ever in her presence. The woman will also sign anything! And I mean it! So when I handed over my kindle, she just went along with it :) She's so awesome I've met her twice! 

Stephanie Perkins  - Stephanie Perkins is a BELLE. She's also the most adorable human being. Ever! This meeting wasn't so much about me as it was about BFF Saz McGee. Stephanie personalized a very special copy of Anna and the French Kiss for Saz in which she wrote, "WHY ARE YOU IN AUSTRALIA??!!" Epic.

Leanna Renee Hieber - Leanna is on my Top 50 Most Awesome People list! She's a writer, an actress and she plays a MOTHER FREAKING AUROR on a fan-made Harry Potter webseries!! Seriously!? As if loving Darker Still wasn't enough! I got to meet her at the Apocalypsies panel at BEA!!

Maria V. Snyder - The woman created Valek. How could I not approach the woman who created Valek??!! I definitely skipped a group of people in line at the Harlequin Booth (BEA 2012) to get to her. No worries, they were waiting for the next author lineup and they understood my enthusiasm.

Melina "My Goddess" Marchetta - I can't even...

Except I TOTALLY can! SQUEEE!!!! I finally, finally, FINALLY met Melina Marchetta at Books of Wonder!! She was co-hosting a panel with Kristin Cashore (we'll get to her in a bit) and Gayle Foreman. I got to ask a question during the Q&A portion of the night and I managed to tell her (and everyone there) that she was my goddess. And that I loved her. Fangirling, my friends, would be an understatement...

John Green  - I'm pretty sure I looked like an open-mouthed fool when John Green stood next to us at BEA. He was definitely having a conversation with people who were not us, but he freaking stood RIGHT NEXT TO US. *SQUEE* I had just run in to Rachael from The Book Muncher and Kody Keplinger! Thank god Kody went up to him first, otherwise my kindle would be John Green free. That thought makes Kristin a sad blogger :(

Joan Bauer  - Game over, people! I've been reading Joan Bauer's books since before college. When I ran into her at the Penguin BEA party I almost lost my shiz! She was, hands down, the sweetest person I've ever met. She even gave me a hug!! 15-year-old me did a happy dance. Words can't describe how much I love her novels. Squashed is my favorite :)

Veronica Roth  - As a fan of Tobias (aka. Four) I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to meet Veronica Roth. Molly, her editor, and I both graduated from the same university so it was really cool to meet her, too! Thanks, Barnes and Noble Tribeca, for one of the coolest experiences!

Kody Keplinger - Funny story. I actually met Kody Keplinger at Veronica Roth's event. I have since then proceeded to bump into her at EVERY. SINGLE. book event in New York City!! Kody is really friendly and I can't stress how much I love the messages her books deliver!

Kristin Cashore - Up until meeting Kristin, I'd never fangirled so hard in my life. This is honestly, word-for-word, what came out of my mouth when I met her at the Penguin BEA party: "I don't know what to say to the person who created Katsa and Po" I then proceeded to flail my arms like a lunatic. Lucky for me, Kristin is a very warm/accepting/non-judgmental person. I got a picture with her and I even brought up Melina Marchetta into the conversation. I WAS NERVOUS, PEOPLE!!! Please don't judge...

John Corey Whaley - I'm pretty sure John Corey Whaley said I was his favorite stalker. Crazy thing is, I can't even argue with that. I pretty much twitter-stalked him for about a month before driving out to see him at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. Luckily he was aware of my fangirling and didn't scare easily.

*-----*-----*  

I treasure each and every one of these wonderful little moments. They give my Kindle personality and spunk. It's not always about the books inside the kindle. It's the stories behind it!

And my job here isn't done. I still have a couple of authors I want to get on there. Brigid Kemmerer (#50ShadesofMerrick) and Jessica Shirvington for starters!! Consider yourselves warned, ladies ;b

Let's see what crazy shenanigans I'll get up to this time!

Blogspiration (28): Silly & Ridiculous

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.





 In my opinion, this comes pretty close to perfection!

 

Silly and ridiculous are natural states of being for me.

:)

Happy Sunday!!

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Meeting Melina

Guys,

I can finally cross Meet Melina Marchetta off my bucket list!

*SQUEE McGEEEEEEE!!!!*

Pardon my appearance, but I'm pretty sure it was HELLISH degrees in New York City last night.

I'm actually quite proud of this picture because I am not sobbing hysterically. I'm happy to report that I maintained my composure (for the most part) although I did give crazy fangirls a run for their money.

Um...the words "I love you" may have been repeated in rapid succession.

Thankfully, Melina was absolutely lovely!! She signed every single one of my books and she was kind enough to take a picture with me.

It was a wonderful event and I just wanted to share this very special moment with you :)

Love,

Kristin

Where Things Come Back

Synopsis (Goodreads):In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax.

Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, this novel finds wonder in the ordinary and emerges as ultimately hopeful. It's about a lot more than what Cullen calls, “that damn bird.” It’s about the dream of second chances.

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When one attends a young adult author event in which a Printz prize winning novelist is in attendance, one usually buys his/her book and kindly asks/begs/seduces (if you must) the author to sign it. I, however, failed to take my own advice and when the opportunity came to have John Corey Whaley sign Where Things Come Back, I left empty-handed. 

Guys, I WAS THIS CLOSE!!!!  *Napoleon Dynamite kick* Gaahh!

If you ask me, Where Things Come Back can only be described as depressingly hilarious. Or maybe it's hilariously depressing? The story delivers such a heady mix emotions that it becomes hard to sort out. But that was just a part of it's beauty and what I enjoyed most. It's honesty shines through and becomes its own human comedy. 

While the story is told through alternating POV's, off-beat Cullen is most certainly my main man. I wanted to be friends with him despite his overly cynical nature. Worry not, his smart-assedness is completely warranted. His brother has gone missing and he's stuck in a town he's just dying to get away from.

Where the harsh realities of Cullen's current misfortunes are something I would usually shy away from, I found myself reveling in his heartbreak and confusion. In some weird and masochistic way, I enjoyed being pulled and dragged along with his pain. Having been there a time or two, I easily slipped into his shoes and welcomed his cynicism as a companion throughout the novel. They made the developing and crumbling relationships all around him that much more interesting.

Not to mention the zombie daydreams. Oh yeah, there were zombie daydreams!!

While I would be hesitant to see another author pull this off, there is something uniquely charming and entertaining about Whaley's prose. He manages to weave two very delicate tales with masterful fluidity, so that when everything finally comes together it unleashes a thought-provoking conclusion. By the end, I was overcome with emotion. I didn't know if I should slam the book across the room or find John Corey Whaley and hug him.

At this point, I would go with the latter.

Despite my oh-so-huggy feelings, I'll admit that Whaley managed to break my heart and mend it, all in the span of some 200-odd pages! The novel's lessons really resonated with me and I couldn't get enough. I was a mess by the end of it, but I set the book down with a renewed sense of hope. Life is all about second chances and I finally got mine...

Best. Autograph. Ever!!

Blogspiration (27): A Great Perhaps

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

This is beyond perfect so I'll let it be.

Also, I am not very good with words and I am afraid I'll take away it's significance.

Happy Sunday!!

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An Apology

Hey guys!!

*waves*

How are you?? I miss yooouuuuuu *hugs* ;)

Okay, let's get down to business...I am writing this post  because I wanted to apologize. My life has been pretty hectic/cray-cray/nuts these past couple of months and I haven't been reviewing as often as I would like. I just never seem to find the time and I feel like a little a huge part of me is missing :(

Mr. Otter made his point quite clear!

 
Sooooo....I've decided I really need to change that. I need to make the time to sit down and just write! Some of THE MOST amazing experiences have come from the creation of this blog and I need to give back! I love blogging and reading your comments, and I can't imagine my life without this. Without all of YOU.

I don't want to get too dramatic, but I just wanted to let you know that starting next week I should be back to my regularly scheduled programming. 


*Pinky Promise*


Love,


Kristin

Blogspiration (26): That Moment

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

This is the best feeling in the world.

Happy Sunday!!

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Ele-Elemental, Ele-Elemental

Synopsis (Goodreads): As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

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Because I am on a Brigid Kemmerer high and I am this close to starting SPARK, Book 2 in the Elementals Series, I figured I would review her novella, Elemental.

*Cue earthquake?* 
 

Now I was a big fan of Michael going into this book. I admit I had certain expectations and despite the brief background info given in STORM, I found myself quite pleasantly surprised. Despite how short this e-book seemed to be (I WANT MORE, BRIGID!!!!), it was still quite gripping and addictive!  It was awesome seeing Michael be...uh...just a tad less moody than usual. His chemistry with Emily was electric and I loved seeing their friendship develop. Um...sexual tension anyone??

While I can't say too much without giving the story away, know that there's a reason why Michael is so careful and distanced from the rest of his brothers. It's a pretty huge reason and I trust that you guys will purchase Elemental and find out for yourself. 

I honestly can't say enough fabulous things about Brigid Kemmerer and If you didn't catch me fangirling the first time, GO READ STORM!

NOW!!!

It's cool, I'll wait...

Blogspiration (25): Steve Jobs

Blogspiration is a new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

I am so excited to share this week's blogspiration with you guys!!  I recently stumbled upon Steve Job's commencement speech at Stanford University (2005) and these bits really stood out for me.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

...

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

While the commencement speech is long, it's definitely worth a read (Full Text). 

Here's to following our dreams!!

Happy Sunday!!

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