Giveaway Goodies!

A couple of weeks ago I started to integrate into the book blogging community and one of the first blogs I came across was Readers Live a Thousand Lives. As it happened, there was a giveaway in progress. Despite my history of horrible luck I decided to enter. Imagine my surprise when I received an email announcing that I'd won!

The giveaway was for There's Wild Then, There's You by M. Leighton. 

All of the goodies were so much more than I'd expected! 

I am so excited to start this book just as soon as I finish my current read (and mid-terms)! As it turns out, it's the third in a series. I haven't read the other two, so I'm hoping it's okay to just dig right in! I realize that everything that came in this package ties into the book somehow and I can't wait for it all to come together.

Thank you so much to Teresa and M. Leighton for the fabulous giveaway! Review to follow!

"Waiting on" Wednesday #2

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is: 

The Jewel

by Amy Ewing
Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Blurb: 

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

This looks so good! I just love a good forbidden love read! Hurry up, September!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Liebster Award Nominations!

So there's this thing called the Liebster Award and I had no idea it existed! Imagine my surprise when both Booksniffer Book Reviews and Please Feed the Bookworm nominated me for just such an award within 24 hours of each other!



Here are the rules! You must...

• List 11 facts about yourself. 
• Answer the 11 questions asked by whoever nominated you. 
• Nominate 9 bloggers with less than 300 followers and leave them a comment saying they've been nominated. 
• Ask 11 new questions for your chosen nominees. 
• You cannot re-nominate the blog that nominated you.

11 Facts About Me:

1. Disney World is my happy place. My first visit was in 2009 and I got married there in 2012. 
2. I used to be in the Air Force. I helped perform surgery on eyeballs. As a result of being in the military, I have had my hand in a person's stomach (routine surgery, don't panic). 
3. My parents didn't really own books during my childhood. I know we had a Michael Jordan book and a natural home remedies manual. 
4. If I could get away with it, I'd explore every abandoned theme park I could get to. I am fascinated by abandoned places! 
5. I once got stuck on a mud flat in Alaska with no cell service. I really thought I was going to die.
6. I didn't really start reading for fun until 9th grade, when a friend made me do it. 
7. In high school I walked around with a red leather-bound copy of The Lord of the Rings trilogy for months. 
8. The longest book I've ever read was Under the Dome. 
9. I started the toe socks and flip flops trend at my high school. It actually caught on. 
10. I've been reading The Wheel of Time series off and on for 12 years. I keep stopping and starting over.  
11. I wear pajamas every second I'm not in public. 

Q&A with Christina @ Booksniffer Book Reviews

1. In the case of (any) Apocalypse, what 5 fictional characters would you want on your survival team? Why?
1. Hermione Granger - She knows everything and is pretty handy with a wand. 
2. Acheron Parthenopaeus - I mean, he's basically a god and can literally do almost anything. 
3. Legolas Greenleaf - He's nimble, he's good with a bow and arrow, and is one with nature. 
4. Katniss Everdeen - She knows how to hunt and kills. We're going to need food. 
5. Damon Salvatore - Man candy.


2. What is the latest book that made you ugly cry? 
   I'm going to be honest... I've never cried over a book. The only movie that's ever made me cry was My Dog Skip. I guess I'm just heartless... So, um, the last book that made me almost feel like I was going to cry was The Song of Achilles. You know the story.


3. What is one book you think every person should read? 
   I wish I could throw out the name of a book that's super deep and meaningful, but I'm going to go with the book I suggest to all of my friends and family. The Forest of Hands and Teeth was my first zombie book and it's the best zombie book I've ever read. Go read it.


4. What is your favorite leading book heroine?
   Deuce from the Razorland series is my favorite leading book heroine. Most women in literature, even the ones that are supposed to be really hardcore end up being really needy and oftentimes weak. Their lives end up depending on a man, which is cool sometimes, but then sometimes you need a heroine to kick ass. Deuce does that. She learns from the guys but then she proceeds to take care of herself and even has to take care of the guys from time to time. I love her!


5. In honor of Father's Day this past Sunday, who is you favorite fictional father?
   Can I say Acheron again? It's kind of weird to see him transition from sexy to daddy and back, but it works for him! I loved watching his relationship with Kat.


6. If you were a damsel-in-distress, what fictional character would be your Prince Charming?
   I'm sticking with Damon. He's my favorite book boyfriend thus far (especially after seeing the TV show). He's hot, he's fast, and he's deadly. But under it all he's sensitive and sweet. Damon it is!


7. What is your favorite classic fairytale?
   I'm going to cheat and pick a movie - Beauty and the Beast! Disney is classic, right? Actually, there are book adaptations of the movie, so it's technically not cheating.


8. If a dimensional hole opened up in front of you and you chose to jump in, what world or time period would you hope to end up in? Why?
   Ancient Rome but only if I could be part of the aristocracy. I always watch TV shows and read books about Rome and imagine that it would have been a fantastic place to live in... as long as you were rich.


9. What do you love most about book blogging?
   So far I really love the community! I love finding posts to comment on and seeing the posts on my own page!


10. If you could be associated with one of the 4 elements, which would it be? (Gnome, spirit of earth; Undine, spirit of water; Sylph, spirit of wind; Salamander, spirit of fire)?
    Well, this is interesting... I hate being dirty, the ocean freaks me out, and I don't like fire either. Wind it is.


11. What was the inspiration for your blog's name?
    Dog-eared pages, obviously! I was originally going to go with Folded Corners, but ended up going with the simpler "Cornerfolds."

Q&A with Brittany @ Please Feed the Bookworm

1. What is your favorite genre to read and why?
   My absolute favorite genre to read is YA post-apocalyptic. I'm not sure why, but I have a fascination with the end of the world. And I prefer YA to "adult" literature just because the stories are often more focused. With less sex and vulgarity (nothing wrong with either if you're in the mood though!) comes a better, cleaner, story, in my opinion.


2. What type of mythical or imaginary pet would you want?
   Pegasus! I've always wanted a horse. One with wings would be the best!


3. Weapon of choice for a zombie apocalypse?
   Any semi-automatic gun with unlimited ammo. Do they make silencers for those? Yeah, give me one of those too.


4. Favorite beverage?
   There's a s'mores martini at The Melting Pot that's to die for!


5. How many books so you own ? (any kind)
   I don't have an exact count and most of the hard copies are in storage at the moment. If I had to guess I'd probably say around 800.


6. Nickname?
   My dad always called me "Monkey" growing up and still does.


7. What book world would you reside in?
   Lothlorien in it's prime. No contest.


8. Favorite character?
   This is a pretty broad question. I'm going to go with Acheron again. He's the character I've read most about and have had the longest to fall in love with.


9. How many books do you read in a month?
   Since I've been in school I've stuck close to a book (maybe two) per week, so between 4 and 8 per month.


10. What book changed your life?
    I don't have a serious answer for this question. Therefore, I will say Hidden Mickeys changed my life. It made my Disney trips so much more intriguing! It added a whole new level of magic!


11. Why is a raven like a writing desk?
    "I think you might do something better with the time than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers.

Questions For My Nominees: 

1. What finally made you start blogging? 
2. What are your most and least favorite book to film adaptations? 
3. Who is the most annoying character you've ever had the displeasure of reading about? 
4. What was the last book you gave up on before finishing? 
5. Who is your favorite book boyfriend? 
6. What's your literary guilty pleasure? 
7. Do you ever read a book and realize you have nothing to say about it and, in turn, don't review it? 
8. What was a book that really made you stop and think about your own life. 
9. What genre will you absolutely not touch and why? 
10. You have 24 hours to live. What fictional character do you choose to spend it with? 
11. You've decided to write your debut novel. What genre is it?  

*I'm nominating...

Jenny @ Marshalslion

Kaitlin @ My Dog-eared Purpose

Cassi @ My Thoughts... Literally

Sashoy @ Disappear Into Reading

Three Jennifers @ Books & Babes

Kim @ Time 2 Read

Olgia @ Orange Owls and Books

Nise @ Under the Boardwalk

Ginger @ Ginger Reader 22

*It was honestly difficult to make sure my nominees were under 300 followers with all of the different ways to follow a blog. Please don't be offended I chose you in error!

Teaser Tuesday #2

Silver Moon Light

Marah Woolf

Blurb: 

"Even the very first time I saw you, I had the feeling that you wouldn’t be good for me." Not even Emma’s worst nightmares could have prepared her for the dramatic change that takes place in her life. After the sudden death of her mother, she has no choice but to go and live with her Uncle and his family on the sleepy town of Portree on the Scottish Isle of Skye. The last thing she expects is to fall in love there. From the very first moment she meets Calum, his mysterious aura captivates her. He casts a spell on her, and even his seeming disinterest does little to change this. His contradictory behaviour only adds to his allure. But before long this fassade begins to crumble, and eventually even he gives in to his feelings. When he reveals his true identity to her one day, she flees from him. But it’s too late, for she has already fallen head over heels... A fantastical, mythical book with fascinating creatures that anyone would love to encounter. Immerse yourself in the story of Emma and Calum.

My teaser:

"His cinnamon-colored, tousled hair was shimmering in the dying sunlight as he stared at the whales with a somber expression. I had never seen someone so handsome before."
- Kindle Loc 412

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Book Review: Baby Talk (1 & 2) by Mike Wells

Title: Baby Talk (1 & 2)
Author: Mike Wells
Publication Date: May 19, 2011; November 2, 2011
Publisher: Mike Wells
Pages: 189
Add to Goodreads

I received this book from the author 
in exchange for an honest review. 

In this creepy horror novel, Neal Becker is convinced that his 5 month old baby daughter can talk. But that's impossible...isn't it? Except that Neal didn't really want to get married in the first place and pushed his wife for an abortion. And now, Baby Natasha knows it. She's out to get Neal, or so he believes. Join the two in a terrifying battle for survival that will make your blood run cold!

Baby Talk is a two part horror novel (I say novel because it really does read like one larger volume split into two) about Neil Becker, a man who has either lost his mind or has found himself in a very unfortunate situation. This book is definitely original. To be honest, it reminded me quite a bit of an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark! You know? that creepy Nickelodeon campfire show you secretly still watch and love. Or maybe that's just me... I was creeped out from the first page. The characters in Baby Talk are well-developed. I was panicking right along with Neal and found Annie truly annoying pretty early on. The best part of reading this book was the uncertainty of Neal's mental state. There's no way to tell whether it's all in Neal's head.
 
Confession: I've always found babies to be a little creepy (along with clown dolls and dummies). Not only that, but they're pretty terrifying in the sense that I have no idea what to do with them. So, while I didn't completely identify with Neal's (sometimes overly dramatic) actions, his fear over being left alone with the baby was something I can get on board with. And Baby Natasha is not a normal baby. Every single incident with Baby Natasha had me cringing. Honestly. Of course it's pretty unbelievable, but no more than most other horror novels (or movies, for that matter). I think that's what takes the creep factor over the edge - the fact that Natasha does things that babies just can't do!

Mike Wells did a superb job writing this book. It's fast paced and kept me turning pages - a truly "unputdownable" book! My only real complaint is that they should never have been split into two. The first book ends extremely abruptly (like I said, these books seem like one longer novel in two parts - think Tolkien or Jordan). Aside from that, this book was really good. I don't know that I'd go so far as to call it horror - it was definitely more creepy and weird than terrifying. I'd probably recommend it to someone who loves a good campfire story.

Feature & Follow #2 - Feature Blog!

Happy Friday! Today is my second time participating in Feature & Follow Friday and (who could've guessed?) I'm this week's feature blog for Parajunkee! I feel... honored. Everything's happening so fast!

Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The goal of Feature & Follow is to meet new bloggers, make friends, and gain readers.

This Week's Question: 

Armchair Travel! Tell us about your favorite 

book in a setting you’d like to visit.

I could be cheating by writing about a location I've already visited (is this cheating?), but my favorite book in my favorite setting is Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow! There are very, very few adult books written about Walt Disney World and this one takes the cake. This book is set in the future and has some pretty interesting Sci-Fi twists. I highly recommend it to any Disney or Sci-Fi fan! 

Just to be safe I'll add another book in a setting that I've never visited but would love to see. Die For Me by Amy Plum is set in Paris, France, and was such a great read! It's not your standard YA Paranormal Romance - the concept is pretty original. This is one of the few books that truly made me fall in love with the characters (Vincent quickly became one of my favorite book boyfriends). Not only did I love the characters, but the world building made me put Paris at the top of my abroad travel list. Hopefully I'll get there in the next couple years! 

Interview Questions: 

When did you start blogging?

I started blogging a couple of years ago... privately. My husband is gone for months at a time and I started a blog for him so that he could stay in the loop. I've only been book blogging for about three months and I've only started trying to integrate into the blogging community in the last week or so.



What is your favorite part of book blogging?

Well, I'm still very new to this, but my favorite part so far has been the community. Before I started putting myself out there it was pretty boring and I wondered whether I would continue. Then I read a couple of articles about the community and decided to go for it! Everyone has been so welcoming! Of course, I also love sharing my love of books and feeling like the reviews I write are actually helping other people make decisions about what to read and what to avoid.



What type of books do you mainly blog about?

I've mainly blogged about thrillers so far. That's just how it's turned out! I love dystopian thrillers, horror, suspense... Anything that keeps me turning pages.



What is your favorite book(s)?

My favorite book is Wuthering Heights. I've been a little obsessed with it since I was first forced to read it in tenth grade. I've collected several versions, the most recent of which is a 1923 edition in great condition! A favorite of mine that's a little more recent is The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. It was my first ever zombie book and I fell in love with the whole series! It led me to read other zombie favorites like the Razorland series by Ann Aguirre.



What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

As of today, a week and a half after getting into the community, I'd say it's two-fold. Most importantly, I've found people like me! I never knew the world of book blogging was so huge! I love knowing there are others who love reading (and writing about it) as much as I do! Second, I won the first giveaway I entered and I never win anything! I just feel like this is going to be my thing, you know? I've found my niche.