Taking a break

Hi to all of my book blogging buddies--

This past weekend, my husband unexpectedly passed away.  I will be taking a short time off from my blog to care for our daughter and grieve. 

But I will be back and I hope to see you all back on my blog to talk about books.

Sincerely,
Shanan the book addict

Author Guest Post: My Publishing Journey by Timothy B. Sagges

This is a tough topic for me to talk about. I never actually had a journey into the publishing world prior to the completion of BEST SELLER. In fact, I'm sure there are those within the publishing community that will find inconsistencies, such as our main character bypassing the entire world of the literary agent. But it wasn't my intention to write a detailed essay on the publishing business. I simply wanted to tell a story about how hope, the supernatural and bad decisions can change the lives of everyday people and the world.

Had I known, prior to undertaking the act of writing, that obstacles such as query letters, editors, unscrupulous vanity houses and the like, were part of selling a book, I might have written more about the actual underbelly of the industry. I also might have hired a public relations guru, maybe whoever the Kardashians use, to shove my story down the throats of America. What I did instead was plot, write, shelf, re-read, re-write, edit, shelf again and re-read two years later until I found myself saying, "Son of a bitch! This is pretty good!" And as a writer, to hear myself say those words out loud is plenty.

Don't get me wrong, I would be lying if I said I didn't care if I ever sold another book. In fact, I will do just about anything to promote BEST SELLER. But like the majority of writers, I want to write. That is what I am good at. That is what I enjoy. If I had the time, writing would be all I would do. I certainly have enough material to last five lifetimes.

Other than sending out 60ish query letters to literary agents, and receiving 35ish rejections and one request for a few pages of my manuscript, my journey into publishing really only consists of my reading up on self-publishing. I came across CreateSpace.com and took it from there.

I came to understand that the only good thing about being published by and actual publishing house, is the marketing side of the business. That is when I began looking into Tribute's blog tour.

The Book Addict Reviews: Best Seller by Timothy B. Sagges

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website
Rating: 3 stars
Book provided for Book Tour in exchange for an honest review. 

In A Nutshell:
I did not know what to expect when I started Best Seller. The book description had not given me a lot of information to go on.  But I quickly found a book that grabbed my attention and held on to it until the very end. 

Review:
Richard Rossi wants to be an author.  He has a manuscript that he feels is worthy of publishing, but he keeps getting rejection after rejection from every publishing house he sent it too.  Until the day that fate seems to step in.  That day, the mailman put a letter for his neighbor in his box.  When he delivers it to his neighbors apartment, he ends up staying for the party.  At the party, he reads his manuscript to a small group of people.  As soon as he finishes Veronica confirms that she thinks it is good by promising to show the manuscript to her friend in publishing, Seth Volos.

Seth quickly and expertly turns Richard's story into a best seller to rival the success of best sellers such as Harry Potter.  But in the editing, Seth insists on a change to the ending that many people find "creepy."  Then on the book tour, Richard starts to notice a chilling coincidence with many of the teen suicides he sees reported on the news.

Now Richard has to figure out what to do as the life he dreamed of, the life of a famous and popular author, is slowly turning into a nightmare.

Overall, Best Seller took me on an emotional ride that I did not expect.  As a person who has often dreamed about writing a book of my own--I found Richard's desire and willingness to go along with everything Seth said in order to get what Seth promised very believable.  Seth's charisma and charm were very apparent.  But the glimpses I got of his behind-doors conversations with Gwen, I started to question his motives.  I knew there was more to his story than the desire to publish a good book.

While my gut feelings led me to question Seth--Timothy B. Sagges did an excellent job of keeping me in the dark.  I kept reading because I wanted to know more--I wanted to know what was going on just below the surface.  I wanted to know if my suspicions were founded.  But even after Timothy B. Sagges answered my questions about my suspicions, he went on to complete the chilling story to a horrific ending--I do not want to give anything away but I can tell you that I will never look at a best selling novel the same way again!

Recommendations:
Admittedly, I do not read a lot of horror novels.  And this one is going to stick with me for a while--so I am not sure that I want to pick up another horror novel right away.  However, I have read one book by an author who typically writes horror novels that I loved.  It makes me wish I was brave enough to read some of his other books:

And the winner is...

I have had a couple of giveaways running that have come to an end, so now it is time to announce the winners and the answers to my Hunger Games questions.

First, I want to thank each and every one of you who have signed up as a follower for my blog. I have been very fortunate to have so many wonderful people to share my love of reading with. And I value each time you share your love of reading with me.

The winners of my 300 follower giveaway are:
Nicole who choose Wings by Aprilynne Pike.
Aurora who choose Fat Vampire by Adam Rex.
Tiffani who gets Slayers by CJ Hill.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my 300 follower giveaway!



Second, I had so much fun with the Hunger Games Countdown Trivia and Giveaway. I hope my buddy, Jen, will want to do another one soon! *wink* *wink*

The winner of the giveaway was Krista, who already has a ticket to the midnight showing of the movie. Who else will be there at midnight?

Here are the answers to my questions:
1) What is the first line of The Hunger Games?
B) When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.

2) When Katniss tells the reader about life in District 12 and how she knew Peeta, she says this "is never the cause of death officially. It's always the flu, or exposure, or pneumonia. But that fools no one." What is she talking about?
C) Starvation

3) Who are Venia, Octavia, and Flavius?
D) Katniss' prep team

4) Before going to the Capitol, Katniss says she has ridden an elevator two times at the Justice Building in District 12. What were the occasions?
A) Once to receive the medal for her father's death and then to say her final goodbye to her friends and family.

5) What did Peeta's mother tell him when she went to tell him goodbye?
D) "Maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner...She's a survivor, that one"

6) Before Caesar's interviews, what characteristic did Cinna tell Katniss that no one can help but admiring in her?
B) Her spirit

7) How many Tracker Jackers attack (or sting) Katniss before she drops the nest on Peeta and the Careers?
B) Three

8) What does Katniss' mother always say is the first treatment for burns?
D) Cold Water

9) Who said, "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."
B) Peeta

10) Which tribute did Katniss identify first as one of the muttations when she, Peeta, and Cato were defending themselves at the Cornucopia?
A) Glimmer

11) What outfit does Peeta say he remembers Katniss wearing when his crush on her started?
B) A Red Plaid Dress with her hair in two braids.

12) What "sensible" meal do Peeta and Katniss share as Chapter 23 opens?
A) They each have a roll, half an apple, and an egg-size serving of stew and rice.

13) What does Katniss hide the sleeping medicine in when she gives it to Peeta?
A) Mashed up berries that she calls Sugar Berries.

14) Katniss describes how District 12 handles the Hunger Games as?
A) "We grit our teeth and watch because we must and try to get back to business as soon as possible when they're over."

15) Which of the following is the last line of The Hunger Games?
C) "I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the camera, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go."

So how did you do? What did you think of the questions?

TBR Intervention (13)

I was at a conference last weekend so I missed the TBR Intervention.  But I am back this week happy with my progress--even if I have missed some of my targets.

Last TBR Intervention

I finished this one and it was a lot more intriguing than I originally expected. My review will be out on March 19 and the author will have a guest post on his journey to becoming a published author on March 20.


I finished this one--review is coming soon.  I have to say that Charlaine Harris has brought me into her world.  I have not decided if I want to get the DVDs for the True Blood the television series.


I had read One for the Money once before and was not impressed.  After watching the movie, I gave it another chance--and I liked it so much better the second time.  I am excited to read the rest of the series now.

Next Week

Luckily, I got to renew this one from the library.  But I am determined to read this one this week!


I have been very excited to read this one as I hear it is a great dragon-focused book!

Summary (from inside flap):
Dragons Exist.  They're ferocious.  And they're smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive.  Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it.  These "Slayers" are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart, but spoiled, senator's daughter who didn't sign up to save the world.

Now the dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands.  The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching.  They will fight, they will fall in love.  But will they survive? 


This book is the one I will be giving away as part of the World Book Night celebration. I wanted to re-read it before April 23.

Summary (from Amazon):
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.

What books do you plan to read this week?

Follow Friday (17) and Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (14)

Q: What is the best book you've read in the last month? What is the worst book you've read in the last month?

It might seem like this question would be easy but there have been so many good books that I cannot decide, but here goes:
My Favorites:

My Review.  In general though, this book stuck with me.  I was drawn into the world that Lisa McMann created.  I cannot wait for another installment!


My Review.  I loved getting to see Anna and St. Clair again, but I may love Lola and Cricket even more!

My Not-So-Favorites:
I hate to classify anything as the worst--but these were the books that disappointed me this month.

My Review.  The first time I read this one--I loved it.  But I recently re-read it to prepare for Pandemonium and found Lena more annoying than charming as a narrator.


My Review.  I was so excited about this book because I had heard it was so funny.  But it fell a little flat for me. 

So, have you read these books?  What did you think?
_____________________________________________

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

First, I want to apologize.  I was sick yesterday and did not get to post my question.  I am posting two questions today.  Please use the form below twice to submit an answer to each question.  Please put some kind of key word from the question in either the answer or the question about the characters/book mentioned so I will know which question you are answering.  :)

1) Katniss describes how District 12 handles the Hunger Games as?
A) "We grit our teeth and watch because we must and try to get back to business as soon as possible when they're over."
B) "It's funny, because even though they're rattling on about the Games, it's all about where they were or what they were doing or how they felt when a specific event occurred."
C) They celebrate their tributes with a sincere and longing to see the tributes from District 12 win.
D) They hope that their tribute will get in with the career tributes so they will have the best chance.

2) Which of the following is the last line of The Hunger Games?
A)"And they lived happily ever after."
B) "And right now, the most dangerous part of the Hunger Games is about to begin."
C) "I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the camera, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go."
D) "'Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!  I give you--the tributes of District Twelve!'"

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (13)

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

What does Katniss hide the sleeping medicine in when she gives it to Peeta?
A) Mashed up berries that she calls Sugar Berries.
B) Soup broth.
C) She doesn't hide it. She gives it to him straight.
D) Stew and rice provided by sponsors.

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

Hunger Games Read-A-Thon: Chapter 23 and Hunger Games Countdown Trivia (12)

The Hunger Games is filled with moments that strike me each time I read them--they have that much of an emotional impact.  For me, the moment in Chapter 23 where Peeta learns that his actions led to the death of Foxface is one of those moments.  In that moment, I am immediately drawn back to Peeta on the roof of the training center telling Katniss that he did not want them (the gamemakers) to change him in there.  He did not want to turn into a monster.  And here in Chapter 23--he finds that his actions have led to the death of another person.

But I cannot decide for myself if "they" really changed him?  It was an accident.  He did not know the berries he was picking--the berries he planned to eat himself were poisonous.  In that respect he seems innocent.  He seems unchanged.  He seems to be the same boy that talked to Katniss on the roof.

But he is still responsible for the death of another person.  And doesn't that (or maybe it is more appropriate to ask shouldn't that) change him?  Can a character really remain the same after having caused another character's death?

I do not know the answer--but I think it is a question I will take with me as I continue into Chapter 24 for tomorrow.  

But I would like to know what you think--do you think that Peeta met his goal to not let them change him?

_______________________________________

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

In honor of being selected to write a little bit about Chapter 23 for the Hunger Games Read-A-Thon, I am going to select today's question from this chapter! (see I can give hints too!)

What "sensible" meal do Peeta and Katniss share as Chapter 23 opens?
A) They each have a roll, half an apple, and an egg-size serving of stew and rice.
B) They each have a roll, half an apple, and half of a rabbit that Katniss hunted.
C) They each have an apple and a handful of berries that Peeta gathered.
D) They each have an apple and a bowl of stew and rice. 

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

The Book Addict Reviews: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Love & Romance
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: First time: 4 stars/Second time: 2 stars
First time: Borrowed the book from a friend/Second time: Borrowed the book from the library. 

In A Nutshell:
This story intrigued me--the idea of love as a disease that must be cured.  My initial reading of this book left me on pins and needles eagerly awaiting the next book's release.  But it is not a book I can re-read often because my second time through I found Lena to be a very annoying narrator.

Review:
Love is a disease--and like many diseases the scientists and doctors have sought for and apparently found a cure.  A procedure that all 18 years old in the established cities have to protect themselves from being infected by love.  But with the loss of the ability to love, they lose some of their memories from before the procedures, their ability to establish meaningful relationships, even their ability to care for their children and families.  

I read this book over a year ago--and I loved everything about it.  Since Pandemonium is coming out soon, I decided to re-read this one to prepare to read the next one.  I found my feelings changed quite a bit upon re-reading.  In particular, I found Lena to be a very annoying character.  She seems incapable to focus on the task or issue at hand.  And since she is the narrator--we have to read all of her scattered unrelated thoughts as we go through the story.  More than one time I wanted to slap her cheek and shake her a little like they do on television in order to get the character to focus.  Focus Lena Focus!!

But Alex kept me coming back for more.  There was something about him that always drew me in--from the first moment that Lena saw him at her evaluation.  I was almost as bad as Lena as I eagerly anticipated the next time that they would hang out so that I could read about him again.

I felt for Hannah.  I think she would have more eagerly accepting of Alex and the opportunities he presented because she already seemed posed to rebel against the life that was prescribed for her.  As I eagerly anticipate Pandemonium, I hope that Hannah is there and that there is something good in store for her.
 
Recommendations:
Despite my so-so feelings after re-reading this book, I cannot wait for the next book.  I am intrigued and excited to see what comes next for Lena, Hannah, and Alex:

Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (11)

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

What outfit does Peeta say he remembers Katniss wearing when his crush on her started?
A) Poodle Skirt and Bobby Socks.
B) A Red Plaid Dress with her hair in two braids.
C) Her Father's Hunting Jacket
D) Cinna's outfit for the opening ceremony.  

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (10)

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

Which tribute did Katniss identify first as one of the muttations when she, Peeta, and Cato were defending themselves at the Cornucopia?
A) Glimmer
B) Rue
C) Thresh
D) Foxface

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (9)

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

Who said, "I don't want them to change me in there.  Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."
A) Katniss
B) Peeta
C) Rue
D) Thresh

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

Follow Friday (17) and Hunger Games Movie Countdown Trivia and Giveaway (8)

Q: Have you ever looked at book's cover and thought, This is going to horrible? But, was instead pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.

Hmm.  This is a very hard question because I do not usually try to remember the books with covers I do not like.  But here are some that I felt like the cover did not really tell me much about the book:

I had not heard about Ellen Hopkins until I started watching the book blogging community. At the bookstore, it did not draw me in. I kept looking past it. Then I heard other people talk about Ellen Hopkins and I just had to try her for myself. I love her now! And I guess the consistency in her covers have made it easier for me to recognize her books.


Another book where I felt like the cover did not give a lot of clues about the book, but now that I have started I can easily identify that the books are part of the series.

But now that I have answered the question, I feel like I need some of my favorite covers to balance it all out:

__________________________________________

My blogging buddy, Jen, and I have been working on a sequel to our Valentine's day celebration (the Famous YA Couples Trivia Quiz). 

So everyday I will post a trivia question about either a YA dystopian novel in general or the Hunger Games in particular.  Everyone gets one opportunity a day to answer--and it does not matter if you are right or wrong.  Any answer is worth a chance to win a prize!  This contest will continue until March 16.

The prize:
1) The Girl Who Was on Fire
2) The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook
Since these books are available from the Book Depository, I will open this giveaway internationally to any place that BD offers free shipping to.

What does Katniss' mother always say is the first treatment for burns?
A) Herb compound
B) Butter
C) Salt Rub
D) Cold Water

Please fill out this form to submit your answer.

The Book Addict Reviews: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Genre: Poetry, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Order Online: Amazon.com
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars
Borrowed from the library. 

In A Nutshell:
Ellen Hopkins has done it again.  She has written a wonderful book full of engaging characters.  I could not put it down until the very end. 

Review:
I started Triangles with some reservations. I love Ellen Hopkins' young adult books, but I worried that her style and her voice would not transfer well into adult literature.  I should not have worried.  Ellen Hopkins' handled this story and these characters with the same eloquence that has marked her young adult books.

Triangles focuses on three women.  They are linked by family or friendship, but they each live very different lives.  The variety and scope of their experience will allow the majority of readers to find someone they can relate to.  Someone who feels authentic to them.  Someone who will draw them into the story.  For me, that person was Andrea.  So many aspects of her story resonated with me--so many of her feelings about what was going on around her struck me as similar to the way I would react in a similar situation (SPOILER ALERT: well except for her reaction to Jace which I felt was very very bad!).

But Ellen Hopkins' use of three voices allowed me to learn that my view and perspective is not the same as everyone around.  Maybe other people will not react to adultery or attraction the same way I would--but that does not instantly make them wrong and me right.  We have different perspectives, different experiences, and different concerns.

And once again, I found Ellen Hopkins' use of poetry and verse allowed her a freedom of expression that I do not see in many romance novels.  It feels a lot more like the way I think before I have to structure them into sentences and paragraphs.  It feels very organic and raw--which is where these characters seem to be as they work through all of the events that happen over the course of the book.

And this book is full of action, events, and movements.  There is always something going on in the lives of these women, which helps with the realistic feel of the story.  At least I know that is how I constantly feel!

The one thing that I was not crazy about was the ending--I wanted more resolution, more of an idea of where the women, their families, their friendships, their lives ended up.  It felt very unfinished to me--which makes me think there may be more of this story coming?  (I really really really hope so!)

Recommendations:
I have another Ellen Hopkin book waiting near the top of my TBR pile:


But I just found out that she has a couple more coming out this year.  One for adults called Collateral (due out in November 2012) and one for Young Adults: