Win "Pretty Dead" by Francesca Lia Block

Pretty Dead
By: Francesca Lia Block
Level: YA
Type: Soft Cover
Publisher: Haper Teen
Available: Sept 22, 2009
Visit Francesca Lia Block
Buy the Book!











About the book:

People pity me, but mostly they feel envy. I have all the luxury and freedom a girl my age could want.

Something is happening to Charlotte Emerson. Like the fires that are ravaging the hills of Los Angeles, it consumes her from the inside out. But whether it is her eternal loneliness, the memory of her brother, the return of her first love, or the brooding, magnetic Jared--she cannot say. What if it's something more . . .

Something to do with the sudden tear in her perfect nails. The heat she feels when she's with Jared. The blood rushing once again to her cheeks and throughout her veins.

For Charlotte is a vampire, witness to almost a century's worth of death and destruction. But not since she was a human girl has mortality touched her.

In what way will you be transformed?

Until now.

PRETTY DEAD by FRANCESCA LIA BLOCK

 GIVEAWAY!!

To enter you MUST be a follower of Park Avenue Princess, this means publicly and through Google Friend Connect if you are a Blogger Follower! (I will check) To do that just need to click Follow in the google Friends connect widget on the sidebar. If you are not a Blogger Blog Follower, please tell me how you do follow. Contests on this blog are only open to my readers who are followers.
This particular contest is only open to U.S. Residents or you may enter if you have a
friend in the U.S. that will accept the book at their address for you!

*This giveaway will end on 12/06/09 at Midnight EST*

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail

+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader

+3 If you Rate Me On Blogged (see bottom of blog)

+5 If you TWEET About This Giveaway (Leave Link)

+10 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)

+15 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (Link)

+20 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back

(These will be verified before they count towards your entries!!)

Separate your entries one per post! (either each or just +5 for example)

(+25 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)

They just have to mention it in their post!

You will BOTH Get the Points!
A Huge Thank You to Harper Teen!
They are sponsoring this giveaway!

As alwys, Good Luck & HAVE FUN!!

*Don't Forget to Put in Your Entries for the E-Reader of Your Choice and Put the Button on Your Blog!

KISSES & TOODLES!!

Saturday Spotlight & Ash Giveaway!

*Whew* This has been a tough week for me but I am SO glad it's the weekend! And because it's the weekend, you know what that means don't you? That's right! Saturday Spotlight!

For those of you that are just tuning in and don't know what Saturday Spotlight is, let me explain just a little! Saturday Spotlight is when I spotlight another blogger and their blog that they work SO hard on, right here on MY blog! If you would be interested in a Saturday Spotlight,PLEASE contact me and I'd be happy to help! (*Note: You do NOT have to be a new blogger)

Enough chit-chat (Something I'm SOOOOO good at) and without further hesitation let me introduce this week's blogger!


Please tell my readers, the audience, and fans your name. Kristen!

What's Your Online Alias? bookgoil

What Did You Name Your Blog? Bookworming in the 21st Century

And Where Can We Find You On The Web? http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/

Can you give us a quick bio about yourself?
I'm a 24 year old elementary school librarian. I just started that job this year and I'm really loving it. I love reading and especially reading Young Adult books. I've worked in a public library and a college library before as well - can you tell I like being surrounded by books? I'm getting married on October 24th this year to the man I love. He also likes to read - but mainly adult sci-fi and fantasy. (I'm trying to convince him to do some guest reviews on my blog right now.) No pets, but we want a dog eventually.

What's on your nightstand right now?
Right now, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is on my nightstand - being neglected for my review books, but I'm slowly letting myself read it. :)

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog on June 9th of this year. So I've only been blogging about 3 months now.

What is your favorite genre and/or genres?
I love Young Adult books and really tend to read fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, and historical fiction.

Who is your favorite author?
I have a ton.. but Francesca Lia Block really can't be beat. I've read every single one of her books.

What's your favorite book of all time?
That's a tough one. Probably Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - the ultimate action-adventure book.

What book do you wish you could read all over again for the first time?
The Hunger Games - it was such a stunning read. (*ahem* Please see contest on my blog this month...)

Have you ever "Faked It"? Get your minds out of the gutter! I meant it as in pretending to have read a book but not? For school possibly?
Definitely.. for school mostly. I never got through Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and I gave up on Into the Wild.

Name & describe your blog features:
Well, I review books first off. I participate in a ton of memes, a few of which I created. What are you reading Mondays, Teaser Tuesdays, Waiting on Wednesday, Link a Contest Thursday (created myself!), Friday Finds, and Saturday and Sunday Spotlights (created by myself as well..).

My Link a Contest Thursdays are a great way to find out about contests as well as letting other bloggers give their contests some promotion. It's also easy to manage because I use Mr. Linky. (Love this one!)

I started Saturday and Sunday Spotlights because I LOVE finding new blogs. Especially less known ones. So, I figured I'd start with Saturday Spotlights and then it exploded into a ton of interested bloggers and I made it a weekend special - Saturday AND Sunday Spotlights.

Describe your review system: I actually need to revise my review system a bit. I have a 5 rose system, but I rarely get down to 3. Right now, it's basically running like this:
5 Roses: Loved or enjoyed the book, highly recommended
4 Roses: Some flaws, but good read
3 Roses: I didn't like it, but someone else might.
2 Roses: Not sure how I got through that book - *cough*Skimming*cough*
1 Rose: Gave up. Completely.

How is your blog unique from other blogs?
I am an update-a-holic. I love posting and I love getting the word out there about other things going on in the blogging community - such as contests, cool sites, and more. I try to read and review promptly and I'm always trying to "fix-up" my blog. I like to show my enthusiasm on my blog and hope that shows through on my posts. I'm probably the calmest person around, so I don't get worked up about much and there's rarely anything negative written on my blog.

How do you market your blog?
Well, I run a lot of contests and I use twitter a TON. I also love being interviewed, note yet another interview... I finally created a button that people can use. But, I really think my main marketing strategy is friendliness. I try to get chatting with other bloggers, authors, etc. and so far it seems to have worked. (Note the crazy amount of followers I have... still don't know where they all came from *swears blogger is broken*). No...I think they're just attracted to your "cuteness"...wait? IS Blogger Broken? *Looks Around*

Anyway...Back to the "Spotlight"

Can you give us 3 tips about content?
1. Be honest when reviewing, but make sure you add something good in there as well.

2. Proofread - I know, I hate doing it too - but typos are painful to read and will make people less likely to follow you.

3.Make sure you're saying something meaningful - not just "it was good".

How about 3 tips to help blog promotion?
1. If you can, run a contest. It can be for homemade bookmarks or something small if you can't afford books or other types of giveaways.

2. Put yourself out there - find some blog lists like the YA Blogosphere and get yourself listed so people can find your blog.

3. Comment, comment, comment. I know whenever I see a new name, I have to check out who it is. So keep commenting and you'll find some new blogging friends following you.

LOVED your Answers! Thank you for Visiting "Park-Avenue Princess" Kristen! It's always a Pleasure!

Kristen is sweet enough to offer YOU a GIVEAWAY. She has a copy of "ASH" by Malinda Lo! So, if you'd like to win. And I *KNOW* you do! Please follow the instructions Below!

SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT GIVEAWAY!!

ONE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of ASH For Their Very Own!!
Courtesy of BookGoil and Park-Avenue Princess
You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY
Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win
NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win?

It's Simple!
You must follow BOTH Blogs by hitting the FOLLOW button
that way we can see you and know you are one of our readers!
If you are NOT willing to follow this rule, you can't participate.
(But, how simple of a step IS that...plus, you'll get all the important updates)

All Entries MUST be in By Midnight October 10th Winner Drawn on the 11th!

Extra Entries

You MUST be a FOLLOWER with GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT HERE ON BOTH BLOG
(It's the Button Over On The Right Side Of the Blog You Should See Your Picture)
I Recommend Following On Twitter -It's NOT Required But I do Contests
and Giveaways There Plus Major Announcements!


The Choice Is Yours!

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail
+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader
+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway

+3 If you Rate Me On Blogged (see bottom of blog)

+10 If you Follow Me @APrkAvePrincess on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)
+10 If you Follow Kristen @BookGoil on TWITTER!
+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (or any others I'm having)
+20 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back

Try to Separate your entries one per post!

(+15 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)
They just have to mention it in their post!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you ALL for Stopping By!
Without you, your comments and input, this blog
wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

Questions/Concerns? Please do not hesitate to Contact ME!
If you'd like to be FEATURED, Please Hit "Contact Me" or

Send me an email at IAmHiMaintenance@aol.com

and Preach to the Princess!!

x0xx ~ KISSES

The Gift of An Ordinary Day Review & Giveaway!!

The Gift Of An Ordinary Day : A Mother's Memoir
By: Katrina Kenison
Publisher: SpringBoard Press
Date: September 7, 2009
Format: Hardcover
Category: Biography &Autobiography
Pages: 320







My Rating:

About the Book:

The Gift of an Ordinary Day is an intimate memoir of a family in transition-boys becoming teenagers, careers ending and new ones opening up, an attempt to find a deeper sense of place, and a slower pace, in a small New England town. It is a story of mid-life longings and discoveries, of lessons learned in the search for home and a new sense of purpose, and the bittersweet intensity of life with teenagers--holding on, letting go.

Poised on the threshold between family life as she's always known it and her older son's departure for college, Kenison is surprised to find that the times she treasures most are the ordinary, unremarkable moments of everyday life, the very moments that she once took for granted, or rushed right through without noticing at all.

The relationships, hopes, and dreams that Kenison illuminates will touch women's hearts, and her words will inspire mothers everywhere as they try to make peace with the inevitable changes in store.

My Thoughts:

If you're thirty (or above)and have children, I think this novel will speak volumes to you. Actually, anyone that has ever questioned the meaning of their own life and wondered "What if?" would love this novel. Alright, it's one that I would recommend to anyone.

This is a beautifully written novel with a lesson that speaks from the heart. It makes you think about your day to day actions and how it effects your family. Have you ever wondered what your family life would be without the complications of "life" in general getting in the way? You know ... the schedules, the appointments, the here and there and most of all the materialistic nature of most "trying to keep up with the Jones'? Life without the harshness, rumors and fast-pace?

Our main Character Katrina Kenison suddenly finds herself feeling just like that. Overcome with life and searching for a life not so cluttered. She decides to take her family back to her quiet childhood home in New Hampshire, far away from the busy Boston streets. It's there where they find life at a much slower pace, where she can savor the time she has with her children and find out exactly who she is.

As a mother, it is tough to separate ourselves from being just that, "someones mother" and "you as a person". As an example or to better explain this, my own personal reference would be am I "D's Mother" or "Amy". For most mother's it's hard to see the *I* in all of this. What we want for ourselves and not just for our children parents seem to naturally just do that. Once you're a mother, that's the position we take on for life. Usually pushing back what we want and/or need for what we consider to be best for the child. I know I'd give up anything so my child could have what he wants and most mothers I know, feel the same. Kenison does a wonderful job in explaining the importance of being there for your child but not smothering them, letting them blossom into the people that they want to be, show them good from bad and live each day with all you have.

I couldn't have loved this memoir any more. It's one of those life-changing books. I believe that as mother's we both look forward too and yet feel a sense of loss with each big milestone. I know you're probably thinking I'm crazy but I think of When my son started Kindergarten, I was so proud that he was starting school and going to make new friends but felt a sense of loss that I no longer had my "baby". Then his first full day of school where I couldn't believe how much he'd grown and how much he was learning but again was away from me all day. Then Junior high school, high school, and *gasp* girls. We all know that it's coming and that they are all meant to be nurtured, shown right from wrong and then let go to live their own lives, make themselves happy and be the people they want to be.

What's left of you when you've made your whole life the nurturer, the one that shows right from wrong, and then the one that watches them make their own lives from afar. You have to be YOU and not just your child's mother. It's important to their well-being as well as your own and Katrina really leads the way. And for that, I can't thank her enough for The Gift Of An Ordinary Day.

About the Author:

KATRINA KENISON has been the annual editor of The Best American Short Stories since 1990. Along with John Updike, she edited The Best American Short Stories of the Century, a New York Times bestseller. Also the coeditor of Mothers: Twenty Stories of Contemporary Motherhood, she has written essays that have appeared in such publications as Redbook and Ladies' Home Journal. Katrina Kenison lives outside of Boston with her husband and their two sons.

Visit Katrina's Site!

Read an Excerpt!

GIVEAWAY!!

FIVE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of The Gift Of An Ordinary Day!!
Courtesy of Anna and Hachette Book Group
Books will be coming directly from HBG - So, there are two rules
You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY
Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win
NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win?

It's Simple!
You must follow me by hitting the FOLLOW button
that way I can see you and know you are one of my readers!

All Entries MUST be in By Midnight October 8th Winners Drawn on the 9th!

Extra Entries

You MUST be a FOLLOWER with GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT HERE ON THE BLOG
(It's the Button Over On The Right Side Of the Blog You Should See Your Picture)
I Recommend Following On Twitter -It's NOT Required But I do Contests
and Giveaways There Plus Major Announcements!


The Choice Is Yours!

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail
+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader
+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway
+10 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)
+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (0r any others I'm having)
+15 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back


Try to Separate your entries one per post!

(+15 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)

They just have to mention it in their post!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you ALL for Stopping By!
Without you, your comments and input, this blog
wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

Questions/Concerns? Please do not hesitate to Contact ME!

KISSES ~ XXX

Friends Like These Giveaway!

Friends Like These
By: Danny Wallace
Publisher: (Division of Hachette Books)
Pages: 418



From the Publisher:

Danny Wallace has friends. He has a wife and goes to brunch, and his new house has a couch with
throw pillows. But as he nears 30, he can't help wondering about his best childhood friends, whose names he finds in a long-forgotten address book. Where are they now-and where, really, is he?





Acting on an impulse we've all had at least once, he travels from London to Berlin, Tokyo, Australia, and California, risking rejection and ridicule to show up on his old pals' doorsteps. Memories of his 1980s childhood-from Michael Jackson to Ghostbusters-overwhelm him as he meets former buddies who have blossomed into rappers and ninjas, time-traveling pioneers, mediocre restaurant managers, and even Fijian royalty.

Danny's attempt to re-befriend them all gives remarkable new resonance to the age-old mantra, "friends forever!"

GIVEAWAY!!

Do you want FRIENDS LIKE THESE?

FIVE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of Their Very Own!!
Courtesy of Anna at Hachette Book Groupand Park-Avenue Princess!
Books will be coming directly from HBG - So, there are two rules
You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY
Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win
NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win? It's Simple!

You must follow me by "Google Friend Con
nect What is "Google Friend Connect?"
Hit the FOLLOW Button In The Top Right Corner!
That way, We can both see you and know you are one of my readers!
All Entries MUST be in By Midnight (EST) October 4th
tWINNERS Drawn on October 5th!

Extra Entries

These only count if you FOLLOW the above directions
and these are just that "EXTRA" ... they are NOT Necessary
Do they better your odds? Of course!

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail
+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader
+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway
+5 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave Your @APrkAvePrincess)
+5 If you blog about this Giveaway (sidebar OK)
+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post
+15 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back!

Try to Separate your entries one per post (Pretty Please)!

(+10 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)

They just have to mention it in their post!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!Thank you ALL for Stopping By!

Without you, your comments and input, this blog
wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

Questions/Concerns? Please do not hesitate to Contact ME!

KISSES ~ XXX

And The Winners Are...

I'm not here to take up much of your LONG weekend/holiday weekend time! I just want to announce the THREE WINNERS who each will have a copy of "113 Things to do by 13" mailed to them directly from Terri MacLeod of Access Hollywood!

AND THE THREE WINNERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

MATT

FROGGY

CHRISTY JAN

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!! : ) (That's just ONE MAN...not a type-O) *Sorry, I have NO idea what's wrong wih me today* I think it's LACK of SLEEP!

I'll be making an announcement soon and listing some PIGGY PAINT and a little "Making Babies"! So Stop back!

Thank you for participating!!

xOxx ~ Kisses

Year Of The Cock Review & Giveaway!!

Year of the Cock
By: Alan Wieder
Publisher: Grand Central
Available: July 22, 2009
Pages: 320

Can't wait? Buy it!

My Rating:

About the Book:

The year of the Cock: The Remarkable True Account of A Married Man Who Left His Wife and Paid the Price By: Alan Wieder

From a powerful new voice in nonfiction comes this electrifying chronicle of a married man who leaves his wife to pursue a carefree bachelorhood - only to plunge into an abyss of shame, regret, and penis envy.

Thirty-year-old Alan Wieder has everything a man could possibly want: a nice home in L.A., a thriving Hollywood career, and to top it all off, a beautiful and adoring wife. Then one day in 2005 - the Year of the Rooster - he wakes up with questions: Have I settled down too soon? Am I consigned to a humdrum future of marriage, kiddies, home-cooked meals and hybrid SUVs? How the %&! did this happen to me?

And just like that - after ten years in a committed relationship - Alan decides to walk out on his wife to pursue his fantasy of becoming a hardcore bachelor. Explaining very little, thinking even less, he dives into his exhilarating new single existence - buying a vintage Porsche, moving into a tastefully decorated bachelor pad, ignoring his wife, and bedding as many chicks as possible. However, to Alan's surprise and dismay, becoming a single dude also unleashes in him a torrent of crippling insecurities that he didn't even know he had. And soon, his would-be swingin' bachelorhood is cut short - very short - by a strange and shameful obsession that drives him to utter madness.

Some men leave their wives only to discover that the grass isn't greener. What Alan Wieder discovers - about the perils of newfound freedom, and about his own fragile male psyche - is far more agonizing and wretched. In this riveting and brutally honest memoir, Alan recounts the true story of his impulsive, wild, and ultimately disastrous foray into bachelorhood. A tragicomic tale of betrayal, sexual (mis)adventure, and ultimately redemption, Year of the Cock marks the debut of a remarkably talented new writer.

My Thoughts:

I never expected to LOVE this book. I wanted to hate it and hate it big time. All I could think about was my girlfriends and I sitting around talking and finding out that this one's boyfriend/husband cheated on this one. And so-and-so's husband wants a divorce because he's got a younger woman with a hot body...and then all the man - bashing that goes along with it.

Ever wonder WHY they do what they do? Honestly? Not the "What men want you to think" answer? Well here it is in all it's memoir glory! Alan writes this book with wit and a sharp tongue. The one-of-a-kind new and fresh voice that comes from this author stings with honesty! I couldn't stop reading and I actually took it with me for a couple of days everywhere I went.

As a woman, there were parts of this that were definitely hard to read and others that were just so funny I had to laugh out loud. I applaud Mr. Wieder for his honesty and ability to admit his faults. This memoir was as real as it gets!

Ladies...if you've ever known a cock (or two - dle doo .... sorry) and I'm not taking about the Chinese Zodiac...OK? And were left with some unanswered questions, then this is the book for you. Oh, and guys...I'm sure you'll have a few of those "I can relate" moments or maybe even be a little ticked off that he broke what I call "The Man Code" by telling all...I guarantee you'll still enjoy this book!

Alan Wieider does NOT disappoint in this Not to be missed, in your face memoir of the year!

**OK Ladies here's the scoop...you'll either LOVE this on or you'll HATE it. I believe there is NO in between with this one. Remember that this was written from an honest foul-mouthed man. And, I mean what I say when I say "Fowl" mouthed (LOL Another joke...I really couldn't help it). Here's an example and a little bit about the author, right from his own site!

Alanology Go ahead and "click" it...I'll wait! Wow! Back already? : ) See what I mean?

Here's another example...just to give you fair warning. This is a chance to win his book by September 31st if you don't want to sign up to win it here. But he wants you to do um....a little "project" to win it. Go HERE to find out what that would be.

The book has a writing style all it's own and is very enjoyable. (I thought anyway...) But, I did want to give my more "Conservative Gals" a fair warning! And IF Penis Haiku's aren't in your near future...you can win it right here and I'm going to tell you how!!

You can Follow Alan on Twitter

Friend him on MySpace

GIVEAWAY!!

FIVE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of Their Very Own!!
Courtesy of Valerie and Hachette Book Group
Books will be coming directly from HBG - So, there are two rules
You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY
Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win
NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win?

It's Simple!
You must follow me by hitting the FOLLOW button
that way I can see you and know you are one of my readers!

All Entries MUST be in By Midnight Sept. 25th Winners Drawn on the 26th!

Extra Entries

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail
+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader
+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway
+5 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)
+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (0r any others I'm having)
+15 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back


Try to Separate your entries one per post!

(+5 for each and every NEW follower you bring me)

They just have to mention it in their post!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you ALL for Stopping By!
Without you, your comments and imput, this blog
wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

Questions/Concerns? Please do not hesitate to Contact ME!

KISSES ~ XXX

The Blue Star by Tony Earley GIVEAWAY!!

The Blue Star
Tony Earley
Publisher - Back Bay Books
Available August 2009
Paperback (Reprint)
Pages - 336

About the Book:

Seven years ago, readers everywhere fell in love with Jim Glass, the precocious ten-year-old at the heart of Tony Earley's bestseller Jim the Boy. Now a teenager, Jim returns in another tender and wise story of young love on the eve of World War Two.

Jim Glass has fallen in love, as only a teenage boy can fall in love, with his classmate Chrissie Steppe. Unfortunately, Chrissie is Bucky Bucklaw's girlfriend, and Bucky has joined the Navy on the eve of war. Jim vows to win Chrissie's heart in his absence, but the war makes high school less than a safe haven, and gives a young man's emotions a grown man's gravity.

With the uncanny insight into the well-intentioned heart that made Jim the Boy a favorite novel for thousands of readers, Tony Earley has fashioned another nuanced and unforgettable portrait of America in another time--making it again even realer than our own day.

This is a timeless and moving story of discovery, loss and growing up, proving why Tony Earley's writing "radiates with a largeness of heart" (Esquire).

About Tony Earley

Tony Earley is the author of four books: Here We Are in Paradise, a collection of stories; the novel Jim the Boy; the personal essay collection Somehow Form a Family; and The Blue Star, a novel released in Spring, 2008. A winner of a National Magazine Award for fiction, he was named one of the twenty best writers of his generation by both Granta, in 1996, and The New Yorker in 1999. His fiction and/or nonfiction have appeared in Harper's, Esquire, The New Yorker, The Oxford American, The New York Times Book Review, Tin House, Best American Short Stories, New Stories from the South and many other magazines and anthologies.

He is a native of western North Carolina and a graduate of Warren Wilson College and The University of Alabama. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife and daughter, where he is the Samuel Milton Fleming Associate Professor of English at Vanderbilt University.

Reading Group Guide

Is this the book for you? Read an Excerpt

GIVEAWAY!!

Star Light - Star Bright -I Wish I May - I Wish I Might..

Ready to Have YOUR Wish Come True?

FIVE Of My LUCKY Readers Will WIN A Copy Of Their Very Own!!

Courtesy of Valerie and Hachette Book Group

Books will be coming directly from HBG - So, there are two rules

You MUST Reside in the U.S. or Canada ONLY

Also, You MUST Have a Street Address that You Can Give Me IF You Win

NO P.O. Boxes Please!

How Do you Win?

It's Simple!

You must follow me by hitting the FOLLOW button

that way I can see you and know you are one of my readers!

All Entries MUST Be In By Midnight (EST) September 25th

WINNER DRAWN of September 26th!!

Extra Entries

+2 If you Subscribe by Mail

+2 If you Subscribe via Google Reader

+3 If you TWEET About This Giveaway

+5 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (Leave @TwitterName)

+10 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (0r any others I'm having)

+15 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back

(+5 for every NEW follower you bring me)

**IMPORTANT**

Please DO NOT WRITE I FOLLOW YOU ON TWITTER FIVE TIMES

You just have to put +5 I FOLLOW YOU ON TWITTER

If you have any QUESTIONS or Concerns, Please hit the "Contact Me" Button!

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!

Thank you ALL for Stopping By!

Without you, your comments and imput, this blog

wouldn't be able to continue to grow!

KISSES ~ XXX

Are You Wicked (Book & Bracelet Giveaway)!

A Hint of Wicked
By: Jennifer Haymore
Publisher: Forever (division of Hachette Books)
Available: June 1, 2009
Pages: 432





Can't wait to win? Buy it HERE!

For Free Book Friday, I've decided to put together a little package with the help of Anna at Hachette Book Group, Lizzy Bleu and me! (You're Welcome)! Here's the deal. I'm going to be giving away FIVE...yes, FIVE copies of "A Hint Of Wicked" by Jennifer Haymore to five of my readers. Now, and this is where Lizzy Bleu comes in, the grand prize winner will get the book and an adorable "WICKED" bracelet by Lizzy herself! (I'm going to add a picture)! The other four will win the book copy! OK? Good!

Here's the Bracelet!



About the Book:

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE . . .

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his cousin and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul. . . until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS . . .

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love . . . but life and death.

The Author:

Jennifer Haymore

As a child, Jennifer Haymore traveled the South Pacific with her family on their homebuilt sailboat. The months spent on the sometimes-quiet, sometimes-raging seas sparked her love of adventure and grand romance. Since then, she's earned degrees in Computer Science and Education and held various jobs from bookselling to teaching inner-city children to acting, but she's never stopped writing.

You can find Jennifer in Southern California trying to talk her husband into yet another trip to England, helping her three children with homework while brainstorming a new five-minute dinner menu, or crouched in a corner of the local bookstore writing her next novel.

You can learn more at her website: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/.

Are You Ready To Be Wicked?

You Must be a Resident of the US or Canada

You must have a Street Address (No P.O. Boxes Please)

How do you win?

My Readers Will have a Chance to WIN One of FIVE Copies

With The Grand Prize Winner Also Getting A "Wicked Bracelet" by Lizzy Bleu!

So, you MUST be a follower of my blog!

More Chances? You Got 'em!

+3 if you Tweet This (unlimited)

+5 if you follow me on Twitter

+5 if you BLOG about this (Link Back)

+10 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back to Me!

This Giveaway Will Close at Midnight (EST) Sept 18th and

WINNERS Announced on September 19th!

Best of LUCK and Have Fun!!

Kisses -- XXX

Fatal Encryption - Debra Purday Kong Guest Spot & Giveaway!

Fatal Encryption
by: Debora Purdy Kong
Publisher: Gypsy Moon Press; 1st edition
Release Date: (April 15, 2008)
Language: English
Pages: 370

Available from amazon.com, amazon.ca, and http://www.deadwrite.com/

My Rating: 4 Tiaras!

Synopsis:

Dressed as Kermit the Frog on Halloween night, an unemployed Alex Bellamy wonders where his life went wrong. It could be worse. A few miles away, Zachary Ternoway is stabbed at his front door. In need of cash, Alex agrees to help catch a computer prankster at McKinleys' Department Store. But things turn serious when someone vows to permanently encrypt the store's data and torch the building unless ten million dollars is handed over in two weeks. Alex knows there's a connection between the murder and the extortion threat, yet time's running out. People are questioning his competency, and a killer's threatening his life.

Starred Review by Cheryl K. Tardif
(taken from web site)

FATAL ENCRYPTION is a corporate caper with plenty of twists and turns, and an assortment of appealing characters to keep you guessing. Debra Purdy Kong's newest novel offers a well-plotted mystery reminiscent of the classic whodunits. A great beach read! --Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author ...

I'd like to thank Debra Purdy Kong for taking time out of her busy day to stop by and tell us a little bit about her newest book "Fatal Encryption"! (Which I loved by the way) It's a modern day thriller told like the old detective type mysteries that all of us enjoyed so much! I guess you'd call one of those a "Whodunit?" Right?

Anyway, Welcome Debra! Tell us a little bit about "Fatal Encryption"

Fatal Encryption is the second mystery featuring the trials and tribulations of twenty-eight-year old Alex Bellamy. In the first book, Taxed to Death, Alex is full of enthusiasm, optimism, and a bit of silliness, until his friend and co-worker, Andy, is murdered.

After I finished that book, I knew right away that I had more to say about Alex's story, but I didn't know what the plot would be about. My background in criminology and my job as a secretary in a firm of accountants had inspired an interest in white-collar crime, which was how Taxed to Death came to be. It was my grandfather, however, (also a retired accountant) who said to me, "Why don't you write something about computers?" Bingo.

Ideas started to flow and I began the research. Out of this, Fatal Encryption was eventually born, but only after many drafts and several years, not to mention the help of my critique group and an editor. My grandfather passed away before the book was published, but I think he would have liked it.

Thank you SO much for being here Debra, it's always nice to get a little big about the book and where the ideas cam from. Please feel free to stop by anytime!!

About the Author -
(Taken from the author's website)

Debra Purdy Kong:


Years ago, when I was a criminology student, I spent many hours writing about criminal behaviour for term papers. By the time I received my diploma, I realized I’d rather write crime fiction than work for the Criminal Justice System, a decision I’ve never regretted.

While I learned the craft of writing, I worked as a secretary for accountants, professors, lawyers, and a host of other interesting people and businesses. Many experiences from those years worked their way into TAXED TO DEATH, my first mystery novel.



When I left full time employment to raise my children, I used pockets of free time to develop short fiction while I kept working on novels. Needless to say, a number of my parenting experiences found their way into stories, essays, and anecdotes. When my children were older, I worked in retail for five years, but am currently devoting more time to fiction and writing reviews. Most of my reviews can be found at www.amazon.ca.

Some of the results include TAXED TO DEATH, featuring Revenue Canada Agency auditor, Alex Bellamy, and FATAL ENCRYPTION, which picks up eighteen months after Alex has been fired from RCA and is still between temp jobs.

My other series featuring public transit security cop Casey Brisseden, begins with DEADLY RESURRECTION, a tale of family deceit and present ramifications.

Would you like to win your very own AUTOGRAPHED Copy Of "Fatal Encryption" courtesy of Debra Purdy Kong?

Here are the Rules:

This contest is open to EVERYONE! So all of my INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS feel free to join in the fun! I have the shipping so it's MY decision this time!

You MUST have a Street Address (Sorry No P.O. Boxes at this time Please)

How do you Win?

First, this giveaway is open to my readers and followers of my blog! So, IF you haven't done so, go over and *click* the follow button! That way you'll get ALL of my updates!

Next, give me your first comment with your name and email address and tell me that if you were unemployed and could have any job in the world. What would that job be?

Extras for the AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "FATAL ENCRYPTION"

+2 Each Tweet (as many times as you'd like) just link back
+3 Follow me @AprkAvePrincess on Twitter
+5 If you blog about it on your blog (or anywhere on the web) That includes MySpace, FaceBook...(just link back so I can add up the total of points at the end)

and the last thing you can do:

+10 If you add my button on your blog! (or anyplace you'd like to share me...let me know so you get your points)

**Got A Question? Well, don't be SHY!!**

Want to Preach to the Princess?

Just hit the "comment" button at the top and fill out the form!

I'll get back to you ASAP!

***IMPORTANT***

This amazing giveaway will run from NOW until Sept. 17th

(cut off time is MIDNIGHT EST - NO exceptions!)

and the WINNER drawn on

September 18, 2009

BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE AND HAVE FUN!

KISSES ~ XXX

Thug Lovin' Blog Tour & 2 Book Giveaway!!

Thug Lovin'
by: Wahida Clark
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: August 10, 2009
Pages: 352

Wahida Clark's Web Page
Wahida Clark's MySpace




Synopsis:

Tasha and Trae, the hood's favorite couple, are still together following the events of Thug Matrimony. Even with their relocation to sunny Los Angeles, the drama of New York cannot be escaped. From running a nightclub to dealing with models, shady lawyers, big money, new kinds of temptations, seductions, and drugs-not to mention new love interests-can this infamous couple weather all the storms and keep it together?

My Thoughts:

Oh how it pains me to give this book only 3.5 Tiaras...but, let me explain why.


I really don't know where to start with just how I feel about Thug Lovin'. I do however know EXACTLY how I feel about books 1-3 (which I loved)! Tasha and Trae were such a great couple through out this entire series and I loved the way that each and every female character is portrayed as a strong woman able to stand on her own, yet stand BY her man. But, in Thug lovin', I was at a loss! Some of Trae's behavior we would never want our sisters, daughters or friends to tolerate by any means. The cheating and the beatings? That's not the trae I fell in love with. In the second book, Tasha is Trae's entire world and in Thug Lovin' she means nothing?



The story taking such a huge plunge makes me a little worried about what else may happen. The good part is that we get to see the entire gang back again that includes Trae, Tasha, Kaylin, and Angel just to mention a few. What I love about these characters is that they are very real and each goes through a tough real life circumstance. Wahida Clark has a wonderful and unique writing skill that keeps me reading these novels. She has a way of bringing the characters to life!

In short, while Thug Lovin' is extremely well-written, it just isn't the same couple I fell in love with! So it left me a little disappointed. Some of the things that happen are just jaw-dropping! However, I applaud Wahida for taking on such controversial issues, but could I PLEASE have the OLD Tasha and Trae back? Pretty please...

About the Author

Wahida Clark:

Wahida Clark was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. She began writing fiction while incarcerated at a woman's federal camp in Lexington, Kentucky. Her first novel, Thugs and the Women Who Love Them, and the sequel, Every Thug Needs a Lady, appeared on the Essence bestsellers list. Since her release, Wahida has achieved much success with her follow-up of Thug Matrimony. Her most recent work, Payback With Ya Life, made its way onto the prestigious New York Times bestseller's list.



Wahida continues to amplify the urban landscape from her home and office in East Orange, New Jersey.

Now, if you want to judge for yourself, I have a copy of both "Thug Lovin' " and Wahida's previous title "Payback With Ya' Life"! You want to win BOTH books? I know you do!

Here are the Rules:

You MUST be a Resident of Either the U.S. or Canada

You Must be able to send me a mailing address

(Sorry - No P.O. Boxes...Please)

You must be a reader of mine and a follower of my blog!

Contest is Open until September 13th (Midnight EST)

WINNER DRAWN SEPTEMBER 14th!

How do you win?

First comment leave your name and email address

+2 if you tweet about this (link back)

+3 if you follow me on Twitter

+5 if you Blog about this contest (link back)

+10 if you put my button on your blog and link me back

Questions?

Use the comments link up top and I'll be happy to help!

Best of Luck and Have Fun!

You just might win TWO great books

Courtesy of Miriam and Hachette Books!

KISSES ~ XXX

Just ONE Day Left

Alright...I already can't sleep! I have SO much going on and like I announced in my previous post, I'm going to be taking on a ton of reviews, tours, guest spots, Q&As and Giveaways. And I'm trying to organize it all.

What I'm really thinking of as I'm in the middle of reading is that we only have ONE day left until I announce the BIG winner. We need just TEN more followers to make ONE HUNDRED (100 TH) FOLLOWERS and how AMAZING will that be when my next post is my ONE HUNDREDTH (100 TH) POST?

Coincidence?

...I think NOT!!

I would like to thank all who participated, especially LIZZY BLEU, who will be doing a giveaway with me one per month! (***Round of Applause***) So, you'll have the chance to win something amazing from her monthly and GOD does she even package beautifully! A VERY talented lady! Thanks LIZZY BLEU, I love YOU!!

(Pssst...I'm not supposed to say anything yet, but I think she's going to be donating *gift certificates* to her shop monthly...that way, you can buy what you want) But...you didn't hear that from me! So what are you waiting for SPREAD THE WORD!! There's SO little time!!

Also, you're going to see a huge rise in reviews and giveaways and I hope you'll all participate in commenting and receiving FREE BOOKS! (including arcs and signed books as well)!

I hope it's been as much fun for you as it's been for ME!

KISSES ~ XXX

THE PRINCESS