Literary Agent? - is this my next step?

Now that summer is here, my main goal is to really work on getting published. I finally have enough time. Nadine and I have worked on my Q letter (A LOT - kind of like a manuscript - so if anyone wants to loan me their editing skills - let me know). I have contacted a few agents - no great news there (I keep telling myself - the publishing world is all about the rejection and in some way - it's healthy.)

My next step - find lit agents (maybe a publishing company if they fit the bill) that ARE NOT scams or slackers.

So my writing friends (book blogging too) - any ideas for me for lit agents? ( looking for specific direction - names, companies. I am compiling a list. - my manuscript is a paranormal fiction, YA, dealing with telepathic twins if that helps.

Also, any tips or steps I am missing - I don't want to go into the lit agent world "unarmed".

This point in the writing game is tough. Maybe the toughest part. I have a pretty polished manuscript, and by pretty published, I have had 7 people, including an editor, read it, and it's good. It's a solid story. It has a lot of potential. And now I am stuck in limbo. (Yes, the epub world is beckoning me.) I want to keep the process moving. Anyone else not like this limbo stage?

Advice, tips, questions, all welcome!

PS. Anyone ePub yet?

Midnight Alley and Feast of Fools - Rachel Caine

I have read two of more of The Morganville Vampire series. I am going to post both of them right now. (Did I mention that it is summer and I am going to burn through a book a day!!!)

Claire Danvers's college town may be run by vampires but a truce between the living and the dead made things relatively safe. For a while. Now people are turning up dead, a psycho is stalking her, and an ancient bloodsucker has proposed private mentoring. To what end, Claire will find out. And it's giv

ing night school a whole new meaning.

Midnight Alley was eh for me. I was hoping it was a filler novel (turns out it was). My biggest problem while reading this one is that Caine opens up another, separate story line and at the end of the book, does NOT tie up any of the loose ends. NONE. I get the cliffhanger, I do. But really: where's Shane's dad, are they all going to die from this disease, what is Amelie's ulterior motives, and when Jason going to walk in and kill them all? I am going to come back to this in about four to five paragraphs.

In volume three, we meet Myrnin, a dying, sometimes very crazy and dangerous, uber-s

mart vampire. I like his character a lot because it shows the soft and cuddly side of vampires (well...OK the humane part of a vampire) and the one that Bram Stoker created for us. He's very intriguing. The summary up there doesn't tell you *spoiler -kinda* that there is a disease inefecting all vampires and slowly they will all suffer like Myrnin does, including Michael. It kinda of reminds me of alzheimers, minus the murdering and maiming. Anyway, Amelie needs someone to be Myrnin's apprentence and Claire is the one for the job because she is an uber-smart human. And so characteristic of Claire, she begins to care for the well-fare of Myrnin.

I give Shane so much credit to keep it in his pants. Claire is making it very difficult.

Amelie reminds me of Elora from the Trylle series from Amanda Hocking. Cold, Calculating, but maybe not the ice queen we all think she is. I get the feeling that she does have feelings for Claire, like she is concerned for her and is willing to help but only so far.

Book four - Feast of Fools.

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in

relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville

Now this book is actually where I get hooked. I will now plow through the series until I am at the end and then feel sad that it is over. When I tell my boyfriend this, he typically looks at me like I'm nuts. Why am I so hooked? Remember that rant I did a little bit ago about all the different story lines, Caine pulls them all together. I feel better...anyone else?

I will tell you there is a nasty, old, super hott vampire who makes a play at Shane! AS IF! Don't worry at the end of the book, Claire makes her pay, but I have a sneaking suspicion that, that vampire will be back.

Myrnin: CRAZY, KIND, SMART - he's the key ladies and gents.

Anyway, the badass of all badass vampire comes to town. And he makes everyone shake in their "boots" but the whole time you read the book there is a feeling of conspiracy with: Amelie, Oliver (oddly hott anyone?), Michael, Sam, and Myrnin.

Some quick thoughts:

Amelie is very much like Elora

Did anyone else wonder why the red crystals effected Monica so badly but not Claire

Claire and Shane went on two dates :)

I think blogger needs emoticons.

I think one or more of them is going to turn into vampires: Eve, Shane, or Claire.

Abandon by Meg Cabot

The Myth of Persephone, Darkly Reimagined
— Book One: Abandon —

She didn't fall into his world. She was taken.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce knows what happens to us when we die.

That's how she met John Hayden, the mysterious stranger who's made returning to normal life—or at least life as Pierce knew it before the accident—next to impossible.

Though she thought she escaped him—starting a new school in a whole new place—it turns out she was wrong. He finds her.

What does John want from her? Pierce thinks she knows... just like she knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven. But she can't stay away from him, either, especially since he's always there when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she might find herself back in the place she fears the most.

And when Pierce discovers the shocking truth, that’s exactly where John sweeps her:

The Underworld.

I feel like I have written this several times. I wasn't sure what to expect from Abandon but it was completely different then my first impression from the summary in the book. Peirce (which is now on my "Name my daughter" list) is a very kind hearted girl who meats death when she is 7 and then when she is 15, but she escapes him. (Mind you "death" aka John... BOYFRIEND LIST MATERIAL!) But John can't let her go. He follows her and throughout the whole book, you know that John's feelings for Peirce are very true. She's just not too quick on the draw when it comes to John's emotions. She does know that she is attracted to him, but she seems to think it is more of a punishment.

As for the plot of the story, like the Morganville series, great plot line but not developed enough for me. I found myself thinking, she should have added this or I need more detail here. The story line is actually about John loving Peirce and the "people" who want to hurt John are after Peirce. She spends a VERY short time in the underworld. There are a lot of side relationships in the story like Alex, Kayla, and Farrah and a distraction: coffin night. They don't go anywhere but they could have. The "bad people" could have killed them. (too morbid? - eh... I think interesting.)

This book is the first in the trilogy. Yep, that's right...now we have to wait. Crap.

I will say this that the opening prologue was awesome. So much so that I am including it.

"Anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Anything at all.

One.

Two.

Three.

Blink.

A girl is laughing with her friends.

Suddenly, a crater splits apart the earth. Through it bursts a

man in an ink black chariot forged in the deepest pits of hell,

drawn by stallions with hooves of steel and eyes of flame.

Before anyone can shout a warning, before the girl can turn

and run, those thundering hooves are upon her.

The girl isn’t laughing anymore. Instead, she’s screaming.

It’s too late. The man has leaned out of his ink black chariot to

seize her by the waist and pull her back down into that crater

with him.

Life as she once knew it will never be the same.

You don’t have to worry about that girl, though. She’s just a

character from a book. Her name was Persephone, and her being

kidnapped by Hades, the god of the dead, and taken to live with

him in the Underworld was how the Greeks explained the chang-

ing of the seasons. It’s what’s known as an origin myth.

What happened to me? That’s no myth.

A few days ago, if you’d told me some story about a girl who

had to go live with a guy in his underground palace for six months

out of the year, I’d just have laughed. You think that girl has

problems? I’ll tell you who has problems: me. Way bigger ones

than Persephone.

Especially now, after what happened the other night in the

cemetery. What really happened, I mean.

The police think they know, of course. So does everyone at

school. Everyone on the whole island, it seems, has a theory.

That’s the difference between them and me. They all have

theories.

I know.

So who cares what happened to Persephone? Compared to

what happened to me, that’s nothing.

Persephone was lucky, actually. Because her mom showed up

to bail her out.

No one’s coming to rescue me.

So take my advice: whatever you do?

Don’t blink."

Awesome right?

Some quick thoughts:

What was with "Check yourself before you wreck yourself"

How about the transitions for the flashbacks - anyone else get confused?

I feel bad for John. I am hoping that we find out more about his story in the next one.

I am hoping for Cabot to tell us more about the Underworld and the legend of Persephone

I liked it. I will read the next two.

The Dead Girls's Dance by Rachel Caine

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

I had the same feelings about this one as I did the first one. I liked it but I am not really sure why I liked it. I don't feel "complete" but I need to know more.

In the summary, it leads you to believe that the dance is going to be a big part of the book... it's not. In fact, it was in there for, oh, um, 15 pages? Title significance - not so much.

But on to the review. (OK...I am starring at the screen because I am not sure what to write.) (Still starring). OK - Shane's dead - has not grieved for his family and he is a total butthead in the novel...even at the end, no change of heart, just a butthead. I feel bad for Shane; he's lost his whole family and then his dad tries to take away his friends.

Shane and Claire are cute. I love that he is controlled about their relationship because she is so naive in these stories. Her character has settled in though. I felt in the first book, that her character was being pushed in one direction that it just wasn't meant to be push in. However, in this one, Claire, is strong-willed, resourceful, does some growing up and remains so throughout the book.

I really like the character of Michael. He's a great "big brother" type and well developed. Eve on the other hand - not so developed for me... kind of stereotypical...

Again, a great story line - but it didn't move for me while I was reading it, but I liked the ending. It felt like I finally got to a part and was like: "Now this is good!"

Some quick thoughts:**SPOILERS*

Michael with fangs - kinda hot

Shane's a boyfriend of mine now

Amelie shouldn't be trusted - but she should be trusted more than Oliver

Where did Eve's brother go?

Claire's parents..what? Forgot to pick up their kid?

Monica is such a BEEP

100 followers giveaway!

I want to say thank you to all my followers! I am quickly reaching my 100 followers mark! It's a great thing and I want to say thank you to all of you!! And in true book blogging fashion, I am going to have a giveaway!! What you might ask? Well for those of you who pay attention you know my obsession with Clockwork Angel so I am going to be giving a (pre-order) Clockwork Prince. I don't have an ARC but will put in the order so when it comes out you get it!!! The end date for this giveaway is July 1st. I will announce the winner on the second! The winner will have three days to get back to me. If I have not hit 100 followers, I will extend the giveaway until I do.

(Summary of Clockwork Prince from goodreads.)

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to

see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the tri

o journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart

Some rules.

It is for the US only, sorry international friends!

You must be 13 years or older.

You must blog about the contest and leave your link.

You must leave me your email address so that I can contact you.

You must be a follower.

Leave your information in my comment box.

***Extra entries***

Old Followers (before June 20) +2

New follower +1

Commenting on my Clockwork Angel review (Sept 2010) +2

Glass Houses - Rachel Caine

From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of an exciting new series set in Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood

I am not sure what I was really expecting from this novel...but it wasn't what I got. It started off intense with Claire having to face the horrible Monica (talk about a "mean" girl). Monica and her friends torture (literally) Claire leaving her the only option...move out of the dorm. She finds the Glass house with Michael - the big brother who is the voice of reason. Eve - the goth girl with a kind heart and Shane - the boy with the past. Eve bring up vampires in Morganville, which Claire immediately laughs off. But it is true. The town is run by vampires, like the mafia.

Claire has made an enemy out of Monica and can't seem to stay out of any one's way. She discovers Michael's secret, finds out that Shane is dealing with a lot of guilt, Eve is trying to be strong, finds out that the vamps want a book and she actively seeks it out. She makes an enemy out of a vampire named Brandon, a friend in Oliver, and meets chief big vampire.

There was a ton going on in this book but I have to say the middle, even with the events, didn't move fast enough for me. The book picked up the last 40 pages and left a really good cliffhanger.

Claire's characterization is conflicting. One minute she's a meek, young girl. The next she is this mouthy, reckless girl. And I get that it could be her "coming of age" but the book happens so quickly, like a few weeks so this turn about in character seemed really unrealistic to me. If it started to happen in Book 3, it would make more sense or if she started off mouthy and reckless.

Some quick thoughts:

Team Shane! Though for a bit I thought it was going to be Michael.

What parent sends their 16 year old to college 100 miles away?

How strong is "protection"?

Chemical burn? OUCH!

I hope Monica gets...and what was the random moment with her brother?

Follow Friday

Q. Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

I think that supernatural and fantasy go hand in hand and my book, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare is the reason that I am whole-heartedly in love with these types of genres. Actually my very first review on my blog maybe from Clockwork Angel. Look what it started for me!

This Friday's Question:

And I Quote: What are some of your favorite book quotes?

"Sometimes, when I have to do something I don't want to do, I pretend I'm a character from a book. It's easier to know what they would do.
-Will" Clockwork Angel

"Will: "Nice place to live, isn't it? Let's hope they left something behind other than filth. Forwarding addresses, a few severed limbs, a prostitute or two ..."
Jem: "Indeed. Perhaps, if we're fortunate, we can still catch syphilis."
"Or demon pox," Will suggested cheerfully, trying the door under the stairs." Clockwork Angel

"Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing.' - Tris

'Well,' he says, 'I would only go if there was cake." - Four

Divergent

"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! - John Proctor - ever see Daniel Day Lewis say this - CHILLS

The Crucible

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. Atticus

To Kill a Mockingbird

"Being with you never felt wrong. It's the one thing I did right. You're the one thing I did right." Patch

Hush, Hush

And I want to send out some love

I want to say thank you to my school's librarian Judy. She and I have a wonderful working relationship and an even better book relationship. We always seem to love the same thing, much like Diana and I do.

She came to me at the end of last month and told me she had some money that she needed to spend before the year was up. I was so excited and handed her a bunch of titles that I had recently read that were on my NOOK but thought my kids should have access too and then a bunch of new ones that I was dying to read. She also told me to pick out some more graphic novels...any really good ones out there?

Well, they came in! And here is the start of my summer reading list!

I'm super excited. Thanks Judy!

Do any of you have a wonderful relationship with your librarian? Or maybe it is someone else who you always share books with? why are they so wonderful to you?

Busy week and great news

I haven't been reading a bunch but some really big things have been happening in my non-blogging life - I know, a different life? It's the end of the year at school and we have had our powder puff and flag football games.

Our Academic Awards banquet where I was pied in the face by a student raising money for the Humane Society... I also pied my student back! She should have run away from me.

I have been doing a fundraiser for my high school student to get everyone a netbook to help them advance in this technology savvy world we live in. I work in a super small district, so the goal is obtainable. In fact, some really awesome news came in today. Keybank donated 5,000 dollars to my cause. The senior class is going to get their own netbooks and that money also started the funds for the junior class. I am going to teach them to blog.

I also got a project on donorschoose.org funded last night. I am getting 23 new books for my classroom, including, The Vampire Academies, 39 Clues, and The Mortal Instrument Series. This is a wonderful website. I have put a link for some of my other projects up on my side bar if you want to donate to me :) or look around and see if there are other projects you want to donate to!

And a little from the blogging world, I won Ruby Red over at The Paperback Princesses.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Another "wow" in the books folks.

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I loved it. Besides Neal Shusterman's Unwind, I haven't found a complete, detailed dystopia world and an intriguing plot since I read The Giver when I was in middle school. This world that Roth has created is awesome. There are five factions that all pride themselves one specific quality. They qualities are: honesty, bravery, selflessness, knowledge, and peaceful. Our heroine, Beatrice aka Tris is part of the selflessness faction but knows she doesn't fit. When she gets tested for her aptitude to decide where she goes, her test results are inconclusive making her "divergent" which in this story is a big NO NO. She has to keep it hidden at all times. - You'll find out why later on.

Tris joins Dauntlesss - bravery and goes through a series of trials to prove her worth. Did i mention Four? The hott instructor that has an interest in Tris and slowly Roth builds the chemistry and it's great. Tris isn't comfortable with affection so she fumbles through it.

Tris also knows that being divergent is not a good thing. Two people know about her identity and both react so strongly and that she must not let anyone else find out that she can't help but feel like something is wrong with her but it also makes her extremely curious. The definition of divergent is: tending to be different or develop in a different direction (check out that alliteration).

There are many courageous characters in this story. But for every brave character that is a coward, keeping a great balance of good and evil.

In this post-Chicago era, one of the factions is not so honest and causes a big problem. Being Divergent, Tris is the person who is most in control to defend and preserve the society. It was a great story...just great.

Some quick thoughts:

I HEART the mother.

Divergent 2? yes please.

Four hasn't made my boyfriend list but that could change

I should make a side bar for my fictional boyfriends and rank them

The world was so detailed. It's a must for any dystopia reader.

Trying out a new blog hop... Hop on over to see if you like it too?

Start this follow over here at Greads.

YA Saves: How do you feel about the "dark" books

filling the YA shelves today?

As a high school English teacher who strongly promotes reading, I think YA that touches dark issues are important and can be beneficial. I teach the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in my tenth grade class because I think it is important for young girls to know about this situtation in case (god forbid) they ever find themselves in that situation. Most of my students enjoy this book and we have a lot of positive conversations about it. But hopefully they know what to do and to seek help. Its a great avenue for me to approach th situation and maybe help them.

My point? Reading "dark" literature is a good thing IF students know the difference between reality and ficition and have someone to talk about it with. So when I know a student has picked up a piece like this I MAKE a point to talk to them. It's what the article fails to mention the repsonsibility adults have to teenagers and students when it comes to reading.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known

I had heard a lot of good things about this book and there were some really awesome aspects but some not so much. Some awesome points are the world that was created. There are communities that live underneath the earth and they have a specific way of living: breeders, builders, and hunters.

Deuce gets paired with Fade (the outcast) and are sent on a mission to another community. The mission involves seeing if this other community needs help (which they do) and they discover that the Freaks (zombies) are getting smarter and are starting to become strategic where before they were more like dumb animals.

Fade and Deuce get close. Deuce gets herself kicked out of her community and her and Fade get close. The world is pretty well-described...especially the part where Deuce is shunned for her "crime" against the community.

The not so awesome parts - I felt like the end was rushed. They were trying to survive and they come across problems, but the problems seem to move to quickly. And a part of the book was to show how Deuce and Fade were becoming closer (and I am OK with not having a strong love plot) but its by-passed too much. I wanted to see how close they were getting so that I could see the level of their bonding so I could understand why they are so protective of each other and what lengths they are willing to go for each other.

Some Quick thoughts:

Is there going to be a sequel?

Why was Fade originally up there?

What happened to the world to cause this and why are so many people afraid of going topside?

Follow Friday

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

Rose from the Vampire Academies. I love how tough she is, I love how vulnerable she is, and I love her boyfriends Dimitri and Adrian...I'll make out with either or :)

“WHO IS THE ONE AUTHOR THAT YOU ARE DYING TO MEET?

Mary Shelly - I really want to know what her life was like.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Wow.

Calla is the alpha female of a shape-shifting wolf pack. She is destined to marry Ren Laroche, the pack's alpha male. Together, they would rule their pack together, guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But then, Calla saves a beautiful human boy, who captures her heart. Calla begins to question everything - her fate, her existence, and her world and the orders the Keepers have asked her to follow. She will have to make a choice. But will she follow her heart if it means losing everything, including her own life?


I have a lot of mixed emotions about this book- all good though. Calla is an alpha Guardian and soon to be joining with Ren in a pack union. They are going to start their own pack under the guidance of one of the young Keepers.


In the very first few pages, Calla saves a boy named Shay giving away her secret and on YA cue he shows up in her classroom totally knowing who she is. The packs can never know he knows about them so Calla starts living a double life one that gets more twisted and tangled with each moment she spends with Ren and Shay - leading up to her epic decision.

This is like the Amanda Hocking love triangle for me ***SPOILER*** Calla does not end up with the guy I want her to. From the beginning I knew she would be with Shay and I think it is just WRONG! Ren is now on my boyfriend list. He's hott, an alpha, loves her, and genuinely cares for the well-being of the pack. And she picks Shay - the one who ultimately gets her separated from her pack and locked in some dungeon alone - Shay-less. Pissed...openly *gives an exasperated sigh* End SPOILER

I think my biggest issue with Calla is from a young age she was brought up in the Pack life-style knowing her duty. And from my knowledge based on wolves (not a ton - I'll be honest) they are fiercely loyal. Right? So how is it, after meeting this boy for a month, she manages to break every rule for this guy she has ever been given? I get it...love makes you act crazy. But I feel the animal part of her should have rebelled against it. However, she needed to find out the fact that the keeprs may not be who they say they are or the searchers for that matter?

Overall - it was exciting - I cannot wait for Wolfsbane to come out. I need to stop reading series that aren't completely published.

Some quick thoughts:
What is Shay's uncle?
Really Shay? Why not Ren? I'm thinking he will end up Sabine - sadly.
Someone is going to have to die in the next one - Baby brother An?
WHAT THE HELL IS A SCION?
I'm really angry at Calla's betrayal
What happened to Ren's mother and Shay's parents?
I love Ren's nickname for her though.

OK I posted this a day or two ago. My birthday is today! *Cheers for herself* But I am wondering if any of you have some killer series you think I should buy with my bday money. Let me know.

Blog about your dog Monday

I haven't been posting about my dogs, but I'm going to get back on it. This post is about my Mia and for those of you who don't know, Mia has separation problems.

Premise: I got home from work and let both dogs out side and about five minutes later, Mia is coming down my second floor steps. At first I thought I was nuts because I thought I had let her out but then I knew I had. So I am going to show you the adventure Mia went on to get in my house (Side note - I bought a foreclosure, so it needs work -it's 4,000 square feet and has a lot of staircases)

Mia started here and went down the basement steps from outside

She goes up these stairs into the second kitchen and two more rooms

Up these stairs

Crosses into our side that is finished. That's her by the way.

And goes down these steps

To end up here.

That's my girl....

ROW80

I did some writing after Wednesday's post - I am going to focus today and do some more. I have actually scheduled my whole Sunday with an hour of writing in there!!

Sequel - 1,126.

Dream walking - 76 (it was more brainstorming)

Totals for the whole time:

Sequel are: 8,626

New WIP: 4,1201

I actually need to go look back and see what my original goal was. I know I'm behind so maybe I will reschedule and write for two hours?

Curious to the ROW80 people - where do you look or how do you find agents to Q?

The Reckoning by Kelly Armstrong

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

Spoilers in this one... DEREK AND CHLOE! I am happy about it but at the start of Book 1 I would have picked Simon for her. Armstrong is tricky. I was so frustrated every time that Derek and Chloe would get so close to kissing and then someone would interrupt! Until the last two pages!!! I wanted to scream "Finally!" I wonder if she intended for them to be together at the end of Book 1. Anyone know?

I thought Book 3 had a lot more action in it and all the action was leading up to the big event, where I felt Book 1 and 2 were leading up to Book 3 and that was it. I don't want that to discourage anyone from reading this series because I thought it was really good. By the way, is The Gathering part of this series or is it a spin-off? But back to the action. There was a lot more death in this one, and I loved how all of them (except Andrew) came to the foursomes aid, even if some of them were really pissed off about it.

What about the demi-demon and demon Chloe raised? I felt that wasn't explored very well. Along with Royce's story. I wanted to know about his situation more. I wanted to know what exactly made him crazy. I think it would be very interesting. Maybe a spin-off? Royce also led me to believe, along with how Chloe answers herself all the time, that she is already starting to go crazy.

Where did Kit come from? Glad he showed up in the end but I felt it was like BAM - He's here!

Some quick thoughts

I want Aunt Lauren and Kit to date :)

What about Chloe's father - he just dropped off the map

Tori's mom what a BEEP

Did I mention I loved the kissing between Derek and Chloe?!

I wished we could know more about the Simon/Tori/Kit situation

On a side note: My birthday is approaching and I always get a ton of gift certificates to get books. Any suggestions on a book you recently read that you think is a must read? Or a series that should be on every paranormal YA lover's shelf? And tell me why.

Hop and Follow

“Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it’s close to your heart!”

My favorite post from last week was my review about Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I love it because of how much I loved the book and because I discovered Shusterman as a writer. He's wonderful at dystopias.

Q. What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)
Luckily I have three students who are obsessed with zombies. They have done several journal entries and written several how to manuals about zombies. First - if no real gun is available - I am to get a water gun and fill it with gasoline and get a set of matches... Next I am to get as much water as I can so I can store it (Wouldn't want the zombies to hear the pipes). I also have a map of my house to identify all possible ways out including through windows. And because my house is big, my students have decided that my house is to be a safe house, so when the apocalypse comes, they are all going to show up. They are also insisting that I buy a lot of camo and camo paint. So if this ever happens, because of my students, I'll be safe.