Angieville

So while the EW cover featuring Gale and Peeta left me . . . underwhelmed. This still here and this one over here have me, well, smiling pretty big. I really cannot wait to see it.

And the winner is . . .  Maigan Silverstein Rarick ! Congrats! Maigan said that Sam is her favorite werewolf because of how deeply he feels for his humanity, and how much he struggles to hold onto it and remember it. I love the notion of the "monster" who clings to his humanity so strongly. Maggie gives Sam such a great layer of emotion, and that is why he's my favorite. Well said, Maigan! Please send me your contact info and we'll get your sketch and book out soon. Thanks to everyone  for entering and sharing your favorite fictional weres. I'm pretty sure Sam, Cole, and Lupin took the cake as far as everyone's favorite furry friend goes, although there was much love for Ren from Nightshade and a couple of shout-outs to personal favorites of mine--Adam from the Mercy Thompson series and Derek from the Kate Daniels books. Lastly, a big thanks to This is Teen for hosting the blog tour and giveaway!

And in links of awesome today . . . Sarah Rees Brennan is handing out summer book recommendations and I am paying attention . "They made each other laugh through being funny and terrible." Uh . . . yes, please. "P eople who are staggering around being staggeringly crazy in love?" Hm . . . don't mind if I do. Ever since the Mythopoeic Society honored Sunshine a few years back, I've known they had excellent taste. They proved it again this week by handing out their annual award for Children's Literature to . . . the Queen's Thief series ! Well done, Mythopoeic Society. Well. Freaking. Done. Lastly, the Bookaholics Romance Book Club has a great interview up with Moira Moore , plus a giveaway. The release of Heroes at Odds is literally just around the corner now (praise be), and Moira discusses all kinds of good stuff related to Taro, Lee, and the series. Enjoy!

I posted the first two book trailers for Simone Elkeles ' Perfect Chemistry trilogy. That first one still makes me laugh. Self-effacement in a book trailer? Never a bad thing. I figured I might as well continue with tradition, so here is the trailer for Chain Reaction --the third and last book in the trilogy--due out August 16. Pretty, pretty Fuentes brothers. Which one is your favorite?

“So whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”  - J.K. Rowling

I'm awfully excited to be a part of this unique blog tour in celebration of the release of Forever by the insanely talented Maggie Stiefvater .  Scholastic recently launched an online community called  This Is Teen  to connect readers with their favorite YA authors and books. Visit their page on   Facebook   for all the latest news on   Maggie Stiefvater   and   Forever .  Each stop on the tour is hosting a particular character from the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, and I have the good luck to be the stop for Sam--my favorite emo-wolfboy!  Sam is so very endearing, in a decidedly non-angsty or overt way. His breathtaking blend of maturity and vulnerability tugs at my heartstrings and the strength of his relationship with Grace is unswerving.  He is warm and thoughtful and artistic, and I liked him right from the start of the series . Because I can't resist, here are two of my favorite Sam quotes, the first from Grace's point of...

Since I knew way ahead of time that I would not be able to attend BEA this year, I had a chance to prepare myself to miss out on all the enticing ARCs I knew would be available there. But truthfully there were only a handful that I really moped over, and Forever was pretty much at the top of the list. The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy is one I've thoroughly enjoyed. When it comes to the absolute glut of YA paranormal romances out there, this series stands head and shoulders above the pack, if you will. And, as I've said before, it's all due to Maggie Stiefvater 's exceptional prose and the understated nature of her storytelling in general. I end up walking away unsatisfied from so many paranormals these days, that it is with not a little relief that I look forward to each of Maggie's releases. I really cannot wait to get my hands on her upcoming The Scorpio Races .   But Sam and Grace have been on my mind since the end of Linger , and I may have done a little da...

I had to laugh when I ran across this awesome silent film version of The Empire Strikes Back . It's just very well done and works surprisingly well in this format, I think. Helps that it's one of my favorite movies. Enjoy!