YzhaBella's BookShelf: April 2010

4/30/10

Contest Connections (6)

(This weekly post has been inspired by the totally amazing weekly list
provided by All Things Urban Fantasy)

MEGA Sway and MORE Giveaway! Head on over to Extreme Reader Reviews for this AWESOME International Contest! UPDATED!!!! There is more loot and an additional form for extra entries! Contest ends May 1, 2010 (Extended!!!!)

Book Blab's Mega Giveaway in celebration of 300 followers! Contest ends May 4th

Eleni over at La Femme Readers is hosting the "My Thank You Giveaway" in recognition of her thanks in reaching over 1000 followers! Up for grabs are two awesome ARC sequels, And Then I Found Out The Truth (Book #2) by Jennifer Sturman & Blue Fire (Book #2) by Janice Hardy! Contest ends May 5, 2010. Thank you Eleni!

Enter to win The Host by Stephanie Meyer! Peeking Through the Pages has 3 copies for you all to try and win! Head on over to check out the site and enter this, and a few other great giveaways! The Host giveaway ends 5/2/2010.

Cleverly Inked is hosting one MEGA HUGE Birthday Phenomenon Event! Open Internationally, Ends May 13th. THIS JUST IN!!! NEW PRIZES ADDED 4/22/10! CHECK OUT THE UPDATE HERE!

Bibliophilic Book Blog -- "Clear The Decks" Giveaway! Monica has cleared the shelves for this great event! Head on over, check out the "Prize List" and Complete her Survey for your chance to win something great! Contest is Mainly open to US & Canada, BUT the loverly Monica has something GREAT in mind for the international reader too! Contest ends May 30/10.

HUGE CONTEST! Susan from Wastepaper Prose and Sherry from Flipping Pages for All Ages are hosting a great follower contest! Two Categories, US/Canadian Entrants and International Entrants! Check it out! Contest Ends April 30th!

50 Follower "Pick Your Genre" Giveaway! The lovely Stella over at Ex Libris is hosting a great follower event! Lots of entry chances and great prize options! Contest is Open Internationally, Ends May 2nd.

Princess Bookie is having a great new Giveaway! The "Just Steal My Books Already" event runs until May 1st. Open to US & Canadian Readers. Up for grabs are 4 wonderful ARC's!. Check it out!

Forbidden Highlander Release Contest hosted by author Donna Grant to celebrate the upcoming release of Forbidden Highlander! Tons of ways to enter and get extra entries! Ends midnight May 24th!

Reviews are written on a volunteer basis and are only the opinions of each individual review author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or views of the author, publisher, or public readers in general
Copyright © YzhaBella's BookShelf 2010

Doin' a Ditty over at the Blog Hop! (7)

Crazy for books has created a weekly meme where book bloggers, and readers, can meet new book bloggers. Here is what Jennifer from Crazy for books has to say about the meme:

This is for
ALL BOOK BLOGGERS and READERS!
Let's make some new friends and have fun! It's FRIDAY!!!

ABOUT THE HOP:
In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all book bloggers and readers a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! So, I created this weekly BOOK PARTY where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start PARTYING!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

So, if you'd like to participate, just re-post this on your blog, sign MckLinky (PLEASE USE THE NEW FORMAT!!!) at Crazy for Books, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

4/28/10

In a Wolfs Embrace (Beyond The Dark Anthology) By Lora Leigh

As the 13th in the Breed Series, “In a Wolf’s Embrace” has the premise for a much longer story. There are so many plot line possibilities that readers will be surprised, and perhaps a little disappointed, that the adventure is so short lived.

Unfortunately, I’ve not yet experienced any of the Breed Series and now I am very sorry that I haven’t! Leigh’s talent for developing an emotionally and sensually charged reading experience is matched by few! Readers will be eager to not only turn the page but to grab the next book (or the rest of the series, for that matter) just to continue the amazing reading adventure that is the Breed Series!

Blur From the Author Site
Matthais and Grace - Wolf Breed
Grace had no idea the man that rescued her from a mugging was a breed assassin, until she catches him in the act of assassinating a known Genetics Council member. Now Matthias has kidnapped her, but rather than threatening her, rather than harming her, Matthias shows her a love she could have never imagined, and the true horror of the council catches up with them, nearly destroying the life she dreams of having with him.

Chronological Order of Lora Leigh’s Breed Series
1) Tempting the Beast
2) The Man Within
3) Elizabeth’s Wolf
4) Kiss of Heat
5) Soul Deep
6) The Breed Next Door (Hot Spell Anthology)
7) Megan’s Mark
8) Harmony’s Way
9) Tanner’s Scheme
10) Wolfe’s Hope
11) Jacob’s Faith
12) Aiden’s Charity
13) In a Wolf’s Embrace (Beyond the Dark Anthology)
14) Dawn’s Awakening
15) A Jaguar’s Kiss (Shifter Anthology)
16) Mercury’s War
17) Christmas Heat (The Magical Christmas Cat Anthology)
18) Coyotes Mate
19) Christmas Kiss (Hot for the Holidays Anthology)
20) Bengals Heart
21) Lions Heat

To learn more about Lora Leigh and the Breed Series, please visit her home on the web here

Interested in purchasing a copy of Beyond The Dark? Why not use these handy links?
Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.indigo.ca

4/27/10

Ardeur Giveway @ Sidhe Vicious Reviews!

Head on over to Sidhe Vicious Reviews for a great event! The loverly Judi has the pleasure of promoting this great collection of stories about the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton!

From Smart Pop Books
14 Writers on the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series
Edited by Laurell K. Hamilton

Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series is a literary sensation, thanks to its strong female hero, well-fleshed (both literally and literarily) characters and unabashed attitude toward sex. The world Hamilton has created is powerfully compelling and stunningly complex—and it gets deeper and richer, and more perilous, with every book.

Straddling the series’ dominant themes of sex and power, Ardeur gives Anita fans a deeper look into the dynamics, both personal political, that have kept readers fascinated throughout the run of the series. Why is the ardeur the very best thing that could have happened to Anita, personally (aside from all the sex it requires her to have with hot men)? How is Anita’s alternate United States a logical legal extension of our own? And as the series continues, what other bargains might Anita have to make with herself and others in order to keep the people she loves safe from harm?

Queen of All She Surveys (Beyond The Dark Anthology) By Emma Holly

Eesh! And I thought Dragon Dance made me blush! (*Whew* fans face vigorously). A novelette that ties in with Emma Holly’s Demon series, "Queen of All She Surveys" is set in an alternative Victorian universe complete with demon-like characters, familial deceit, power struggles, betrayals, and of course, some extremely erotic encounters that will leave readers just a "wee bit all hot and bothered"!!

In this expressive and erotically charged tale, we meet an insatiable Queen Tou, who has a rather large male harem, (which she uses quite well, I might add! (*fans self profusely)), and an equally sexually unsatisfied Prince Memnon. Readers will discover an unusual love story about “the one”. Enemies brought together by war, yet destined to become lovers by the will of the gods. Add to the plot a male character, whose genitals come complete with some sort of extra barb, and a powerful female lead who just can't seem to "get enough" and readers will be kept flipping page after page! "Queen of All She Surveys" was my favorite of “Beyond The Dark” and this particular tale is sure to keep you blushing to the tips of your toes!

Oh! And please let me add.....(lmao, *blushing again*) my husband REALLY enjoyed when I decided to read a few excerpts aloud!

To learn more about Emma Holly and her great stories, visit her website here.

Interested in purchasing a copy of Beyond The Dark? Why not use these handy links?
Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.indigo.ca

4/26/10

New Release News! Win a Flip Video Camera w/ The Karma Club!

In celebration of the April 27 release of The Karma Club by Jessica Brody YOU could win a Flip Video Camera!

So! Head on over to jessicabrody.com for your chance to win! Just click HERE!

From the Author/Publisher

When you mess with Karma,
Karma messes back...

Jessica Brody's debut young adult novel, coming
April 27 2010!

"Personally, I’m tired of waiting for the universe to get off its butt and start fixing stuff. I don’t want to wait around for Mason to get what’s coming to him. Or Heather Campbell, for that matter . . . I want to be there to see it happen."

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. It’s that mysterious, powerful force that brings harmony to the universe. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what’s coming to you. A sort of cosmic balancing act.

But when Mason Brooks, Maddy’s boyfriend of two years, gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and absolutely nothing happens to either of them—except that they wind up the hot new couple of Colonial High School, it seems like Karma has officially left Maddy in the lurch. That’s why Maddy and her best friends, Angie and Jade, decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization whose sole purpose is to clean up the messes that the universe has been leaving behind. Whether they’re modifying Heather Campbell’s acne cream as part of “Operation Butterface,” or righting a few wrongs when it comes to Angie and Jade’s own slimy exes, they know they’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place. They’re taking care of one another.

Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. Because it turns out, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back. Now Maddy must find a way to balance her life for good, even as everything around her seems to be toppling to the ground.

4/25/10

Caught by the Tide (Beyond The Dark Anthology) by Diane Whiteside

Historical Romance meets Harry Potter! Lol, it wasn’t that bad. But, I was somewhat disappointed with this story. As a reader, I like to use anthologies to get an introduction to new authors. For readers who are looking for a taste of what to expect, I’m not certain “Caught by the Tide” would be the best sample of Whiteside’s work. While I have not read other stories by this author, I have seen many a great review and, I admit, I was disappointed here. To be honest, I am not entirely certain that this particular novelette was a good fit for the other three stories found in “Beyond The Dark”.

With the premise being that magick is commonplace in the Regency period, a King’s mage is apparently key to defending England from Napoleon’s imminent attack. Injured and washed ashore during a magickal storm, Owen is near death when Emma discovers him. With a power lent from the mage’s own gryphon ring, Emma is able to get the unconscious Owen back to her home where he is nursed to health. In a somewhat tedious plot progression, Owen & Emma are destined to use the earths power (intensified by their romantic encounters) to eventually defeat Napoleon and protect England from what was sure to be an utter and bloody defeat.

Synopsis from Author Website
England, 1803

Exhausted after more than a decade of bloody war, England and Napoleon signed a peace treaty two years ago. England paid off her army and navy and set about healing her people.

Napoleon consolidated Europe under his rule and rearmed. Now he stands less than twenty-five miles from England’s coast with the greatest army Europe has ever seen, determined to conquer the only country that’s refused to bow before him.

England is defended only by a handful of troops, the few ships left in the Royal Navy – and the King’s Mages.

Owen Bentham, a King’s Mage, carries a message Napoleon will do anything to stop from reaching London. A howling gale washes him ashore on the Cornish coast, more dead than alive, where he’s rescued by Emma Sinclair, a naval officer’s widow. But the same treasonous mage who wrecked Owen’s boat has trapped Owen and Emma on her estate, unable to deliver the message or even call for help.

To break free, Emma must give more than her heart to this chance-met stranger – or England itself may fall…

To learn more about Diane Whiteside, you can visit her website here.

Interested in purchasing a copy of Beyond The Dark? Why not use these handy links?
Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.indigo.ca

4/24/10

Yep! I'm Still a Die-Hard Twi-Hard!...Eclipse Trailer!

In Eclipse, Bella finds herself, once again,surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a series of mysterious killings and Victoria continues her efforts for revenge. In the middle of everything, Bella is forced to choose between Jacob & Edward knowing that her decision has the power to ignite the battle between werewolf and vampire. With graduation approaching, Bella is faced with the most important decision of her life.

4/23/10

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready - ONLY 10 MORE DAYS!

Jeri Smith-Ready is going to WOW the readers of YA Urban Fantasy with the release of Shade on May 4th, 2010!!

I received this ARC, as a contest winner, courtesy of Simon's Urban Fantasy Blog, a direct publicity relation of Simon & Shuster Canada

Reviewer Teaser (Introductory Synopsis)
Little did Aura and Logan know that the event meant to be the “The Best Birthday Ever”, was going to change their lives forever. Logan’s band nailed the show and impressed the studio reps. The night was totally going they way everyone wanted it to. Until the party. The music was blaring, the booze was flowing, and Aura and Logan were planning on a “very special” birthday celebration. Unfortunately, after 3 beers and one sip of “Liquid Stupid”, Logan was toasted. He couldn’t feel his any of his extremities so it looked like the “very special” birthday celebration wasn’t going to happen… But wait! Logan sooo wanted this! He just had to find a way to make it right for Aura. So, he grabs “something” from the dresser drawer and, headed for a cold shower to wake up, he takes off for the bathroom…… and their whole world changes in a flash. One stupid moment of poor judgment and their future, Logan's music career, their life together, it’s all gone….Logan is dead.

Logan is a ghost now. A violet apparition that Aura, (the absolute very first of the "post-Shifters"), can see and talk to, but she will never be able to touch him again. Never be able to hold him, or to feel his gentle kiss.

Not only does Aura have to face the normal trials of teenage life, she’s lost her boyfriend, feels guilt over her attraction to the “new guy”, somehow finds herself the target of a DMP investigation as the very “first post-Shifter", and is constantly stressed with how to save Logan from turning “Shade”.

My Thoughts
Readers will be kept totally entranced with this amazing YA read! From a tragic death scene to the “mother” of all teenage girls' fantasies of a first kiss, Jeri Smith-Ready’s mastery of the written word conveys such strong emotion that readers will shed their own tears, feel their own hearts “flutter”, and tighten their own fists with stress! The level of intensity that Smith-Ready is able to portray, with nothing but a few eloquently written phrases, is simply astounding!

This story may have been written with the younger reader in mind, but this 30 something mom couldn’t put it down and finds the wait for book two interminable! Shift, book two, is currently set to release in May of 2011.

In closing, my overall impression?....

“A gripping literary adventure that will keep the reader turning pages, shedding tears, and sighing with emotion until the very end!”

From the Cover (posted at author’s website)
Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

To Pre-order your copy of Shade, why not use our links?
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Chapters.indigo.ca
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

Contest Connections (5)

(This weekly post has been inspired by the totally amazing weekly list
provided by All Things Urban Fantasy)

Book Blab's Mega Giveaway in celebration of 300 followers! Contest ends May 4th

Eleni over at La Femme Readers is hosting the "My Thank You Giveaway" in recognition of her thanks in reaching over 1000 followers! Up for grabs are two awesome ARC sequels, And Then I Found Out The Truth (Book #2) by Jennifer Sturman & Blue Fire (Book #2) by Janice Hardy! Contest ends May 5, 2010. Thank you Eleni!

Springtime ARC Contest! Head on over to The Story Siren for the event of the season! Winner to received 7! Yes! SEVEN ARCS! Contest closes April 24, 2010. Please tell her YzhaBella from YzhaBella's BookShelf sent you! Contest is open to Everyone!

Enter to win The Host by Stephanie Meyer! Peeking Through the Pages has 3 copies for you all to try and win! Head on over to check out the site and enter this, and a few other great giveaways! The Host giveaway ends 5/2/2010.

Cleverly Inked is hosting one MEGA HUGE Birthday Phenomenon Event! Open Internationally, Ends May 13th. THIS JUST IN!!! NEW PRIZES ADDED 4/22/10! CHECK OUT THE UPDATE HERE!

Bibliophilic Book Blog -- "Clear The Decks" Giveaway! Monica has cleared the shelves for this great event! Head on over, check out the "Prize List" and Complete her Survey for your chance to win something great! Contest is Mainly open to US & Canada, BUT the loverly Monica has something GREAT in mind for the international reader too! Contest ends May 30/10.

HUGE CONTEST! Susan from Wastepaper Prose and Sherry from Flipping Pages for All Ages are hosting a great follower contest! Two Categories, US/Canadian Entrants and International Entrants! Check it out! Contest Ends April 30th!

50 Follower "Pick Your Genre" Giveaway! The lovely Stella over at Ex Libris is hosting a great follower event! Lots of entry chances and great prize options! Contest is Open Internationally, Ends May 2nd.

Princess Bookie is having a great new Giveaway! The "Just Steal My Books Already" event runs until May 1st. Open to US & Canadian Readers. Up for grabs are 4 wonderful ARC's!. Check it out!

4/22/10

Dragon Dance (Beyond The Dark Anthology) by Angela Knight

As I understand it, Dragon Dance is a novelette written solely for “Beyond The Dark” and has no particular relation to any of Knight’s other works. As this has been my first introduction into Ms. Knight’s talents, I could be wrong on this point, so if you are aware of where/if I can find some more “Tracker” hotness, please let me know!

In this tale, readers are introduced to “Hypers”; Humans who have mysteriously become supernaturally empowered. They develop inhuman strength, the ability to fly, to play with fire, or even to control the weather. No one yet knows how a Hyper is created, who creates them, or even which human would be most susceptible. Unfortunately, the transition of human to Hyper tends to be extremely traumatizing and those who aren’t strong enough, or have sufficient guidance, tend to go a little “nuts”.

Sergeant Arial Dean, a hostage negotiator, learns all to well the volatility of new Hypers when she is called into deal with an enraged husband/father who’s holding his family hostage. Turns out he’s a new Hyper who can shoot fire from his hands and he’s "pissed". The change has turned him maniac; too much for the Sheriff’s Department to handle with out some help. Hyper turned Federal Agent, Josiah aka “Tracker” is called in to deal with this new Hyperized bad boy and while he’s able to detain the man, Arial’s life is simultaneously turned upside down and backwards. Nothing will ever be the same, she’s not the same. And, thanks to this hostage situation, Arial and Tracker’s worlds are about to collide in a way neither of them ever expected!

Angela Knight’s depiction of Hyperism has the power to leave readers in hopeful anticipation of plot line possibilities to watch for! The steamy scenes are eloquently related and left even this fairly liberal reader blushing 20 shades of red when asked to read aloud to my hubby! Whew! Hot, hot, hot! I simply MUST get me some more of Knights great stories!

To learn more about Angela Knight and her amazing line up of great stories, please visit her website, here!

4/21/10

Beyond The Dark Anthology: Leigh, Knight, Holly, & Whiteside

Beyond the Dark is an erotic paranormal read that will (*whew*) knock your socks off! With amazing contributors such as Lora Leigh and Angela Knight, readers will be seduced into a world of erotica that made even this “fairly liberal” gal blush and keep the pages from reaching the prying eyes of those sitting close to me on the bus!

With demons, vampires, mages, and devilishly erotic queens, readers will enjoy a tasteful, yet sensual, erotic paranormal adventure. I had first thought this was an original mmpb release in December 2009 and later found out it is actually a re-issue from 2007. Now I know why!

As with previous Anthologies, I will review each story in a separate post, so please stay tuned!

The stories to be found in "Beyond The Dark" (Berkly Books, a division of Penguin Group (USA)) include:
Dragon Dance by Angela Knight
Caught by the Tides by Diane Whiteside
Queen of All She Surveys by Emma Holly
In a Wolf's Embrace by Lora Leigh

From the Publisher
Lora Leigh does it… in the lair of a strange breed, part man, part wolf, on the hunt for the woman he craves—and needs—to fulfill a hunger clawing at him from within

Angela Knight does it… in the psychic realm of a woman attuned to the touch of strangers—and the powerful temptations of a seductive and mysterious protector.

Emma Holly does it… in the fantastic Demon World where a powerful Queen rules—until she commits the sin of falling in love with the handsome son of her worst enemy.

Diane Whiteside does it… in an alternate universe of Regency magic where two lovers are threatened by a vicious mage, and swept up in a turbulent war off the Cornish cliffs.

Format: Mass Market Paperbound
Published: December 1, 2009
Publisher: Berkley Mass Market
The following ISBNs are associated with this title:
ISBN - 10:0515147192
ISBN - 13:9780515147193

Interested in purchasing a copy of Beyond The Dark? Why not use these handy links?
Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.indigo.ca

(Book Source for this review: Personal Shelf via Thrift Shop)

4/18/10

Welcome to YzhaBella's BookShelf!

Please allow me to lay out the welcome mat! It's be some time now that YzhaBella's BookShelf has been "testing the waters" within the blogosphere and now I'd like to officially say hello!

So..Hello and welcome to my online abode! I am honoured that you all have welcomed me so warmly and chosen to follow my musings, meanderings, and reviews!!

Some may have noticed that I blog "quietly". I don't publish as much as some, and I tend to review some older, or at least "not so new" books. This is not because I don't want to, it's simply because there are already so many WONDERFUL Book Bloggers out there who are totally on top of everything that's "now"! So, with that being said, I most definitely do have a few "New" & "Soon To Be Released" posts up my sleeve! I do hope you find my posts not only informative, but fun and entertaining, as well!

There will most definitely be some great reviews, events, and celebrations, here at the BookShelf! I recently had the greatest pleasure of winning an ARC of Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready (courtesy of Michelle over at Simon's Urban Fantasy Blog (Simon & Shuster Canada)). This was my first experience in receiving and reviewing an ARC, and (not to toot my own horn, but) I am quite proud of the end result. Of course, I am certain having such a wonderful story, to start with, helped immensely! You can see my review here!

So! Now that you all have allowed me to blabber on, won't you please honour me with just one more minute? Please post a comment or two! Tell me what you like about YzhaBella's BookShelf so far, or what you don't. What type of events, features, reviews, or contests would you like to see hosted here? Or, if you don't really know what to say at the moment, why not just say "Hello"!

I do have a couple great things in the works! Upcoming Events Include: Author Spotlight & Giveaway w/ "Katie Salidas, Author of Immortalis Carpe Noctem" (March 2010) and a great Debut Author Interview & Release Celebration w/ "Stacey Kennedy, Author of The Willow" (July 2010). And, not to be forgotten, I will also be posting a "Feature Review and Author Spotlight about Naomi Clarke" in which I will be specifically referencing her Debut Novel "Afterlife"!

OH! I almost forgot! Something just for YOU! My wonderful, loverly, and/or handsome followers! Keep your eyes peeled! There will be a great "Welcome to The BookShelf" International Giveaway coming your way, very, very soon! Please tell ALL your friends!

Bullying: Suicides Highlight a Schoolyard Problem

Bullying: Suicides Highlight a Schoolyard Problem

Last month two 11-year-old boys committed suicide within 10 days of each other. The apparent reason: their parents claim that both boys, one in Georgia and the other in Massachusetts, were bullied by classmates who accused them of being "gay." Their families say the boys hanged themselves rather than face another day at school. It's unclear who was told what and when — or whether the schools could have done anything to prevent the deaths. But the cases have highlighted the continuing problem, in an age when children can torment one another via text messages and social-networking sites, of old-fashioned name-calling and physical bullying in school hallways and on playgrounds across the country.

Read more: Bullying: Suicides Highlight a Schoolyard Problem

4/17/10

Young Adult Authors Against Bullying

Young Adult Authors Against Bullying: "When sixteen-year-old Pheobe Prince hung herself after months relentless bull..."

4/16/10

Contest Connections (4)

There's some great events happening around the blogosphere!

Jucilicious Reviews is holding a box giveaway. 2 winners will each receive a box filled with 8-9 YA titles. This one ends April 21st, but don't wait, enter now!

The Undercover Book Lover is holding a PICK YOUR PUBLISHER CONTEST and the winner gets to select their favorite group of books. This contest is international and ends April 22nd. Good luck!

Book Blab's Mega Giveaway in celebration of 300 followers! Contest ends May 4th

Paranormal Haven's 250 Followers Giveaway! The ladies over at PH are hosting a rockin' contest in appreciation of their followers! Check it out! Contest open until follower count reaches 250! Please let them know YzhaBella sent you!

500 Followers Giveaway! The loverly Stephanie over at Juiciliciousss Reviews and celebrating a major milestone with this great giveaway! Open to US & Canada, Ends April 19/10, Please tell her YzhaBella's BookShelf sent you!

Eleni over at La Femme Readers is hosting the "My Thank You Giveaway" in recognition of her thanks in reaching over 1000 followers! Up for grabs are two awesome ARC sequels, And Then I Found Out The Truth (Book #2) by Jennifer Sturman & Blue Fire (Book #2) by Janice Hardy! Contest ends May 5, 2010. Thank you Eleni!

500 FOLLOWERS Giveaway! Way to Go! In honor of reaching 500 followers, "Reading With Tequila" is giving away books from some of the best loved & most wanted series suggested by "Reading with Tequila" readers. Contest open until 11:59 EST on April 20th.Please tell her YzhaBella sent you!

Springtime ARC Contest! Head on over to The Story Siren for the event of the season! Winner to received 7! Yes! SEVEN ARCS! Contest closes April 24, 2010. Please tell her YzhaBella from YzhaBella's BookShelf sent you! Contest is open to Everyone!

Enter to win The Host by Stephanie Meyer! Peeking Through the Pages has 3 copies for you all to try and win! Head on over to check out the site and enter this, and a few other great giveaways! The Host giveaway ends 5/2/2010.

Cleverly Inked is hosting one MEGA HUGE Birthday Phenomenon Event! Open Internationally, Ends May 13th.

Bibliophilic Book Blog -- "Clear The Decks" Giveaway! Monica has cleared the shelves for this great event! Head on over, check out the "Prize List" and Complete her Survey for your chance to win something great! Contest is Mainly open to US & Canada, BUT the loverly Monica has something GREAT in mind for the international reader too! Contest ends May 30/10.

50 Follower "Pick Your Genre" Giveaway! The lovely Stella over at Ex Libris is hosting a great follower event! Lots of entry chances and great prize options! Contest is Open Internationally, Ends May 2nd.

TGI Friday! It's Blog Hop Time! (6)

Crazy for books has created a weekly meme where book bloggers, and readers, can meet new book bloggers. Here is what Jennifer from Crazy for books has to say about the meme:

"Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!

4/12/10

The Passion by Donna Boyd

Wow, Really Wow! I really enjoyed this book! It is the first werewolf based story,that I have read, that gives the reader a complete look into werewolf pack culture, or the best look a "Human" can understand.

The Passion is a book where true historical facts are interwoven with the fantasy world that Boyd has created. The historical events and views are told from the main character Alexander Devoncroix, a werewolf, for he has all the "facts" of what occurred at the time. The other main characters are Tessa, a human, who has become part of the werewolf world, is struggling to find her place within that world, and is trying to fully understand the werewolf culture. Elisa Devoncroix, also a werewolf, is the leader of the pack and but knows that all may not accept her views for the pack’s future.

This novel is about the power of love, good and bad forms, betrayal, redemption, and finding what one is truly looking for.

From the Publisher
In finely crafted prose and lush detail, Donna Boyd weaves a spell-binding tapestry of romance and suspense set against richly imagined landscapes of sensuousness. An intense saga of love and betrayal, The Passion is a story of those who walk the fine line between man beast.

On the eve of a brutal murder in contemporary Manhattan, Alexander Devoncroix finally reveals to his son and heir a tightly guarded chapter in the family history, which is know to no outsiders.

In a world in which a superior race of werewolves holds the positions of power, human and werewolf segregation had become the norm. But for the first time, the leaders of the pack have accepted a human. In dazzling nineteenth century Paris, we meet three pivotal players: the young human Tessa LeGuerre, who falls under the spell of a very powerful, very sensual werewolf; Alexander Devoncroix, the charismatic werewolf who adores humans too well, but whose ultimate loyalty is to the pack; and Elise, the imperial pack leader who lays claim to Alexander. Beloved "pet" of select members of the pack, Tessa naively embraces all things werewolf--an ambition that results in unspeakable tragedy.

Published: September 7, 1999
Publisher: HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
The following ISBNs are associated with this title:
ISBN - 10:0380790947
ISBN - 13:9780380790944

For more information about Donna Boyd, please visit her website here.

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