Let's Talk Trash

Forget the cover, forget the blurbs, forget all that author promo--have you ever read a horrible review, and think--I have GOT to read THAT book? I must admit that any book that is hauled out in the public forum by a reviewer and called "Trash" is pretty much an auto-buy for me.

You'd think I would've learned my lesson from Rainbow Party (Cursor over for Spoiler Alert: there was no actual Rainbow Party) and The Garden which I ended up putting down before I got to the snake sex part (or maybe I read it and was too daft to realize what was happening). I do love the cover though...

But why am I so swayed by a bad review, particularly one that promises a vulgar trashy read? Is it the train wreck factor? The what's-the-fuss factor? Or is that maybe, just maybe I like naughty books?

Okay, you got me. As a teen I read Flowers in the Attic, Forever, and Go Ask Alice--those were our big, bad, trashy books. They were also really good and have stood the test of time. Something tells me the trashy books of today won't. At least not the ones I've read.

But here are two more for my consideration--


Swoon which is touted to have a “Homecoming Orgy” and "sexual havoc" and as Publisher's Weekly claims: "This book makes Gossip Girl look like Sweet Valley High." SOLD!

and...wait for it...

Castration Celebration by Jake Wizner (Spanking Shakespeare)--yes it's exactly what it sounds like--a kind of "High School Musical" meets "Saw." Only late night giddiness, illegal substances, and a well-timed re-run of the John & Lorena Bobbitt Story could breed such a premise. I can only imagine what my agent or editor would've said to me had I trotted it out. But alas, I did not.


This book, as you can imagine, has been making the reviewer rounds and I cannot ignore it any longer. I give you the NY Post Review. As ridiculously insulting as Andrea Peyser is, the review is on some level (the is-she-on-something? level to be exact) hilarious. She bleats like sheep, she calls Random House--Random Partners House, and in a big, big finish (I'm imagining jazz hands) she implies that the author is a child molester:

"Wizner's biography lists his hobbies as writing, teaching and "going to the playground."

Just not near my kid.

I mean she doesn't just call the book trash--she calls the author trash and the publisher trash--Hullo? Auto buy!!

What do think of these books? Any others I need to check out?

Last Chance + Awesome News

Geektastic won't be available for months and months, who can wait that long to get their geek on with awesome authors like M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr? Not you!

Deadline to enter the Geektastic ARC is tonight at midnight! So go HERE now and tell me some geeky things about you!




Also--some awesome news!! Undone is a National Readers Choice Award finalist! Whoo hoo! Readers are teh awesome! Thank you!!!

Geektastic Contest!!

****WIN WIN WIN****

ARC

of

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

"Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside)and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on."

How To Win It:

Leave me a comment telling me what makes you a geek (multiple entries welcome--limit 10).

Want EXTRA CREDIT? Of course you do!

Spread the geek love and blog about this contest, leave me a linkie doo in the comments ,and you'll get an extra 5 entries and a gold star!

When is it due?

Leave your comments by April 22nd, 2009 at Midnight!

Book Meet Wall

*** Okay--just warning this is a rant--a small one--but one nonetheless. ***

My agent once did a rant about bodily functions here: http://pubrants.blogspot.com/search?q=bodily

At the time I thought she was just being sensitive, and maybe I'm now being sensitive too--but there is something about reading certain words that makes them much more visual than when they are spoken. Snot is one of them.

Awhile back I was reading a romance and on several occasions while the MC was crying, the hero would pull out his handkerchief and instruct her to "blow"--Talk about ruining a sweet moment as well as making the MC seem about five years old.

So just for the official record: If I see snot mentioned in any book when it is not meant to be 2nd grade humor--I'm chucking it across the room.

What words or phrases or bodily functions have you read that really grossed you out when they weren't supposed to?

drawing: www.tomfroese.com

ARCs Giveaway!

A couple of quick things first-- Undone made the final cut for the ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers List! Whoo Hooo!!!

AND (thank you Librarily Blond) I now have a new fun blog to procrastinate with: http://failblog.org/

Okay--onto the giveaways. This is kind of a winter bookshelf cleanup giveaway of ARCs I grabbed up at NCTE but have not yet read because I'm just that overwhelmed with everything else. SO I'm giving them away--enter to win one, two, or all. Simply tell me which numbers you are interested in. The way it will work is this--I'll combine my LJ and Blogger comments and then do the random number thing--if your number is picked you win whatever books you listed. If there are still books left over the people who selected those books will then get a shot at the random number generator, etc... This way I may save a little on postage. Hope you understand. Now onto the books:

1. The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson/Michael Ledwidge

2. The Model President by Brian Tacang (It's a MG--and Brian was a fashion designer, just thought I'd include that)

3. The Haunting of Derek Stone-City of the Dead and Bayou Dogs by Tony Abbott

4. Deeper by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams (this is a sequel to a NYT bestselling book called Tunnels)

and the hardest to part with:

5. Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

Okay--you have until Sunday (Feb 1st) midnight to post your choices! Good Luck!

Don't be a Flake Contest!

Okay ya'll--you've heard of Bake Sales, but in response to the many horses in need due to the flooding in Washington a couple of amazing organizations are throwing a "Flake Sale" (more detail below) and since I've been super-duper excited about the release of Jessica Burkhart's horsey series Canterwood Crest and it's finally released today--well why not combine the two events somehow? This is what I've come up with:

For everyone who comments (tell me if you've had a memorable horse experience or other animal if you've never been around a horse OR OR OR purge your soul and tell me something you've totally flaked on) I will donate $1 to the Flake Sale (so 100 comments = $100) PLUS you will get entered to win one of 3 Take the Reins (Canterwood Crest) books +Plus a super cute plush horse. Can't beat that! (Deadline midnight Sunday January 18, 2009)

When Sasha Silver and her horse, Charm, arrive on the campus of the elite Canterwood Crest Academy, Sasha knows that she's in trouble. She's not exactly welcomed with open arms. One group of girls in particular is used to being the best, the brightest, and the prettiest on the team, and when Sasha shows her skills in the arena, the girls' claws come out.

Sasha is determined to prove that she belongs at Canterwood. Will she rise to the occasion and make the advanced riding team by the end of her first semester? Or will the pressure send Sasha packing?

More info about the Flake Sale:

"In early January 2009, Western Washington experienced torrential rains resulting in devastating flooding in many areas. Over 18 counties declared a state of emergency, as a combination of heavy rain and previous snowfall caused a number of rivers to break their banks. 40,000 residents had to evacuate their homes, many with their pets and livestock. Over 300 horses are being temporarily housed at area fairgrounds.

As the waters recede, residents are returning to find that their winter’s supply of hay and grain has been destroyed by the rushing water. With hay prices at an all-time high, the flood damage has created a severe crisis for area horse owners.

To help the horses and owners affected by the floods, Second Chance Ranch, in partnership with HorseReunions.com, has established a Flood Relief Fund. This fund will provide emergency feeding grants to help Washington horse owners meet their horses’ immediate needs as they begin flood recovery efforts.

What is the Flake Sale?To fund this effort, we are holding a virtual “Flake Sale”. Just click to buy a virtual flake of hay for a horse in need via Paypal with your credit card, debit card or checking account. You can buy as many flakes as you like – just $5 will buy a virtual flake (in real life, it pays for enough hay to feed one horse for one day!) :

Official Website: http://flakesale.com/

The Fairy BlogMother Strikes again!

Another awesome ARC giveaway!! My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison will be out January 6th--but you can get it early! Just leave a comment (deadline midnight Dec. 23rd) answering the following: If you had a Fairy Godmother--what would you ask her for?

Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.

About the Author:

JANETTE RALLISON has been writing since she was six years old, although the quality of her work has improved substantially since then. She is the author of many books, including All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School. She lives in Chandler, Arizona, with her husband, Guy, and their five children. www.janetterallison.com www.janette-rallison.blogspot.com

Good Luck! And stay tuned for more ARC giveaways!!

Chemistry Perfecto!

Thank you to all who entered, I loved all the Spanish--estas loco si no quiero leer este libro! (If I just said something about an elephant reading in the bathroom--please just go with it...)

Okay--there will be more ARC giveaways coming up--so if you didn't win, keep trying! And luckily Perfect Chemistry is coming out just next week! YAY!

And the winner is.......

kimberleylittle

YAY! Please email me: Brooke (at) BrookeTaylorBooks (dot) com with you addy and I'll shoot it out to you ASAP!

Win Perfect Chemistry ARC!!!

OMG!! When Simone Elkeles told me she was working on a rap video for her upcoming book, Perfect Chemistry, I wasn't sure what to think. But it's out now and I think it is the coolest thing ever!! So be sure to go check it out at her website, you won't be disappointed:

www.simoneelkeles.net

Okay--well you might be a little disappointed because the book isn't out yet (will be soon! 12/23)--but guess what I have???? And Guess what you could win???

That's right--I have a Advanced Reader's Copy (it's a book) that I'll be giving away--all you have to do to be entered to win is leave a comment (deadline midnight 12/14/08) using any Spanish word you know!

Example- "I'd love to win and promise not to read it while in el bano"

Here's a little more about Perfect Chemistry:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

SIMONE ELKELES has written three young adult novels, including Leaving Paradise, a Book Sense Pick. Simone was recently named Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She lives in Illinois, with her family. www.simoneelkeles.net

Contests!

You have 'till next Tuesday to enter to win a collector's edition of Twilight: http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/twilight-contest-no-edward-h8ers.html

I have yet to make it to the movie--so please tell me if you have and what you thought!!

ALSO: Win UNDONE + other awesome books @ Terri Clark's blog: http://terriclark.livejournal.com/

And lastly--NCTE was a blast. I was only there for like a day and a half, but I met my editor who I love and some of the Walker/Bloomsbury staff who are sooo much fun, I signed books and even had a line at one point (3 people is a line, right?) and I got to have dinner with super famous authory types--like Justine Larbalestier who is pure awesome and we both share a debilitating allergy that once scarred us but now has given us the courage to live fuller, happier lives--so we bonded over the traumas & trials of that.

But what you should be excited about is the ARCs!! Yes, I grabbed up as many as I could and will be giving them away in contests for the next several weeks. So be watching for more info on that!

Quick Question--Book Trailers

Hey everyone--

I'm trying to put together a quick list of awesome YA (and MG if there are any) book trailers--ones that really capture the essence of the book or really made you want to go out and buy it. So if you have some favorites, let me know--include the url if it isn't too much trouble.

Besides Undone's (ahem) I have Forest of Hands and Teeth & The Adoration of Jenna Fox--I'd love to include some really funny ones as well--but if you could help me out that would be awesome.

This is for a workshop I'll be giving--it's for English teachers.

Chillz!!!

This one will be coming to a big screen one day, mark my words!

Yay Carrie!!!

Last Chance & Win UNDONE

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/monster-month-of-giveaways-faerie-week.html

Entry Deadline October 30th-midnight CST! All entries will be rolled into the super awesome and amazing Paranormal Powerball (see list below) to be drawn from the cauldron (seriously, I have one) on Oct. 31!


ALSO & maybe more importantly (ahem)!!

Rachel Vincent, an amazing urban fantasy author who is coming over to the dark side--I mean the YA side--is hosting a chance to win UNDONE + a $15 online gift card for Barnes & Noble!!

To enter, leave a comment on her post (HERE) by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 4 .

Paranormal Powerball:

ARC of EVERMORE by Alyson Noel
LILY DALE: AWAKENING by Wendy Corsi Staub
Sleepless by Terri Clark
Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra
Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz
The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong
Old Magic by Marianne Curley
Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block
Red Handed (Teen Alien Huntress) by Gena Showalter
and
Stake That! (The Blood Coven) by Mari Mancusi
(all in a "Wish Me Monsters" tote bag)

BRRRRAINS! + chance to win Undone

First off--I had soo much fun reading all of your comments--there were many many potential zombies with Bill Gates on the taste buds. And a few who would go after boyfriend stealers and the like. Clearly becoming a zombie is not for the squeamish, so I do hope that those of you who had trouble with the idea are never put in this situation. Personally, I don't even like cauliflower, so it would be hard for me as well. That said, the brain I'd most want to eat would be the jerk who abused my mustang Mari. Although, one could argue that he probably doesn't have much of a brain. Strictly for flavor, I think I'd go for Goldie Hawn's because I bet hers tastes like cotton candy. (And I love her for it!!)

WINNERS OF ZOMBIE WEEK ARE...

Prize Pack 1:
ARC! You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
Zombie Blondes by Brian James

!!KissOfParadise!!

Prize Pack #2:
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks

!!JustBlindedBook Reviews!!

If you didn't win, don't worry--all entries will be dropped into the Paranormal Power Ball cauldron, a winner will be hand drawn from said cauldron on Halloween! There is also the Faerie Week contest that just started yesterday--scroll down as I am too lazy to get the linkie-doo.

ALSO--Please watch Kelly Parra's Secret Fates blog (http://secretfates.blogspot.com/) for a chance to win UNDONE -- I believe it will go up tomorrow (Saturday). Good Luck!!

Monster Month of Giveaways--Faerie Week!

***EDIT: The deadline for the Faerie Week contest is OCT 30th, sorry for the earlier mistake! Darn those mischievous Faeries!!

***ZOMBIE week ends in a few short hours--deadline Oct 23 midnight***

!!!!WIN!!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!

I can't believe we're finally to Faerie Week! Seems like I've been wanting to post this contest week forever!! And you know what else will be like forever? Having to wait for Fairy Lust to come out--because it won't until like the end of June. Is that not the most cruelest thing you've ever heard?!?! I know!

Which is why, Auntie Brookie is going to be your super.cool fairy blogmother! (the dot was a typo, but I kind of like it(dot)love it. Huh?Huh? A new catch(dot)phrase maybe? No? You want me to stop right now? Fine.)

So, anyhoo--These ARCs are so brand spanking new the wings on the cover are still wet and Cyn Balog only has a few, but since she's also super.cool she's giving a signed one to our Grand Prize Winner! Squee!!!!

So how do you win, you ask--very simple--you leave a comment in which you answer one or both of the following questions (Deadline to enter Oct. 30, midnight CST):

1. In the spirit of How to Ditch Your Fairy (featured in Prize Pack #2!!!)--If you could have a personal fairy, what would their special powers be? (For instance in Justine's book the MC has a Parking Fairy who makes sure she gets the very best parking spots)

2. Tell me about something that has happened that you believe to be the work (or mischief) of faeries.

All entries will automatically roll over into the Paranormal Power Ball cauldron--for more info on the Power Ball prize or how to earn lots of extra entries go here and here!

Fairy Week Prize Packs:

GRAND PRIZE:
Signed ARC FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Kin (Good Neighbors) by Holly Black
Handmade Amethyst Faerie Wings (picture below)
Glamourkin pendant-"In the Court of Dark Shadows" (It is very very hard for me to give this one up, the only reason I even can is that I have one that has "She Comes Undone" on it.) Check the whole series out here.
Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Lost but Not Worried"
Fairy wand with Skull detail
Halloween tricks and treats

Prize Pack #2:
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones
Black/Blue Faerie Wings (not shown/store bought)
Glamourkin pendant-"She comes to the woods at the darkening hour" (not shown)
Jasmine Becket-Griffith Strangeling print- "Camouflage"
Fairy wand with Skull detail
Halloween tricks and treats

FAIRY LUST by Cyn Balog:

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they're totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl- it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass - a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky - and equally dangerous - dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre.Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind. "Lament" is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.

***Maggie will be sending the winner a signed book plate as well!! YAY!

Kin (Good Neighbors) by Holly Black:

Rue Silver's mother has disappeared . . . and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing her. But it's not as straightforward as that. Because Rue is a faerie, like her mother was. And her father didn't kill her mother -- instead, he broke a promise to Rue's faerie king grandfather, which caused Rue's mother to be flung back to the faerie world. Now Rue must go to save her -- and must also defeat a dark faerie that threatens our very mortal world.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier:

Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all—especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart’s desire, it isn’t at all what she thought it would be like, and she’ll have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment? From the author of the acclaimed Magic or Madness trilogy, this is a delightful story of fairies, friendships, and figuring out how to make your own magic.

The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones :

Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. With her return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there.

Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly remembers why she disappeared, and realizes that she is the only one who can stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

These reminded me sooo much of the gorgy ones on Cyn's cover--if I'd kept them for myself I'd wear them when baking cupcakes or affix them to the top of my bookshelf. *sheds a tiny tear of jealousy for the winner*
Love these prints! This one reminds me of Kelly Parra's Graffiti Girl

The skull detail makes the wand, don't you think?

GOOD LUCK to all and THANK YOU for commenting and spreading the word!

Ghost Week Winners!

Ghost Week Winners Announced & Powerball Prize info!!!

***If you didn't win--have no fear, Paranormal Powerball is almost here!! All previous entires , including bonus chances, have gone into the cauldren for the Oct. 31st drawing!***

SO FAR the Powerball has the following books:

ARC of EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

LILY DALE: AWAKENING by Wendy Corsi Staub

Sleepless by Terri Clark
Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra
Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz
The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong

Old Magic by Marianne Curley

Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block

Red Handed (Teen Alien Huntress) by Gena Showalter

and

Stake That! (The Blood Coven) by Mari Mancusi

(all in a "Wish Me Monsters" tote bag)

Want to win? Want to increase your chances? When you enter the weekly contests, like this week's Zombie Book Giveaway or Faery Week which starts tomorrow!!--remember to post on each of my blogs: Brooke Taylor's Blog, Brooke Taylor Books MySpace, Brooke's Books Live Journal--that's 3 entries right there--and seriously my poor LJ and MySpace have been neglected by many of ya'll. Please show them some love too!

Want 5 more chances? Post about my Monster Month of Giveaways on your blog/website/whatever! Here's all the info:

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/09/monster-month-of-giveaways.html

BONUS!! Want 5 more chances? Sign up to "follow this blog" --and if you're already following it and have entered the contest you automatically get 6 entries and a BIG
THANK YOU!

Want to win my book UNDONE??? Be watching Rachel Vincent's blog in the next week or so--I'll post more when I have a linkie-doo and on Saturday Kelly Parra will be hosting a giveaway on her Secret Fates blog extravaganza (check it out now if you haven't already--she's giving away books every day!!!!)--and UNDONE is all about secrets and fate--so what a perfect match, eh?

OKAY--now for the winners of Ghost Week! Grand Prize: DIANA DANG!

After much deliberation Diana picked Prize Pack #2(Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz & Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley ) to go along with an ARC of Shadowed Summer

which means...

PRIZE PACK #1 (Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer & A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb) goes to JADED BEE!!

Whoo hoo! Congrats!! And Good Luck to those still in it to win it!

WIN!

WIN awesome Zombie Book prize packs! Here's the linkie-doo:

http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/monster-month-of-giveaways-zombies.html

ALSO! I have exciting, no EXCITING news about the Paranormal Power Ball which will be drawn on the 31st! An awesome new ARC has been added to the pot. I'm very very jealous of the winner of this prize, in fact there was a time in my life I would have selfishly held on to such a lovely, shiny object--but this is a MONSTER MONTH of GIVEAWAYS--and I will not hold out on ya'll!

EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

HUGE THANK YOU!!! TO ALYSON!!!

Also added to the pot courtesy of my awesome publisher WALKER: LILY DALE: AWAKENING

Starting on Thursday it is Faerie Week--I have a few books on the for-sure list, but if you have requests, I'd love to hear them--so far I'm super super psyched to announce Cyn Balog has been so freaking awesome to donate a signed, fresh-off-the-presses ARC of FAIRY LUST!! Dude--it won't even be out until summer 09! Who can wait that long?!?!

ALSO--Afraclose, please contact me about your Vampire Week prize:-) Thanks!!

Monster Month of Giveaways--ZOMBIES!!!

***Last chance to enter Ghost Week Giveaway!***

!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!WIN!!!WIN!!!

TO ENTER leave a comment with the answer to the following question:

If you became a Zombie tomorrow, whose brain would you most want to eat and why?

Deadline Oct 23 midnight CST. For extra chances to win click HERE for details!

***All entries will be automatically entered to win the Paranormal Powerball***

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she’s part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal—and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it’s a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it’s looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party—the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life—and more importantly, homecoming—depends on it.

Prize Pack 1:

ARC! You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Zombie Blondes by Brian James

Prize Pack 2:

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks

Both Prize Packs include:
Zombie Socks Zombie
Whack A Zombie desk set (what better way to de-stress than honing your zombie killing skills?)
What Would a Zombie Do (Don’t know whether you should plod, moan, drool, or hunt the living? Consult the spinner)
Graveyard Cookie Decorating set
Brain Ice/Jell-O mold
Zombie Finger Puppets donated by the awesome Carrie Ryan whose zombie book The Forest of Hands and Teeth will be coming out in March 2009
Zombie Survival Kit donated by Amanda Ashby whose zombie book Zombie Queen of Newbury High will be coming out in March 2009.
Brain Suckers & More Halloween candy-n-stuff

Love Brains Tote Bag

Zombie Blondes by Brian James

From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong.
A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.
The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: if she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent...and dead.

Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks (graphic novel)

Joss's life sucks. She's in the middle of university exams, up to her neck in student loans, and when she's attacked by zombies, her roommates have the nerve to think she's making it up. But when the zombies turn out to be terrifyingly real, only Joss knows how to survive the undead invasion: by following the Rules of Zombie Movies.

Monster Month of Giveaways--Ghost Week!

***Don't forget to enter the Vampyre Week giveaway***

!!!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!WIN!!!!!
SUPER GRAND PRIZE PACK:

Advanced Reader Copy of Saundra Mitchell's February 2009 debut novel + your choice of Grand Prize Pack 1 or 2 (described below).

To ENTER: Leave a comment telling about a haunted place in your town, a ghost you've seen, so something that scared the beejeezzies out of you (books count of course!!).
Deadline Oct 16 midnight CST

For extra chances to win click HERE for details!

***All entries will be automatically entered to win the Paranormal Powerball***

ARC!ARC!ARC!
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Iris is ready for another hot, routine summer in her small Louisiana town, hanging around the Red Stripe grocery with her best friend, Collette, and traipsing through the cemetery telling each other spooky stories and pretending to cast spells. Except this summer, Iris doesn’t have to make up a story. This summer, one falls right in her lap.

Years ago, before Iris was born, a local boy named Elijah Landry disappeared. All that remained of him were whispers and hushed gossip in the church pews. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she’s certain it’s the ghost of Elijah. What really happened to him? And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris to come back to?

Ghost Week Grand Prize #1:

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

String of Ghost Lights

Ty Ghost Bear "Sheetsies"

Fuze Magic "Haunted" Quartz Necklace

Ghost key chain & more fun ghostly goodies

Halloween Tattoos and Candy

Ghost Marshmallow Peeps

Lighted ghost bobble headband

Haunted Magic 8 Ball

Ghost Week Grand Prize #2:

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

String of Ghost Lights
Ty Ghost Bear "Sheetsies"
Fuze Magic "Haunted" Quartz Necklace
Ghost key chain & more fun ghostly goodies
Halloween Tattoos and Candy
Ghost Marshmallow Peeps
Lighted ghost bobble headband
Haunted Magic 8 Ball

Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer

NANNY FOR 10-YR-OLD TWINS. MAINE COAST. OWN ROOM & GENEROUS SALARY. MUST LOVE BLACK. "Must love black?" Sounds like a coffee-loving, seclusion-seeking goth girl's dream job. Philippa isn't fazed by the fog-enshrouded mansion on a cliff, the weirdest twins on the planet, or even the rumors about ghosts, "cause when she meets the estate's hot gardener, Philippa's pretty sure she's found her dream boy, too. Too bad Geoff's already taken by a girl whose wardrobe is head-to-toe pink. Still, Philippa can't get Geoff out of her head. What will it take to lure him to the dark side?

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Someone was looking at me, a disturbing sensation if you’re dead. Though I could not feel paper between my fingers, smell ink, or taste the tip of a pencil, I could see and hear the world with all the clarity of the Living. They, on the other hand, did not see me as a shadow or a floating vapor. To the Quick, I was empty air.

Or so I thought.

In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: For the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen–terrified, but intrigued–is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz

High atop Hathorne Hill, near Boston, sits Danvers State Hospital. Built in 1878 and closed in 1992, this abandoned mental institution is rumored to be the birthplace of the lobotomy. Locals have long believed the place to be haunted. They tell stories about the unmarked graves in the back, of the cold spots felt throughout the underground tunnels, and of the treasures found inside: patients' personal items like journals, hair combs, and bars of soap, or even their old medical records, left behind by the state for trespassers to view.

On the eve of the hospital's demolition, six teens break in to spend the night and film a movie about their adventures. For Derik, it's an opportunity to win a filmmaking contest and save himself from a future of flipping burgers at his parents' diner. For the others, it's a chance to be on TV, or a night with no parents. But what starts as a playful dare quickly escalates into a frenzy of nightmarish action. Behind the crumbling walls, down every dark passageway, and in each deserted room, they will unravel the mysteries of those who once lived there and the spirits who still might.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

And if I should die before I awake,

I pray the popular attend my wake.

Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal.

If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is.In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen.

Next Week: ZOMBIES!!!!! OMG!! YAY!

***Sneak Peek at Paranormal Powerball books***

Sleepless by Terri Clark

Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra

Unleashed by Kristopher Reisz

The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong

+ more!!

Monster Month of Giveaways--Vampyre Edition

!!!WIN!!WIN!!WIN!!WIN!!WIN!!WIN!!!

TWO Grand Prize House of Night prize packs are up for grabs! Leave a comment on this post before midnight (cst) Oct. 9, 2008 to enter. For extra chances click here!

All entries will be automatically entered in the October 31st Paranormal Powerball

(details will be forthcoming, but trust me--it will include tons of books!).

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Prize Pack 1:

Marked (HOK #1) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Betrayed (HOK #2) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Dark Daughters Necklace (the bottom necklace w/ ballchain in the photo below)

Ty Beenie Vampire Bear

Harry Potter Blood Suckers

Black "Claw" Polish

Halloween Tattoos

Halloween Candy

Other Fun Halloween Stuff

ALL in a super cool tote bag that reads: "Never Kill a Boy on the the First Date".

Prize Pack 2:

Chosen (HOK #3) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Untamed (HOK #4) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Crescent Moon Necklace (the top necklace w/ black leather cord in the photo below)
Ty Beenie Vampire Bear
Harry Potter Blood Suckers
Black "Claw" Polish
Halloween Tattoos
Halloween Candy
Other Fun Halloween Stuff
ALL in a super cool tote bag that reads: "Never Kill a Boy on the the First Date"

For more info on the House of Night jewelry collection go here

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.
Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel. (Recommended for readers age 13 and older)

*** Next Week's Monster Giveaway theme will be Ghosts! And I'm super psyched to be including an ARC of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

****WINNERS of the Banned Book Giveaway are Lauren (Shooting Stars Mag) & Paradox! Please contact me with the banned YA book of your choice at brooke@brooketaylorbooks.com. Thanks & Congrats!!