10 Days of Halloween Wrap Up and Thank You

The ten days of Halloween have come to a close, but we had a lot of fun along the way! In this post I'll link all the author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways between my blog and Elena's blog. There is still time to enter the giveaways! All of them end sometime soon though, so hurry up!


Author Interviews:
Rebecca Maizel, author of Infinite Days

Jonathan Maberry, author of Rot & Ruin

Kersten Hamilton, author of Tyger Tyger

Adam Selzer, author of I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It

Brenna Yovanoff, author of The Replacement

Vanessa Morgan, author of The Strangers Outside

Stacey Kade, author of The Ghost and The Goth

Claudia Gabel, author of Romeo and Juliet and Vampires

Wow, so many awesome authors! Thank you all for participating, I really enjoyed your interviews!

Guest Posts:

Author Beth Fantasky

Bea from Bea's Book Blog

Gina from Fantasy Casting

Those were all fantasticly brilliant guest posts. Go check them out!


Giveaways:

Kicking Off 10 Days of Halloween (ends tonight at midnight!)

ARC of Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton (ends tonight at midnight!)

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel (ends tonight at midnight!)

Romeo and Juliet and Vampires by Claudia Gabel (ends 11/1)

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantasky (ends 11/2)

Signed Copy of Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (extra entries here) (ends 11/2)

Ebook of The Strangers Outside by Vanessa Morgan (ends 11/5)

Also at Book Infinity that ends tonight at midnight: Spooktacular Blog Hop Giveaway: Halo


My Reviews:

Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel


Thanks everyone who helped out, by doing a guest post or interview, or commenting and entering my giveaways! Don't forget, there's still time to enter some of the giveaways. I appreciate my followers and everyone who visits this blog so much! Thank you!

***Also, there is no In My Mailbox post this week due to my business of trying to wrap up the 10 Days of Halloween, and selecting winners for giveaways and such. But look forward another IMM post next week.***

One Day Left For The 10 Days of Halloween

Tomorrow is the last day in the 10 Days of Halloween celebration!


Throughout this week, between my blog and Elena's Book Cafe, we've had a lot of author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways! All the the giveaways are still going on- the first one ends tomorrow.

Sunday, October 31st is the LAST DAY to enter these contests:

Infintite Days by Rebecca Maizel
Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
Spooktacular Giveaway: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto


Other giveaways (all end sometime in the next week):

Romeo and Juliet and Vampires by Claudia Gabel (ends 11/1)
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantasky (ends 11/2)
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (ends 11/2) (extra entries here)
The Strangers Outside by Vanessa Morgan (ends 11/5)
Kicking Off 10 Days of Halloween (ends 11/7)

Go enter these giveaways! Happy Halloween!

Guest Post: The Nine Most Costume Inspiring Stories

Welcome Gina from Fantasy Casting, who wrote the second guest post of this week. She has some awesome thoughts, so thanks Gina for sharing!
note: Also, click on the links in her post, they lead to more pictures!
________________________________________________


As Halloween grows nearer, each of us is looking for costume inspirations in every possible place. I, and my fellow book nerds, are often looking to the stories and pages that we cherish for costume ideas. So, this year, I present to you the Nine Most Costume Inspiring Stories.

However, as nobody wants to receive blank stares on Halloween night (a la Josie and Guy in Never Been Kissed - fast forward to the 4:40 mark if you need to watch the video for reference) we often end up relying on stories and books that have been turned into movies. With a movie version of your beloved character, other less bookish friends will have a visual point of reference. So, in reality, I present to you the Nine Most Costume Inspiring Stories That Were Turned Into Popular Movies.

I will tell you up front, I don't have any Princess stories or fairy tales on this list. You can come up with those all on your own, and really, they aren't all that creative. You can go as Princess Fill-In-The-Blank and your guy can go as Prince Charming. Next year, you can be a different princess, and he's still Prince Charming. Not fun, ladies. Let's spice things up a bit, shall we?

1. Peter Pan by JM Barrie
Between our hero, the forever-child Peter Pan and his supporting cast; pirates, Indians, lost boys, Wendy, Tinkerbell, mermaids and the rest of the Darling family, there is a nearly endless supply of costume ideas. And, as every Halloween connoisseur knows; anything with tights and short skirts is an automatic best seller. Plus, anything that lets you dress up your little fairy princess thusly:

is a total winner in my book.

2. Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Harry Potter is excellent for three reasons: 1) it is instantly recognizable 2) it is easy to put together a group of almost any size 3) it doesn't require anybody to dress like a skank. You could sex it up if you wanted but on the whole, every character has a family-friendly getup. An extra bonus: you probably don't have to buy much to make the costume work. You probably already have the white button up, black skirt/pants and a cardigan.




3. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice, The Queen of Hearts and The Mad Hatter have all long been favorites of the costume-wearing fandom. This year, we add a new element to the mix, as Tim Burton's version gives adults choices for these costumes as well. I went as Alice when I was 8, and the costume was as pristine as any 8 year old's costume should be. There have always been the overly-sexy versions, especially of Alice, but now we have some adult and teen costumes that are decidedly not childish, but are also not trashy.

4. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
This is another story that blends the three great costume needs: family friendly, makes a great group, instantly recognizable. And, like the Harry Potter and Alice costume sets, you can easily adjust the size of your group; just a few of the main characters, or add in lots of peripheral characters like munchkins, monkeys, guards, etc.

5. Gone With The Wind By Margaret Mitchell
Gone with the Wind is an excellent choice for couples costumes because it fulfills both her desire to be pretty and dramatic and allows him to skip the tights, makeup and wigs. Plus, he can reasonably carry a weapon without ruining the authenticity of the costumes.

6. Where's Waldo? by Martin Handford
These are easy, perfectly identifiable, funny and almost never done. I think I've seen one person as Waldo in my whole life, and it was hilarious. Because nobody thinks of it- but it is brilliant. And talk about comfortable... jeans, t-shirt, hat. And you probably already have it all.

7. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Tell me, is there any more ubiquitous costume than vampires? Adult vampires, child vampires, baby vampires, sexy vampires... the list goes on and on. And while vampires have spun off in a zillion different directions; they wear leather (so do the female vamps) they disguise themselves as bikers, they look like aristocracy, they sparkle, but I think we can all agree that Dracula is the most famous, and likely the first one thought of when anybody dresses as a vampire.

8. X-Men by Marvel Comics (created by Stan Lee)
OK, so this one might be outside the standard "book" concept, but I think we have to acknowledge that comic books are increasingly influencing our culture, our reading and our viewing habits. Of the Marvel Comic universe, X-Men are, I think, the most costume friendly characters. The reasons? They don't require masks (I hate masks- your face always feels like it's suffocating and you can't eat anything all night...blerg) and they never look like pajamas. Let's be real- Spiderman costumes always look like you're wearing Spidey jammies instead. Plus, with X-Men, you can go several ways: For instance, if you are dressing as Wolverine, you can go the ultimate geek route (yellow and blue spandex) or you can be a movie version (black leather and bada--ery) or go for the wife-beater tank, jeans, super sideburns and a cigar. Versatility ensures that nobody else at your party is wearing the same outfit.

9. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
This makes my list just because I think EVERY set of twins needs to dress as Thing 1 and Thing 2 at some point in their lives.Seriously- how cute is this:

So, there you go, internet. The nine greatest costume-inspiring stories. You now have no excuse- there are plenty of costumes that are cute, easy, identifiable, comfortable and make you look smart. Because you got the idea from a book.

_______________________________________________

Gina blogs over at Fantasy Casting where she spouts her opinions about who should be cast in the inevitable movie versions of all of our favorite books and stories. You can contact her here.

Book Review: Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Title: Guardian of the Gate
Author: Michelle Zink
Series: Prophecy of the Sisters #2
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Release Date: August 1 2010
My Source: Library

My Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Summary:
The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the only thing she wants: There's also Lia's boyfriend James.

Lia and Alice always knew the Prophecy would turn those closest to them against them. But they didn't know what betrayal could lead them to do. In the end, only one sister will be left standing.

My Review:

This is the second book in the Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy. I gave the first book, titled Prophecy of the Sisters, a 4/5 stars, and I'm only giving this one a 3.5. I wanted to explain this- I didn't like this book any less than the first book, only looking back on PotS, if I was rating it right now I probably would only give it a 3.5, but I'm not going back and changing it, of course.

I like this series a lot, but they have flaws. Mostly, I found it hard to keep engaged in this book. I didn't feel like there was a lot of tension with the plot, and in reality, over the course of this whole book NOTHING happened. This was my main problem. In the end it picked up a little, leaving us with a good cliffhanger for the third book, but before that, there just wasn't a lot of plot happening. Even though it was good, it felt a little slow. I was expecting more action from the second book in the series. It didn't really happen for me. (Maybe the third one? I'm hoping.)

The writing was as beautiful as the first book. Lia's voice is elegant, and I almost feel like I'm reading a paranormal story written by Jane Austen, without SO much romance (does that even make sense? Maybe that's just me). The smooth language and flow is amazing. Since this book does take place in the 18th or 19th century, it makes sense that Lia would talk and think the way she does. It's very appropriate to the time. I loved it. If you read my first review, you'll also know I loved the mythology of the story. It's very well developed, if not entirely unique.

The ever present YA love triangle shows up in this book. I liked the introduction of the newest character- Dimitri. I won't say much about him, but he's great and provides a good contrast to James. I'm interested in seeing how Lia will deal with the inevitable conflict between the two that was only briefly mentioned in this book.

One tiny complaint I have- where is Alice? She hardly appeared in this book. What was she doing while Lia was going through all her happenings? There wasn't much confrontation between the two sisters after the first couple of chapters. I practically forgot about Alice's existence. I understand the book isn't from her point of view, but it's good to have villians that actually appear sometimes! Alice was such an intriging and creepy character in the first book, I missed having her around most of the time. (Though she wasn't completely absent- She was still present throughout, just not as much as I would've liked!)

If you loved Prophecy of the Sisters, you'll love this one too. Overall I give this book (and the trilogy so far) a 3.5/5 stars.I would recommend reading this series if you're a fan of mythology, historical books with good romance and storylines! If you haven't read Prophecy of the Sisters, you have to read it first, but if you like it, be sure to continue by reading Guardian of the Gate!

Buy from Amazon:


Author Info: Website/Blog

Guest Post: Bea from Bea's Book Blog Talks About Halloween

Today, as part of the 10 Days of Halloween celebration, I'm fortunate to have Bea from Bea's Book Blog here at Book Infinity to share her thoughts on Halloween!

Thanks Bea for sharing your thoughts! (And isn't her picture adorable? :))
_____________________________________________________

Halloween and storytelling, for me personally, have always been closely linked. When I was growing up, every changing leaf during October was a sign that it was almost time to write my corresponding Halloween story. One of the first ones I ever wrote was about a tennis shoe that—much like Frankenstein (minus pretty much everything in Frankenstein)—came alive and terrorized its owner until its tragic and untimely demise at the hands of a deftly wielded butter knife. Don’t tell me, don’t tell me, I know: Next Great American novel.*

Recalling those pivotal moments of my childhood Halloween stories got me thinking about the larger relationship between stories and Halloween as well. Halloween, for me, is not so much about fear or the magnetism of the macabre: It is about exploration and experimentation. No other holiday encourages participants to shed their everyday skins in favor of someone (or something) else’s quite like Halloween.

In contemporary celebrations, Halloween swings wide the doors into another realm of lived experience: We can “know” what it’s like to be Lady Gaga for an evening (hopefully minus the meat dress; I hear that’s a pain to store and results in one stanky limo ride). Or Harry Potter. Or a rockstar. Or a zombie. Or a strange and beguiling amalgamation of all four. Halloween allows us to experience what’s it’s like to “be” someone else, and allows us to explore those hidden facets of our own personalities. When we want to do this on any other day of the year, we read.

This ability to peek into the lives of others is perhaps the most striking similarity between stories and Halloween. The fact is that narratives help us make sense of our world, our experiences, and the lives of others. In fact, almost everything we say is a story: Whether it’s describing what happened at the grocery store while standing in line, planning a weekend ski-trip, or writing a college application letter, we are partaking in the grand tradition of storytelling, and Halloween is no exception.

And now, for the most important part of this blog post: What are your Halloween traditions? Do you still dress up? What are you going as?

-Bea

*I’m not kidding. I really believe in this story.
**Actually, yes I am kidding.

_____________________________________________________

Awesome post, so happy to have you here Bea! Go over and check out here blog here if you want to hear more from her!

Extra Entries: Rot & Ruin Giveaway

I currently have a giveaway going on for a signed copy of Rot & Ruin. (See original post here.)

I originally created a simple entry form, but afterwards I decided I wanted to create ways for readers to gain extra entries as I did with the Infinite Days giveaway.

So, READ CAREFULLY- You can fill out this part if you want extra entries in the Rot & Ruin Giveaway. (This is ONLY for that paticular giveaway). If you've already entered in my other form, feel free to enter this one as well. If you haven't entered the other one yet, you're also allowed to fill ONLY this one, and you will still be counted the same as other people.

I hope I made that clear. It you have questions ask me in the comments.

Waiting on Wednesday: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It highlights books that haven't released yet, but we're eagerly awaiting!

My pick for this week: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
Release Date: March 1 2011

Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed. The consequence? Five years in prison. Now she's free. But secrets have a way of keeping you caged...When Allison is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces the whispered rumours every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn - shy, quiet Brynn - who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released, and is more determined than ever to speak with her sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

It should make an interesting read!

What's your pick for this week?

P.S. Go enter my contests! I currently have 4 going on! See the links at the top of this blog. (If you're reading this on a reader, go over to my blog NOW! :)) I'm giving away a great variety of books as part of the 10 Days of Halloween celebration.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Jonathan Maberry, author of Rot & Ruin

Today I have the privilege of having Jonathan Maberry, the author of the new YA novel Rot & Ruin, stopping by my blog for an interview!

This post is a part of my 10 Days of Halloween celebration.


JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. His books have been sold to more than a dozen countries.

His novels include the Pine Deep Trilogy: GHOST ROAD BLUES (Pinnacle books; winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel in 2006), DEAD MAN’S SONG (2007) and BAD MOON RISING (2008); the Joe Ledger series of action thrillers from St. Martin’s Griffin: PATIENT ZERO (2009, which was nominated for a Bram Stoker Best Novel Award and is in development for TV by Sony Pictures), THE DRAGON FACTORY (2010; now available), THE KING OF PLAGUES (March 2011), THE OTHERS (March 2012), VISITORS (2013); THE WOLFMAN (NY Times bestseller from Tor, based on the Universal Pictures film starring Benecio Del Toro, Emily Blunt and Sir Anthony Hopkins); the Benny Imura series of Young Adult dystopian zombie thrillers from Simon & Schuster: ROT & RUIN (Sept 2010) and DUST & DECAY (2011); and the forthcoming zombie thriller DEAD OF NIGHT (June 2011)

His nonfiction works include: VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006), THE CRYPTOPEDIA (Citadel, 2007 –winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction; co-authored by David F. Kramer), ZOMBIE CSU: The Forensics of the Living Dead (Winner of the Hinzman and Black Quill Awards and nominated for a Stoker Award; 2008), THEY BITE! (2009 co-authored by David F. Kramer), WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE (2010 co-authored by Janice Gable Bashman), and THE VAMPIRE SLAYERS FIELD GUIDE TO THE UNDEAD (2001, written under the pen name of Shane MacDougall).

He writes a variety of projects for Marvel Comics involving CAPTAIN AMERICA, BLACK PANTHER, DOOMWAR, WOLVERINE, DEADPOOL, THE X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, the NY Times bestselling MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN, and THE MARVEL UNIVERSE vs THE PUNISHER. All of Jonathan’s comic book collections are released as Graphic Novel collections within a month or two of individual comic publication.

Recent short stories include “Pegleg and Paddy Save the World” (HISTORY IS DEAD, Permuted Press 2007), “Doctor Nine” (KILLERS, Swimming Kangaroo Press, 2008; and reprinted in THE STORIES (in) BETWEEN Edited by Greg Schauer, Jeanne B. Benzel, and W.H. Horner. Fantasist Enterprises, 2009), “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Greenbrier Ghost” (LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE 2, Bloodletting Books, 2008), “Clean Sweeps” (AND SO IT BEGINS, Dark Quest Books, 2008), “Family Business” (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin’s Press, 2010), “Like Part of the Family” (NEW BLOOD edited by Patrick Thomas and Diane Raetz, Padwolf Press, 2010)), and “Zero Tolerance” (THE LIVING DEAD 2, Night Shade Books). Jonathan also created several Joe Ledger short stories for the Internet: “Countdown” and “Deep, Dark”, available through his website.

Jonathan is the co-creator (with Laura Schrock) of ON THE SLAB, an entertainment news show in development by Stage 9 for ABC Disney / Stage 9. He is also a ‘blog correspondent’ on Sony’s zombie-themed web show ‘WOKE UP DEAD’; and a recurring character on ‘IT’S TODD’S SHOW’.

Jonathan’s Big Scary Blog (www.jonathanmaberry.com) focuses on the publishing industry. Jonathan’s interviews include Sandra Brown, Gayle Lynds, Alafair Burke, James Rollins, Harlan Coben, Jeff Abbott, John Saul, Jonathan Kellerman, Barry Eisler, CJ Box, Laurell K. Hamilton, Jack Ketchum, Tom Piccarilli, Dale Brown, Kevin J. Anderson, Joe Lansdale, Peter Straub, Ramsey Campbell, Carrie Ryan, and many other best-selling authors.

Jonathan is a Contributing Editor for The Big Thrill (the newsletter of the International Thriller Writers), and is a member of SFWA, IAMTW, MWA, SCBWI, SFWA and HWA. He is a frequent guest at genre cons, writers conferences and publishing industry events, including ThrillerFest, San Diego Comic Con, Sisters in Crime, BackSpace, PennWriters, Dragon*Con, PhilCon, Horror-Realm, Boucher Con, HorrorFind, Monster Mania, New York Comic Con, Philadelphia Writers Conference, Balticon, The Write Stuff, Hypericon, Hypericon, KillerCon, NAIBA, LunaCon, and many others.

Jonathan was the Executive Director of the Writers Room of Bucks County (2005-06) and co-owner of the Writers Corner USA (2006-2009). Jonathan regularly visits local middle schools, high schools and colleges to talk about books, reading, publishing and the writing life.

Jonathan is a founding member of The Liars Club, a group of networking publishing professionals that includes celebrated authors L. A. Banks, Merry Jones, Gregory Frost, Jon McGoran, Ed Pettit, Dennis Tafoya, Keith Strunk, Don Lafferty, Kelly Simmons, Marie Lamba, Solomon Jones, Sara Shepard, William Lashner, and Laura Schrock. The Liars Club works to support booksellers, raise awareness and support for public libraries, and cultivate a joy of reading and books.

On the last Sunday of every month Jonathan hosts the Writers Coffeehouse, a free three-hour open-agenda networking and discussion session for writers of all genres and levels of skill. The event is held at the Barnes & Noble in Willow Grove Pennsylvania.

Jonathan has been a popular writing teacher and career counselor for writers for the last two decades. He teaches a highly regard series of classes and workshops including Write Your Novel in Nine Months, Revise & Sell, Experimental Writing for Teens, and others. Many of his students have gone on to publish in short and novel-length fiction, magazine feature writing, nonfiction books, TV, film, and comics.

In 2004 Jonathan was inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame largely because of his extensive writings in that field. His martial arts books include Self-Defense for Every Woman (Vortex Multimedia, 1985); Introduction to Asian Martial Arts (Vortex Multimedia, 1986); The Self-Defense Instructor’s Handbook (Vortex Multimedia, 1990); Judo and You (Kendall Hunt, 1991); Ultimate Jujutsu Principles and Practices (Strider Nolan, 2002); The Martial Arts Student Logbook (Strider Nolan, 2002); Ultimate Sparring Principles and Practices (Strider Nolan, 2003).

Visit his website at www.jonathanmaberry.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, GoodReads, Library Thing, Shefari and Plaxo.

The Goodreads summary for Rot & Ruin:

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

-Interview- (Bold=Ava, Regular=Jonathan Maberry)

Tell us a bit about your novel, Rot & Ruin.

ROT & RUIN is about a teenager, Benny Imura, growing up in a fenced-off town fourteen years after a plague made the dead rise. There are only a few thousand people left and everything else is the great Rot & Ruin. Now that Benny is fifteen he’s required to get a job or lose his rations. So, he winds up apprenticing with his zombie hunter brother, Tom. Problem is…Benn hates Tom and blames him for the deaths of their parents during ‘First Night’ –the night when the dead rose.
Benny has a lot to learn about his brother, about his world, and about what it means to be human –alive or dead.
ROT & RUIN is a character-driven action novel. It has a lot of humor, adventure, romance, heartbreak, and strong male and female characters including the legendary Lost Girl –a beautiful teenager who has been surviving on her own out in the Ruin.

Rot & Ruin is your first Young Adult novel. What made you decide to start writing YA?

This started off as a short story, “Family Business”, which I wrote for an anthology, THE NEW DEAD edited by Christopher Golden. That antho is definitely not for teens. However my story had a fifteen year old protagonist and my agent liked it enough to suggest that we shop it as the opening of a much larger story. I agreed and we got a wonderful two-book deal from Simon & Schuster.
During that time I was immersing myself in as much YA literature as I could find –and I was delighted to see that the books that are being published for teens show a great deal of respect for their intelligence, savvy, and maturity. We didn’t have books like these when I was a teenager.
One of the things I love about writing for the YA market is that the books are categorized by age groups rather than genre, which allows for a lot of cross-genre writing. My adult novels, particularly PATIENT ZERO and THE DRAGON FACTORY are cross-genre, and when I wrote ROT & RUIN I set out to write the best novel I could and didn’t have to worry if I was crossing a genre line.

What inspired you to write about zombies? Was there any particular movies that you based some of the zombie lore on?

I was in the movie theater the first time NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was shown in Philadelphia. Oct 2, 1968. I was ten. I snuck in and watched it twice. Scared the bejeezus out of me and left me with an undying love of the zombie genre.
Since then I’ve seen virtually every zombie movie and TV show available; read all the comics, like THE WALKING DEAD and MARVEL ZOMBIES; and my library of zombie fiction and nonfiction is huge.
My favorite all time zombie flick, by the way, is the unrated director’s cut of Zack Snyder’s remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD. Runner up is SHAUN OF THE DEAD.

Can you share any tips on the writing process? Do you have any particular habits?

First, learn the craft. Most writers are born with some kind of storytelling ability (maybe it’s a gene), but good writing is the result of storytelling plus learned skills. Take the time to learn about voice and point of voice, about figurative and descriptive language, about action and tension. Learn how to construct a sentence and a paragraph.
Next, write an outline. Know where your story is going to go so that you don’t waste time writing scenes which don’t contribute to that goal. That said, once you have an outline allow the story to grow organically so that you don’t force it to fit. A technique that works for me is that I write the first and last chapters of a book; then I write an exploratory synopsis –which is an essay written for myself in which I work out the story and the narrative logic; and then I write an outline.
One crucial thing is: NEVER revise until you are finished a first draft. Never. Ever. Revision of that kind is a momentum-killer. It’s a quicksand pit. Write it down fast and ugly and then fix it in the rewrite.
The second part of that piece of advice (and the reason most people step into the revision quicksand) is that you shouldn’t try to write a perfect piece. No one has ever done it, and no one can. Write a solid piece, pretty it up in the rewrite, and then send it out. Then work on something else. Perfection is by definition impossible for humans to attain. Stop wasting good writing time on it.
And last…and maybe most important of all…be relentless. If you love to write, then keep writing and keep sending it out.

Are there going to be more books in a Rot & Ruin series?

I recently completed DUST & DECAY, the second book in the Benny Imura series. That should be out next year, and we’re in the early stages of discussions about continuing the series.
And, there are thirteen pages of free prequel scenes for ROT & RUIN available by following this link: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Rot-Ruin/Jonathan-Maberry/9781442402324
ROT & RUIN will also be released on audio in early 2011.

What are some of your favorite books?

I’m such a book geek that I not only have a list of favorite books, but I have top ten favorites in dozens of categories. That said, there are two books that I read every year, and both were given to me by the authors when I was fourteen. One is I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson and the other is SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury. Brilliant novels.
Some recent favorites include BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest, LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells, the anthology ZOMBIES VS UNICORNS by Holly Black, Suzanne Collins’ trilogy; and of course the Harry Potter books, which I’ve read and re-read.

If you could tell your readers one thing, what would it be?

Read with an open mind. It’s what I do. If I find that I don’t like something just because I develop some preconceived notion of what it is (or might be), then I make myself go and check it out. A good example of this was Steampunk. When it first came out I didn’t want to read it because I didn’t like the term ‘steampunk’. But when I realized that I was being prejudicial just because of a word, I went out and bought Jeff Van Der Meer’s excellent anthology, STEAMPUNK, and read every story. That book also included a superb history of the genre, and it turns out I’ve always liked Steampunk…but I didn’t know that that label fit books by Jules Verne, H G Wells, and others. Since then I’ve read a lot of the genre and have absolutely fallen in love with it.
So, yeah…read with an open mind.

Thanks so much for the interview! Also, enter the giveaway for a personalized, signed copy of Rot & Ruin, generously donated by the author.

Rules:

• I'm making this one simple again- NO EXTRA ENTRIES. Only one entry person.
• Enter by filling out the form. Please only fill it out once.
• You must be at least 13 years old.
• This contest is open to US only. International followers- enter my other international giveaways!
• I'm not requiring that you become a follower to enter, but it's much appreciated!
• This giveaway will end in one week- Tuesday November 2nd.

EDIT: If you want extra entries in this contest, go here! There is another form there. You can fill out this one or just that one, your choice.

Spooktacular Book Blog Giveaway Hop: Halo

I am participating in the Spooktacular Blog Hop Giveaway! It's a chance for a bunch of book blogs to hold a giveaway at the same time, so you can visit a bunch of different giveaways! I'm super excited, and it also happens to coincide with my 10 Days of Halloween, so think of this giveaway as part of both events!



My Giveaway: A copy of the book Halo by Alexandra Adornetto. I've read it once, so it's gently used, but still in great condition! I took the cover off so it's still perfect. I'll have a review of this book posted later this week too!

This giveaways ends on Sunday, October 31st!

Rules:

• Enter by filling out the form below.
• There are no ways to gain extra entries for this giveaway, sorry! I want to make it as simple as possible, since I'm having a lot of giveaways right now.
• Must be at least 13 years old to enter
• This contest is open to US only! Sorry international followers, enter my other giveaways.
• Only fill out the form ONCE per person!
• You must be a follower of Book Infinity.
  
  
  

Go to all these awesome blogs to check out other giveaways going on this week as part of the Spooktacular Blog Hop! Thanks for stopping by!

In My Mailbox (10)

Welcome to In My Mailbox! IMM is a meme hosted at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought. And sometimes other fun goodies.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

Video this week! Yay!



Won:

• Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph

Thanks Princess Bookie! (And her awesome Contest Craze)

From the Library:

• Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
• Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• The Ivy by Lauren Kunze (Not mentioned on the video! Got this one after I made it :D)

Week In Review

Reviews I Posted:

• Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
• I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Currently Reading:

• Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Reviews Coming Soon:

• Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Other Points of Interest:

• Interview w/Rebecca Maizel!

Also, I have two contests going on right now! You can see them listed above. The first is a giveaway actually hosted at Elena's Book Cafe, but we're working together on it, so there will also be two winners! Go check it out!

The other giveaway is a copy of Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel! Go enter that one too! These are BOTH international, so good luck!

Infinite Days Giveaway- International

I'm giving away a copy of Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel! If you're curious about the book, see my review here. The prize will be shipped through The Book Depository, so it's open to everyone if you live where The Book Depository ships.


Official Rules:
1. Open Internationally! But if you live somewhere the Book Depository doesn't ship to, please don't enter. Sorry :(.
2. You may enter up to 12 times, but please, do not fill out the form more than once!
3. This is not a comment contest. Feel free to leave a comment but they will not count as entries.
4. You must be at least 13 years old.
5. Contest deadline is OCTOBER 31st! Yes, that is in just a little over a week.

TO ENTER: Fill out the form below.

Author Interview: Rebecca Maizel

Today I'm excited to be featuring an interview with Rebecca Maizel, author of the debut novel Infinite Days.

Rebecca Maizel graduated from Boston University and the Rhode Island College master’s program. She teaches community college in Rhode Island and is studying to receive her MFA from Vermont College.

Find Rebecca Maizel Online: Website/Blog

See my review of Infinite Days!
Vampires are popular in YA Fiction, but Infinite Days presents a very unique take on the subject. How did you come up with the idea to write about a vampire who turns human?

I connected to my main character, Lenah’s voice. It was so strong; and sinister and tragic. I wanted to tap into that sorrow and darkness. I wanted to bring this person, whoever she was back out to light. It turned out that she was a vampire and thematically, it worked. Every person out there has done something they aren’t proud of. And whatever that thing is, they have to live with it - forever. That’s Lenah but times about a million! I just started writing one day and there she was with a motive, a purpose, and some really scary enemies.

Do you find you are similar to any of the characters in Infinite Days? Do they reflect how you were as a teen?

Sometimes, I look at the world like I’m standing on the outside looking in. I think a lot of writers feel this way. This is what connects me most to Lenah, my main character. I also think I have a mischievous streak like Tony. :)

When I was a teen, I wore my heart on my sleeve all the time. I was a real romantic and I completely believed in finding that storybook romance. I would have loved Infinite Days as a teen because I wanted to believe in that never ending love and that it was possible for me to find in my high school!

When you're not writing, what kinds of books do you read?

I am pursuing a second masters in Writing for Young Adults right now. So right now I read oodles of YA. Right now I am reading:

Damage - AM Jenkins
Torment - Lauren Kate
Delirium - Lauren Oliver

Can you share with us anything about the sequel to Infinite Days, Stolen Nights? Is there going to be any books after Stolen Nights?

Infinite Days was sold as a trilogy so after Stolen Nights there is one more! I can't reveal too much about the sequel but I will say...EVERYTHING absolutely everything at Wickham is about to go to hell.

When did you decide you wanted to become a writer?

My sister is older than me so when I was a kid in 1991, she got her first video camera. Most of my friends were playing with Barbies, I was making movies of my Barbies! I think I was a creative kid but my creativity was harnessed in a narrative way. I was always writing, creating.

Infinite Days is your first published book, but did you write other books before that were less-than-best, that never got published?

Of course! I call it my zombie novel because it won't die! I keep coming back to revise it again and again. I stole that phrase from the wonderful Janet Fox who wrote Faithful. She was in a workshop with me and referred to one of her works in progress as a zombie novel.

Do you have a certain place or time of day that you write?

My writing process is a bit snarky and I drive myself nuts. There’s a lot of whining. I tend to fill up notebooks with handwritten musings, and then I try to piece them together in a word document. I always try to sludge through one full draft on the computer. Then, I print out the word document and write allllll over it, edit the living hell out of it. Then I go back to the word document, implement my edits and start again…and again…and again…

I also improv my characters. Seriously! I try to do this when no one is home but I improvise scenes as a character. That way, I am acting the scene through that character’s eyes and my behavior, my reaction, my word choice is inevitably indicative of that character. Anyone with an acting background might want to try this out.

A couple of questions just for fun- If you could spend a day in any place at any time in the past, where would you go and why?

I would go to the Globe Theatre in London during its prime (16th century, I believe). Could you imagine seeing Shakespeare's plays in the original globe theatre? SWOON.

What are some of your favorite movies or TV shows?

I really don't watch much TV, I have to admit. I loved Roswell when it was on and of course, My So Called Life. But more contemporary? I like Modern Family and The Middle. Some of my favorite movies?
Oh boy. Back to the Future, Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet, Platoon, Meet Joe Black, Sense and Sensibility.

Thanks so much to Rebecca for stopping by my blog! I enjoyed your responses!

Be sure to enter my giveaway for a copy of Infinite Days, too, which I will be posting shortly!

Book Review: Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Title: Infinite Days

Author: Rebecca Maizel

Series: Vampire Queen #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: August 3 2010

My Source: Borrowed

My Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

My Review:

A fresh, new take on vampires can be hard to find. Ever since Twilight came out, YA literature is packed with vampire stories that can start to sound repetitive. I hadn't heard much about Infinite Days before I read it, so my expectations were only for an average vampire story.

I am so glad I was wrong. Infinite Days is about 500-year-old vampire Lenah, who goes through a ritual that turns her human again. She becomes a sixteen-year-old girl and has to attempt to blend in at her new boarding school. The idea is a bit cliche, I've seen a new girl having to blend in at school before. I've seen girls deal with the balance between a paranormal war and say, their biology midterm. So I wasn't too into this book at first.

But once I got into this book, I saw it was a cut above other similar fantasy stories. The most unique aspect of the book was that vampires were vicious, evil killers. That's it. And our main character was one of them. Lenah was an evil killer without a heart. And she becomes human. It was like reading about a serial killer who had a change of heart. We see her struggling with this and who she is the whole book. Lenah struggled to restrain her vampire instincts as she was becoming human. The balance of vicious vampireness and human feelings was always waging war, and over time I saw how she really changed. It was written very well and was so believable. I loved this aspect of the book. Lenah was such a great and unique character.

Unfortunately, the romance fell a little flat for me. Justin, the very human lacrosse star, is attracted to Lenah at the beginning simply because of her almost ethereal beauty. Lenah is attracted to him because of her desire to be human. Justin, being the drop dead gorgeous athlete that he is, was someone I was immediately liked, but after reading about him for awhile, I found he was a bit boring and predictable. Lenah never was, so maybe that's why I didn't like the pairing too much. Though this bothered me, it didn't drag the book down much. Too much other great stuff was happening, and Justin wasn't that bad. I think a lot of people will still love the Lenah-Justin relationship, so don't let this turn you away from reading the book.

The ending- oh my gosh. I have such mixed feelings about the ending. I hated it and loved it. Infinite Days ended with an intense plot drive, where something was happening and the reader just HAD to know what would happen to Lenah. It wasn't predictable, which I loved. I hated that I was confused some of the time, and the book started feeling muddled, just a bit. Some of what Lenah was doing seemed unneccesary and I didn't understand her motivations. I can't go into detail because, well, it was the ending and I don't want to give anything away! Then a serious cliffhanger ending. Which, in this case, I was okay with, but I thought there could be a little more conclusion but still leave it open ended. But it left me dying for the next book. I can't wait to read Stolen Nights.

I give Infinite Days a strong 4/5 stars, close to 4.5 but not quite there. Many YA romance and fantasy lovers will devour this one. It had some small problems, but kept me reading to the end. I had a lot of fun reading this one and I'm looking forward to the next one!

*caution: small amount of vague mature content that might not be appropriate to some readers

Buy From Amazon:


Author Info: Website/Blog

Giveaway @ Elena's Book Cafe

As you might have already noticed, for the next 10 days, Book Infinity is going to be Halloween-central. As I mentioned earlier, there's going to be a multitude of giveaways, guest posts, interviews, and all sorts of stuff between my blog and my friend Elena's blog, Elena's Book Cafe. Both of us have been kind of inactive for the past week in preparation, but we certainly won't be this week! I've got so much awesome stuff lined up, I'm super excited!

Today is the Kick Off! To celebrate, we're having a giveaway of a book of your choice from the following:

• I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
• Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
• Jessica's Guide to Dating on The Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
• Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
• The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
• Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
• Romeo and Juliet and Vampires by Claudia Gabel
• The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (not pictured above)

TO ENTER: The official entry form and rules are at Elena's Book Cafe. Head over there to enter!

Welcome to the 10 Days of Halloween!

Book Infinity has officially been taken over by the ghosts and goblins of Halloween! Mwahahahaha! Well, not really. But the design has been slightly altered for the celebration. Yep, the celebration that is going to rock your socks off!

10 Days of Halloween, that I am co-hosting with Elena's Book Cafe starts tomorrow. We'll be kicking it off with a big giveaway that I will post about in the morning, so don't miss it!

Every day either here or there (or both) there will be something new- giveaways, interviews, reviews, or other stuff! So check back throughout the week!

And feel free to add the button which is on the left of this page to your sidebar. Spread the word! I'm super excited about this and I hope other people are too.

Any opinions on the layout? If you don't like it, well, it's only going to last a week. I'll have the normal one up again in November. :)

Waiting On Wednesday: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, my pick is Vixen by Jillian Larkin.

Goodreads Summary:
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

Why I'm Excited:

I discovered this book this week, and it looked so great I had to share it with everyone! Vixen is set in the Roaring Twenties, similar to Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, which is also a new release. I have yet to read Bright Young Things but I'm excited for that one too. I expect these books will be different in their own respect, so I can't wait to read another author's take on the 20's! I love historical fiction, and this one just sounds great.

Book Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Gallagher Girls #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: May 1 2006
My Source: Library
My Rating: 4/5


Goodreads Summary:
The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks CIA codes for extra credit in computer class. So in truth, while the Gallagher Academy might say it's a school for geniuses what they really mean is spies. But what happens when a Gallagher Girl falls for a boy who doesn't have a code name?

Cammie Morgan may be fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti), but the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without him ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, she's doing something riskier than ever—she's falling in love.

My Review:
Cameron (Cammie) Morgan is the descendant of a long line of spies, and she goes to an all-girls school (Gallagher Academy) where they learn everything about being a spy. The classes at this boarding school are different from normal schools- they're fluent in many languages, advanced martial arts fighter, and they're geniuses at everything. The Gallagher Academy's training is secret, of course. The public just think it's just a rich prep school. The Academy reminded me a lot of Hogwarts, actually. The classes are specialized, instead of in witchcraft it's in spying. I found this very fun and entertaining to read about. In the girl's sophomore year, they get to take a new class- Covert Operations- which plays a huge part in this book. It's their first chance to start going on "missions" like real spies, though all they ever encountered were just set-ups by the school.

Cammie is a typical fifteen year old girl, who sometimes drove me crazy. How is it that she's a super genius but still sometimes doesn't figure out simple things the reader grasps before she does? Sometimes she was a bit of an idiot, but it was okay, it didn't bother me too much. The romance she finds with a completely ordinary boy named Josh who lives in the town outside the school was very cute, but never seemed to progress beyond the "first crush" stage. It was appropriate because it fit with the lighthearted tone of the book, it just had none of the depth other YA books have.

The conflicts are minimal- I compared this book to Harry Potter earlier, but it has nothing on Potter when it comes to fighting dark forces and saving the world. Cammie's problems never extend outside her relationships with her family and friends, and deciding if the perfect guy she has a crush on really likes her back.

This is a book best enjoyed when you don't over analyze it or expect too much depth. It's a fun, completely clean read that I could recommend even to Middle Grade readers, though it would also entertain YA fans. I give this book a solid 4/5 stars. I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series!

Buy From Amazon


Author Info: Website/Blog

Halloween Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

The Halloween Read-A-Thon ended last night! I'm glad I participated, even though I didn't get quite as much reading done as was my goal. I was unexpectedly busy...but yeah, I still read a lot!

Read During the Read-A-Thon:

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (170 pages)

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter (284 pages)

The Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink (on pg. 127 so far)

Yes, I know the second one doesn't fit the theme, but I couldn't resist I had to read it!

Overall, I got through 2.5 books of my total 5 book goal. But I'm okay with it! I still have plenty of time left in my life to finish all the others I need to read.

How did everyone else do?

In My Mailbox (9)

No video this week, hopefully I'll do another one again sometime though!

In My Mailbox is hosted every week by The Story Siren.

Won:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Thanks to Eating YA Books!

From the Library:

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (see my review here)

Guardian of the Gate (I re-checked this one out)

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Living Dead Girl

Author: Elizabeth Scott
Series: None
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 2 2008
My Source: Library

My Rating: 5/5





Goodreads Summary:
Once upon a time I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time I didn't know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends -- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

My Review: Living Dead Girl is the story of a girl who was kidnapped when she was ten and forced to live with her kidnapper- a man named Ray- for five years, during which she became a "living dead girl". He abuses her in every way possible, and controls everything she does. It's truly horrifying reading this from Alice's point of view. Alice isn't her real name- it's the name Ray gave her, and the one she keeps now.

Reading Living Dead Girl is a completely unique and strangely terrifying experience. The most powerful part of this book was Alice's voice. It feels so very real- her thoughts are broken up and poetic at times, how a real person in that situation might think. She's confused and detached from her situation in a way I can't even imagine. It truly gives a feeling of being dead/living at the same time. Ray has turned her into a person nobody would ever think they'd become, but with flashbacks we see Alice sink into the role as basically his slave. We see her extreme compliance with horror. As a reader, you just want to stop the awful situation happening with Alice, but you just can't. It's a very emotional read that had me on the edge the whole time, biting my fingernails.

This book is definitely not for someone just looking for a light read- Living Dead Girl isn't afraid to be blunt about scary topics. There's a lot of content that I would only recommend to mature readers- older teens and adults. The graphic details of what Alice goes through every day are just disturbing.

If you think you can handle this book, I'd recommend it. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars, but not in the same way I have given this rating to other books. I give it 5 stars because I put this book down and all I could say was "wow".

Buy From Amazon


Author Info: Website/Blog

Halloween Read-A-Thon Mini Challenge #1

I know it's late Friday, but I finally got school and work out of the way, and I'm ready to really begin the Read-A-Thon!

I'll be starting soon, and I will keep updating about what books I finish and Mini-Challenges.

For the Mini Challenge hosted by YA Addict, the question is
What's Your Spookiest Read?

My answer:

One book I found very creepy that I read recently was The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. Maybe not the scariest book I've ever read in my life, but reading it home alone at night definitely creeped me out a bit.