Movie Rating: PG-13 for suspense and some language Book Rating: @@@@@ Swearing: h***, d*** (all swear were few and far between) Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 316 (hardcover) Genre: YA Thriller Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Back Blurb:
We are seven strangers No one can find us Six think the cure will work Only I know the truth This place will destroy us.
When Will Besting approaches Fort Eden for the first time, he knows something isn't right. With more terrifying secrets at every turn, he discovers a hidden fear deep inside himself, a dark mystery a thousand years in the making, and the unexpected girl of his dreams. But can he save everyone from the dangers of Fort Eden before it's too late?
FEAR IS THE CURE
My Review:
If you like YA thriller: Get. Your. Copy. NOW! This book is amazing! Seriously, the first time I read this book it thrilled me so bad I couldn't sleep. Rainsford was very well-written. So was Mrs. Goring. And Will. And, well, all the characters... :) I did get confused with Davis and Rainsford, and Mrs. Goring was really funny in her snarky way. (she reminded me so much of my grandmother :) The book was phenomenal Please don't miss it! Check it out now! And it's sequel. Recommend to people who read The House at the End of Street. (the book version of Jennifer Lawrence's new movie)
Book Rating: @@@@@ Movie Rating: PG-13 some material may not be suitable for young kids Swearing: None-if there was any if was there wasn't a lot of them and they were small Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 403 (hardcover) Genre: Dystopian Publisher:Balzer + Bray
Back Blurb: Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is
declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But
treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her. At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but
when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared. As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.
My Review:
Contents of this book are UHMAZING! A tyrannical leader, forbidden love, and a pinch of Defiance made this book soooo good! AH! I'm literally Dying to read the sequel Deception. I luved all the characters. Rachel Adams did bug me a few times but for the most part she was a good, well-written character and Logan was such a sweetheart. :)
And the cover. The cover is just astounding. Apparently I'm blind because I didn't see the fortress at the very bottom of the cover. (duh)
And the leader (argh, I forgot his name) really irritated me. I really wanted to stab him with a knife myself. Well, first give him a good whipping and then stab him. Gosh, he reminded so much of our current government rolled into one huge, evil, tyrannical character. *shudders*
I totally recommend this book to readers who loved The Hunger Games and Enclave. Loved this book. Great job, Ms. RedWine! Fan 4ever.
Movie Rating: PG-13 for brief sensuality Book Rating: @@ Swearing: i really don't remember any swearing but if there was they were small Inappropriate Scenes: there was like 3 make out scenes. it didn't go into detail it just said they kissed. a lot. but still.... # of Pages: 327 (hardcover) Genre: YA Dystopian Publisher: HaperTeen
Back Blurb:
35 GIRLS. 1 CROWN. THE COMPETITION OF A LIFETIME.
For 35 girls the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The oppurtunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
The America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to the future she never imagined.
My Review:
Okay, so I was so eager to get my hands on this book. But I was really disappointed. For one thing this book reminded of a very aristocratic Hunger Games. Just about everything was identical to The Hunger Games (except for where the contestants kill each other)....right down to the contestant interviews in front of the whole nation! It was really distracting. And it didn't seem very original.
Another reason I didn't care for the book was.........................ASPEN! Gosh, I hate him so much. He was such an idiot. He reallly reallllly reallllly bugged me. I really liked Maxon though. He was such a sweetheart. I really hope America picks him over Aspen. I cannot describe how much I HATE Aspen. Probably because of what he told America to do at the beginning of the book and then got mad when she did it and it worked out the way he wanted it too. Duh, idiot alert.
I really liked America. She was such a little fireball. She's one of my favorite characters ever in the world of YA because she doesn't let anyone change her but I do with she would just tell Aspen NO.
But I'll probably read the next one in the series just to see how it ends and check out the GORGEOUS cover:
Movie Rating: PG-13 for violence, peril, graphic images, and suggestive content Book Rating: @@@@ Swearing: None Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 259 Genre: YA Dystopian/Sci-fi Publisher: Square Fish
Back Blurb:
WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE.
In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups--Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember. As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been destroyed by Freaks, who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to their warnings and exile Deuce and Fade. As the two are guided out of the dead city by Fade's long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they've ever known.
My Review:
I've heard so much about Enclave that I decided to read it myself. I was expecting something great and I wasn't disappointed. At all. Enclave shows people that there can be a book with no swearing and no inappropriate scenes and still be really really good. (Although there was a little to much talk of Breeders and breeding for me, that was the suggestive content.) Enclave is like the sci-fi version of The Hunger Games. (I say sci-fi because it deals with disease and to me, that's science fiction.) The main character is a hunter. The government is out of control and won't listen to the people. The Freaks (which are THG equivalent of Mutants). A really awesome love triangle. (am I supposed to describe them as awesome or something else? because awesome was the only word I could think of) But similar as Enclave is to THG it's still unique in its own way. I can't wait to read Outpost. (If my library will ever get it in) And the love triangle? I'm not sure who I like better. Probably Fade because his background is better than Stalker's, but I'm not sure. Anyway, Enclave was a really good book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the following: The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner, Incarceron. Check out the movie trailer:
Movie Rating: G all ages admitted
Book Rating: @@@@
Swearing: None
Inappropriate Scenes: None
# of Pages:
Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal
Publisher: Harper
Back Blurb:
You think your school's scary?
Get a load of these teachers:
Ms. Fang, an 850-year-old vampire
Dr. Dragonbreath, who just might eat you before recess
Mrs. T—break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex!
Plus
Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose
The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch
And
The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost!
Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends—including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf—and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky!
My Review:
This book is something that all kids in school of all ages should read. It has some very valuable lessons that a lot of people should know about and it also gives you a sense of thankfulness for how dull your school really is.
Scary School:
-makes you appreciate you normal everyday life a little more
-makes you appreciate your classmates a little more (even if they do bully you and torment you relentlessly)
-makes you appreciate your everyday teacher a lot more (even if he or she does pick their nose from time to time at least they don't eat you!)
-gives a whole new sense of the word 'ghost writer
-shows the real meaning of popular people (i had to throw that in because they way Derek the Ghost explains is really and honestly true)
Scary School is a book that kids of all ages will enjoy. It did seem a little more explanatory than necessary if you look in depth to this book you'll see a lot of lessons that need to be learned by children now. There were so many little thing lying just under the surface of the book that if you looked really hard you could pick up. I
really enjoyed the form of 'ghost writing' it was really funny. Oh, and speaking of funny, if you love to laugh......pick this book up okay? It is pretty humorous. :-) I'm very excited to read the next one.
PS--we all know how much of a bookworm my brother is (ha) well, he grabbed this book before I could and read it for 2 days straight. (meaning, he loved it because my brother, sadly, is not a reader and if he reads a book nonstop for 2 days then you know how good that book is)
Movie Rating: G Book Rating: @@@@@ Swearing: None Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 366 (paperback) Genre: YA dystopian Publisher: Speak LLFTB: Love is worth fighting for.
Back Blurb:
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
My Review:
Okay, so I've talked a bit about Matched on here but I've never done a review on it. *facepalm* My bad. Those rumors who hear about Matched being really slow at the beginning are true. In fact, I was really considering putting it down, but I guess I really wanted to love this book so I just kept reading. I'm so glad I did. I'm now a permanent Matched fan! : ) Matched is a book that I will read over and over and over. It has been compared to Lois Lowry's book, The Giver, I personally thought it was 10x better than The Giver even though I did enjoy The Giver. Matched has the romantic aspect to it that The Giver didn't have. I'm not usually a romance reader but I made an exception for Matched and Crossed and I'll make an exception for Reached too! : ) I am now a permanent Matched fan! Don't miss out on this book if you like Dystopian books like The Giver!
GUARDIAN by HEATER BURCH Movie Rating: PG for some scary images Book Rating: @@@@@ Swearing: None Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 309 (hardcover) Genre: YA Paranormal Publisher: Zondervan
Back Blurb:
VIGILANCE
The mission to safeguard Nikki Youngblood depends on the fragile alliance of two half-angel, half-human guardians, both struggling with intense feelings for the girl who has been assigned to their care. Mace, steadfast and deeply in love, wants to protect Nikki at all costs, while Raven's loyalty to Nikki finds him advocating for her independence and battling his own darker inclinations. At the same time Nikki finds it harder and harder to choose between the two heavenly beings she may never have.
Dangers intensify, and tensions between Mace and Raven flare as the purpose of their mission becomes clear. Can their defense hold up to master manipulator Damon Vessler and the powerful secret he holds regarding Nikki's heritage? Can anyone protect Nikki from her true purpose and destiny?
They chose to protect her but forgot to guard their hearts.
My Review:
*may contain minor spoilers*
Ba-da boom Ba-da bang Firepower..... (what movie? :) Has anyone heard that song by Jeanelle (i think that's how you spell her name....) You're so Amazing? (if you haven't you totally need to!) Well, I've been going around my house singing my own version of that song. It goes something like this: This book's Amazing. :-) Better than the first! (if you can believe it) I was so happy to get this book. I've been waiting for it to release for, like, 4ever. The Halflings series has to be the only paranormal book about angels I have ever enjoyed. And boy am I hooked. Have you ever finished a book and loved it so much you were depressed because you finished it? Well, that's exactly how I felt. I was so disappointed I didn't have anymore of Guardian to read I moped around the house for a couple of days desperately wishing
that an extra 400 pages would magically appear at the end of the book. And the super duper surprising twist!!!! It was awesome!
And now on to more tricky matters, I'm in serious denial about Nikki's parents being alive. They can't be. (I'm going to sound like a jerk) But I really hope they're not alive. I think that would just take away from the reality factor a little. It would make it to happy, I think. But I'm warped that way)
And now I'm torn. In Halflings I was desperately hoping that Nikki would dump Mace and get together with Raven but now I'm not so sure. I think I'm warming up to the idea of Nikki&Mace. (although if I was Nikki I would totally go for Raven.....)
Guardian is the long-awaited sequel to the awesometastic book Halflings! Do NOT Miss This Series!!! I am just tickled pink (and well, every other color of the color spectrum too) to have this awesome book on my shelf! Thank you very very very very much Ms. Burch! You ROCK! <3 p="p"> I spy with my little eye something Green, Awesome, and On My Bookshelf:
THE LAST SEAL by RICHARD DENNING Movie Rating: PG-13 for sequences of peril and some language Book Rating: @@@@ Swearing: multiple uses of B***ard, D**n, etc. (nothing to horrible) Inappropriate Scenes: None # of Pages: 388 (paperback) Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Publisher: Mercia
Back Blurb:
17th century London - two rival secret societies are caught in a battle that threatens to destroy the city and beyond. When a truant schoolboy, Ben, finds a scroll revealing the location of magical seals that binds a powerful demon beneath the city, he is thrown into the centre of a dangerous plot that leads to the Great Fire of 1666.
My Review:
The Last Seal was very good book! It was a little hard to get into at first but that could have been because I had so much going on that day I couldn't concentrate. :) It was very well-written although at one point one of the main characters was described in two different ways. My favorite character would have to be Freya. She was a kick-butt girl not one of those faint-every time-something-scares-me girls.... :-) And I was kind of hoping that her and the Doctor would get together because they would be just perfect for each other. : ) My absolute favorite part of the book was the very last fight scene. I was reading so fast just so I could see what would happen at the end I started going cross-eyed! The Last Seal was a very good, well-written book! Don't miss it if you love YA Historical Fantasy. Recommend to people who loved The Healer's Apprentice or The Merchant's Daughter.
*this book was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review. this does not affect my review in way*
Sneak! It's Swipe sibling! It's back a better than ever!!! : P So because this is a book tour I'm going to post as much about the Swipe series and the author Evan Angler as I can. Not to mention that I'm linking to all the other awesome blogs on this tour, because each post has something different and I'm pretty sure some even have *whispers* giveaways.
First off, here are some places that you really need to visit:
Okay, now that your computer has shut down because you had to open all these windows.... : ) Here's Swipe's cover and trailer:
And here's the second book in the Swipe series and its trailer:
Here is my review for Sneak:
SNEAK by EVAN ANGLER
Movie Rating: G all ages permitted
Book Rating: @@@@@
Swearing: None
Inappropriate Scenes: None
# of Pages: 274 (paperback)
Genre: YA Sci-fi/Dystopian
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
LLFTB: Never Give Up!
Back Blurb:
When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, go to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?
My Review:
Most of the time a sequel is not as good as the first in the series let alone better. Such is not the case with Sneak. Basically, everything I enjoyed and loved about Swipe was twice as better in Sneak: the cover, the back blurb, the author's bio (however, weird that may sound), the action, and even the story. I loved the sciencey twist to Sneak. Yeah, deadly little viruses are my sort of thing...... While reading Sneak it made me wonder exactly how Angler came up with some of this stuff.Not plot-wise but like their gadgets that they have and stuff. It was so complex and so detailed. Sneak is a really really awesometastic (yes, it's a new word i made up) addition to the Swipe series and I cannot wait to read the next installment this fall! :D Oh, and some certain characters better get together! Otherwise, I will be a very bummed reader. Have I mentioned that Peck reminds me so much of myself? Maybe that's why I like the books so much! : )
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson publishers. this does not affect my review in any way*
And now onto the giveaway.
What you get: A paperback copy of Sneak.
Rules:
-must be live in US or Canada
-be 13 years or older or have parental/guardian permission
-only enter this giveaway if you really want this book
When Logan Langly backed out of getting the Mark and went on the run, no one thought he could survive on his own. Without the Mark, you can't buy food, go to the doctor, or use a tablet-you aren't even a citizen.
But when he discovers that his sister is being held in a mysterious hidden prison named Acheron, Logan risks everything to travel through and underground network of the Markless to rescue her.
Logan arrives only to find that Acheron holds more secrets than anyone could have guessed and that all his careful planning is worthless against a government that will do anything to gain absolute control. It seems there is only one place to turn.
But can a banned book with whisper-this pages and warnings about the real meaning of the Mark really hold the Answer?
My Review:
Most of the time a sequel is not as good as the first in the series let alone better. Such is not the case with Sneak. Basically, everything I enjoyed and loved about Swipe was twice as better in Sneak: the cover, the back blurb, the author's bio (however, weird that may sound), the action, and even the story. I loved the sciencey twist to Sneak. Yeah, deadly little viruses are my sort of thing...... While reading Sneak it made me wonder exactly how Angler came up with some of this stuff.Not plot-wise but like their gadgets that they have and stuff. It was so complex and so detailed. Sneak is a really really awesometastic (yes, it's a new word i made up) addition to the Swipe series and I cannot wait to read the next installment this fall! :D Oh, and some certain characters better get together! Otherwise, I will be a very bummed reader. Have I mentioned that Peck reminds me so much of myself? Maybe that's why I like the books so much! : )
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson publishers. this does not affect my review in any way*
PSST!!! On September 10th, I will be giving away a freeeee copy of Sneak! So be sure to stop by and check it out!
Okay, I know that it's not Tuesday but this was the only post I could think of to do for today so I'm discussing Jill Williamson's newest release: The New Recruit!
Release Date: September 1, 2012
Back Blurb:
Forced to choose between military school and a Christian spy organization, skeptic Spencer Garmond signs on with the Bible geeks. But before he even boards the plane for Moscow, Spencer realizes this is no Bible club.
These guys mean business.
Stumbling onto a case involving a gang of homeless boys, a chilling tattoo, and the always beautiful Anya Vseveloda, Spencer struggles to find the faith needed to save the Mission League from enemy infiltration.
My Thoughts on the cover:
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! I'm so excited! The cover it totally awesometastic! (that's a word you will hear a lot from me because i made it up and i'm very proud of it :) I can't wait to get my greedy little hands allllll over this book. Seriously cannot wait. I'm dying here. After reading Replication and the By Darkness Hid I am one of the biggest Jill Williamson fans ever! The cover promises tons of action and conspiracies. YAY! I mean who doesn't love a good conspiracy right? :D And I like the way it starts off dark colored at the top and shades down to white, that's pretty cool too. :P
Onstage with me today for the second time, is super awesome author, Evan Angler!!! (But don't tell anyone because he's hiding and can't be found) With new and improved (well, not sure about that) questions! And I'm pretty sure Mr. Angler is super excited today because his second book, Sneak, released today! :O How cool is that? (Be sure to get your copy of this super duper awesome book!!!!!)
*Mr. Angler walks onstage and takes a bow. Fans go wild!*
So, Mr. Angler Question 1:
1: If you had the power to keep earth at one season for a year which season would it be?
Fall. I like the air in the fall—cooler at night, crisp and comfortable in the day, not too hot but not yet bitter or snowstormy. I like the colors of the leaves on the ground, and the promise of holidays around the corner...Fall reminds us that there’s beauty to be found in growing older. It’s the season of change, and change is good.
2: If you were a Superhero what would your name be?
Who says I’m not a Superhero?
3: If you were a superhero what would your theme song be?
I think I’d choose that old, pre-Unity theme song for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That song rocked pretty hard, and it was also singularly bizarre in a way that really does it for me.
4: If you could make one day last a week what would you do during that one day?
Honestly? I’d write.
5: If you could be any ruler from the past who would you be?
George Washington. Everyone liked George Washington.
6: If you could be any villain or rebel from a book who would you be and from what book?
Severus Snape, if only because I love so much to keep people guessing...
7: If you could have any job in the world what would it be?
Author. For me, there’s never been a choice.
8: If you started a band what kind of songs would you sing and what would you call your band?
Actually, I’ve been in several bands over the years. True story. That’s what made it so easy to write about Dane Harold’s band, the Boxing Gloves! But if I were to start a new band, I think we’d sing folk rock/bluegrass. Banjos, fiddles, guitars, four-part harmonies, catchy tunes, the works. And I’d call us The Sweepers, since all our fans would be Dust. :-)
9: If you were a character in a book would you be the villain, the kick-butt hero, or the man/damsel in distress?
I’d probably either be the hero or the villain. There can be a fine line between the two, and sometimes the only difference is who comes out on top. History, after all, is written by the winners...
10: What is your favorite food?
Chicken noodle soup. Who ever gets tired of chicken noodle soup? Bonus if it's hot.
11: What was your inspiration to writing the Swipe Series?
Nearly everything I read, experience, or discover inspires me in some way, and I suppose all of it finds a page in the Swipe Series sooner or later.
In terms of real-world events, a handful of pre-Unity developments leading up to the American Union were particularly hard to ignore: severe weather changes; growing cultural tension; widening inequality; rapid technological progress; worsening shortages of water, food, land, and oil; worldwide social unrest...it is important that we continue to write and to think about all of these challenges.
But most profoundly, it is the Dust's journey that has inspired me. Theirs is a story that tells itself, and I'm just doing my best to write it down as fast as I can in the hope that I can keep up.
There've been times when I've doubted myself. DOME is, after all, breathing heavily down the back of my neck. But every time I do, somehow some Unmarked friend makes his or her way into my life, and finds a way to keep me going. (If you'd like, you can read my profiles on these people here: http://www.evanangler.com/notes/)
12: If the Swipe Series was made into a movie who would you want to play Logan and Erin?
If any movies are ever made of the events described in the Swipe Series, my dream would be for Logan, Erin, and the Dust to portray themselves onscreen. But I’ve brought too much attention to them with these books as it is, so perhaps it would be best to bring in a cast of unknowns…
13: What would you want the movie's theme song to be?
SNEAK will be available everywhere as of Tuesday, September 4th (http://www.thomasnelson.com/sneak.html), both in paperback and e-book. It begins one month after the end of SWIPE, with Logan very much on the run and still reeling after stirring up some pretty serious trouble with DOME. Markless everywhere are worse off than ever; the Dust is broken, hiding, and aimless; and Erin--Logan's best friend in the world--is dead set against him, determined to find him and turn him in. But Logan has a purpose now. He’s on a mission that’ll take him all the way across the American Union, and he's not about to let anything--or anyone--stop him. Along the way, he'll learn about a nationwide network called the Unmarked River, and with the help of Markless everywhere, he'll delve deeper into DOME's secret plans than he ever thought possible.
At its heart, SNEAK is about the search for truth and the power of truth. Learning to question, to think for ourselves, to be honest about what's most important to us in our own lives, to take nothing for granted, and to believe in the power of our convictions...this is what Logan and his friends strive to do in SNEAK, and I hope these are some of the things that Dust everywhere will take away from reading this book.
15: Can you tell us about the next book in the Swipe Series? What will it be called and what is it about?
The third book in the Swipe Series is going to be a wild, wild ride with some breakneck twists, turns, and surprises. The stakes escalate very quickly given all that happens in SNEAK, and there isn't a single person in the A.U. who won't feel the consequences of that. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, since very few people have even read SNEAK yet, but suffice to say we have much to look forward to in Book 3.
Great interview, Mr. Angler! You have withstood my prying questions, yet again. And still managed to keep your location secret!! Congratulations! :D But I'm looking over it and, not to put you on the spot here or anything, but um, you said in Question 10 that it's a bonus if the chicken noodle soup is hot. Do you really eat it cold?! Anyway, to get the readers of this interview involved a little I'm going to give your guys some websites and such that you really need to check out and your opportunity to pretend that this is your interview! Just copy one of the above questions and paste it into the comment box, and then answer it!
Okay, and now, I want to answer my own question.... :) I'm going to do Question 9: If you were a character in a book would you be the villain, the kick-butt hero, or the man/damsel in distress?
I would want to be the hero if I was good. Because like Mr. Angler said, It is difficult to tell the difference between a hero and a villain sometimes.
What question would you like to answer? Answer it in the comments!
I recently read a book titled Mistwood by Leah Cypress. As this book was the first I was reading about Shifters I wasn't sure I would like it very much. I was WRONG!!! I loved this book. So much, in fact, that I decided to do an author interview with this totally fabulous author----Leah Cypess!!
And here is her book Mistwood! The very first book in the Mistwood series:
Here's the trailer.I'm not sure if it's fan made or not though:
And now here is the one and only........(roll drum, please)..............LEAH CYPESS!!!!
1: What's your favorite candy?
Lately I've been addicted to yummyearth brand "organic candy drops." Organic means healthy, right?
2: Candy, Cake, or Cookies?
Cookies. Especially lemon sugar cookies.
3: If you were visited by a famous person what would you say to him/her?
Do you have the wrong address?
Seriously, though, it would depend a lot on who the famous person was. And I'd want to do tons of research in advance before I knew he/she was coming. And then I might ask if I could use them as a character in a novel. ;)
4: How would solve world-hunger?
If I knew, I'd be doing that rather than writing fantasy books! But I suspect my first goal would be to change the goal from "solving" world hunger to "alleviating" it, because I don't think it can be realistically solved - at least not with the way things are today - but I do think there are many things that can be done to alleviate it.
5: What would you do if you were famous?
Wait, I'm not famous?
Again, I'm not sure. It would depend on what I was famous for and how I could use my reputation to speak up for issues I believe in.
6: What is one job you would never want to do?
Waitress. Which is why I'll never become famous - I understand you have to be a waitress first. ;)
8: What is one song you can relate to?
I can relate to a lot of songs! But one that always gets me is "Dreams" by the Corrs. I'm not sure why, because if I had to break down for you what exactly the lyrics mean, I couldn't do it. But there's just this sense in the song about how complicated it is to chase dreams, and to figure out what it means to be free. It speaks to me more than the simplistic slogans we usually throw at people about how you have to chase your dreams and how you can have it all. I'm not saying you shouldn't chase your dreams or that you can't necessarily have it at all, but I do think life usually makes things more complicated than that.
10: What are you 5 favorite movies?
The Last Unicorn The Matrix (only the first one!) Castaway The Usual Suspects Rookie of the Year
11: If Mistwood was made into a movie who would choose to play Isabel and Rokan?
I submitted the first few chapters of Mistwood to a writer’s workshop I was taking at the time, and one of my classmates said he thought it should be made into a movie with Isabel played by Halle Berry. I could live with that! As for Rokan, an author I know, Dee Garretson, suggested Ben Barnes to play Rokan, and I think she's spot-on.
12: What would you want the movie's theme song to be?
"I Want to be Vapor" by Jennifer Paige.
15: Tell us about the sequel to Mistwood--Nightspell.
It's not really a sequel - it's a companion novel. It takes place on the other side of the world, in a country where an ancient spell allows murder victims to come back as ghosts and seek vengeance on their killers. The main character is terrified of ghosts, but is riding into the country anyhow to rescue her sister by offering herself in marriage to the prince of this haunted country. But she will find many surprises awaiting her in his castle... including a certain manipulative and ruthless princess who previously appeared in Mistwood.
16: Is there going to be another book to the Mistwood series?
, is set in the same world as Mistwood and Nightspell, but hundreds of years in the future, with all new characters. I wouldn't call it part of a series, but it is also a related book. (And it's a duology, so I finally did find a story I couldn't tell in just one book!)
17: What are some of your favorite sayings?
I have a lot of those too. But here are 3 that are related to writing:
“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” — E.L. Doctorow
“When you say something, make sure you have said it. The chances of your having said it are only fair.” — E.B. White
The only way to write is well and how you do it is your own d**n business.” — A.J. Liebling
...Thanks again!
Thank you Ms. Leah Cypess! That interview rocked!! :) (btw, Ben Barnes would be a perfect Rokan!!!!) And for those unlucky people who have not yet read this awesome book Ms. Cypess is giving away a hardcover copy of Mistwood! Here are the rules:
-I am not allowed to enter. (bummer, I would like to win)
-Open to U.S. and Canada resident only
-Must be 13 years old
-Must like this genre or think this book is something you would like to read
YAY! Today is blog tour day! It's my first blog tour so if everything is complicated I'm sorry. I'm learning. :) Anyway here the book that this tour is about:
Back Blurb:
Everyone gets the Mark. It gives all the benefits of citizenship. Yet if getting the Mark is such a good thing, then why does it feel so wrong?
Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, Swipe follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn't even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship.
The Mark is a tattoo that must be swiped by special scanners for everything from employment to transportation to shopping. It’s almost Logan Langly’s 13th birthday and he knows he should be excited about getting the Mark, but he hasn't been able to shake the feeling he’s being watched. Not since his sister went to get her Mark five years ago . . . and never came back.
When Logan and his friends discover the truth behind the Mark, will they ever be able to go back to being normal teenagers? Find out in the first book of this exciting series that is Left Behind meets Matched for middle-grade readers.
LLFTB: What may seem good on the outside in often bad on the inside
I cannot tell you how nice it was to finally be able to pick up a book and not worry if my mom or little brother picked the book up. Swipe is a good clean book that still packs a punch! And although geared toward younger readers I am proof that older teens will also love this book! :) And I saw something interesting in the back of Swipe--I read that it's a debut. If so, then Mr. Evan Angler has TONS of talent! And I cannot wait for Sneak to come out!! Mr. Angler I am a forever fan!
*this book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review*
About the author:
Evan lives without the Mark, evading DOME and writing in the shadows of Beacon. Swipe is his first book. But if anyone asks, you know nothing about it, and you didn't hear anything from him. Don't make eye contact if you see him. Don't call his name out loud. He's in enough trouble already. And so are you , if you've read his book. Author Interview: Even though Mr. Angler is busy evading DOME and trying to stay hidden he has decided to come forward and tell us, his devoted fans, a little about himself, although he can be traced online. So it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you the brave Mr. Evan Angler himself!!! :)
1: If you had the power to control any of the 4 main elements (air, water, earth, or fire) which would it be? Why? Very many of the earth's environmental and political problems could be solved if we could just figure out how to control water. Think about it—no more food shortages from droughts, no more deadly hurricanes and floods and tsunamis, no more fighting over land based on water scarcity...billions of lives could be improved and saved. I'd pick water in a heartbeat. 2: If you had the power to go into the past where would you go? Why? I’d like to go back to the very beginning of the post-Unity period, to the start of the American Union and the year this Mark program was instituted...and I’d like to tell them a thing or two about where it was headed. 3: If you could travel anywhere in the world free of charge and free from harm where would it be? I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of traveling in the time I’ve spent running from the Department of Marked Emergencies (DOME). I’ve been all over the American Union and even a bit around European Union, so these days, anywhere not under direct DOME surveillance would be fine by me! Someday, I suppose I’d like to visit the area that used to be called Japan. 4: If you could pick your own superhero power what would it be? I’d like to be able to control time. It really is our most valuable commodity, so even minimal control, like just being able to add a couple hours to the day every once in a while, would be a super awesome superpower. 5: If you could have 3 book characters over to dinner who would you pick? From the Swipe series, I’ve enjoyed my dinners with Erin, since she’s pretty feisty, and a lot smarter than I am. It’s easy to see why Logan has a bit of a crush on her, though I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell her I said so, as her ego is healthy enough as it is! It’s also always fun to eat with Tyler and Eddie, even though their dinners always seem to end in a food fight. If I’m picking characters from any book throughout history, I think I’d like to share a meal with 1) Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, to see what kind of trouble we could find, 2) Roald Dahl’s Matilda, since I’d love to know how she figured out telekinesis, or 3) the "one girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth" from the prologue to Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, because I’m dying to hear the question to the answer of life, the universe, and everything. 6: If you had the above book characters over for dinner what would you have to eat? Homemade lentil soup with mixed veggies and Sriracha sauce. Strawberries for dessert. 7: If you could rid the world of one evil what would it be? Hypocrisy. We'd all be doing just fine if we actually lived according to the things we believed in. 8: If you could have any animal in the world (and afford it) what would it be? An octopus. Do you have any idea how smart those things are? They frequently escape from their tanks, crawl across the room, open jars of food, take the food back into their tanks, and then hide the evidence! Why that might make them good pets, I'm not sure. But I definitely want one. 9: If you could replace any actor in a movie because you could do a better job acting what actor would you replace and what movie would it be? I don't want to put down anyone else's creative work, and I’m no actor, but for my own enjoyment I would have loved to have provided the voice for one of the side-character robots in the pre-Unity classic, WALL-E. That movie rocks! 10: If Swipe was made into a movie what would you want the theme song to be? I'd probably pick the same music that was used in the Swipe book trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwHV3lgO-PM). I thought that was just right. 11: Tell us a little about yourself. Like anyone my age, my childhood was cut short by the Total War. When eventually the fighting stopped, I fled to the shadows of Beacon City, where I’ve spent the last fifteen years living without the Mark and hiding from DOME. My name is Evan Angler. But if anyone asks, you know nothing about me. I was never here, and you never interviewed me. I’m in enough trouble already. So are you, if you read Swipe. 12: What did you want to be when you grew up? There was never really a question of me being anything other than a writer. It’s the thing that makes me happiest, and that’s the way it’s always been. 13: Tell us a little about your book Swipe. Swipe is the first volume in the chronicles of Logan Langly, Erin Arbitor, and the Dust. It takes place soon after the end of the Total War, in the newly formed American Union. Here, basic rights are only acquired beginning at age 13, once people are mature enough to Pledge allegiance to Chancellor Cylis in exchange for his Mark of citizenship. But most simply, Swipe is a story about friendship against the odds. It’s a story about a group of boys and girls who come together to do the unthinkable: to stand up for what they believe in. 14: What character was easiest for you to write about? I think writing is easy or difficult depending largely on how much opportunity there is left for change. As long as the people you are portraying have room to grow, it is easy to write about them. Everyone in Swipe is in for a wild ride, so there’s always been a ton of room for change and growth, and consequently, I’ve enjoyed writing about all of them. That said, I really do love writing the moments with Tyler and Eddie in them. Those two crack me up, and I think deep down they’re great kids. Very compassionate and curious, even if they are troublemakers. All of the scenes portraying the Dust were great fun to write. 15: What character was hardest for you to write about? Perhaps Peck, just because he is so enigmatic. It was difficult getting to know him at first. 16: What character is most like you? There is a lot of me in Logan, or at least in the way that I portray him. I watched too many scary movies and read too many scary stories as a kid, so when I was his age, I spent a lot of time being scared in much the same way that Logan is at the beginning of the book. Logan is shy, but he’s a bit of a contradiction. When he rationalizes things in his own head, or when he thinks through what he is about to do next, he frames it to himself as though he’s the play-it-safe type. But really, in the moments when it counts most, Logan is an enormous risk-taker. If I’m being truthful, those characteristics probably describe me pretty accurately, as well. After all, I chose to write these books. I chose to speak out about the Dust and what they are up to. And DOME certainly isn’t all too happy with me over that. 17: Do you plan to write a sequel to Swipe? Yes, absolutely! The next book in the Swipe series is called Sneak, and it will be released in September, just a few months from now. Sneak picks up soon after the events of Swipe, and our heroes are in a bit of a tight spot, to put it mildly. All of them are in worse trouble than they’ve ever been, and there’s no easy way to undo the choices they’ve made in Swipe. But Logan has a purpose now. He’s on a mission that’ll take him all the way across the American Union, and he’s determined to see it through, no matter the consequences. I’m also working on the third book in the Swipe series, and that’ll come out in about a year. But if DOME asks, you didn’t hear anything from me. 18: Do you have any ideas for more books? Too many to list! But right now I'm focused on Logan and Erin and the chronicles of the Dust, so most of my energy these days is spent on them. 19: What or who was/is your greatest encouragement as an author? Reading is any author’s greatest encouragement. Great books inspire you to do better; bad books prove that you can. 20: Do you have any favorite sayings? As Samuel Clemens once wrote, “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
And that's the end! Take a bow Mr. Angler! You have survived an author interview without DOME finding you! :) Also, you can order Swipe on Amazon.com: Buy SWIPE
And you can pre-order Sneak on Amazon.com: Pre-order SNEAK (Let's help tell the poor unsuspecting people of America how bad the Mark really is!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And here's the other wonderful bloggers participating in this tour:
