Gratitude Giveaway Winners Announced

I had a lot of fun hosting the gratitude giveaway. I would like to thank all of my followers who entered the giveaway. I also gained some new followers too!















The 3 Winners are...

Giveaway 1: #107 Emma

Giveaway 2: #44 Jennifer from Book Noise

Giveaway #3: #71 Patsy

Congratulations to all the winners! For those of you who didn't win this time, there will be more giveaways in December.

ARC Review: Vixen (The Flappers, Book 1) by Jillian Larkin

ARC Review: Vixen (The Flappers, Book 1) by Jillian Larkin
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Dec. 2010)
Hardcover: 432 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: B&N First Look Program
Rating: 5 Stars
ISBN-10: 0385740344
ISBN-13: 978-0385740340



SYNOPSIS (From Goodreads): 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.




MY THOUGHTS: Wow! What an amazing debut by Jillian Larkin. Vixen is now my favorite YA debut book for 2010. It’s that special. This is definitely one of those must read books, it’s just too wonderful to miss out on. This is the first book that I’ve read that is set in the 1920’s, so I wasn’t sure I was going to like it because it was outside of what I like to read. But surprisingly, I loved it! Vixen is the first book in The Flappers series. The second book, Ingenue will be published in 2011 and Diva, the third book, will be published in 2012. I will definitely be continuing the series.

Vixen is a book that you don’t want to put down from beginning to end. It is so entertaining and captivating. When I was reading the book, I was immersed in the aura of the 1920’s because of the detailed descriptions of the time period, including the flapper lifestyle, clothing, hairstyles, jazz music, prohibition, alcohol, speakeasies, gangsters, etc. The story is told in alternating points of view of three teenage girls, Gloria, Clara, and Lorraine. Gloria is a socialite in Chicago. She is engaged to Sebastian, who comes from a powerful family. Clara is Gloria’s cousin who is visiting Gloria to help her with the wedding. Lorraine is Gloria’s best friend. Larkin goes in depth with each character's storyline, that you really get to know each of the girls well. Each girl has their own lead role in the book, which I thought was great. I loved each character. The plot was solid throughout the book, no boring spots or weak plot points. It was cleverly done.

While the girls try to find themselves and fit in, so much drama unfolds as the stories of these three girls seamlessly weave in and out of each others lives. I loved the drama! And when the cute bachelors enter the lives of these girls, everything gets way more complicated. This made things very interesting. There is rebellion, jealousy, betrayal, romance, deception, lies, secrets, danger, and mystery. And the ending leaves on such a great cliffhanger that you can’t help but want to know what happens next.

There really wasn't anything I didn’t like about the book, except that the word “love” was introduced a little too soon for me personally. I like to see a relationship last a little longer before it blossoms into love. But other than that, the book was awesome!

Vixen is truly a bookish delight! I’d recommend it not only for older teens but for adults as well. For those of you who enjoy reading about the 1920’s but want a young spin on things, this book is perfect for you. But even if this isn’t something you’d normally read, just give it a try like me, it will amaze you. If you like reading debut authors, then make sure Vixen is next on your list.

*Although this is considered a YA book, the level of maturity is higher than in other YA books I’ve read, in terms of the girl’s relationships with the guys. If you aren’t into the angsty books, then this book is probably more your style. There are a few sexual references but not many, as well as underage drinking. So just wanted to point that out.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and get to spend time with family and friends!

Reminder: My Book Giveaways

To enter my Happy Haul-idays giveaway for a chance to win my wish list of Chronicle books valued at $500, click HERE. (Ends 12/10)

To enter my International Gratitude Giveaway, click HERE. (Ends 11/28)

Update: Gratitude Giveaway Now International

For those of you who have not yet entered my Gratitude Giveaway, I have decided to update and change my Gratitude Giveaway so that it is international. This way all of my followers may enter.
Check it out HERE.
Ends 11/28 at 11:59pm PST

Gratitude Giveaway

As a way to say thank you to my blog followers, I am having some giveaways as part of the Gratitude Giveaways, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. There are more than 175 blogs participating, so once you have entered my giveaway, hop on over to another giveaway. The linky is at the bottom of this post.
(*I have changed my original giveaway to accommodate International followers as well. So the specific book titles I am giving away have changed. For those of you who entered my giveaway before (11/19), there are two different book giveaways instead and you will all be automatically entered for all giveaways. Books will be ordered online instead of me mailing them, since I will be away for the holiday when the giveaway ends.)

THREE GIVEAWAYS(3 Winners) - INTERNATIONAL AND US ONLY



MG/YA/Adult Giveaway 1: INTERNATIONAL
Your Choice Of Any 1 Book Below (I tried to accommodate all age groups):

Middle Grade:
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World
The Secret Language Of Girls
The Capture (Guardians of Ga'hoole, Book 1)
The Presence: A Ghost Story
Bites: Scary Stories To Sink Your Teeth Into

YA Books:
The Book Thief
City Of Bones
City Of Ashes
City Of Glass




Adult Books:
Eat, Pray, Love
The Art Of Racing In The Rain
Never Let Me Go
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Little Bee

Giveaway 2: US ONLY
Massive MG/YA Author Signed Swag Pack

Kristina McBride (The Tension Of Opposites)
Julia Hoban (Willow)
Shaun David Hutchinson (The Deathday Letter)
Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder)
Dianne K. Salerni (We Hear The Dead)
Jen Nadol (The Mark)
Denise Jaden (Losing Faith)
Mindi Scott (Freefall)
Amy Brecount White (Forget-Her-Nots)
Kody Keplinger (The DUFF)
Leah Cypess (Mistwood)
Mara Purnhagen (Tagged)
Mara Purnhagen (Pat Midnight)
Jaclyn Dolamore (Magic Under Glass)
Irene Latham (Leaving Gee’s Bend)
C.J. Omololu (Dirty Little Secrets)
Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year)
Holly Nicole Hoxter (The Snowball Effect)
Jessica Leader (Nice And Mean)
N.H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul)
Jennifer Cervantes (Tortilla Sun)
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (8th Grade Superzero)
Josh Berk (The Dark Days Of Hamburger Halpin)
Jame Richards (Three Rivers Rising)
Melanie Dobson (Refuge on Crescent Hill)
(A big thank you to all the wonderful authors who donated signed swag for their books)


YA Giveaway 3: US ONLY

The Poison Diaries by The Duchess of Northumberland Jane
(Note: This is not The Poison Diaries By Maryrose Wood)




To Enter:
Become A GFC Follower
& Fill Out FORM

Extra Entries:
Email Subscriber +2

Giveaways End Nov 28 at 11:59 pm PST
Winners will be chosen by random.org by Dec 1

Enter Chronicle Book's $500 Haul-idays Giveaway At Bookish Delights!!

Hey guys! Chronicle Books is having a $500 Book Haul for Bloggers as well their readers/followers. Chronicle Books is an independent publisher of books.

Here is what it says on their giveaway page:

Post a list of Chronicle Books valued at up to $500 that you’d like to haul in, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to WIN your list of books! And, one of your readers who comments on the post will win the list too!

If you don't have a blog, no worries. For everyone else, visit these participating blogs for your chance to win a haul of Chronicle Books! Each of these blogs has posted a list of books valued up to $500! One blogger and one commenter on the winning post will each WIN the list!

Below is my Chronicle Books Wish List. I entered the Chronicle Books Haul-idays Giveaway for a chance to win these books. If you want a chance to win these books as well, just make a comment on this post below along with your email.

Marley Legend: An Illustrated Life of Bob Marley $35.00
Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin David Anderson & Sam Stall $14.95
Android Karenina by Leo Tolstoy & Ben Winters $12.95
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith $12.95
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Deluxe Heirloom Edition by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith $24.95
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith $12.95
Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben Winters $12.95
Dracula’s Heir: An Interactive Mystery by Sam Stall $24.95
The Gravedigger by Peter Grandbois $13.95
The Writer’s Toolbox by Jamie Cat Callan $24.95
Women Know Everything by Karen Weekes $16.95
Unicorn Wishes by $15.95
The Space between Trees by Katie Williams $17.99
Barry Moser Story Pack $23.95
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll $19.95
The Nutcracker by Michael Hague $7.95
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore & Cooper Edens $7.95
Olive, The Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold & Vivian Walsh $15.99
The Alchemist’s Cat(Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $17.95
The Oaken Throne(Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis & Leonid Gore $17.95
Thomas (Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $17.95
The Whitby Witches(Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $17.95
The Dark Portal (Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $17.95
The Crystal Prison(Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $7.18
The Final Reckoning(Hardcover) by Robin Jarvis $17.95
Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes $16.99
Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood $23.95
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco, Monique Felix $17.95
Lexi’s Tale by Johanna Hurwitz $4.99

Last day to submit entries is December 10th!
Winners will be announced on December 13th!

Visit the Chronicle Books Website and check out their books by clicking HERE.

Interested in entering your blog? The form to enter is HERE.

Check out other participating blogs so you can have more chances to win Chronicle Books. Click HERE.

Leave a comment below in this blog post, along with your email, for a chance to win my Chronicle Books wish list, valued near $500.