#TeamOzera

Remember last week when I posted this about the 2nd YA Crush Tourney nominations? Well the candidates have been selected and I could not be more excited to announce that this year I will be advocating for one of my favorite characters from my favorite book series.

This year, I will be the advocate for Christian Ozera from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series.

Christian may not be Rose's love interest, but he is still stole my heart with his sinister smirk, icy blue eyes, dark family past, snarky remarks, and most importantly: his huge heart. In the first book of the series, we get a large glimpse at how wonderful he is, but throughout the rest of the series we get to see over and over that he may come off as kind of creepy, but he'd do anything for the ones that he cares about and he doesn't give a damn about what anyone thinks. He's one of the best bad boys in YA.

This is not my actual defense for the tournament. This is just me bringing the fabulous Christian Ozera to your attention. I KNOW he's going up against a butt ton of other lovelies such as Will Herondale, Peeta Mellark, and other marvelous guys that Mead has created: Adrian Ivashkov, Dimitri Belikov, Eddie Castile. I know it's a tough competition, but don't let Christian slip from your mind, because the guy is HOT! In every sense of the word--Dude can start fires with his mind (and save St. Vladimir's while doing so!)

And I know that with the VA series wrapping up and the Bloodlines series just beginning, your focus is on Adrian and even Dimitri, and you may be forgetting why it was you loved Christian in the first place (but let's face it, no one could forget!). So, here are some drool-worthy, swoon-worthy, and admiration-worthy quotes from Christian:

Christian: "Squatters' rights. Besides, I have to make sure I stay near the chapel as much as possible so people know I haven't gone Strigoi…yet."
Lissa: "I used to always see you at mass. Is that the only reason you go? To look good?"
Christian: "Sure, Why else go? For the good of your soul?”

"People think I'm unstable, but I tell you, Rose is ten times worse. Of course, that makes it harder for people to fuck with you, so I'm all for it."

"Yeah? I thought that was the way all royals were supposed to act. You certainly seem to be doing a good job with it. Or maybe you're just using compulsion on me to make me think you're a two-faced bitch. Maybe you really aren't. But I doubt it.”

"If you weren't so psychotic, you'd be fun to hang around.”

"I saw him because I see everything. Easy when no one notices you.”

"Yes. Like is when you date a big, blond moron and laugh at his stupid jokes.”
Then, out of nowhere, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was hot and fast and furious, an outpouring of the rage and passion and longing that Christian always kept locked inside of him. Christian pulled back from the kiss but still kept his face next to hers.
"That's what you do with someone you like.”

Christian: "You did not just say that. I have a feeling we're on the verge of hugging and coming up with cute nicknames for eachother."
Rose: "I already have a nickname for you, but I'll get in trouble if I say it in class."

Christian: "We can run off to Paris or something and work at a little café. Or sell bad art on the streets.”
Lissa: “Right. I can totally see you having the patience to wait on people. You’d be fired your first day. Looks like the only way we’ll survive is if I go to college and support us.”

Adrian: “And, I can visit people in their dreams.”
Christian: “Stop. I can feel there’s a comment coming on about how women already dream about you. I just ate, you know."

"If there was a way to save all Strigoi, that would change our world. I mean, not that setting them on fire isn't cool after they've gone on killing sprees."

Christian: "Worst .Timing.Ever."
Adrian: "Huh, So that's how you're going to fix the family problem. Little Dragomirs. Good idea."
Christian: "Yeah, that's exactly it. You're interrupting official Council business."
...
Christian: "Sleep first. Shower later. I'll sleep with you."
Lissa: "Sleep or sleep?"
Christian: "Real sleep. You need it. Of course, afterward if you want to conduct any official Council business..."
Lissa: "I swear, if you say 'Little Dragomirs', you can sleep in the hall."

"I'm Backing down now. I really do love you. That's why I am doing this."

So...I actually started crying when I read this quote.

So I may have had difficulties selecting only a FEW quotes, because he's just that great. I know you think so too after reading all that. And since you've renewed your love in him, I know you're thinking, "Wow. Everyone needs to vote for him. I wish I was advocating for him."

Here's your chance to help Mr. Yummy. Join #TeamOzera! Help me spread the word about why Christian is so phenomenal. It's pretty much a street team.

Fill out the form and I will be contacting the new members on July 7th with more details. There will be different "assignments" and whatnot to help get the word out. I'm really horrible at explaining this, but I swear it will be fun. You can use twitter, your blog, and any other outlet to complete the challenges. So, join the fun--join #TeamOzera!

The only requirements for joining the team are: 1) You love Christian Ozera. 2) You have a social media platform to spread the love, such as facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc. I don't care how many friends or followers you have. 3) No bashing other characters, books, or authors. AT ALL. I'm 16 and I like to pretend the internet is a friendly environment. Don't show me otherwise!

By filling out the form you are only expressing interest in being part of the team. I will email you all the assignments and other information, but I don't want you to feel obligated to participate, though participating will earn you points, and points will help you win prizes! If you have any questions, you can comment or email me at gabbicalabrese AT hotmail DOT com

Interview with Katie McGarry

Ya'll, I recently read Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, and I frackin adored it! It was full of fabulous. My review will come closer to publication date, but in the mean time I have the marvelous Katie here on the blog for an interview! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions!

1) Pushing the Limits switches between Echo's point of view and Noah's. Did you know from the beginning that would be the case, or did you figure it out along the way? 

I knew immediately that I wanted to write alternating points of view. I had tried it in a previous manuscript and fell in love. There’s something about being able to see a love story from both points of view that is just enchanting!

2) Noah's voice is much more crude than Echo's. Was transitioning between the two of them difficult? 

Sometimes, yes. Between writing Echo and Noah, I would often need to take a break. Whether it be a walk around the block or heading into the kitchen to sneak a chocolate chip cookie. I go deep into my characters’ heads when I write and I lose myself in them. It was harder for me to pull out of Noah’s head than it was Echo’s.

3) What was the most challenging part of writing Pushing the Limits? What about your favorite part? 

The hardest part of writing Pushing the Limits was having to channel difficult memories and emotions so I could properly write Echo and Noah. There were several times that the scenes became so emotional for me to write that I had to walk away and take a break. 

My favorite parts, hands down, are the scenes with sexual tension. I adore writing those scenes.

4) How do you feel knowing that your debut novel is going to be out in the wild for everyone to read (and most likely adore!)?

I’m super excited and nervous. I’m heading close to the two year mark from when I first signed the contract with Harlequin Teen. It feels like it has taken forever to reach my release day, but now that it is right around the corner, it seems like the time flew by.

5) Greek mythology is mentioned throughout the novel. Is that something you've loved since you were a child, like Echo? How did you get into it? 

I honestly knew nothing about Greek mythology when I started Pushing the Limits. When I begin to write, I see flashes of scenes in my mind. One of the flashes was a memory Echo had of her mother talking to Echo when she was a child in her bedroom. Echo’s mother was pointing out constellations that she had painted on Echo’s ceiling. 

A lot of constellations involve Greek mythology therefore my story evolved. 

SPEED ROUND

Lemonade or iced tea? 

Lemonade

Pens or pencils? 

Pens

Dresses or jeans? 

Jeans

Spearmint or peppermint? 

Neither

Zebra print or cheetah print? 

Zebra

~~~

Thanks again, Katie! I see big things ahead for you! 

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads. 

Her website ~ Her twitter ~ Her facebook

Series: Standalone

Genre: YA Contemp

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

Pages: 384

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Indiebound ~ Book Depo

Book Review (rant?): Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Series: Vampire Born #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publication Date: August 26, 2011
Format: ebook
Pages: 263
Source: Angeline Kace

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Indiebound ~ Book Depo

 Tons of bloggers have hyped this book up since before it was released. I mean, they were GUSHING, and I was like, "Bro, I want this book so bad!" Then one day I was totally creeping checking out her website and there was a review request form and I filled it out. I knew it had been released for a while so I figured Angeline wouldn't even see my request, but she did and she sent me a kindle copy. I was so excited! I could not wait to get started. Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be and as much as everyone else seemed to be. The unique-ish world building gave this novel a lot of potential, but I just wasn't feeling it.

Descended by Blood begins with a bang. There is this lion that attacks the main character Brooke and her friend, but somehow Brooke manages to control it. There's this creepy guy in a trench coat. Though the seen itself is sort of strange, the tension sets readers up for things to get epic, then it all just...fades away. The next 25% of the book is nothing but relationship drama with a little sprinkling of, "Oh, whadya know. This dude is following me, but I don't think I'll tell anyone. Now let me get back to worrying about my boyfrannnn!" Then BAM! The plot picks back up when a creepy vampire guy tries to kill her and Jaren, her boyfriend. It was weird pacing, though it got better, and I don't think the book started off in a good place. The lion scene wasn't actually much of an inciting incident because afterwards everything pretty much fell back to normal. 25% of a book should not be dedicated solely to developing a relationship. A lot of the development was actually unnecessary.

I didn't like Brooke. She was selfish and annoying. She worried about the wrong things. She was a hypocrite of sorts. She whined, cried all the time, and jumped to conclusions. She hears that Jaren was caught talking to his ex at the park, and she automatically assumes they're getting back together. She starts bawling her eyes out and going on about how her heart is broken. She doesn't give him a chance to explain or anything. And when she finds out that he kissed aforementioned ex-girlfriend, she freaks even though he clearly states that the kiss made him realize how much he cares for Brooke. He tells her he loves her and she thinks she loves him too, but he apparently "tarnished" it. Then, she thinks it's perfectly acceptable to be all over Mirko because she and Jaren technically broke up. Seriously, she bawled her eyes out at least four times throughout the book. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with girls crying in books. But when she cries about everything, or cries when she should be, like....I don't know--saving vampire kind? Excuse me if I get a bit annoyed. I wanted to shake her....or punch her. But I'll admit, I do like her a liiiiiittttle bit more when she does decide to step up to the plate and realizes that she needs to do more than sit around and worry abut her guy problems.

Then there's Mirko and Jaren. Everyone raves about Mirko, but honestly? I didn't find him all that swoon-worthy. I suppose he had his moments, but it was obvious he was trying to be aloof and sexy and it felt completely artificial. I did like learning about his past. It was sad what he went through, but it made me wonder--what does he see in Brooke? The man is tough. He went through some pretty heavy crap...and he falls for a whiny teenager? I'd love to see more depth to his feelings for her. And Jaren? At first he seemed like a great guy. He's sweet and obviously cares a lot about Brooke. Sure, he had a moment of doubt when he kissed his ex, but he knows it was a mistake and immediately goes to talk to Brooke about it. His dad is an extreme jerk, but he doesn't let that keep him down. Then he discovers that Brooke is a half-vampire and transforms into someone else entirely. He breaks up with Brooke because he "needs time" but then flirts with this other vampire girl. He feels like he can stake a claim over Brooke even though he dumped her. It's infuriating.

The only character I really liked in this book is Kaitlynn, Brooke's best friend. She's there for Brooke through everything, and supports her no matter what. A real best friend is something that is not seen too often in YA anymore. I really enjoyed the parts with Kaitlynn and I wish she was in it more.

The writing itself was pretty good. Angeline has a way with describing things that is really beautiful, although at times it can become a but much. The world building is original and well done. I didn't have any confusion. And the plot was interesting and engaging. These are the things that kept me reading and will make me read the next book. I can't wait to see what happens. Hopefully, I'll enjoy it more than I enjoyed this novel. The book wasn't bad, but there were a lot of things I didn't like and I didn't connect to it in the way I would have liked.

Blog Tour: Interview with Elana Johnson

I am so thrilled to have the wonderful Elana Johnson here on the blog for an interview!

1) First and foremost, how did writing a sequel compare to writing POSSESSION?

Well, this time I was forced to do an outline, so the drafting wasn’t that bad. (The outlining was.) I wrote SURRENDER in 25 days, and there were things about it that made it hard, like making sure the timelines met up and that everything aligned with what was already printed in POSSESSION.

2) What was your favorite part of writing SURRENDER? 

Uh, the kissing scenes! Ha! Everyone knows I like kissing. But seriously, I like writing the emotional aspects of novels, so anything that involves a relationship is fun to write.

3) If Raine had her own reality T.V. show, what would the best title be (besides Surrender, of course)?

Playing Both Sides… Yeah, that sound good. She does have to play both sides in the novel…

4) What would the theme song be? 

SURRENDER by Cheap Trick, of course!

5) What will readers find in SURRENDER that will make us love it even more than POSSESSION? 

Well, SURRENDER has two new characters to love. Gunner Jameson and Raine Hightower. And this second book is all about what the Insiders are doing to overthrow the government, so it’s not just a “this is what’s wrong with our world” book, but a “now that we know what’s wrong, here’s what we’re going to do” book. And that lends itself to more danger and excitement. 

6) Do you have any special writing rituals or traditions that are essential for getting the ideas flowing properly? (music, food, etc...)

Not really. For editing purposes, I need the headphones on loud so I can block out distractions. But just to sit down and write? I can do that and watch Next Food Network Star at the same time. For me, it’s all about just opening the document and getting it done.

7) If you had the opportunity to meet any living YA author, who would you choose? 

I’ve met so many awesome ones! I’d say Kathleen Duey, because I love her SKIN HUNGER series, but I’ve already met her! And Beth Revis for her ACROSS THE UNIVERSE SERIES, but again, met her. How about Lisa and Laura Roecker, authors of THE LIAR SOCIETY? Yes, I’d like to meet them. 

8) What is your worst guilty pleasure? 

Bacon. 

Now it's time for the....drum roll....SPEED ROUND!

Summer or Winter? 

Summer, all the way.

Guitar or drums? 

Guitar.

Blue or yellow? 

Yellow. 

Bowling date or movie date? 

Movie – I love the popcorn!

Escalators or elevators? 

Escalators. I’m writing a book about elevators right now, and they’re scaring me. 

~~~

Thanks so much for stopping by, Elana. You are an absolute delight and I am grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this tour!

Elana's work including POSSESSION, REGRET, and SURRENDER is available from Simon & Schuster wherever books are sold. She is the author of From the Query to the Call, an ebook that every writer needs to read before they query, which can be downloaded for free on her website. She runs a personal blog on publishing and is a founding author of the QueryTracker blog. She blogs regularly at The League of Extraordinary Writers, co-organizes WriteOnCon, and is a member of SCBWI, ANWA and LDStorymakers.

She wishes she could experience her first kiss again, tell the mean girl where to shove it, and have cool superpowers like reading minds and controlling fire. To fulfill her desires, she writes young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Her blog ~ Her facebook ~ Her twitter 

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn.

Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque…. 

Purchase SURRENDER!

Cover Compare (1)

Cover compare is a feature on BookBreather where I, well, compare covers. :D It might be covers from different countries, or maybe just original vs. redesign, etc. I know this is something done on several other blogs so I do not claim originality. I did not get the feature or the title from any specific blog.

Guys, I looooooove Sarah Dessen. I have deemed her as the contemporary queen.And I've always loved how authentic her covers felt, and how true they seemed to the books. When I found out all her novels were getting redesigned, I was admittedly upset about it. Some of them, I do like. Others...not so much. I mean, they're all gorgeous, but some of them just feel so generic. On the left will be the old covers, and the right will hold the new. All titles link to Goodreads. 

Along for the Ride

My vote: Old cover. 

I can feel a budding romance just jumping out at me. Along for the Ride is one of my favorite Dessen novels because of the depth and excitement in Auden and Eli's relationship. I see all of that in the first cover. The new one? Not so much. 

Just Listen

My vote: New cover. 

In the new cover, I can see Annabel waking up just to find solace in Owen's radio show. She's all alone on her bed, but you can tell that she's escaped to somewhere else. 

Dreamland

My vote: Old cover

This is one of Dessen's darker novels about a girl who gets abused by her boyfriend. The old cover really expresses the haze she was trapped in, and the way that lone person is walking on the dock shows not only Caitlin's isolation, but also the way she has disconnected from the world. The new cover seems like an adorbz love story to me.

Keeping the Moon

 My vote: New cover

Keeping the Moon is about a girl that majorly branches out. When Colie goes to Colby for the summer, she certainly doesn't expect it to be all that fun. But she ends up making great new friends and scoring herself a cute guy. This novel was fun and the new cover definitely embraces that excitement in ways the old cover does not. 

That Summer

 My vote: Old cover
That Summer was the first book I ever read by Sarah Dessen, therefore it's been quite a while since I've read it, but as far as I know this novel is not about romance. This is ultimately a coming of age story for a girl named Haven. She has to face family issues, and, more importantly, face the truth. It's about a girl learning to  come to terms with her life and herself. It's about a girl struggling to find freedom in her life and wishing things could go back to how they used to be. While the new cover displays a feeling of Haven watching her sister's multiple relationships from a distance, the old cover presents the feeling of a girl who seeks freedom from the beach.

This Lullaby
My vote: New Cover
This Lullaby is not only my favorite book by Sarah Dessen, but one of my favorite contemps of all time. So it might come as a surprise to know I don't really care for either of these covers. I don't feel like either of them properly represent the book and exude all the feelings that the pages contain. I picked the new one because it is more accurate. The song "This Lullaby" is not only the title of the book, but a theme and a symbol in the book. It was the song that Remy's dad wrote for her before going AWOL. It represents all of Remy's relationship and trust issues. So the guitar is much more accurate than a paper heart.

Lock and Key
My vote: Old cover
I think it's weird that the girl is just kind of holding out the key in the new cover. It feels forced. The old cover feels lonely and confused. Crazy how many emotions you can get from a pair of legs and a necklace, but I can practically hear the contemplative thoughts running through the girls head in the old cover.

The Truth About Forever

My vote:....I don't know

I like the little wishbone on the bracelet in the new cover, but the old cover has a "He loves me, he loves me not" thing going on which is pretty true to most of Sarah Dessen's books. 

Someone Like You

 My vote: Neither
I don't lie either of these. I said I didn't like the covers for This Lullaby but this is a stronger dislike. If I hadn't already read the book, I would not get even close to the right idea about these books. First of all, Someone Like You is not a romance. It's more about friendship than anything. So the first cover is out. And the new cover reminds me more of a dystopian novel than one about a pregnant teen.

So, those are my thoughts on the new covers. What are yours? Are there any particular ones you like or dislike? How do you feel about the whole redesign? I'm really interested to see how people feel about this. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer TBR

All titles link to Goodreads. 

1) City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare - I love Cassie and I love The Mortal Instruments. And I love Jace. I have been waiting for this novel for what feels like forever, what with the super cliffhanger ending that was CoFA. I've had it for a few weeks but for some reason I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. 

2) The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead - OMGOMGOMGOMG!!! I fangirl every time I even think of Richelle Mead. She's my ultimate favorite author, just like VA is my ultimate favorite series. I adore Adrian so much *swoooooon* and I have no doubt I will love this series as much as VA. 

3) Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins - To this day, I don't think I've found a witch/magic book that manages to balance fun, action, a great plot, and fabulous worldbuilding like the Hex Hall series. 

4) My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I love the concept of this and I've heard really great things about it. 

5) A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger - I have yet to read a book by Kody Keplinger, but I want this book so so so so bad. It sounds so amazing. I've always had this creepy thing for step-sibling relationships. 

6) The Fault in our Stars by John Green - I've also never read a John Green book, but I've heard the most amazing things about him. I won this book and I figure it's as good a place to start as any. 

7) Shut Out by Kody Keplinger - I got a signed copy of this from Kody herself and I cannot wait to delve in. 

8) Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Artmentrout - Same thing that goes for Kody Keplinger and John Green applies to Jennifer's work. I feel like I am the only person who has not read this series. I'm kind of waiting for the entire series to be released before I start because I have a feeling I'll just want to keep reading after I finish each book. 

9) Rift by Andrea Cremer - I adore the Nightshade series and I cannot wait to see where Andrea goes with this, Her worldbuilding is complex and intriguing and absolutely wonderful. Her writing is phenomenal. I am so excited. 

10) Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - I hear this is such an emotional contemp book and I've really been into that. Plus, I hear it's a great beach read! 

What books are on your summer TBR pile? Let me know in the comments or leave links! 

Crush Tournament nominations.

So, the time has come for the second YA crush tournament, hosted by YA Sisterhood. 

And can I just say....

....I'm so excited!!

I looove me some hawt boyz, especially if they're from YA. Anyway, right now is nomination time, when us fabulous YA lovers get to vote for which guys we want in the competition. As of right now, a large portion of the nominations go to Cassandra Clare's books. If you follow this blog, you should know that I adore Cassie. The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices are two of my favorite series, so I'm not upset that so many of her delicious guys have been nominated, but the world of YA is an enormous one and there are so many other fabulous guys that tend to be overlooked. 

This year I tried to nominate boys I felt definitely deserve to be in the tournament but aren't as extremely popular as Cassandra Clare's guys. I did pick a few popular guys that I just couldn't pass up, though. Here were my ten picks. 

1) Adrian Ivashkov from Bloodlines/Vampire Academy

2) Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy

3) Christian Ozera from Vampire Academy

4) Alex from Delirium

5) Adam from If I Stay/Where She Went

6) Ethan Wate from Beautiful Creatures

7) Link from Beautiful Creatures

8) Jeremy from Virtuosity

9) Robin Hood from Scarlet 

10) Ed/Shadow from Graffiti Moon

So please, if you haven't nominated yet, consider those lovelies above. 

What do you think about my choices? Who did you (are going to) pick? 

And yes, I linked every time I said "nominate" or some version of that word to the nomination page because I really want you to nominate cute guys. Especially the ones I nominated.