Waiting on Wednesday: First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci

RD: Nov. 1. 2011


A startling, wonderful novel about the true meaning of being an alien in an equally alien world.

"We are specks. Pieces of dust in this universe. Big nothings.

"I know what I am."

Mal lives on the fringes of high school. Angry. Misunderstood. Yet loving the world -- or, at least, an idea of the world.

Then he meets Hooper. Who says he's from another planet. And may be going home very soon.


WoW hosted by Breaking the Spine.



~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Giveaway: $25 TGIF Giftcard (U.S) - CLOSED

Credit. 

TGIF GC?! Oh you know you want this. :)


This giveaway is to help promote new TGIF deals going on in Baltimore, Indiniapolis, Chicago, and West Palm Beach. Now, even though those folks get to save a bit more right now, you can still enter if you don't live there. 

Ahhh I haven't been to TGIF in a while. I miss their potato skins. Ahhh I love potatoes!!! ;)

Okay, they some new deals at those aforementioned places. Here are the dets:


For the full menus being offered in Baltimore and Indianapolis, please visit (some great deals for just $10 bucks with the mean and a "special" drink):


Baltimore: http://www.tgifridays.com/menus/dinnerColdOne.aspx
Indianapolis: http://www.tgifridays.com/menus/dinnerColdOne_everyday.aspx

Pick 2 For $10: Choose an appetizer (get the potato skins, they're so yuuuuummy!!!), an entrée, or dessert. Offer Valid Only In: Chicago (Every Day) and West Palm Beach (Every Day)

For the full menus being offered in Chicago and West Palm Beach, please visit:
Chicago & West Palm Beach: http://www.tgifridays.com/menus/pick2for10.aspx



The Stuff:

• 1 winner will receive a $25 TGIF giftcard
• open to those who live in a location with a TGIF
• winner will be chosen with random.org and emailed within 2 days of the deadline
• fill out the form below (if it doesn't show up for you, leave one comment with everything and your total points) with:
• +1 contact info (initial entry)
• +3 follower
• +1 if you comment:
• let me know what foods make your mouth water (hmmm anything from TGIF you always have to get?), or tell me an easy tasty recipe, or tell me a joke!
• deadline: Friday, September 9, 2011

Joke:
Q: What's your favorite band?
A: The rubber band.


Ooh look a kitty!

hahaha ;)


I did not receive compensation for this post. Prize sponsored by TGIF and marketing firm. 


~~T.V and Book Addict~~

In My Mailbox: pretty shoes and korean origami with a slice of japanese

This past week I got:

I bought this adorable origami stationary. It's a small set, but ah so cute! I got it on ebay here. They sadly don't have anymore. 

It makes this panda and the blue thingamagic. I already used the panda to make a note to a friend. Ah so cute!

I also bought this adorable duckie (she loves duckies) stationary set for my best buddy who I call Marzipan (her name does start with Mar - yes I also call her Mars). They don't have the duckies anymore but they do have a lot of cute ones.

I got these adorable pointy suede Big Buddha ankle booties. I LOVE them! I've already worn them way too many times. Bad bad.

I finally got adorable wedges!!!! They're Nine West cuties.

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes // Jonathan Auxier - I LOVE Peter Pan! Won at Book Faerie! :)

RD: Aug. 2011

Now, for those of you who know anything about blind children, you are aware that they make the very best thieves. As you can well imagine, blind children have incredible senses of smell, and they can tell what lies behind a locked door- be it fine cloth, gold, or peanut brittle- at fifty paces. Moreover, their fingers are so small and nimble that they can slip right through keyholes, and their ears so keen that they can hear the faint clicks and clacks of every moving part inside even the most complicated lock. Of course, the age of great thievery has long since passed;today there are few child-thieves left, blind or otherwise. At one time, however, the world was simply thick with them. This is the story of the greatest thief who ever lived. His name, as you've probably guessed, is Peter Nimble.


Feel free to link to your IMM.


IMM created by The Story Siren and Pop Culture Junkie. 

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

My Addiction: What are your current addictions?

So what are your current addictions?

Credit.

This is what's taking up my time right now.

For the T.V Addict in me:

Being Human - UK version. It's kinda slow, but I'm terribly intrigued. I LOVE the nerd! As always ;)

Being Human - US version. AHHH!!! This US version has Sam Witwer (Doomsday in Smallville - that dimple!!!!), Sam Huntington (have had a crush on him since Jungle 2 Jungle a childhood movie of mine), and Mark Pellegrino (Lucifer in Supernatural - yum! but I don't like his blond hair in this...)



For the Book Addict in me:

It's starting off slow, but I'm hanging in there because the cover is so dang intriguing and so is the synopsis:

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

BTW - there's going to be a sequel.

Rot & Ruin - zombies? yes please! I need something to tide me over until The Walking Dead (tv show for the T.V addict in me) season 2 comes out in a few months (iiiiiiiiiiiip!!!!). The sequel for Rot & Ruin, called Dust & Decay comes out August 30, so I must be prepared! I'm reading this one between classes. Sometimes I forget my iPod can double as an ebook reader. I'm trying harder and harder to remember. The other day I finished Anna and the French Kiss on my iPod. Post coming soon about ways to do that. I want to include everything I can from research in order to make the reading experience during school semesters a lot easier on us Book Addicts. ;)

This is for my Psych class - Theories of Personality. I LOVE my professor! He was my first psych professor. He's so mean-nice in that awesome way you can't help but find endearing. He says he will mock us (me and the other three students that also had him for General Psych) if we don't know the answer to a question we "learned" from him. I am prepared to blush out of embarrassment, here I come! ;)



~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins // Book Review

Rating: 3/5; Liked it. It was okay.

Release Date: December 2010

Synopsis:
A girl is sent to Paris against her wishes. There she meets a boy and what a boy he is.

Thoughts:
I went into this book thinking it would be a cute fast read and it was. How I wish it was an adorable book that I can never forget like Pride and Prejudice. I'm always looking out for that kind of love story. Is it harsh to compare it to such a book? *shrug* I recommend it if you're looking for a quick, cute read similar to a quick, rentable romcom.
I didn't feel as if the couple will be that memorable as a couple, but the will be as friends. I LOVED their friendship so much! It actually reminds me of a friendship I have right now (except for certain things of course). As for the love story, I wish there was more to it. There were only a few pages about them together and that irked me. The same thing happens with romcoms. Boy and girl like each other, they get together, they kiss, the end. No ma'am, I'm not satisfied with just that. I want to know more about their happy ending! Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is and I expected more than I should have. If you're like me, you'll probably feel the same way about this book. I don't see it as a waste of time because I did like it (I sped right through it because I was very excited about the story) but I wish I had loved it. I probably would have fallen more in love with this book if the love story bits were cuter. They were cute, but they didn't win me over. The guy was also very sweet, but to me he was kind of an idiot (even with the British accent) and so was the girl at times. They really needed to learn to communicate (same in romcoms). Additionally, I didn't fancy that there were just too many pages spent on things I wasn't interested in (i.e., not the couple). There were moments spent on issues with family, best friends, boyfriends, girlfriends. Bleh. Not interested.

Note: I loved how the protagonist has an obsessive compulsive personality disorder! In YA (similar to this one anyway) it's rare for the protagonist to have a disorder. Interesting.

I must say, I'm curious about the author's next book. Coming this September 29, 2011. Isn't the cover cute? And doesn't that story sound adorable? We shall see...

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. 

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Waiting on Wednesday: My Name is Mina by David Almond

RD: Oct. 11. 2011

Mina loves the night. While everyone else is in a deep slumber, she gazes out the window, witness to the moon's silvery light. In the stillness, she can even hear her own heart beating. This is when Mina feels that anything is possible and her imagination is set free.
     A blank notebook lies on the table. It has been there for what seems like forever. Mina has proclaimed in the past that she will use it as a journal, and one night, at last, she begins to do just that. As she writes, Mina makes discoveries both trivial and profound about herself and her world, her thoughts and her dreams.
     Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work. My Name is Mina is not only a pleasure to read, it is an intimate and enlightening look at a character whose open mind and heart have much to teach us about life, love, and the mysteries that surround us.


Sounds like something I'd really love!


WoW hosted by Breaking the Spine. 

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

New to My Playlist

NMP = songs I've recently added to my never ending playlist of songs I'll play in a loop unless I have the master list on shuffle. If the song's legally available for free (usually for a limited time for promotional purposes) I shall provide a link.

"The Feel Again (Stay)" by Blue October

Found: their new album

"In For the Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix)" by La Roux. I love the original, but dang this one's amazing!

Found: Misfits - British T.V show - really amazing show by the way! Review coming soon :)

Korean song: "Star" by Kang Min Hyuk (the adorable drummer of CN Blue). His voice is sweet and really matches what he looks like hehe I'm really loving Heartstrings by the way. If you're into (or not) Korean t.v shows, you should check it out. It's pretty cute. Could be better, but still, cute.

Found: Heartstrings (Korean T.V show)






What did you think? What do you already like from these artists?


~~T.V and Book Addict~~

In My Mailbox: the killers

Chose that title because the below book reminds me of The Killer's song.


Recently I've received:

• All These Things I've Done/Gabrielle Zevin - So excited to read this one!! Release Date: Sep.6.11. I read and loved Elsewhere (review). Excited excited!

Visit The Story Siren and Pop Culture Junkie for more IMM's.

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Bookish News: Michael Grant's new series & Q&A

I've never read any Michael Grant books, but after looking at his site I'm intrigued already. He seems so SWEET!! Awww-inducing. Read what he said about why he wrote the YA series Gone:

Why did I write the GONE series? Well, in my head I imagine this reader. Sometimes it's a girl, sometimes it's a boy. It changes. But in any case there's this reader. And I want that reader to pick up GONE, and to be unable to put it down until they have read every word. I want that reader to forget everything else going on around them and become completely engrossed.
When they're done with the first book, I want them to need that next book desperately. I want to surprise that reader and scare that reader and make and make that reader fall in love. In the end I want the reader to put down the book and think, "Man, that was fun."

And now read what he said about why he wrote The Magnificent 12:

Why did I write THE MAGNIFICENT 12? I want to make kids laugh. It's not very complicated. If I knew that some kid had read THE MAGNIFICENT 12 and laughed so hard they blew milk out of their nose? That would be the highest honor ever for me. I also want to get that sneaky late laugh, you know, where you're in class or at the doctor or at a funeral even, and you remember something from the books and you start laughing. Or even just grinning. That's what I want: I want kids grinning at inappropriate times. Inappropriate grins and the occasional milk snort, that's why I wrote THE MAGNIFICENT 12.

Isn't that just they type of author one loves? :)

Anywho, I wanted to pass on some information about his upcoming series. 

This winter, Michael has a new series coming out that was conceived not only as a book, but also as a “transmedia” experience.  This may not be a familiar term to YA fans, but essentially a transmedia story is an interactive narrative told through the written word, video, puzzles, and more. But most importantly, it encourages fans to become part of the action.


The missing son of a U.N. diplomat... the reemergence of a strange organization... a pair of society twins caught in the middle... this is just the beginning of "Go BZRK," a new transmedia experience from author Michael Grant.

If you're ready to take the plunge in an interactive story like you've never experienced before, visit societytwins.com and register with nexushumanus.com to take your first steps in a strange and compelling universe.

Filled with video, puzzles, community collaboration, and more, "Go BZRK" put YOU the player right in the middle of the action as you join Nexus Humanus and unravel a mystery that may hold the key to the fate of all mankind.


Q&A:



What is “Go BZRK”? Is this a book or some kind of interactive story? 
Both. The book comes out this winter, but the interactive part starts now.  One leads up to the other, but they're part of a complete package. 


Why “transmedia”? 
There are different approaches to transmedia.  Most people take a single story and reproduce it on various platforms.  My philosophy has been to make each element - ARG, app, web, book - a thing unto itself, each revealing some aspect of the world of BZRK.  I've been fascinated with this is as a new way to tell stories.  The book remains central, but now I can reach beyond the book and create a much more complete world.  I can tell stories that enhance the book, and stories that parallel the book, and stories that are offshoots of backstory.  I guess the answer to "why" is "because it's fun." 


Is this the future of publishing? 
I began a few years ago reaching out to publishers and saying we collectively needed to understand that the old models were dead or dying.  I want publishing to survive, and of course I'd like my own career to thrive.  So Egmont Publishing and my partners and I certainly hope this is a part of the future of publishing.   


How long is this running? Is this part of a larger picture? 
We'll be running this in several chunks between now and the book release this winter. Because these things have a hard start/stop point, August is a ramp-up phase. There'll be a lot of content coming out, but the experience really gets underway at the end of the month… just in time to distract the kids from their schoolwork. 


What if someone wants to follow the story but doesn’t want to participate? 
You don't have to do anything.  You can do one thing and not another.  But the deeper you plunge the wetter you get.  I think every part of this is fun, I think people will enjoy the ARG, the app, the site and the books.   


App? You've mentioned that a couple times now. 
Just wait and see.  


What can you tell us about the story? What is “BZRK”? 
It's a battle for the soul and freedom of the human race carried out simultaneously in the world we know, and in a world that you're not going to expect. It's a world where if you make a false move, you're going to lose your mind. 


Insanity… is this something you have a personal familiarity with? 
The line between writer and crazy person is very thin.  Both go around holding long, involved conversations with people who aren't there. 


What’s this other world thing all about? 
Do you really want spoilers? I'll tell you this. We'll be going "down in the meat." It's going to be vast, bloody, and beautiful.  


Wait… isn’t this supposed to be for kids? 
Adults like to flatter themselves that kids won't get, won't understand, won't be able to handle, more intense, more complex stories. That's nonsense.  It's the adults who are easy to creep out or scare.  Say the word "biopsy" in a room full of adults. Or "audit."  See?  Easy to scare.  Kids are a tougher audience because kids think they're immortal.






Sounds cool eh?

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Eden by Patrick Carman & Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Dark Eden/Patrick Carman
RD: Nov. 1. 2011.


Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?
Patrick Carman's Dark Eden is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and— ultimately—immortality.


Sounds intriguing!

Dark Inside/Jeyn Roberts
RD: Nov. 1. 2011

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everday people into hunters, killers, crazies.
Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.
Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.


Okay this one sounds intense. I must read it!

WoW hosted by Breaking the Spine. 

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins // Book Review & Giveaway (US) - CLOSED

Rating: 2/5; Not for me.

Release Date: October 18, 2011

Synopsis:
In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.


Thoughts:
Sadly, this book was not for me. It mainly has to do with me being unable to relate to any of the characters, so if you're the opposite of me, then you may feel quite different.
Ellen Hopkins is a great writer. I've read Impulse and Burned and I'm happy to say they are two of my favorite reads. She knows how to weave a fascinating realistic tale. It's normally hard for me to put her books down. For that reason I had to read this new adult book of hers. It's unfortunate that the story or characters were not enough for my taste though. The pace was too slow for me and the characters much too dull. I just could not find myself enjoying it. 


Hopefully one of you, dear readers, will enjoy this book.


Up for grabs is my gently used ARC. Remember it comes out this October, so if you don't win it, you'll get a chance to read it soon.


:e  Yay! Giveaway! :e 


Rules:
Fill out form
US only (unless you're willing to pay shipping via paypal)
Deadline: September 2 
Comments do not count as entries, but they are definitely welcome. Feel free to share your thoughts on the author, her books, or just be random :)





~~T.V and Book Addict~~

New to My Playlist

NMP = songs I've recently added to my never ending playlist of songs I'll play in a loop unless I have the master list on shuffle. If the song's legally available for free (usually for a limited time for promotional purposes) I shall provide a link.


"Hey Na Na" by Katie Herzig. fun fun fun

Found: Pandora.com
Resembles: Regina Spektor - they can both be silly but fun with their lyrics and catchy tunes.

"Round Here" by Counting Crows. niiice, but I dislike most of the second half of the song. Not for me.

Found: Friend's iPod.

"Show Me a Good Time" by Drake. Ahhh so addicting! I took a break from it because I heard it so much, but I just HAD to play it in a loop again!

Found: where didn't I hear it?

Do you like? If you already knew these artists and like other songs of theirs, please share which. :)

~~T.V and Book Addict~~

T.V: Rizzoli & Isles DVD & Swag Giveaway (US & Canada) - CLOSED

I'm always intrigued by books-turned-t.v shows (e.g. Bones, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, etc.) I also of course loved the ones turned into movies as well, but with t.v shows you really get to develop the characters so you can't top that. Well, guess what? Rizolli & Isles is also one of these books-turned-tv show. I had no idea. The first season's already over and the new one recently started (July 2011). I've only seen a few episodes and think it's pretty cool (honestly my favorite crime drama is still Criminal Minds though). If you need to catch up on the show, you've come to the right place.


Synopsis:
Based on characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, RIZZOLI & ISLES stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that has helped them bust some of Boston's most notorious criminals.

When/Time:
Mondays 10|9c on TNT


Clip:

What's up with the music in the background? hahaha so random


Prize:
Season 1 DVD of Rizzoli & Isles and branded caution tape (!!)


Rules:

• 1 winner
• US & Canada only
• Fill out form
• Deadline: August 21 (I will contact the winner and update this post)
• Extra 2 points: Let me know in the comments if you've seen/heard of this show and what you think. If you leave spoilers, please give a warning. If you haven't seen it, let me know why you're interested. 

*Prize provided by Turner. I was not compensated for this post.*

~~T.V and Book Addict~~