When I was on vacation, I managed to pick up a signed copy of Amanda Hocking's novel, LULLABY, which is book 2 in her Watersong series. I had a pretty good time reading it as soon as I got home and thought I'd pay it forward. Pictured below is the actual item, and if you want a chance to win it, just fill out the form below!

LULLABY by Amanda Hocking (2012). From Goodreads:

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

Deadline: Saturday, January 19, 2013
The winner will be contacted through e-mail within 48
hours after the close date and have 48 hours to respond
if picked as winner. This contest is open to Canada
and the United States residents only. Good luck!

Black Friday Book Bonanza // November 23-25, 2012
Instead of running out to the stores on Black Friday, stay in and win new or new-to-you books. Once again, the hosts for this hop are Heather from Book Savvy Babe, Jenn from The Bawdy Book Blog, and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves.

Happy Black Friday! I'm so excited to be a part of this hop. I'll be giving away 4 books from my own collection that I hope you'll enjoy. These books have only been read once and are still in great condition. This hop runs from November 23 - 25.

Rules:

• There will be one (1) winner who will receive all four (4) books
• The giveaway is open to residents in Canada and the United States only
• All entry methods will be verified
• The winner will have 48 hours to respond to a confirmation e-mail from me, or another winner will be chosen

Title: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: Romance, contemporary
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Format: Hardcopy (paperback)

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Title: Vampire Academy
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal, fantasy, romance
Release Date: August 16, 2007
Format: Hardcopy (hardcover)

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Title: Jane
Author: April Lindner
Genre: Romance, contemporary
Release Date: October 11, 2010
Format: Hardcopy (hardcover)

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.

But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.

Title: Glow
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Series: Sky Chasers, Book 1
Genre: Dystopian, fantasy, romance
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Format: Hardcopy (hardcover)

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

There are a lot of other blogs participating in this giveaway hop, so please check them out for more amazing titles.


Good luck!

YA Mythology Hop // October 26 - November 4, 2012
Hosted by For Those About to Read and I Am A Reader Not A Writer.

Mythology of any kind is my absolute favourite thing to read about in YA novels, so if you're like me and enjoy the likes of Percy Jackson, The Goddess Girls, or Eon, then please feel free to enter. This hop runs from October 26 to November 4.

There will be one winner, and they'll get a copy of one book of their choice from the list below. I've put a variety of mythological stories: Greek, Chinese, Hindu, Egyptian, Norse, and Roman. Whatever fits your fancy.


Rules:

• There will be one (1) winner
• The giveaway is open internationally, provided that BookDepository.com ships to your country
• All entry methods will be verified
• The winner will have 48 hours to respond to a confirmation e-mail from me with their title of choice, or another winner will be chosen

Sounds easy enough! There are a lot of other blogs participating in this giveaway hop, so please check them out by clicking here for more amazing titles. Good luck!

Wait, what?! 100 followers? I was happy to have 10! Thank you all for visiting, following, reading, commenting, and generally giving a damn. I never would have guessed I'd reach 100 in under a month! Obligatory happy gif.


As a thank you, I'm giving one reader a chance to win any YA book from The Book Depository. It is open internationally, provided that they ship to your country and it is under $15 CAD (Canadian). To see what countries they ship to, click here.

The only requirement is that you be following me via GFC -- new followers also welcome! All other entires are optional.


The giveaway will end at midnight (12:00 EST) on 
November 3rd. I will e-mail the winner to obtain
shipping information. Good luck, and thank you all once again!

So I was clearing up some space on my bookshelves and discovered that I had two copies of these! Guess that happens when you can't keep track. I need a better system. I've decided to giveaway these two great books by Sarah Dessen. They're paperback editions from Speak (Puffin Books) and haven't been read, as I have my slightly beat up and thoroughly read editions on my shelf. Pictured below are the actual items.

SOMEONE LIKE YOU (1998)
From Sarah Dessen's website:

"Halley and Scarlett have been best friends for years, sharing secrets, clothes, and crushes. People know Scarlett as the popular, flamboyant one; Halley’s just her quiet sidekick. Then, at the beginning of their junior year, the balance shifts. First, Scarlett’s boyfriend Michael is killed in a freak accident; soon afterward, she learns that she is carrying his baby. For the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it’ll never break–because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever. Sarah Dessen’s poignant, funny voice has earned her raves and legions of teenaged fans."

JUST LISTEN (2006)
From Amazon.com:

"Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that’s the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf’s Department Store.This year, she’s the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling.With Owen’s help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

In this multi-layered, impossible-to-put-down book, Sarah Dessen tells the story of a year in the life of a family coming to terms with the imperfections beneath its perfect facade."

The winner will be contacted through e-mail within 48 hours after the close date and have 48 hours to respond if picked as winner.


Deadline: Friday, October 19, 2012
This contest is open to Canada and the United
States residents only.

Nothing makes me more ecstatic than seeing my favorite book come to life on the big screen. Check out the trailer for the movie here, directed by the author himself, Stephen Chbosky:


Amazing, yes?
To celebrate the release of the film, I'm giving away a "Perks of Being a Wallflower" prize pack.
It includes:

• One copy of The Perks of Being a Wallflower novel (movie tie-in edition) - See it at Amazon.com
• One copy of The Perks of Being a Wallflower original motion picture soundtrack - See it at Amazon.com

To enter, simply fill out the entry form located below. The winner will be contacted through e-mail within 48 hours after the close date.

It opens in limited theatres today, with a wider release on September 28. Check your local movie listings to see if it's showing in your area!


Deadline: Friday, September 28, 2012
This contest is open worldwide.