Friday, September 30, 2011

Follow My Book Blog Friday Hop #10




Happy Follow Friday!!


This weekly feature is hosted by
Rachel at Parajunkee's View 
and 
Alison at Alison Can Read,
 which you really must go and check out!!


You can find the rules at the links above.
Join in the fun and make new blogging friends!!


This week's featured blogs are:






and






Here's this week's question:



What book that hasn't been
turned into a movie (yet) would you
most like to see make it to the big screen,
and who would you like cast
as your favorite character?



Another great question this week!!  There are quite a few books I'd like to see turned into movies!!  Here are the ones that first come to mind...


Lisa Tawn Bergren

This YA trilogy is full
of adventure and romance!
Two sisters go back in time to medieval Italy,
and become involved in the ongoing battles
between the cities of Florence and Siena.
In the process, they also meet the young men
who will steal their hearts!

I don't know enough actors to propose a lead,
though...all I can say is that I would
hope that Marcello is as hot as he's described to be
in the books!!







Amy Plum


This novel is very sweetly romantic,
and it takes place in the most romantic city
of all...Paris!
It tells the story of two sisters as well,
but they have been orphaned,
and are seeking to remake their lives.
The protagonist meets a mysterious young man
who turns out to be a 'revenant',
giving his life over and over again to save others.

I can't help but think of Robert Pattinson in
the role of Vincent, the hero...







Meg Cabot

This mesmerizing story takes place
on an island patterned after Key West,
known as "Isla Huesos", which means "Island of Bones"
in English.
It's a very imaginative retellilng of the
myth of Persephone, and
details the near-death experience of a young girl
who meets the ruler of the Underworld.
He falls in love with her and wants her
to live with him forever...

I can't imagine who could play the role of this
ruler, but again, he would have to be
hotness personified...






Amy @ Amy's Book Den has suggested
Aaron Johnson from "Kick Ass" to portray John,
the ruler of the Underworld!

I think he's a great choice!!  Thanks, Amy!!








What wonderful novels would you like to see made into movies?






Monday, September 26, 2011

BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!





The winners have been picked,
and they are....


Nikki @


and

Nicole @  





CONGRATULATIONS
TO YOU BOTH!!!


Nikki & Nicole have already
been contacted,
and they each have 48 hours
to reply.

If either one of them fails to do so,
then one or more winners
will be picked, and, of course,
I will let you all know 
as soon as possible.

Nikki wanted to win either
Touch of Frost, by Jennifer Estep,
 or Blessed, by Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Nicole selected Abandon, by Meg Cabot.


Many thanks to all who participated
in my very first blog giveaway!!
Rest assured that this will
by no means be my last one!

Meanwhile, I do hope you've all 
been enjoying my blog, 
and will continue to do so 
in the future.
I strive to bring you the best
possible content, for 
your reading enjoyment! 


Thanks for your visits and comments!!!

Thanks to all of my
loyal followers, as well!!




Saturday, September 24, 2011

On My Bookshelves #2




This is the second Saturday of
my new book meme!!



This new feature highlilghts the books
we crazy book addicts have bought,
because we simply had to have them, no matter what,
took home, placed on one of
our bulging shelves, and then....forgot.

Yes, it's happened to me, and I'm sure
I'm not the only one!

So, scour your bookshelves, pull out a few
'forgotten' treasures you fully intend to read,
and then write your own post, so you can join in the fun!!

This book meme will also highlight those books we have already read,
and would love to re-read, because
they're absolutely wonderful!!


Here's my list for this week!






Marco Palmier and others
Trade Paperback, 382 pages
Pocket Books
September 5, 2006
Genre: Science Fiction


From the Amazon Synopsis


Star Trek: Constellations is a mind-blowing collection of specially-commissioned stories designed to go where no anthology has gone before. Featuring the iconic heroes of the Star Trek universe -- the legendary characters who were the inspiration for all those who followed -- this treasure trove of untold tales recreates all the sense of adventure that marked the original Star Trek when it first burst on to our television screens in 1966. Each story takes as its inspiration an element of 'unfinished business' from the original series so that they read like 'lost episodes' of the television show, exploring aspects of the Star Trek crew and their adventures which have intrigued Trekkers ever since the original series ended. The result is a magnificent tribute to the series that changed the face of television history and will have millions of fans worldwide feeling as though they have just discovered a whole 'missing' season of their favourite show.






Vernor Vinge
Hardcover, 532 pages
Nelson Doubleday/SFBC
(Book Club Edition)
November 1, 1986
Genre: Science Fiction


From the Amazon Synopsis


"The intricately plotted progress of characters from near to farfuture... on an Earth which, like an abandon playground, has long ago been left behind by an evolving humanity... human-scale action within a vast canvas."
-- The Excyclopedia of Science Fiction

Encompassing time-travel, powerful mystery and the future history of humanity to its last handful of survivors, Across Realtime spans millions of years and is an utterly engrossing SF classic.






Marion Zimmer Bradley
Hardcover, 400 pages
DAW Hardcover
June 1, 1996
Genre: Science Fiction


From the Goodreads Synopsis


The eagerly-awaited sequel to The Heritage of Hastur and Sharra's Exile. Margaret Alton, daughter of the Darkovan representative to the Terran Imperial Senate, remembers almost nothing about the planet of her birth or her tumultuous childhood. What fleeting memories she has are fragments of terror—a strange silver man and a screaming woman with hair that circled her head like a ring of fire. Now her work has taken Margaret back to Darkover, where she must fight against inner voices that are trying to control her as she unravels the secrets of her heritage—and her destiny.






J.M. Dillard
Trade Paperback, 440 pages
Pocket Books
August 1, 1990
Genre: Science Fiction



From the Goodreads Synopsis


After the end of the EnterpriseTM's five-year mission, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy struggle to establish new lives apart from each other and the starship. The newly-promoted Admiral Kirk is placed in charge of a specially-created Starfleet division and attempts to defuse a critical hostage situation; Mr. Spock, who, in the midst of a teaching assignment on Vulcan, finds the one thing he least expected; and Dr. McCoy, whose unerring instinct for trouble lands him smack in the middle of an incident that could trigger an interstellar bloodbath.


 

Well, all I can say is...I can't believe I haven't read
these literally 'out of this world' books!!
I hope to do something about 
this sad state of affairs soon...
like maybe within the next light year or two...

(And I must add that I love these covers!!)


By the way...I now have a link widget!!
Just scroll down to the end of the post,
and submit your link.
You can also get the code,
if you'd like to add the list to your own post.

Thanks to Mr. Linky's Magical Widgets!!!!
(And it's free, too, so I highly recommend it!!)




What wonderful books are sitting
on your bookshelves,
waiting to be read or re-read?







On My Wishlist #15




This is a fun weekly event hosted by
Carolyn and Laura at  Book Chick City,
 and runs every Saturday.
Each participating blogger features books 
s/he hasn't actually bought yet,
but desperately wants to read!!


These books can be either newly-published,
to be released in the near future,
or in print for several years.

If you'd like to know more, just click HERE.

In my particular case, any books I place
on my wish list are strictly the print versions,
since I do not read ebooks. 


Here are my choices for this week!





Hardcover, 384 pages
Del Rey
April 4, 2000
Genre: Science Fiction


From the Amazon Synopsis


The next in McCaffrey's popular Saga of the Talents series (Pegasus in Flight, To Ride Pegasus), this novel follows the adventures of a group of psychically gifted scientists who nobly improve Earth's future by making space exploration and colonization possible. Paralyzed adolescent Peter Reidinger has learned how to move himself and some amazingly heavy objects psychokinetically through space. Peter lives with the grandmotherly Rhyssa, who protects him and nurtures the growth of his psychic talents. Rhyssa also takes in prepubescent Amariyah, an orphaned girl who has a talent for plants and healing. When a group of psychically gifted people sneak onto the corruptly run Padrugoi Space Station during its inauguration, it is young Peter who saves the day by using his burgeoning psychic abilities to vanquish the comically evil Space Station Construction Manager Ludmilla Barchenka as she attempts a coup.


I have just discovered this series, 
which is by one of my favorite authors!!
McCaffrey has been a major talent
in the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres for years.
Of course, I will have to feature the other books in it
in next week's "On My Wishlist" post!







Hardcover, 154 pages
Turner Pub
October 1, 1996
Genre: Fantasy


From the Goodreads Synopsis


On a hot summer day in Los Angeles, thirteen-year-old Josephine "Joey" Rivera - a misfit in junior high school but a born musician - meets a disquieting young man named Indigo who plays ghostly, haunting music on a horn the hue of a conch shell. The sound of his music stays with her, distant and beguiling, until she follows it down an ordinary street and across an unseen border into a magical world called Shei'rah. There, satyrs, water nymphs, and six-inch-long dragons live side by side with phoenixes and two-headed serpents and the Eldest - the unicorns whose music is the soul of Shei'rah.



I read Beagle's The Last Unicorn years ago,
and was totally enchanted with it!
I love unicorns, but I'll read
anything written by him, since he's another
of my favorite authors,
and another major F & SF talent!!





Gabriel's Ghost (Dock Five Universe, #1)


Mass Market Paperback, 447 pages
Spectra
October 25, 2005
Genres: Science Fiction, Romance


From the Goodreads Synopsis


Award-winning author Linnea Sinclair brings her special sizzle to science fiction with this action-packed blend of otherworldly adventure and sexy stellar romance.After a decade of piloting interstellar patrol ships, former captain Chasidah Bergren, onetime pride of the Sixth Fleet, finds herself court-martialed for a crime she didn't commit and shipped off to a remote prison planet from which no one ever escapes. But when she kills a brutal guard in an act of self-defense, someone even more dangerous emerges from the shadows. Gabriel Sullivan, alpha mercenary, smuggler, and rogue is supposed to be dead. Yet now this seductive ghost from Chaz's past is offering her a ticket to freedom--for a price.



I recently discovered this author on Goodreads,
where I learned that she not only
writes science fiction and fantasy, but
paranormal romance as well!
I love the combination of science fiction and romance
she has in this series!
I am so looking forward to reading this book
and its sequels!!




So, what wonderful books are you
wishing for this week?







Follow My Book Blog Friday Hop #9




Happy Follow Friday!!

(Yes, it's a belated 'Happy Friday', I know;
I was much too tired to post anything yesterday,
since I had a rough day at work!)




This weekly feature is hosted by
Rachel at Parajunkee's View 
and 
Alison at Alison Can Read,
 which you really must go and check out!!

Rachel not only has fabulous features,
but is a web designer
'par excellence'!!
Alison has a beautiful and very
interesting blog!


You can find the rules at the links above.
Join in the fun and make new blogging friends!!


This week's featured blog is:




Here's this week's question:



 Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it.






Stephenie Meyer
Hardcover, 2,752 pages
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
October 12, 2010

(This is the boxed collection of all four books,
which had previously been published singly.)



WARNING

For those who have not read these books,
there are spoilers ahead!


When I saw this question yesterday, I knew I had to answer it, so I decided to post today, even though the hop runs on Fridays.  (What the heck, it's the weekend!  Lol.)

Although I haven't made a habit of re-reading this series on a regular basis, I have read all four books twice.  (So far!)  I have also re-read the first volume, Twilight, three times.

Along with all the millions of fans of this series the world over, I can point to one basic reason for my love of it: the romance.  This is an incredibly romantic series!

Another aspect of the books that has drawn me to them is that, for Stephenie Meyer, Edward's vampirism is a metaphor.  Edward, unlike so many abusive men on this planet, strives to control his basic vampire nature in order to protect his beloved Bella from himself.  At first, he attempts to simply stay away from her.  When that fails, he does everything he possibly can to stay in control of his blood thirst when he's around her.  Also, Bella becomes his whole life, his most important treasure.  What woman wouldn't want to be considered a man's most important treasure, to be cherished and loved with tenderness and passion?  Because there's plenty of passion, albeit restrained, in these books.   

On the other hand, Bella is not exactly a helpless damsel in distress.  In New Moon, for instance, she unhesitatingly jumps on a plane to rescue Edward from the Volturi, halfway across the world.  Once there, she manages to stop him just as he is about to commit the vampire version of suicide, which he had planned on because he had thought her dead.

Once Bella herself becomes a vampire, she, too, does everything in her power to protect her family.  Even before her transformation, however, she's constantly attempting to shield her parents from the strange paranormal world she has been unwittingly thrust into. 

Then there's the love of Jacob and Bella...this is even more poignant.  Even though I wanted Bella and Edward to be together, I could see that she would have had a wonderful life with Jacob, whose ability to turn into a wolf is another metaphor for a man's baser urges.  Indeed, it's even fueled by his anger.  In light of this, it's interesting to note that there's only one female werewolf in the books.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward's adoptive father and the moral compass of the Cullen family, is an incredibly compelling character as well.  Fighting the terrible nature he has been subjected to, against his will, he has become a physician, and has for centuries helped to save human lives, instead of taking them.  He has been the most important influence in Edward's life.  His compassion and gentle, philosophical guidance are the backbone of all four books. 

There are so many things I could say about these books, but that, of course, would take up several posts!  Love, self-sacrifice, hope, moral strength -- these are the basic themes of The Twilight Saga.  Meyer has woven them into a highly-emotionally charged, action-packed plot full of mythological elements.  Addictive stuff, indeed!

I simply adore these books!!   Several editions, both hardcover and paperback, grace my bookshelves.  Included are the first three collector's edition volumes, and they're waiting for the fourth, which will be coming out soon! 




Here's the list (with the Linky) of participating blogs.  I hadn't done this before because I thought only the hosting blogs were supposed to do it.  In fact, I have just found out that not every blog hop does this kind of thing.  Interesting...  Having visited other blogs in this particular hop, I've seen that they, too, have the list.  Therefore, I've included one in my own post.  Here it is!


Thursday, September 22, 2011

TODAY'S MY BLOGOVERSARY!! LAST CHANCE TO ENTER MY YA FICTION GIVEAWAY!!




Today's my ONE-YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!!!!

Just one year ago, on September 22nd, 2010, I published
my very first post!! 
If you'd like to see it, you can find it


I'm celebrating with a GREAT giveaway,, and
tomorrow will be your last chance to enter!!
The contest ends on Friday, Sept. 23rd, at 11:59 PM,
local time (Eastern Standard Time in the USA).

So, if you would like to enter, you'll have to hurry!!

For the rules and to place your entry
(you can also get extra entries!),
just go to the original post, which you will find
HERE!! 


Below are some of the YA novels in the contest!!






Warped
Maurissa Guibord






Blessed
Cynthia Leitich Smith







Unearthly
Cynthia Hand







Ultraviolet
R.J. Anderson







Die For Me
Amy Plum






So be sure to click on the original post link
above, and get your chance to win
one of these great books!! 


The two winners will be announced
on Monday, Sept. 26th!!!





Good luck to everyone!!!!!!