Win a copy of MIND GAMES or DOUBLE CROSS by Carolyn Crane!

It seems like just yesterday that I was anxiously awaiting the release of Carolyn Crane's debut novel, Mind Games. That was back in March 2010, and now here we are only days away from the release of Carolyn's second novel Double Cross on September 28, 2010!

Double Cross is the second book in this fascinating, inventive and unique urban fantasy trilogy featuring the quirky Justine Jones. I read Mind Games back in April and found it just as creative, fun and sassy as I expected based on what I know of Carolyn's online personality and writing style.

Justine Jones is the heroine in this trilogy, and I use the word heroine loosely. Oh, she doesn't have a dark or evil side and isn't even that dangerous, really. She's just a regular kind of gal. If you consider someone with extreme hypochondria who can't keep her fears at bay as normal, that is.

Justine's extreme hypochondria is like a commodity to the eccentric and powerful mastermind Sterling Packard who takes up permanent residence in the Mongolian Delites restaurant. Talk about strange. He promises Justine relief from her extreme hypochondriac inspired fears if she joins his team of disillusionists-- a team of quirky misfits who fight the paranormal criminals in Midcity, USA.

Justine develops interesting relationships with both this disillusionist mastermind Sterling Packard and the dashing Midcity Chief of Police, Otto Sanchez all the while trying to save the relationship she has with her boyfriend Cubby and trying to figure out what the heck she's doing. Throw in cast of fellow misfit disillusionist crime fighters and you've got one mind bending whirlwind of a story.

Double Cross promises to be just as fun and fascinating as Mind Games as Justine Jones continues to wrestle with her conscience over the whole disillusionist stint while Midcity is terrorized by scary-assed serial killers.

How can you not be intrigued by The Justine Jones: Disillusionist trilogy?

Well, here's you chance to win one of FIVE copies of the upcoming release, Double Cross or one of a couple of copies of the first book in the trilogy, Mind Games!

Click over to Carolyn Crane's blog, The Thrillionth Page and enter the drawing to win!

Go, go, go!

But you'd better hurry!

The contest is a Happy Weekend Instant Contest and ends tomorrow, Saturday, September 18 at 10 am CST!

In the meantime, entertain yourself with the trailer for Double Cross:



The Disillusionists Trilogy featuring Mind Games, Double Cross and ???

You can also visit Carolyn Crane at her author website at http://authorcarolyncrane.com/.

Ten Things I Love About The Trailer for Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

I've never been swayed to buy a book based on it's video until I watched this one for Julia Quinn's latest book Ten Things I Love About You that releases TODAY.

I think that book video is just adorable.

In the spirit of Ten Things, I made a list of reasons why I think the video adorable.

Ten Things I Love About The Trailer for Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn:

1-It's a list! ... I love lists!
2-Delightful hand drawn artwork.
3-The music is fitting.
4-Narrator's voice is purposefully over the top, in a fun way.
5-It's witty
6-and a little bit silly,
7-but very charming
8-and romantic.
9-It ends with a cliff hanger!
10-It made me want to read the book!

Want to know more about Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn? Check out this list of Ten Things You Should Know About This Book.

All these fun lists have me literally and figuratively counting on this book being just as delightful and charming as its video and lists.

Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn releases today, May 25, 2010.

You can visit Julia Quinn at her website at http://www.juliaquinn.com/.


Have you ever been swayed to buy a book based on its book trailer?

REVIEW: Lament: A Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Published by Flux, October 1, 2008

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a young adult urban fantasy novel written by the very talented, Maggie Stiefvater.

From the inside cover:

Sixteen year old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's a cloverhand--one who can see faeries.
Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with mysterious boy named Luke who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than a summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend.
Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren't so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn't exactly what she had in mind.

Lament is author Maggie Stiefvater's debut novel and is simply phenomenal. The story is beautifully written, simultaneously elegant and down to earth. The descriptions of Deirdre Monaghan's world and the curious, beautiful and frightening world of the fae into which she gets thrown come to life right off the pages of the book, immersing the reader full force into the story.

Lament is an engaging story of family, friendship, love and self discovery that griped me from the very first pages and swept me along to the very end. It's a coming of age story for the somewhat introverted and seemingly ordinary Deirdre Monaghan in which she learns her extraordinary place in a dark and whimsical world of Faeirie.

The family relationships between Deirdre, her mom, aunt, her grandmother are seemingly normal, but as Deirdre learns more about herself and the world she lives in, she also gains a greater understanding of the relationships between the women in her family that will change her life forever.

In addition to Deirdre's new found understanding of her familial relationships, she also learns some valuable lessons in friendship. Deirdre's friendship with her long time best friend James experiences some subtle shifts when she becomes infatuated with Luke. She also learns a surprising lesson or two from a new friendship that is almost unintentionally forged between her and Sara--her socially polar opposite classmate and co-worker at Dave's Ice.

Deirdre becomes infatuated with Luke almost as soon as she meets him; he's handsome, charming, and has a musical talent that near matches her own. Luke is fascinated by Deidre and can't help but want to keep company with her, even though he has come into her life for hidden reasons. What I really liked about the love story component of Lament, is that Deirdre doesn't ever mistake infatuation for love. While of course she craves his company and affection, she is rightfully cautious, as there is something dark and dangerous surrounding Deirdre ever since Luke Dillon came into her life.

Maggie Stiefvater has wonderfully crafted a Faerie tale deeply rooted in folklore and strongly connected to the beauty and power of music. The Faerie in Lament are a perfect blend of whimsical and dark and dangerous. Not entirely good or evil, the Faerie are of their own morality and are as elemental as nature itself and equally unpredictable. Lament is a compelling tale of the dark, yet beautiful lures of the Faerie world with the sweet innocence of a forbidden love.

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie is Maggie Stiefvater's next novel set in this gripping world and is to be released on October 1, 2009. my birthday! : )

Check out the beautiful book trailer for Ballad, made by the incredibly talented Maggie Stiefvater. And I mean she "made" it in the truest sense of the word. She drew the "story boards", composed and performed the music, and compiled the video herself. I love this trailer. The music and the imagery is mesmerizing.




You can visit author Maggie Stiefvater at her website http://maggiestiefvater.com and at her blog http://m-stiefvater.livejournal.com/ or http://maggiestiefvater.blogspot.com/.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is currently #3 on the NYT Bestseller list for children's fiction!

Shiver is Ms. Stiefvater's second full length novel, a romantic tale of a teenage girl and the wolf who has watched over her for years who changes to a boy with the change of seasons. Shiver hit bookshelves on August 1, 2009.

Exciting Series Updates from author Lara Adrian

Lara Adrian, NYT Best Selling author of the vampire romance series called the Midnight Breed series, has just announced two exciting new updates about her upcoming books. One is a book video for Veil of Midnight, the fifth book of the Midnight Breed series featuring the Breed Warrior Nikolai and his mate, Renata.

I love the music and imagery used in this trailer! I love that both Nikolai and Renata are fighters in the truest sense that they are both masters of weapons. I anticipate an exciting and intense story for the hero and heroine in this novel.

Veil of Midnight is scheduled for release on December 30, 2008. For more information about the book, including an excerpt, visit Lara Adrian's website HERE.

The second exciting series update is the unveiling of the gorgeous book cover for the sixth Midnight Breed story, Ashes of Midnight, expected for release in May 2009. This novel will be Andreas Reichen's story. His story should be very interesting, since although he comes across as a gentleman and a romantic, I can't quite picture Andreas Reichen in love and at the mercy of his mate. I can't wait!

For more information about Lara Adrian and her Midnight Breed series, visit her website HERE.