Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Jinky is Reading

Here's what's up for grabs:

An ARC of Invasion of the Dognappers by Patrick Jennings

Nothing gets past Logan. He's every observant. And he observes that the neighborhood's canines are mysteriously vanishing. But the adults refuse to believe a word he says. So he gathers his friends and forms the Intergalactic Canine Rescue Unite (ICRU), and they make a shocking discovery. Creatures from outer space are stealing all of the dogs. But why?
A hilarious, heartwarming tale of hound-saving heroics, Invasion of the Dognappers will be gobbled up by middle-grade readers.

Sweet giveaway eh? Ends 11:59 PM, March 5th!
Enter after the page break!

Top Ten Tuesday (9)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books I'd Give a Theme Song To

10

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi 

Song: 'There's A Place For Us'

This song is great for Juliette's transformation!

9

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Song: 'Run For the Roses'

I discovered this song  on the night of the release of HP7 Part Two, and it was perfect for the series. Listen and you'll see why.

8

Matched by Ally Condie

Song: 'Only the Young'

This song was actually introduced to me by the author, and it's the perfect song for a story about a girl who rethinks everything about her society.

7

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Song: 'My Heart Will Go On'

Kill me, but I can't help but think about this song when I think about Titanic.

6

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Song: 'Walk Me Down the Middle'

The song is perfect for Cricket and Lola's relationship.

5

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Song: 'Viva La Vida'

During Tris's Dauntless training I picture this song playing in the background.

4

There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff

Song: 'One of Us'

"Just a slob like one of us" that pretty much sums up god in this book.

3

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Song: 'Candle in the Wind'

This song makes me think of Harry learning about Dumblebore's life. Plus, if you knew me you would know I couldn't do this list without at least ONE Elton John song.

2

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Song: 'Alice'

This song is perfect for any book about being thrown into a brand new world.

1

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Song: 'The Cave'

This song is the ultimate Hunger Games song!!! It freakin' rocks!

Listen to them!

Not Too Distant - Guest Review by my Mom

The Non-Reluctant Reader is making a brief departure from its usual fare to tell you about a new book of poetry by Peter Cooney, a friend and colleague of my mom. Peter's book is called "Not Too Distant" and can be purchased here. This is a guest review by my mom. Enjoy!

. 

Not to Distant 

poems by Peter Cooney

 Sometimes people are scared of poetry because it can be abstract and hard to follow. But Peter's poems are short and energetic and full of powerful imagery. For example, the title poem, "Not Too Distant":  "Defined/by absence. Still/more shadow than shade. But/just as lean and wirey, quick and/fleeting.: Some of the poems reflect the author's roots as a Canadian transplanted to the United States, like "I Was" and "And So" and profession as a journalist ("This Just In"). Others explore more universal themes like love, family, history and changing seasons. The poems are enjoyable to read and it's a good book for a YA reader interested in exploring poetry.

Cover Comments: I really like the cover which is a photo taken by one of Peter's daughters. It's artful yet mysterious.

In my Mailbox (44)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

For Review:

Hand Puppet Horror by Benny Alano

Hand Puppets- they will horrify you, they will destroy you, and they may possibly kill you.

Attack of the Vampire Snowmen by Benny Alano

Blood thirsty snowmen! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

From Authors:

 

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

I freaking love this series! Plus it's signed, YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

Gifted: 

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

This has been on my TBR pile FOREVER! Looks great!

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

I had a certain author at Egmont give these to me so now I have the first and the second

From Bloggers:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

(Thank you Chelsey from Starry Sky Books!)

I have been pining for this forever, it looks SO GOOD. And Ohmygod, that cover!

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

(Thanks to Jenny at Uniquely Moi Books!)

For some reason I thought this book was about angels, and I'm not a big fan of angel books. Thankfully I found out it's about faeries. So now I will not hold back in reading it!

UPDATE 2/24 1:34 AM, Apparently this is in fact a angel book, and someone misinformed me *shrugs*

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

(Thanks to Jenny from Uniquely Moi Books!)

This trilogy wraps up this September so I need to catch up on it! 

That's what I got this week! What do you get? Tell me (or link me) in the comments!

Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt Blog Tour

Welcome to my stop on the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt!

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.) 
Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available). 

Your Letter Is:

 

And to help celebrate Michelle's U.S. tour, Remembrance is only $0.99 on Amazon in ebook format *jaw dropping*. Take advantage of that deal here. This deal ends in April.

YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Young Adult Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and VVB32 Reads.

Here's what's up for grabs:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . . 
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. 
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. 
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Enter after the page break!

Blogger Interview: Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

Today I'm pleased to welcome the lovely blogger, Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer! Let's get right to it!

Hi Kathy, Welcome to The Non Reluctant Reader! 

Could you start by introducing yourself?
Thanks for having me.  First I must say I'm impressed by your tenacity and dedication to your blog.  You are one of just a handful of young book bloggers I know of who are running successful book blogs. 

I'm a stay at home mom who if I'm not mistaken is more than three times your age!  Yeah, it's true I'm getting old but I still feel young at heart. 

I love to read.  I read way too much.  When I'm not reading you can usually find me listening to an audiobook or blogging.  If that's not an option I'm running errands, getting kids to do their homework or chores, helping my husband with his business... basically just being the mom.

You host a ton of giveaways and giveaway hops, what do you enjoy about them?
I love getting books to new readers.  I love helping new authors.  I love connecting bloggers, authors & readers. I love sharing books I've enjoyed. Hosting giveaways & giveaway hops helps me do these things.

You're one of the biggest book blogs out there, does this surprise you? Were you expecting to be this big?
Totally surprises me and it is not at all what I was expecting.  I'm just a stay at home mom with a passion for reading. 

Do you ever find blogging a pain, or too time consuming?

Yeah... it can be very time consuming.  It's only really a "pain" when I'm behind and have deadlines to meet.  I hate having a book scheduled for review and not having time to get it read.  Ultimately that usually means sleep gets sacrificed.  I also hate drama.  I steer clear of it.  Can't we all just get along? When there is drama in the book blogging world you'll find me opening the pages of a book and getting lost in it instead.

Who are some of your favorite bloggers?
There are just too many of them!  I have a blog roll on my blog that I check everyday, but honestly it's quite outdated and I need to update it. There are many fabulous new blogs that I need to add to that list.

If someone made a movie about your life, what would the title be?
Seriously Sidetracked

What's your guilty pleasure?

Reading a book I can't put down when I should be sleeping (bonus if there is chocolate involved).

Favorites!

No fair asking favorites - I'm horrible at narrowing things down!

All Time Favorite Read: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen 
Favorite Actor: (We'll pretend you said actors) Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Reynolds, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Mably...

Favorite New Release: Divergent & Die for Me
Favorite Food: Italian & Mexican - Pizza, Pasta, Cafe Rio
Favorite Sports Team: BYU Cougars
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.
Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf. 
Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control. 
Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk. 
Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Add it on Goodreads
I really love werewolf books and this one looks incredible. The lupine syndrome? Yes! Plus this one looks like it will be more then just a fast-paced paranormal thriller, it looks like it will have some emotional depth (yay)!

Top Ten Tuesday (8)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke And the Bookish

Top 10 Books I'd Save If My House was Abducted by Aliens

10

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

I got this book from the publishers just last week and really want to read it! It would be a bummer if it was abducted by aliens before I got the chance!

9

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne

I was quoted on the back cover of this book! Plus it's signed!

8

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan

This is my signed copy. Wouldn't want aliens selling it on ebay ;)

7

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Same as above.

6

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Same as above ;P

5

The Hunger Games (Deluxe Edition) by Suzanne Collins

I love my deluxe edition, because it's all velvity and awesome!

4

A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford

I pined for this book SO MUCH and would never want to part with it!

3

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

It''s signed and beautiful!

2

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

OMG, I love this series, and this is my signed copy!
1

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Cassie's signature is so sloppy, but I don't care. It's a signed Cassandra Clare book for god's sake!

Thinking Between the Pages - Why I Started my Blog

Welcome to the 1st ever "Thinking Between the Pages"! This is a new feature that I'm starting where I'll share my thoughts on a certain subject. Usually the subject will have something to do with blogging or reading. Here 'goes!

Why I Started Blogging

    So why did I start book blogging? I'm going to take you back to a long, long time ago. Way back in January of 2011. A time when Justin Beiber wasn't quite so big, and the apocalypse not quite so near. I was in writing group, and I was in a slump. I had some experience with blogging before, at the time I was winding down on a soccer game coverage blog and I wanted something fun and new- and I wanted something that involved books. I've always loved books, but really had no friends that were into reading as much as me. And my parents were tired of hearing me gush (and sometimes rant) about books. That was when I started Readings of Benji. What is now The Non Reluctant Reader. When I started my blog I had no idea there was going to be millions of fellow bloggers out there, and I didn't know I would have 1000+ followers!

For the first couple months of blogging my reviews were TERRIBLE! They were only a paragraph long, at the most! At that time I wasn't serious about blogging at all. Until I read Lauren Destefano's Wither. It was so amazing and I had so many thoughts on it that I kept on writing. At that time, my blog turned from something to play with to a serious hobbie. Since then my blog has gotten much richer and a higher quality, though it's lacking a lot of things that I hope to add in years to come. So maybe that clears up a few things for you- if not, just ask!

Why did you start blogging? Tell me in the comments! 

The Weekly Roundup 2/19

The Weekly Roundup is a weekly feature that features a recap of all the posts that went up this week and bookish news

The Week in Review:

We started the week off with a interview with Jessica Shea, author of Born Wicked! Read about why twitter is better then facebook, what headcheese is, and a witchy haiku poem here.

On Tuesday we heard what books broke my heart a little, or a lot :P Read that here.

Wednesday two posts went up. One was The February New Release Giveaway Hop, which you can enter here. And we found out what I'm anxious for, with the weekly Waiting on Wednesday post. Read that here.

Thursday, my review of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare went up. Read that here. I also asked for help by voting for The Goddess Test in the #YABGB2011, there was also a giveaway along with it! Read that here.

On Friday I was kind. Random and kind to be exact. Because I'm giving away Balthazar by Claudia Gray in the Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop! Enter here.

Sathrday we finished the week with my weekly In my Mailbox post. Read about the books I got here.

Bookish News That Makes Me Squeal!

I was excited to find out that Scott Tracey's second novel, Demon Eyes now has a cover! Stare at it: I give you permission!

Creepy as heck, right?

Leah Cliffords's A Touch Morbid now has a book trailer! Three of them, actually.

Which is your favorite?

Also, The Goddess Test won it's first round of the YABGB! YAY! 

In my Mailbox (43)

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted  hosted The Story Siren
For Review:

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I'm reading this right now and it's great.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
I OMGed when I got this book! I was freaking out, love this author!

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
This one looks great and I'm SO excited. I'm reading it along with Anna from Literary Exploration!

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
"Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong."  Sounds AMAZING.

Scary School by Derek the Ghost
This book will be perfect for Middle Grade March Madness!
R.A.K.:
Thanks to Andrea from The Busy Bibliophine!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
I have been meaning to read forever, now I can!
Bought:

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
A retelling of Robin Hood? YES! A.C. Gaughen guest posted about her favorite thieves last week, read that here.
Gifted:

Beastly by Alex Flinn
This has been on my to-read list forever, especially since the movie's already came out. I must start it now!

Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Now I have the follow-up book to Beastly! YAY!
Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me these for Valentine's!