Author Interview: Brodi Ashton!

Okay not only is debut author Brodi Ashton's novel EVERNEATH one of my favorite books, she is one of my favorite people. She is gorgeous and made of awesome.

Since I have the hook-up I did this little interview with her to run with my review of EVERNEATH. Enjoy!

MPB: Your twist on a well known Greek myth (Persephone and Hades) is very unique. How did you come up with the idea?

BA: The story came first, before the mythology. I never really sat down and thought to myself, "How about I retell the story of Persephone, but make it totally unique." I'd been developing Nikki's story for a long time before I fully recognized the similarities between her plight and that of Persephone. So it was more a matter of making the myth fit with the story, than making the story fit with the myth.


MPB: If you had to choose, who would you choose to be with Cole or Jack?

BA: I'd be with Jack. But I'd go to Cole's concerts.

MPB: What has been the most important ingredient in your success?

BA: Perseverance. And some luck. But without the perseverance, the luck wouldn't have mattered.

MPB: Is there a writing snack that is indispensable to your writing?

BA: Diet Coke. Hands down, cups full.

MPB: How is book two going/What are you working on now?

BA: I am revising the sequel to Everneath, and I really love where book 2 takes us. If you've read book 1, you probably have a good idea of where book 2 takes us.

For more about Brodi and Everneath visit her at http://www.brodiashton.blogspot.com/ It is a great wesite for readers and writers too. Love her posts!

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Review: EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton (AKA my favorite read of the year)

EVERNEATH
by Brodi Ashton
Hardcover, 370 pages
To be Published January 24th 2012 by Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray
(And isn't the cover gorgeous?!)

Placement in the Pile: Top Picks!

Summary:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

Review:
Oh my goodness!!! I received and read my ARC back in July, JULY!!! And I have waited all this time to review it because I wanted it to be closer to the release date. I don't want ANYONE to forget this one.

I have felt like I've been on a bit of a reading slump this year. I've read books I've enjoyed, and even reccommended, but they didn't WOW me. There are a bunch of books coming out this Fall that I have been excited for (mainly sequels) but this year has just been...eh.

Then I got my hands on Everneath. Oh how I wanted it to be good. After the dry spell I'd had I just couldn't read one more book by someone I know and not be ravishingly in love with it. I hate being in that situation. And as Brodi's debut book, I wanted to love it.

I was not disappointed! I love, love, LOVE this book. I kept waiting for something screwy to happen, something I didn't like, or that didn't fit. I kept waiting for the story to take a turn that made no sense, or the heroine to be stupid about something and make me roll my eyes. None of this happened. Honestly, in my opinion this book is near perfect.

Brodi does an amazing job of making you care for the characters, all of them, even the bad ones. Nikki's voice is genuinely teenager, but she's no dumby. I think too often teenage characters are dumbed down because they are young. The fact that Nikki is not made her more real to me.

Jack is a great character. Easy to understand why Nikki couldn't forget him. And even though Cole is the "bad guy" you know there is something to him, something good. Something you want to know more about.

And I do. I cannot wait for this to come out in Jan. I cannot wait for the sequel. Seriously, I love this book! Save those holiday gift cards for this one. If you like YA romance with a paranormal twist, you'll love this book.

And be sure to come back tomorrow to read my interview with Brodi!

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Fateful by Claudia Gray

Summary

Eighteen-year-old Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.

Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. By Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously . . .

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

• Number of pages: 325

Review

The story of the Titanic is one of the saddest and most interesting tales I’ve ever heard. It’s just one of those things that have always interested me (like the last Grand Duchess Anastasia or the Victorian Era). If you didn’t notice from the synopsis, this story is a little different from your average historic tale about the almighty Titanic. Or did you not get that from the werewolf part? In that case I tell you now, this isn’t your average historical fiction. I’d have to say it’s like 60% paranormal, 25% historical fiction, and 15% mystery. That sounds like an interesting combination doesn’t it? Well, it is. I thought that this book was not only interesting, but also easy to read. There weren’t any part where it felt tedious to keep going, or any parts when I want to skip ahead. I was in the mood for an easy read like this that kept me hooked till the end.

The one thing I was fooled at was the actual historical part of the story of Titanic. I thought that a good chunk of the book was going to happen during that horrific event. Turns out that it’s actually just a little part of it, maybe 1 or two chapters I think it was. That’s all I’m going to say on that. It was great to learn little things about the boat that I never knew about, like the 3^rd class living conditions or the events that happened during their week stay on the most magnificent vessel up until the iceberg. It’s funny how I kept picturing Rose and Jack to come up around the corner, or thinking to myself, “While all this was happening, Rose and Jack must have been doing this.” I guess that’s just one of those things that I always associate with Titanic.

Tess was a great, easy protagonist to follow. She had her goals set, and she was practical till the end. That’s sometimes fun to read in a character, especially when things start to turn out a little differently than what she planned . . . kind of like werewolves appearing out of no where and her ship sinking. That kind of stuff can mess up anyone’s agenda. The other characters were good to read as well, for instance, the lady she Tess worked for was a pompous woman about to lose all her money with a messed up son and a daughter that only defends herself when things are already too late. Alec was ok to read, he was pretty temperamental most of the story, but then again with his situation it is to be expected. It wasn’t that bad anyway. All around the story was pretty good, and I thought that the ending—though pretty incredible—was also something that summed up all the lose threads pretty well. So from 1-10? I think a 6 is in order. 

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Quote from me on Google!

I was randomly googling napsnackread tonight, and look what came up!

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=152916111469121&id=240170556013550 

How cool is that? Just one of the many reasons I like to write (:

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Quest of the Demon by Michelle Sawyer

Summary
“Darci is your average every day sixteen year old girl who plays basketball and lives in an ordinary country town.  Her life changes forever as she is 'accidentally zapped' to the land of Nahaba by the apprentice wizard Taslessian. Within hours of her unexpected arrival, both teens are thrust into a dangerous journey to the cave of Grisham the Great, who will hopefully be able to send her home.  When they get there however Darci soon finds out that there is no such things as accidents and that their journey is only just beginning.”

•        eBook version, not sure how many pages

Review

I have said before and I will continue to say it for however long I have this blog, may it be another year or another 10 years—I will always be honest on my blog. As to how I say the truth in this case, I don’t know. The thing about this book is that it was an interesting plot written in a way that was drawn out to an extent that it took me more than a month to read. That is saying something because if I set my mind to it, I can read a book in less than a day. It wasn’t that I didn’t try. I read late into the night with this book and yet something always stopped me from continuing it to the end.

Like I said before, this was definitely an interesting plot. It had all the aspects to make it a good book. it had adventure, magic, friendships, but just because the idea of something is good does not mean that it was done in the right sort of manner. Darci’s story is an interesting one filled with dragons and wizards in which she is sent to in order to the save the planet in which she is transported to. This book was written in such a descriptive and drawn out manner that I had to stop myself from skipping ahead till it go to something more exciting. The journey itself had many steps and each step was detailed to a point that it took me 20 minutes to go a percentage higher (as is calculated on an eReader such as a kindle). If I said I could pinpoint exactly what made this such a hard read I’d be lying. I am not sure what it was, but I can say this: I am not rereading this book in the future. From 1-10? I give this book a 3.

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Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Summary

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren—the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Esmerine takes her sire’s vow she means to protect the sea and all that live within it—until Dosia runs away to the mainland and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her.

Sectretly thrilled with the prospect of seeing a world that shes only glimpsed from the ocean, Esmerine uses magic to transform her tail into legs and journeys to the capital city. There, she comes upon a friend she hasn’t seen since childhood—a dashing young man named Alander. Who belongs to a winged race of people. Alander, whose odd ways and brash opinions offend yet fascinate her. But as Esmerine embarks on a search for her sister that will take her farther away from the sea she lobes and the life she has always known, she and Alander rekindle a friendship . . . and amore.

• Number of pages: 229

 Review

This was a cute story. I guess that’s the best adjective I can give to this book. It was a cute, sweet, light story that I enjoyed reading. I haven’t gotten much into the mermaid books, but I have a feeling that they are going to start getting popular. This book was about a mermaid who must go to the dry land to find her sister who she thinks was kidnapped and forced to marriage. There she recruits the help of her old childhood friend who happens to be one of the winged people. So clearly this is a story that doesn’t take place in what is the modern earth we live in now. It’s interesting though how the author created an old Queen Elizabeth era to it with the corsets and dresses and manners.

I think that it was a story that was very unique in some aspects such as the mix of sky, earth, and water. The love story in it was very unique as well. There were some obvious problems as to why they couldn’t be together as well as some little surprises that got me shocked. Like I said it was cute. But cute doesn’t necessarily mean I loved it. There were some boring spots here and there where I just wanted to skip ahead. The adventure part mostly happened in the last half of the book. From 1-10? I give it a 5

Cover note: something that did strike out at me was the cover. I found it so beautiful and whimsical. I love the way the sea and the sky merge. I must admit that the cover did influence me quite a bit to read this book. 

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A National Bestseller: The Help

The Book

The Help
Kathryn Stockett
451 pages

"Three extraordinary women, are about to take one extraordinary step." This line, cited from the cover of the book, definitely invites you to join in the journey.

Skeeter, a recent college graduate, who wants to be a writer, 

Abileen, a colored maid raising her seventeenth white baby,

Minny, a colored maid with a large temper.

The Movie

They all have very different backgrounds, but come together to write about something they truly believe in. Skeeter, Abileen, and Minny decide to write a novel telling the stories of colored maids, and the families they work for; the good, the bad, and the heart wrenching moments in which they experience everyday,

This story takes place in the early 1960's during the height of the civil rights movement. All three main characters find home in Jackson, Mississippi.

The book is written from each character's point of view, alternating chapters. You follow a span of about two years with them. The reader will look into the white familys' homes that Abileen and Minny work for, the cotton farm Skeeter's family owns, and the town and fashions of the era. Each section is written with great detail and attention to historical events.

Be prepared to smile, laugh, and cry out, as you read this extraordinary look into one of the most unforgettable moments in American history.

This #1 New York Times Bestseller was recently made into a major motion picture. Look for a The Movie vs. The Book review in the near future!

To read see a list of current New York Times Bestsellers click here.

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Why Are There Feathers in My Hair?

This is me and my author bud Sara B. Larson waiting for our pre-showing of Breaking Dawn part 1! We got to see it at 7pm last night with 72 more of my friends and friends of friends (it's good to have a brother who is the manager of a movie theater!).

I have to say I quite enjoyed it. Like the book I think this will be a more polarizing movie for the fans. It is slower paced, has less action, and has less sexual tension because well there's just sex. ;) But as Breaking Dawn was one of my fave books in the series for several reasons, this movie did a good job adapting to the screen. There were definitely laugh out loud moments, moments of quiet reflection, and a few moments of action.

It is certainly for a more mature audience than some of the others. And there were some who saw an editing mistake for something rated PG-13...did anyone see it? I didn't but I wasn't looking at Bella...

So if you've seen it, what did you think?

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The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Summary

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. That is, without questioning it much—if you don’t count her visits to the Ironton County Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her secret meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her sixty-year-old uncle—who already has six wives—she must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.

• Number of pages: 213

Review

I’ve had my eye on The Chosen One for quite some time now. It’s one of those books that I knew I had to read, a book with a story that I wouldn’t soon forget . . . and I was right. This is a very powerful book. There is a story in here that really did leave me in shock. It took me around 4 hours to read. The book isn’t very big to begin with, but add that to the fact that this is a story that you cant put down, and it’s easy to see why it would be hard to stop in the middle.

Kyra is a confused girl living in a world that isn’t sane. She is the daughter of a man . . . and three mothers, as well as a sister of 20 kids. Not the usual Brady Bunch circumstances. Is she happy? She could be considered a content girl. Does she feel like something is wrong with her community? She’s felt it for many years now. They tell her not to read, not to love, not to wander from their given path. You see how her mind tries to follow their ways, but her heart really doesn’t give a shit whether or not “the Prophet” for sees her life a certain way or not. It’s actually very hard to see how she tries to obey, but really cant help herself when she tries to do what is right. There was one specific moment involving a baby and ice water that really left me in shock. I wont give you the circumstances, but when you read it you’ll know what I’m talking about. I guess Kyra would continue living like this if it were for the fact that one night, the Prophet comes to her house and proclaims that she is to marry her 60 year old uncle who already has six wives, while Kyra is only 13. How disgusting is that? This story is her process through denial, hope, survival, and escape. This is a story through the lives of polygamists and barbarians and child/women abusers. The story was truly heart stopping. It was both unrealistic to me and completely realistic to those who really have to live through that. It really showed me how my life situations aren’t the only ones, that there are many other types of lives and circumstances that I probably wouldn’t comprehend. It opened my eyes a bit, and I don’t regret it. From 1-10? The Chosen One gets a 6.5

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The Movies vs. The Books: Harry Potter

As promised, I am continuing my discussion on everything Harry Potter. Last night, I watched the epic finale to the Harry Potter phenomenon. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 the movie hit the shelves and online stores yesterday.

This review contains SPOILERS

Many people argue that when books are made into movies, they are not authentic to the original story. I disagree when it comes to Harry Potter. I agree, and disagree with that statement. Here's why:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
The scenes showing Harry's first trip to Diagon Alley, Platform 9 3/4, and the Sorting Hat, were portrayed well, and I think it gave people who did not read the books a good idea of what the wizarding world is like.

Something I did not like was the scene showing the night Harry's parents were killed. The movie did not really explain Voldemort's reasons for doing so.  

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Overall, this movie was very true to the book, accept for the fact that Hagrid is taken to Azkaban in a hurry. It kind of comes out of nowhere.

The line said by Dumbledore, "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." in Hagid's hut is said perfectly, and does come up again in later movies, like in the books.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
In my opinon, this was the least accurate movie. There is not enough background information about who Sirius Black is, and his connection to Harry until the end of the movie when he escapes Azkaban Prison. For someone who did not read the books, this movie could be hard to follow.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
This movie was very true to the book. The Yule Ball disagreements between Harry, Ron, and Hermione were laughable and a bit uncomfortable, as they should have been, due to the fact that the reader is left wondering if their friendship would last.

I think the ending scene (in the graveyard) was portrayed well too, even when Harry's parents come back from the dead to aid him in a battle with the newly re-born Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Order of  the Phoenix
This was my favorite book in the series, and I believe the movie did it justice. I enjoyed seeing all of the members of the Order of the Phoenix come to life. All of Harry's visions of Voldemort's doings and where-abouts were also done well.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
My only problem with this movie was the fact that one of the main focuses of the movie was the relationship between Ron and fellow Gryffindor Lavender Brown. Several scenes show them hugging or "snogging", but Emma Watson, who plays Hermoine Granger in all eight movies,  did a great job of showing her feelings for Ron and this relationship.

I would have rather liked to have seen the relationship between Harry and Ginny Weasley instead of Ron and Lavender throughout the movie, as it kind of comes out of nowhere at the end when they come back to The Burrow.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
This was definitely a very heart-pounding and intense movie. Bill and Fleur's wedding was done nicely, and so was Harry and Hermione spending the summer at The Burrow. One think I missed in the movie, was Harry's seventeenth birthday scene. I wish they had included this part so that we could see the decorations and guests.

The scene of the battle inside Malfroy Manor was also well done. Ollivander the wandmaker and Griphook the goblin were not showed, and their reasons for being at Shell Cottege in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 are unknown to viewers who have not read the books.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The mood and music of this movie was very dark, just like the second part of the book. The Battle of Hogwarts was very intense, and at some moments I even wanted to cry, like when they showed the dead lined up on the floor of the Great Hall. The loss of Fred Weasley, Lupin and Tonks weighed heavy on all.

In the book, the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore played a fairly large role, but it was left out entirely in the movie. Except when Aberforth talks briefly of their sister Ariana in the painting above the fireplace. I wish some of this plot was included in the movie.

Epilogue
The ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book and movie was perfect for all fans. In the movie, I wish they had told the names of all Harry and Ginny's children in order to see that he named them after the most important people in his life: James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter.

Overall, I think all of the movies were true to the main events in the books by J.K Rowling although, for people who did not read the books, they might be a bit challenging to follow.

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Breaking Dawn Tour Videos

Before I get to the videos I had to share this picture of me. It is from the press, rights reserved for Megaplex Theaters, but that's me and my friend Teri there on the gate in the middle. I like this one cause you can see the crowd and really get a view of where we were!


I had to load these to youtube first because blogger was just NOT working! I was sad I didn't get some video of the red carpet...I totally forgot my camera did video. Sad, huh? But I hope you enjoy what's below!

First, here's the video of our local news coverage where you can see me talking to Nikki Reed while she's signing my ticket!!! But you have to click on the link for this one.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18047515&title=twilight-cast-visits-utah-fans

This is Aqualung singing one of his songs for us. (Sorry this one is so quiet)


This one is Lucy Schwartz doing her dancing and the beginning of a song with Aqualung


This is another part of that song from Lucy and Aqualung


And here's some of the Q&A stuff. This was them talking about getting into hair and make-up.


And this is them answering "What's the Funniest thing that happened on set?"


I hope you enjoy them!

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Breaking Dawn Concert Series Salt Lake City!

My awesome book loving friend Teri won tickets the the Breaking Dawn Concert Series Tour show in Salt Lake City tonight! The last stop on the 5-city tour and it was so fun! As Twilight is definitely relevant to this blog, I thought I would share. Here are my pics! (Tomorrow I will try to post the few videos I got!)

This is me all dolled up to go in my red, white and black.






We got there fairly early and waited in line, getting progressively colder and colder.



This is me with Teri and some of her other friends that attended the venue. I love going to things like this and meeting new people! It's a bond that you can't get any other way!









This is me right there on the red carpet waiting for the Cullens to arrive! It was pretty darn awesome to be RIGHT there!














Here's my ticket. Teri actually had some extra tickets so that's what I had the actors sign. I will take some pics of those and post tomorrow...my camera battery is so dead I can't even turn on my camera to attempt to take a pic.








My feet are the ones in the middle, so close to reaching the red carpet behind the barrier!











This group of people arrived and we weren't really sure who they were, but it was the band members to the three groups/singers that performed! The music was awesome.









All the celebs showed up in these awesome black cars, and I had to share because it is my friend's husband's company that provided these cars! It's a small world!








The first of the vamps to arrive was the ever handsome Peter Facinelli! Of all the actors there he seemed to take the most time going up and down the line making sure he could see as many people as possible and sign as many people's stuff as possible. Handsome and kind! Definitely a win!













Then came Nikki Reed. Beautiful as ever with a big smile on her face the whole time.
















Then we were all glad to see Charlie Bewley who plays Dimitri, one of the evil Volturi.















And of course Jackson Rathbone the ever adorable Jasper. I've seen him do some other acting jobs and he really is good.

















And my all-time favorite picture I got that night...Ashely Greene the GORGEOUS Alice. Alice has always been my favorite character. I know, I know, I'm a huge Edward fan, but he's my crush, she, to me is the most interesting character. And Ashely plays the part perfectly. This is her signing MY ticket. I told her she's always been my fave, and she was very kind to look up and pose for this pic. She is seriously even MORE gorgeous in person than on film, or even than in this picture. I think she's the most beautiful person I've ever met. Okay, maybe I have a girl crush on her too...just a little one.







Ashley and Jackson posed together for the press. It was a really great moment, wish they had turned around!














Heading into the venue The Rail in Sal Lake City! Inside they gave away posters (that would have been nice to have ahead of time for signing...) They were selling the CD which I had bought yesterday already (it's really good!) And it was all set up on stage for the bands and the cast to come out later!








Us with the stage. This is me, Teri, and her sister-in-law Hilery. It's fun to be a twi-hard fan!














On some big screens on the side they were playing some promo stuff, nothing too fabulous that I haven't seen yet, there was some interviewing going on...but they weren't playing the sound. But I had to get this shot of my man Edward. REALLY looking forward to this one!







Then the music began! And it was GOOD! Nothing to dance to cause it was all slower love song type stuff, but man these people are good live. This is Sleeping at Last performing one of his songs not on the album...kinda loved it. I will be looking for his music in the future!








Then he moved over to the piano and played the song from the soundtrack "Turning Page" which you might recognize from some of the previews. Good stuff!









Then the beautiful and very talented Lucy Schwartz came out to perform some of her original songs. Man these people can sing!











This is Lucy with some of her back up musicians. Some random trivia, the guitarists last name is Cullen. Kinda cool!











Then we got to hear from Aqualung. He was not only a GREAT singer but he was a great entertainer. Totally making us all laugh and have a great time. He even got Lucy to dance around on stage for a little bit.




Then Lucy and Aqualung did their song from the soundtrack together "Cold" which I got some video of (when I realized my camera did video!) and will post some of those later!









Then of course the crowning feature...THE CAST!!!! They came out and did Q&A. Nikki was apparently still cold from being outside cause she still had her coat on...but under that was an awesome dress that she only showed for the press photos. ;)





And a few more close up shots of the cast on Stage: Charlie Bewley, who was quite hilarious. He got the audience responding a lot and was really loving it...plus the British accent...who can go wrong? Most memorable quote from him "The best part about being the only carnivorous vampire is...eating little girls." He talked about how it's always more fun to be the bad guy. He grabbed Ashely's neck at one point, like he did in New Moon. And talked about how it was joining the cast post first movie.






Peter and Nikki were very outgoing with the crowd answering questions. Peter especially. I was very impressed with how much time he took with people. He answered a question about what they (the actors) like about Twilight fans, and he simply said "Everything. We know when we are on set that we are making these films for you. We think about you all the time. If it weren't for you we wouldn't be here and we know that. We love, love, love our fans!" Then Ashely said "This has been the biggest crowd we've had so far, so thank you Salt Lake City!" That got a huge roar.

There was also some great moments between Nikki and Peter. Aparently Peter likes to accidentally beat up on Nikki on set. And my favorite story? Nikki saying "Taylor's going to hate me for this, but there's a part where Rosalie makes a dog bowl and writes Fido on it. Taylor was pronouncing it FEEdo." Then Peter said, "Yeah, that's funny cause for about the first week of filming Twilight he kept calling me Car-lisle (pronouncing the s)".

Jackson answered a lot of questions on stage, he played some piano (just a few notes) talked about his band and answered that they will be going on tour in Europe, and will be back in USA and specifically might hit SLC in 2013. He did some banter with Ashely. He did also say that the one scene he wishes they had filmed was Jasper and Alice meeting. So he and Ashely kinda acted something out about them meeting. It was pretty funny (My camera had died by then, I was SO sad!)





And of course the gorgeous Ashely! She answered one of the first questions, about what was hardest about being on set. And she said the getting up at 5 am for a 7 am casting call to go sit in hair and make-up for an hour and a half. All of them are there for a really long time, and most of them wear wigs, which takes even longer to place and get secure.

In this film there will be dancing at the wedding and I guess there's a really cool flip lift that Jasper and Alice do that they were the ones doing, not their stunt doubles. So be sure to look for that!


And since it is morning and my battery is charged, I can show you the signatures I got!!!

This is Nikki Reed on the top and Peter Facinelli on the bottom.








And this one is Chris Bewely on the top and Ashley Greene and Jackson Rathbone on the bottom. (Kinda cool I got them both on the same ticket!)

It was such an amazing AMAZING night! It totally got me pumped for the movie next week! I'm going to a 7 pm pre-show on the 17th! I am so so excited!

Later today, videos will come. I just know this post was long as it is...plus I want another excuse for you to come back to the blog. ;)

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Why to buy VARIANT today!

Check out this story that I just read. Check out the book and see if it's something you're interested in. It's always good to support authors!

http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/book-bomb-variant-today-get-a-good-book-for-a-good-reason/

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Review: THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan

THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES
by Carrie Ryan

Hardcover, 374 pages
Published March 22nd 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Placement in the Pile: Top Picks!

Summary:
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Review:
This is the third and final book in the FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH series by the fabulous Carrie Ryan. The whole series has captured me. My review for FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH was done on an old blog that there isn't access to anymore. But my review for THE DEAD TOSSED WAVES can be found HERE.

Each installment of this series gets more and more serious, and more and more dark. But in a good way. Of course as you get deeper into the Return, deeper into the infection and how it affects us as mankind you will find darkness and despair. But just as the books hold despair for humankind, they hold hope and romance that flourishes despite the dire circumstances all around.

What shocked me most about this book was the intense life that Annah has to survive. Just when I think her circumstances can't possibly get harder, they do. She is thrown around and beaten up in this book, but in the end there is hope!

I enjoyed the whole series so, so much. I hope you all give it a chance if you haven't already.

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Book Signing Report: Ally Condie!

Recognize these books? That's right! I was super lucky enough to go to the book launch on Tuesday night for the fabulous Ally Condie's CROSSED second book in the MATCHED trilogy!!! I have been waiting for this one literally for years. Ever since I met Ally before MATCHED was even sold to the publishers back in gosh was that 2009?

Like most of the events I attend at this FABULOUS indie bookstore The King's English in Sugarhouse (a super cute neighborhood in Salt Lake City), Ally spoke for a little bit about her book and how she got there. Here's what she said! (as close as quotes can get from taking furious notes.

• MATCHED was the fastest book I've written, CROSSED was perhaps the slowest and hardest.
• The setting is very important to me in this book because it is someplace I have been and loved, the wilderness of Southern Utah
  

• From the beginning I knew this would be Ky's book, but that was hard because he keeps things close to himself. He doesn't open up, sometimes he doesn't even admit things to himself.
• There are some new characters in this book that you will meet early on. Vick was easy to write because I knew who he was, part my brother-in-law and part my brother
• My BIL is one of those guys that if you're out in the wilderness and you need food, he'll say okay, grab a big gun and say "let's go"
• my little brother knows a lot about wilderness survival and fishing. I do not. So I made a lot of phone calls.
• At some points with all the survival stuff I thought to myself "How did I end up writing HATCHET?"

• The there's Indie. Cassia needed someone to go on her journey with.
• Indie is a loose cannon. She's like a tiger that people keep in their backyard in a cage and everything is okay...until it's not. She's like that Tiger. She's very unpredictable.
• There is a painting in MATCHED that's important to Cassia, a landscape by Thomas Moran. Xander gave it to her at the end of the book as a "I know you" good bye present. There's a moment in CROSSED where Cassia experiences a landscape very similar to that painting (and Ally read that excerpt to us)
• My mother was a painter and so was Ky's. I took a lot of her character from my mom. My mom used pastels. And I remember asking her once why she didn't use a medium like oils or something else that lasted longer. Her response was something I never forgot "I don't care how long they last, I just want them to be beautiful while they're there."

Then Ally took a few Q&As

Q: Can you talk about the inspiration for the covers?
A: They're awesome, and I can say that because I had nothing to do with it. (She went more into depth about the process of getting the cover)

Q: Why is the "R" backwards?
A: They wanted something to be off about the font of each cover. So the "A" in Matched is missing the line across it, and the R in Crossed is backwards.

Q: Is the third book finished? If so, which is your favorite?
A: That's like asking me to pick a favorite child, but the third book is newest and has had less time to misbehave, so right now it's my favorite. The draft is done, and needs editing and it doesn't have a title as of yet.


Q: If the first book was more Cassia's story, and this is more Ky's then is the third book more another character's story?
A: One might assume...I'm nodding significantly, but I can't say more.

Q: Which national park is your favorite?
A: Zion because that is where we went growing up.

Q: There's an event mentioned in this book that happened in Matched that everyone forgot. Do we find out what it is?
A: Without giving anything away all I can say is at some point you will find out.

It was SUCH a pleasure to see Ally again and support her! Her books truly are amazing, and I am not just saying that cause I know her and love her smiling face! Please check these books out! As soon as I finish reading CROSSED I will give you my review. I am trying to do NaNo and read at the same time (and take care of my 1 month old and 3 year old!) So I will try to hurry!

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Dear Harry Potter Fans,

This is the second in a series of posts that I am writing about the world acclaimed Harry Potter books by J.K Rowling. Like many people, I am proud to say I am an avid Harry Potter fan and I am anxiously counting down the days until the release of the seventh movie (part 2) on DVD next Friday - 11/11/11

I've decided that instead of writing a review for each book separately, that I would write one really long one. So please bare with me if this seems to go on and on. :)

Harry Potter Series

J.K Rowling

many, many, excellent pages

Upon reading the first pages in Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone (Year One), the reader will feel automatically hooked. You are thrown into a world across the ocean that isn't much different than the life we live today: a humble, British town, and a young boy oblivious to a future that is destined for him to achieve.

As the story and books progress, Harry Potter grows immensely, and faces many diffferent conflicts that will keep the reader's eyes glued to the page. As Harry enters Hogwarts for the first time in book one, he is amazed that such a place could exist, and that there are so many other people like him. SPOILER: *Unfortunatly, this is also a feeling he shares with the Dark Lord Voldemort who plans to take over the wizarding world with Dark Magic.* Harry faces intense Quidditch games, OWL exams and many battles that build as the years at Hogwarts become unforgetable.

Rowling does a great job of creating settings that seem so real. Hogwarts, Privet Drive, Hogsmeade, Grindelmaud Place, and The Burrow can be pictured perfectly and although not all of them are cozy and inviting, they each play an inportant roll in each book.  

 

Rowling also vividly creates characters that invite you to read their tale time and time again. Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger have no idea of the triumphs and tradgedies they will face when they step onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time. Other minor characters I love are: the sweet and loveable Mrs. Weasley, the odd, yet engaging Luna Lovegood, curious Neville Longbottom, beautiful Ginny Weasley and the peppy Nymphadora Tonks. 

 

The Harry Potter Series is as follows:

 

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone         309 pages

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets   341 pages

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban  435 pages

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire           734 pages  

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 870 pages

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince     652 pages  

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows        759 pages

 

As you read, Harry Potter becomes more than just a protagonist in a great story, but a best friend you want to keep forever and ever.

 

For everything Harry Potter visit: http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

 

 

 

 

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