Blog News: I'm Taking a Break from Blogging

Hello lovely readers,

I hope you all understand that sometimes life just gets in the way of things! You won't see me around until the end of September. This is because of a really big move my man and I are making across the country. We're starting afresh. We won't have internet in our home until the end of September and I'm okay with that. Sometimes we've all got to step back and reassess what we've got going on in our lives.

I'm hoping to get a lot of my reading pile read and to maybe try my hand at writing something for myself again. Hopefully, this should be easy to accomplish without the distractions of Youtube and Twitter! Though, because I have Twitter on my phone, you just might see me on there. Just a warning.

Thanks for being understanding! I hope to see you all when I return.

Best wishes for you all,

Waiting on Wednesday: The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

The Nightmare Affair

by Mindee Arnett
To be published March 5, 2013 by Tor Teen
Goodreads

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.
Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.
And then it comes true.
Now the Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

This sounds like an excellent dark and mysterious book! Can't wait to see the worldbuilding because I want to see what a nightmare is. And PS, that cover is so graphic and perfect!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week, we're revealing our top ten bookish confessions! These are my confessions (*cue Usher*): 

1. In school I said that I read the Grapes of Wrath. But I didn't. I'm not a Steinbeck fan and have you seen the size of that book?! I took a 'B' in that class that semester because of my pride. Ha.

2. During my undergrad years I used to keep my library books in my car. Sometimes I'd forget and I would return them to find a $40 fine. Whoops! (Don't tell my mom.)

3. When I attempt to read more than one book at a time, I leave the first one in the dust. I don't know if it's actually possible for me to read more than one novel at a time.

4. When I lived at my sorority a few years ago, many of the girls would read series like The House of Night. I own like 6 of those books because of that weird (and momentary) obsession.

5. Because my friends were into it, I said I like the Twilight 'saga' more than I actually did.

6. I wrote Harry Potter fanfiction in a bright blue notebook when I was 15... and 16... and 17.

7. In high school, because a lot of my friends were super religious, I said I didn't enjoy reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower. But I loved it.

8. This isn't a confession (because I'm proud of it), but while writing my dissertation for grad school, I actually maxed out on the number of books you could check out. And that's a lot.

9. Some days, I'm not sure if book blogging actually reflects my efforts. I may not be top dog, but I put in tons of effort and I put myself out there to no avail. I have to remind myself at the end of the day that I do it for me.

10. Since I started blogging, I actually feel pressured to get more books. I kind of dread my weekend book hauls. I think that's why I have accumulated 18 more books than my TBR pile can handle in less than 6 months. This is a lot for me! (Not to say I don't like having books).

Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux #1

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Format: ebook, Published May 8, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Rating: 4/5 stars

Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is. - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

This book is a whole lotta snarky dialogue and spiffy sci fi. It's like I Am Number Four and Twilight had a baby and it is far more attractive than its parents. Katy is a normal girl, a book blogger, and high school student who moves in next door to aliens. Just being around their extra-terrestrial powers marks her and makes her visible to their rival aliens who would use her to get to Daemon and his sister Dee. Not to mention, humans who find out about the aliens often end up disappearing.

The characters in this book are its bread and butter. My favourite character is most definitely Dee. She's such a loveable and bubbly person, but you know she's a lot more complicated than that. The main character, Katy, is also one of the most relatable characters I've read in awhile. It's refreshing to read a main character and not think 'No, dummy! What are you doing!?'. Daemon is something different all together. He reminds me of that boy on the playground who is so mean because he's got a big fat crush on you. His sass and angst doesn't really bother me like it does some people, in fact I think it adds fuel to the fire in a really good way. 

The world building in this book was pretty darn spot-on. I can't wait to read more about these Luxen aliens made of light. I really enjoyed the writing in this book. This may be my first Jennifer Armentrout book, but it won't be my last. This book was so entertaining and easy to read! I didn't give it five stars because most of the main plot was rather predictable after a while. That being said, it didn't stop me from wanting to keep reading it! If you're looking for a saucy YA romance book, this is definitely one for you! Highly recommended.

Stacking the Shelves (#17)

This is a weekly post I make (originally hosted by Tynga's Reviews) where I tell you which books I've acquired throughout the week. Recently, I haven't been letting myself acquire physical copies, as I know I'll just have to lug them across the country when we move next week anyway. That still didn't stop me from downloading a few good ones!

Crewel

by Gennifer Albin

e-galley

For Review

Onyx 

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

e-book

Purchased

Grave Mercy

by Robin LaFevers

e-book

Purchased

What do you think my my virtual haul?

Feature and Follow Friday (#18)

Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and AlisonCanRead. It's set up so bloggers to discover new blogs and gain new followers. Join in! Every week two different blogs are featured. This week's featured blogs are Book Me! and Awesomesauce Book Club. Here's this week's question:

Q: Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you’ve read and loved?

A: I wouldn't say it was bad, but I'm not the biggest fan of the cover for The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa and it was one of my favorite books ever! It's a bit boring. At least it's bleak like the world, so I understand that. I just wish the model on the cover was actually Asian! Would it be so bad for Allie Sekemoto to be Asian on the cover?

On a side note, do you think that's a problem in general for book cover images? Should they fairly represent the multi-ethnicity of characters? Or is there a lack of ethnic diversity in Young Adult characters in general?


If you are a new follower, leave a comment below! I would love to follow you back!

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Series: The Soul Seekers #1
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Format: Paperback, Published May 24, 2012
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Rating: 3/5 Stars

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals comes a breathtaking new saga brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.
Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.
There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

My Review

I originally picked up this book because the premise seemed interesting and I hoped for a scenic setting in the Southwest. I'd read another book by this author and it really wasn't my favorite, but I'm glad to report that I enjoyed this book much better! Daire, who is used to travelling the world on movie sets with her celebrity makeup artist mother, begins to have some pretty freaky visions. Other than putting her straight into a mental institution, Daire's mom decides it might be less traumatising to ship her off to her grandmother in New Mexico. Long lost grandmother then tells Daire that she hails from a long line of Soul Seekers, who have the ability to see visions and visit other realms. And of course, Daire meets a boy. But can he be trusted? His identical twin certainly can't be.

This book started out rather quickly. The scene was set and I got a good feeling for each of the characters, even if Daire was a bit annoying until you got to know her. The characters in general were fairly basic. Not bad. My one gripe is that if you're going to have a blind character, would it be so hard to actually have them be blind? It's kind of a cop-out that she can just 'sense' everything in the world without her vision. Like Daredevil. If she had actually been blind, I think it would be more interesting.

After the first part of the book, I felt like there were pacing issues. It became slow suddenly when Daire was transported to New Mexico. There was an entire chapter about her 10 hour drive and her zoning out at a gas station. Yep. I'm still not sure how that was relevant to the story. When she arrived at Paloma's (the grandmother) house, it returned to normal and we got to learn more about her visions. Daire had to piece together who she was, but then all of a sudden she wasn't confused any more and she knew she had to go after the bad guys. I had to flip back in the book to see if I'd missed something, but it turns out I didn't. Her powers and knowledge of the bad guys practically came out of nowhere just because Paloma said so.

It was a bit unfortunate how the writing would win me over from my previous Noel book experience and then become awkward again. I didn't like how characters would talk for an entire page. It didn't make for natural dialogue in my opinion and it should be used sparingly. Needless to say, I found a few problems with this book, but for some reason it makes me want to read more. I know, I know-- you're probably confused. The premise just kind of sucks me in and I want to know a bit more. I want to know more about Dace and Cade and the spirit world. Plus, I actually want to find out what a Soul Seeker actually is. I've read this whole book and I still am not entirely sure. Read this at your own risk if you like Paranormal or Native American stories. Who knows, you just might enjoy it.

Find Alyson Noel: 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads Page

Find Fated: 

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday: Renegade by J.A. Souders

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every week I get to show you a title that I'm eagerly anticipating the release of! Please link up your posts or tell me which book you can't wait for!

Renegade (Elysium Chronicles #1)
by J.A. Souders 

To be published:
November 13, 2012 by Tor Teen (US)
December 12, 2012 by Tor (UK)

See it on Goodreads

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all. - Summary from Goodreads

Okay. Yeah. You had me at underwater utopia. Can't wait!

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Books I've Read During the Lifespan of My Blog

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week we're listing our favorite books we've read since we've started to keep a blog.

Though I've only been blogging since March, the list was easy enough as I only really have rated about 10 books with 5 stars since! I haven't book them in any particular order as it would be too difficult to decide! So here they are:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

This book is fabulous. I love that it's a sci fi dystopian with an almost fantasy element to it. And you just have to love Perry. Awesome start to a hopefully awesome series.

| My Review |

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Instantly, I fell in love with this dreary post-apocalyptic world of vampires. While it is vampires, it sure as heck isn't unoriginal by any means.

| My Review |

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

This book is magic. The absolute beauty of the writing and the story easily have this book on my top favorites. 

| My Review |

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

I could not put this book down. Spaceships, a looming second earth, and mystery?! I liked Across the Universe, but I fell in love with A Million Suns! 

| My Review |

Legend by Marie Lu

Another dystopian. I loved the characters and the concept. It was just one of those novels that you can't believe is a debut.

| My Review |

Starters by Lissa Price

An exciting sci fi and dystopian world where kids have their bodies rented. Creepy. I can't wait to see how the story ends!

| My Review |

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

I've loved every book she's put out so far and Bitterblue was no exception. I love strong willed characters and fantasy and you've just got to love this book.

| My Review |

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

I was intrigued by Delirium but blown away by Pandemonium. I can't wait to see what the last book has for us!

| My Review |

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

I wasn't sure that Unearthly was that original, but I was proven wrong in Hallowed. Fantastic book! Fantastic series.

| My Review |

A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton

This is another sophomore book that blew me away. Yeah I loved the first book, but A Witch in Love knocked my socks off. More people should read this series. Give it more love!

| My Review |

Bout of Books 5.0 Wrap Up

Here's a quick post to let everyone know how I did with my Bout of Books read-a-thon goals! (Hint: No so great). For a list of my original goals, you can head on over to this post. It also shows my daily progress.

As per usual, life just gets in the way unexpectedly and that's exactly what happened this week! We had to make a last minute trip out of town for a few days and I had practically no time to read for three days of the seven.

What I accomplished:

Finished City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Read Fated by Alyson Noel
Read Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout
Started The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

While I'm actually mildly impressed with my reading, I am quite sad about my level of participation in the challenges, chats, and activities because guys this is an awesome read-a-thon to be involved in! I'll just have to sign up for Bout of Books 6.0 (in January, I think) and you'll just have to come along for the ride as well!

Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Published May 8, 2012 by
The author: Tumblr // Twitter
The book: Goodreads // Amazon UK
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love? - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

I have always enjoyed The Mortal Instruments Series. It consistently continues to be a favorite of mine, even after the very slight let down of City of Fallen Angels (#4), a controversial topic in the fandom. City of Lost Souls, however, is definitely a return to excellence within this snarky paranormal world. It recaptures the spirit of the series and reaffirms Cassandra Clare's decision to create a six book series out of a trilogy. This fifth instalment will have you wishing there will be more than six books!

Let me get to my one and only gripe first. I still don't know what to call him. Sebastian? Jonathan? I have no clue. If I had my way, it would be Jonathan, as that is actually his name rather than one name he took on for a couple weeks, but he's still constantly referred to as Sebastian! It doesn't make sense to me. While he is basically evil in corporeal form, he was actually well written in this book. I wavered multiple times on whether he might actually be concerned for Clary.

Now that that's all out of the way, let me talk about characters that didn't confuse me. In fact, I love them. Clary has grown into such a brave main character! Yes, she's obsessed with Jace, and in this book she takes risks and really holds her own. Since the beginning of the series, Isabelle in my opinion, has gone from being rather vapid to being one of the most complicated characters. What I love about this book is that every character has their own complications and side plots that weave together brilliantly. Just brilliantly.

Overall, this is an instalment to the series that in my opinion validates Cassandra Clare's decision to expand on the trilogy. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but the story was so good it makes me want to jump straight into the final instalment! If you were a bit *meh* with City of Fallen Angels, I definitely suggest reading City of Lost Souls. It's got everything you would want from this series!

Stacking the Shelves (#16)

This is a weekly post I make (originally hosted by Tynga's Reviews) where I tell you which books I've acquired throughout the week.

Hey guys. Sorry to disappoint, but I haven't acquired anything this week! I'm trying to catch up on the books I already own and save some shelf space and box space before we move. (Whoops, have I spilled the beans?) 

Also, this is a scheduled post as I'm out of town today. Thanks for reading!

Review: Redemption by Veronique Launier

Series: Hearts of Stone #1
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
To be published September 8, 2012 by Flux
Find the author: Website // Twitter
Find it:  Goodreads // Amazon UK
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Guillaume: For five hundred years I've existed as a gargoyle. Perched atop an old Montreal church, I've watched idly as humanity wanders by. With the witch Marguerite gone, there is no one left to protect, nothing to care about. I never planned to feel again. But then a girl released me from my stone restraints, allowing me to return as a seventeen-year-old human boy. I must find out all I can about this girl's power . . .
Aude: Getting attacked twice in as many days is strange in itself, but even stranger is the intriguing guy I keep running into. There's something so familiar about him, like a primal drum rhythm from my dreams. But spending time together only raises more questions--about my heritage, a native Mohawk prophecy . . . and an unearthly magic threatening our city... - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

When I discovered this book, I was super excited at the prospect of a paranormal romance involving gargoyles. I know we've all read vampires and werewolves, so it was nice to read something new. Redemption is an original addition to the world of Young Adult paranormal romance, even if it lacks a bit of finesse. 

This book alternates between Aude and Guillame's point of view, and I'm not certain if I enjoyed that. Looking back I think it's the best way to tell the story in order to get Guillame's back story, but I don't think I enjoyed the alternating POVs as much as other books I've read. Their voices weren't as distinct as I would have liked. On the other hand, I absolutely love this author's ability to set a scene. My favourite aspect of this book was the setting of Montreal and Veronique does an amazing job at making me want to visit! 

While I enjoyed reading this book, I feel like parts of it were underdeveloped, as if it just needed some oomph. I really wanted to like the characters, but I felt pretty apathetic about the side characters like Guillaume's companions. Perhaps they just needed some more memorable scenes or background stories. They have so much potential!

I'd recommend this book to anyone curious about a paranormal romance with gargoyles and like an alternating point of view. It's a fresh take on paranormal romance, albeit not gracefully executed. I'm not entirely convinced that I'll continue with the series. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every week I get to show you a title that I'm eagerly anticipating the release of! Please link up your posts or tell me which book you can't wait for!

Dualed (Dualed #1)
by Elsie Chapman
To be published February 26, 2013 by Random House
Goodreads

Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.
Elsie Chapman’s suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better. -Summary from Goodreads

I saw this book a while back. I'm absolutely in love with the premise. I think the cover could be more exciting, but it probably fits the action-y mood of the book.

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Romances That Would Make It In The Real World

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic are book romances that I think would actually make it in the real world.

Most book romances started because of extreme circumstances that pushed the two together and I'm just not sure that they'd actually survive without that. However, I do know a few that I think would really make it in the real world. I've only chosen five because I didn't want to talk about couples I didn't actually believe in.

1. Ron and Hermione (HP series)

These two developed some crazy feelings for each other over a very long time. They also bicker adorably and I see this as being such a realistic romance! I'm sure everyone else will too.

2. Clara and Tucker (Unearthly)

If Clara was just a regular girl, I really do think they'd have a great romance in the real world. They complement each other! However, back in their paranormal world, I'm actually team Christian.

3. Alec and Magnus (The Mortal Instruments)

Deep down, past the warlock and shadowhunter business, they're just an absolutely adorable couple who just want to be together. I actually just want them to have a normal real world relationship. :)

4. Katsa and Po (Graceling)

Though they went through quite a lot before they fell for each other, I think that if they were just two normal people they'd still be together. That's when you know a fantasy romance is great!

5. Alex and Lena (Delirium)

If they hadn't been forced to have a secret relationship, I really do think it would have gone somewhere. They're another couple I think deserves a chance in the real world!

So what do you think?

Review: Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer

Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
Format: eBook
Published March 25, 2012 by Train Renoir Publishing
Find the author: Blog // Twitter // Facebook
Find the book: Goodreads // Amazon
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Space germs wipe out virtually everyone who has passed through puberty.
Abby Leigh is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple. For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.
But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.
On a small island off the coast of Maine, Abby must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her -- adolescence. - Summary from Goodreads

My Review

This book is one of those crazy 'what if' moments I knew I just had to read. What if virtually all adults in the world died overnight? What would humanity look like then? Night of the Purple Moon will answer all of these post-apocalyptic curiosities in an extremely haunting and realistic way. Be prepared to not be able to look away from the world Scott Cramer has created.

The characters are the very heart of this book, as the story is very character driven. At the ages of 13 and 12, the main characters Abby and Jordan along with their baby sister are suddenly forced into this mature role of caring for younger children on the island and finding efficient means of survival. You can plainly still read their innocence, but with each passing chapter you watch them grow up and the reader becomes genuinely invested in the success of the children. That's definitely my favorite part of this book.

Some readers may have trouble with the graphicness of this story. While the characters aren't exposed to much violence, they very often discover the aftermath of the new world. If you are vehemently against dead bodies, you may want to skip this one. It was a bit off-putting at first, but I'm glad I read something out of the norm for me in that sense. It's just plain realistic that those sort of things happen in a post-apocalyptic sort of situation.

The gruesome aspects of this book, partnered with its shorter length really create a great story. The writing style and plot get straight to the point. Not everything needs to be a 500 page novel. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre. It may only take you a day or two to read, but it will stay with you much longer than that once you've put it down.

Enter a *GIVEAWAY* to win one of five copies of Night of the Purple Moon and read my interview with Scott Cramer!

Author Interview: Scott Cramer (Plus Giveaway!)

I'm thoroughly excited to have Scott Cramer, author of Night of the Purple Moon, on Paperback Fantasies for an interview! I have already had the pleasure of reading his seriously awesome book and you can read my review this weekend! Keep reading to find out more about him and how you can have a chance to win your own eBook of Night of the Purple Moon.

Scott Cramer
Writer of YA and MG novels, mysteries, screenplays, picture books, magazine features, newspaper articles, and poetry. I've tackled just about everything except a stage play.

Find Scott Cramer:
Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Find Night of the Purple Moon:
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review 

What is the oddest thing that has inspired your writing?

Well, I’m going to approach this question from a slightly different angle. Inspirations can come from conversations, travel, watching the news, sports, riding my bike, taking a shower, folding laundry, surfing, waiting in the dentist office… They strike without warning at all times of the day. But inspirations are also fleeting. They come and go. Mostly they go and stay gone. The trick is how do you keep writing day after day when you have no inspirations, when you are in an inspiration vacuum. Writing during these moments can be quite arduous. It helps to have realistic expectations, to know that writing is a slow, incremental process. And if you keep chip chip chipping away, you’ll surprise yourself.

What made you want to write for the Young Adult/Middle Grade audience?

Honestly, I did not write for the YA or MG audience. I didn’t write for any particular audience. I had a story to tell, and I knew that if I told the story well then people of all ages would find it compelling. My characters happen to be young and my writing style is fairly simple and straight forward, similar to some YA/MG novels, but I just had a story to tell. That’s what I focused on.

Do you think your writing has been influenced by any other authors? Who?

Most definitely. In fact, I learn something about the craft of writing in almost every book I read. Sometimes I find myself too susceptible to a particular writer’s voice and style, which is why I usually only read non-fiction when I am writing fiction.

Who? I love the straight forward narrative of the Norwegian writer, Knut Hamsun, and the incredible humor of Roald Dahl and the action of Jules Verne and the mind-bending sentences of Cormac Mccarthy. I love the humanity of Lois Lowry and the jazz-like riffs of Ernest Hemingway. Stephen King is a brilliant writer, and I recently re-read for the third time, What is the What by Dave Eggers.

Do you have a writing ritual? (i.e. Do you listen to music or drink a load of coffee?)

I generally write first thing in the morning. I am a morning person. Correct that, I am an early morning person. Before-the-sun-rises-totally-alert person. We have a dog and a cat that like to eat before 5:30 a.m. There are many days when I am the one who wakes them up.

So it is quiet in the house before dawn and the animals are fed and I drink extra strong coffee. That is when I am most in the writing zone, most productive.

What drove you to write a dystopian novel?

I had written two character-driven YA novels. Small, quiet dramas, I’ll call them. When I was thinking about what eventually would become Night of the Purple Moon, I wanted to go big, write a high concept novel, create a world in which my characters would be thrust into darkness and face impossible challenges. To make things even more difficult, I gave my main characters less life experience--made them younger, 13 and 12 years old respectively. Rather than have their parents die, I had virtually all adults—everyone who has passed through puberty—die. That is the starting point in which my characters struggle and try their best to succeed.

Describe Night of the Purple Moon in three words!
Never. Give. Up.

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Check out Scott's post-apocalyptic/dystopian book that will have you thinking long after you finish. Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win one of 5 eBook copies of Night of the Purple Moon. 

Night of the Purple Moon
by Scott Cramer
Published March 25, 2012
Space germs wipe out virtually everyone who has passed through puberty.
Abby Leigh is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple. For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.
But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.
On a small island off the coast of Maine, Abby must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her -- adolescence.

Giveaway Open Internationally

Ends Wednesday August 23, 2012 at 12:01am EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (#15)

It's Saturday! You know what that means- it's time for me to let you know what I acquired last week. Just one book to show you this week. I'm definitely going to be putting an emphasis on reading what I already have in my pile this month. This great meme is hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Tell me what you got; I'd love to visit your haul!

The Assassin's Curse

by Cassandra Rose Clarke

To be published October 2, 2012

From Publisher For Review

Feature and Follow Friday (#17)

Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and AlisonCanRead. It's set up so bloggers to discover new blogs and gain new followers. Join in! Every week two different blogs are featured. This week's featured blogs are Compelled by Words and The Bookshelf Review. Here's this week's question:

Q: What would you do over if you were to start your blog again from scratch?

A: Honestly, I wouldn't start my blog over. I started it in March (just 5 months ago) and I really hit the ground running, I think. While I'm always looking for ways to improve Paperback Fantasies and making changes, there isn't anything I feel I left out or did wrong.

If you're a new follower, leave me a comment so I can follow you back!