Stacking the Shelves + What's Happening November 1st

 

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

 

Happy November, book lovers! I've got two weeks of bookish goodness to share with you since I didn't have time to post a STS/What's Happening last weekend. Here we go!

FOR REVIEW:

Degrees of Wrong by Anna Scarlett {GoodReads}

The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers {GoodReads}

Wind and Shadow by Tori L Ridgewood {GoodReads}

Snowed Over by Angie Stanton {GoodReads}

*A big thank-you to Anna Banks, Season Publishing, Book Publicity Service, and InkSlinger PR for these books!*

BOUGHT:

If Only We by Jessica Sankiewicz {GoodReads}

The Moth in the Mirror by AG Howard {GoodReads}

Last Christmas by Talli Roland {GoodReads}

*If Only We is the debut novel of one of my best friends, Jessica Sankiewicz. If you like contemporary young adult/new adult, be sure to check it out!*

LIBRARY

 

Thornhill by Kathleen Peacock {GoodReads}

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard {GoodReads}

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole {GoodReads}

I've been in a bit of a reading slump the last couple months, so I'm getting behind in my reading. I have a ton of review books to catch up on, and I was planning to concentrate on those in November...but then OF COURSE these three books - which are three of my most anticipated novels of 2013, and which I requested ages ago - came in at the same time and I can't not read them. I keep alternating between sighing and squeeing. Hopefully these will get me out of my reading slump! 

FREEBIES

Curse of the Beast by Ashley Lavering {GoodReads}

Severed by Dax Varley {GoodReads}

 

   

Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer {GoodReads}

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E Smith {GoodReads}

Apparition by Gail Gallant {GoodReads}

 

 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black {GoodReads}

• I reviewed The Calling by Kelley Armstrong and gave it 4 stars
• I wrote a post about why I was having such a hard time deciding whether to do NaNoWriMo this year or not
• I signed up for the 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge. Can you believe it's that time of year already??
• I started participating in IceyReads' What's Next weekly meme. The first week I needed help choosing between The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Fangirl, and Out of the Easy. This week I needed help choosing between These Broken Stars, Sia, and Full Ride. You can still weigh in on this week's decision!
• I reviewed If Only We by Jessica Sankiewicz, and was also part of the blog tour, where Jess shared a playlist of her favourite songs from The OC. There's also a big tour-wide giveaway!
• I reviewed One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost and gave it 5 stars
• I reviewed At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost and gave it 4 stars
• I posted an event recap from when I met Kelley Armstrong last weekend, complete with fun facts about Kelley, pictures, and a video of her reading from The Summoning
• I signed up for the Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge; my goal is to read at least 4 of the review books/freebies on my Kindle this month

 It's been a busy couple of weeks. I've been out with friends quite a bit. I went out dancing two weeks ago for the first time in over a year and it was amazing...even though I paid for it for two days after with the hangover from hell and what I suspect was a case of alcohol poisoning lol.

My family was supposed to do a photo shoot with a professional photographer, but my sister-in-law and I decided we wanted to wait until spring to do all of us, so we just had the kids' pictures done instead (my nephews are 11 and 3, and my niece will be 5 months old next week). I can't wait to see the pics, and I'll be sharing some of them here when the photographer sends them to us!

I got to meet Kelley Armstrong last weekend at my local library. She talked about her books, did a reading from The Summoning, and did a Q&A before signing books. I went with a couple friends I haven't seen in years, and we had a blast.

I went out for Halloween with my sister-in-law, nephews, and niece. We went trick-or-treating around their neighbourhood, and it was so much fun! I love Halloween.

The ninja and Harry Potter

Maddy's first Halloween! The cutest little chick in the whole world.

Is it weird that I enjoy dressing up even more than the kids do?

Me and my sister-in-law

NaNoWriMo starts today, and even though November is going to be one heck of a busy month, I've decided I am going to participate after all. Gods help me. The novel I'm working on is an idea I've had for awhile, so I'm hoping I won't have too much trouble with it. If you're participating, feel free to add me as a buddy and/or tweet me for moral support/distraction/advice/sharing of insanity, etc. 

And finally, tomorrow (Saturday) I'm heading to Toronto for my very first blogger meetup! I've been freaking out all day with excitement and nerves. I finally get to meet some of the people I've been talking to online for the last 3 years (including Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review, who I'll be getting a ride with), plus other bloggers who will be new to me. I'll do a recap early next week, and I'll likely be doing my first vlog in ages to talk about the event and show the books I've trade for. 

 

So that's my week in books and other things. How was your week? Did you get any new books? Have you read any good ones that you'd recommend? Tell me in the comments below or post a link to your Stacking the Shelves/Book Haul/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday, etc. Happy reading! <3

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Author Event Recap - Kelley Armstrong - Ontario Public Library Month

At the end of September, I was in the library when I saw this…

I couldn’t believe it. I thought it must be a mistake. When I got home I checked the library website and even Kelley Armstrong’s list of appearances on her website, and discovered it wasn’t a mistake. *cue all the squeeing and fangirling*

I’ve been reading Kelley’s books since before I started this blog in 2010. Besides loving paranormal books, I had a fascination with Kelley because she’s Canadian. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out she was coming to my small city, to the library that I basically consider my second home because I spend so much time there.

As soon as I found out about Kelley’s appearance at the library, I posted about it on Facebook and tagged several local friends so they’d know about it (and so I’d have someone to go with). I made plans to go with Michelle, a friend I’ve known since preschool but hadn’t seen in 7-8 years, and meet up with JaimeKristal, a friend from high school, who also happens to be my editor, and who I hadn’t seen in 11 years. I was so psyched because not only would I get to meet one of my favourite authors, it would also be a reunion!

Michelle and I arrived around 10:45 for the event, which was scheduled to start at 11:30. We snagged the last of the seats, and as we waited for JK, the event planners added a bunch more chairs, which filled up quickly. By the time the event started, the room was packed and there was standing room only.

Cheryl, the librarian who coordinated the event, introduced Kelley and I was glad to see I wasn’t the only one who was almost overwhelmed with excitement. She said that people had started arriving to the event at 9:30 (when the library opens), and that there had never been an event with a turnout like that one.

Kelley talked to us about how she got started writing, talked about her current and upcoming books, and then did a reading from The Summoning. After that she did a question and answer period where she ‘bribed’ people to ask questions by giving out goodies like books and Omens tote bags. She was so smart and funny and just plain incredible. She’s the Queen of Paranormal, but she’s so humble and down to earth. She joked with us, told us stories, and was so open.

Some interesting tidbits we learned from Kelley:

• Have you ever wondered how Kelley got into writing paranormal? Was it because her parents loved it? Or maybe because they were against it and an interest grew out of a sense of rebellion? Neither. It was a love of Scooby Doo!

• Her first published novel, and the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series, Bitten, has been made into a 13-episode TV series. It was picked up by the Space network in Canada and was supposed to start airing early 2014, but now the Sci-Fi station in the States wants to pick it up (!!!) so they’re trying to coincide air dates.

• Someone asked her if she’d done a cameo in Bitten, and she said no. When asked if she would if asked, it was a definite NO. She said the idea terrified her.

• Even though the Women of the Otherworld series ended last year with the publication of Thirteen, Kelley says she still plans to release a novella a year from that world.

• When her daughter got old enough to become interested in Kelley’s books and asked if she could read Bitten, Kelley said no…and from there, the Darkest Powers trilogy was born. She wanted to write something her daughter could read.

• Later on, her sons wanted to read her books, and Kelley told them the Darkest Powers trilogy was suitable for kids 11 and up. Their response: ‘But there’s a girl on the cover’. She tried to convince them to read it by assuring them there were werewolves and zombies and no kissing. Their response: ‘But there’s a girl on the cover holding a necklace’. From there, Loki’s Wolves, which she co-wrote with Marissa Marr, was born.

• When asked about advice on writing, her response was simple (and something I’ve said a number of times to people who have asked me for writing advice): write. If you want to write, write. Don’t talk about it, don’t over think it, just write. She also recommended that people who want to write should read widely.

• When asked what kind of education you need to be a writer, she said none. Then she amended that by saying you didn’t need any specific sort of education, but the more education you had, the better, so you’d be knowledgeable about a lot of things. She said she’s always taking courses and learning things that could come in handy in her books - sword fighting and bartending being among them.
• She loves Steven King’s books.

After the Q&A came the signing. This is what I looked forward to and dreaded most. For someone who’s an avid reader, a book blogger, and an author, meeting one of your favourite authors is like meeting a rock star. I was nervous that I’d dissolve into a squeeing fangirl and totally embarrass myself. Luckily Michelle and JK were awesome and kept me talking and laughing so I didn’t have too much of a chance to get nervous…although my hands were shaking by the time it was our turn to meet Kelley! She signed my two books (The Gathering and Exit Strategy), and I got to talk to her for a minute. I told her I was a book blogger and that she had donated signed copies of her books for my Canadian Author Spotlight last July, and I wanted to thank her in person. I got a picture with her, and then I got extra time with her while JK got her books signed and then…well, then Michelle brought out her ginormous bag of books. She had to drive two hours to get to my city, and she brought every Kelley Armstrong book she owned. No joke. Kelley was so gracious and signed each one while chatting with us. 

Kelley and me

Kelley and Michelle

Kelley and JK

Signing the mountain of books Michelle brought

It was an amazing day. It’s been a few days and I still can’t believe I met Kelley Armstrong. I MET KELLEY ARMSTRONG! :-D 

Have you ever been to an author event? Have you met Kelley? Do you enjoy her books? What are some of your favourites?

 

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Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Darkness Rising, Book #1

Published: April 5th, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

326 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Young adult paranormal/urban fantasy

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Book Depository || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of The Gathering}

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In THE CALLING, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of THE GATHERING clamoring for more.

 

I’ve been a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s books since before I started blogging, and I continue to love her books more and more. The Calling is the second installment in Armstrong’s Darkness Rising trilogy, and it picks up right after where we left off with The Gathering. In the first book, things ended in the midst of a seriously stressful situation, and the tension, fear, and worry are not only carried over into the second book, it feels like the stakes are even higher somehow.

Armstrong has a real knack for pulling you into the story and making you feel like you’re right there. I was able to feel Maya’s apprehension, anger, worry, confusion. I felt like I was right there with her and her friends, trekking through the forest, trying to figure things out, trying to escape, trying to make it to safety. The book was mostly fast-paced, but it did have a lot of Maya’s internal dialogue as she tried to figure things out. While this would usually detract from my overall enjoyment, the story never failed to hold my interest, and I devoured this book, unable to put it down until I found out what was going to happen.

I loved the supernatural aspect of the book, and getting to see the teens’ powers coming to the surface, and how they dealt with them, especially Maya. I also loved how the book was subtly tied into the Darkest Powers trilogy; it makes me even more excited for the final book in the trilogy, because it seems like there’s a lot yet to happen. 

Intense and action-packed, with plenty of suspense as well as twists, turns, and surprises, The Calling is a fantastic middle book in a thrilling trilogy. I have no doubt the final installment in this trilogy, The Rising, is going to be incredible, and I can’t wait to find out what happens to Maya and her friends.

 

  

Have you read The Calling? What did you think? Are you a fan of Kelley Armstrong's books?

 

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TBR Pile: Canadian Style

Looking for suggestions of books that are written by Canadian authors? Need help trying to decide which book by a Canadian author you should read? I've compiled lists of some of the books I've read and want to read by Canadian authors. Hopefully these will give you some ideas!

These are the books written by Canadian authors I've read and reviewed since starting Ramblings of a Daydreamer:

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery {Review || GoodReads}

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston {Review || GoodReads}

Darklight by Lesley Livingston {Review || GoodReads}

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley {Review || GoodReads}

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley {Review || GoodReads}

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook {Review || GoodReads}

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads}

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads}

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads} 

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock {Review || GoodReads}

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski {Review || GoodReads}

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski {Review || GoodReads}

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers {Review || GoodReads}

Ultraviolet by RJ Anderson {Review || GoodReads}

Quicksilver by RJ Anderson {Review || GoodReads}

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez {Review || GoodReads}

Flame of Surrender by Rhiannon Paille {Review || GoodReads}

Within by Clare Marshall {Review || GoodReads}

The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin {Review || GoodReads}

Spirits Rising by Krista D. Ball {Review || GoodReads}

Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch {Review || GoodReads}

These are books I've read that weren't written by Canadian authors but that were set (fully and partly, respectively) in Canada:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake {Review || GoodReads}

The Single Girl’s To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk {Review || GoodReads}

These are some of the top books on my TBR that are written by Canadian authors:

Namesake by Sue MacLeod {GoodReads}

On Every Street by Karina Halle  {GoodReads}

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook  {GoodReads}

Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston  {GoodReads}

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel {GoodReads}

Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery  {GoodReads}

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong {GoodReads}

Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker {GoodReads}

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey {GoodReads}

Plain Kate by Erin Bow {GoodReads} 

The Witches of Willowmere by Alison Baird {GoodReads}

How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler {GoodReads}

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie {GoodReads}

A Stiff Kiss by Avery Olive {GoodReads}

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen {GoodReads}

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes {GoodReads}

Build a Man by Talli Roland {GoodReads}

What Kills Me by Wynne Channing {GoodReads}

It's not too late to join the 2013 Canadian Reading Challenge. All you have to do is read and review at least one book either written by a Canadian or set in Canada.

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