"The most important thing is the message you leave. This is immortality."
(Rita Levi Montalcini)
Rita Levi Montalcini, an Italian neurologist who received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of nerve growth factor (NGF), a Senator for Life in the Italian Senate, died today in Rome. She was 103.
Today we lost not only one of the greatest minds of our time, but a woman of extraordinary courage, kindness and humanity.
When aspiring writer Sophie Elliot receives the keys to the family townhouse in Bath, it's an invitation she can't turn down, especially when she learns that she will be living next door to the house where Jane Austen lived. On discovering that an ancient glove belonging to her mysterious neighbour, Josh Strafford, will transport her back in time to Regency Bath, she questions her sanity, but Sophie is soon caught up in two dimensions, each reality as certain as the other. Torn between her life in the modern world and that of her ancestor who befriends Jane Austen and her fascinating brother Charles, Sophie's story travels two hundred years across time and back again, to unite this modern heroine with her own Captain Wentworth. Blending fact and fiction together, the tale of Jane Austen's own quest for happiness weaves alongside, creating a believable world of new possibilities for the inspiration behind the beloved novel, Persuasion.
Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and the ones she loves, she needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will Tiki be brave enough to face the truth?
A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation… Available October 2nd, 2012
At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.
I sat up and
followed Calixta’s gaze upward. I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t know what I was
seeing at first. A statue? My brain refused to snap together coherent
thoughts. I didn’t realize I’d fallen so
close to one of the garden benches until I stared up at the boy that sat on
one. He was strikingly beautiful. His tumble of blonde hair curled just above
his sculpted cheekbones. He wore a silk shirt and a loosened cravat, like he’d
become bored while dressing and decided to leave himself in disarray. His ivory
skin and frozen position was what had me mistaking him for something carved
from marble by Michelangelo. Then he sighed—a lonely, breathy proof of life. If
I had to imagine what Lucifer looked like before he fell from heaven, the boy on
the bench would certainly fulfill that image. My brain told me I had to look
away, but I couldn’t.
“Luka,” Calixta
said again, her voice unsure, almost nervous. It no longer contained the steel
and bite she had threatened me with, which made me wonder who the boy was.
He leaned on his
hands and crossed his legs, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the night
sky. His movements spoke of elegance and control. I’d encountered many people
with breeding before, but his took on the air of arrogance and self-assuredness
of someone used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it.
I only realized
I’d been holding my breath when my lungs protested. I exhaled. My heart
sputtered and restarted with a vengeance. Luka tore his gaze away from the
stars and settled it on me. I’d expected pitch-black irises, like the other
Night Students, but blue ice stared back at me.
“Human,” he
whispered.
He reached out,
and with a finger, followed an invisible trail down my cheek. I stiffened. His
touch, cooler than Demitri’s, caused warm sparks to blossom on my face. He
lifted his finger to his lips and licked its tip. He might as well have licked me from the way my body shivered.
Luka’s curious
gaze held mine. “Leave us,” he said, but not to me.
“But—” Calixta
protested like a spoiled child.
He spoke in a
language I hadn’t heard before, remaining calm yet firm. The words had a
rolling cadence I couldn’t quite follow, like rumbling thunder in the distance.
They contained a harsh sensuality. The consonants were hard and the vowels were
long and lilting.
Footsteps
retreated behind me.
Luka reached out
again.
It took me a
minute to realize he wanted to help me up. I hesitated. He smiled. I smiled
back timidly and took his hand, completely dazzled. Even with my uniform soaked
from melted snow, I didn’t feel cold—all my attention was on him and the way
his callused hand felt on mine. Without moving much from his seated position,
he helped me stand.
“What’s your
name?” he asked. He had a voice like a familiar lullaby. It filled my heart to
the brim with comfort.
I swallowed and
tried to stop gawking. “Phoenix.”
“The bird that
rose from the ashes.” Luka bent his head and kissed the back of my hand. “It’s
a pleasure meeting you.”
My cheeks warmed.
My head reeled, not knowing what to think. I couldn’t understand why I felt
drawn to him. And the strange connection frightened me.
From behind,
someone gripped my arms and yanked me away before I could sort out the feelings
Luka inspired in me. I found myself behind a towering figure yet again.
Recognizing the blue-black silk for hair tied at the nape, relief washed over
me. Calixta hadn’t come back to finish me off.
Demitri’s large
hand wrapped around my wrist. Unlike the night before, no calm existed in his
demeanor. He trembled like a junky in need of a fix. The coiled power in his
tense muscles vibrated into me.
“What are you
doing here?” Demitri asked.
I didn’t know he’d
spoken to me until I saw his expressionless profile. I sighed.
“Phoenix.”
I flinched. The
ruthless way he said my name punched all the air out of me. “You owe me
answers,” I said with as much bravado as I could muster.
“I owe you nothing.” He glared. “In fact, you owe me your life.”
“I don’t think
so.”
Ignoring my
indignation, he faced Luka, who’d remained seated on the bench during my
exchange with Demitri. “Why is she with you, Luka?”
“I wasn’t going to
taste her, if that’s what you’re implying,” Luka said. “Although, she is simply delicious. I wouldn’t mind if
you left us alone.”
There it was
again. Taste. The word that kept coming up between these Night Students and I
was connected to it in an increasingly uncomfortable way. To taste meant to
sample, but what? My flesh? They had to be joking because the alternative
wasn’t funny.
“The sins of the
father …” Demitri left his sentence unfinished.
Luka’s smile
shifted into a snarl. “Obey my command.” His chin lifted. “Kneel.”
Demitri’s stance
went rigid. His grip tightened around my wrist.
Okay, weird just
got weirder. Why would Luka want Demitri to kneel before him? I thought back to
Eli and the others bowing to Demitri when he questioned them, but they didn’t
kneel. Seriously? Were they all living on a different planet or something?
“Kneel.”
Luka’s detestable smirk made his features sinister rather than angelic. The
real Lucifer: a fallen angel.
Without letting go
of my wrist, Demitri knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, his free hand
flat at the center of his chest. “Your command has been obeyed,” he said
formally.
Luka nodded once.
Demitri stood up
and pulled me toward the school without telling me where we were going. Not
having the time to thank Luka for saving me from Calixta, I risked a glance
back. Luka smiled at me. His smile spoke of whispers, secrets, and promises to
be shared on a later date.
-------
Do you want to read more? Demitri will lead you to a super exclusive excerpt! ;D
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Author Bio:
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
(Description from Amazon)
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In comments leave me your name and email and you're entered!
The only requirement is that you follow the blog.
One extra entry if you spread the word (link in comments).
Another extra entry if you follow me on twitter (@hatshepsut0011).
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.
And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbsis a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.
Breadcrumbs is a wonderful retelling of "The Snow Queen", a story of true friendship and extraordinary courage.
Hazel is different from the other girls at school. She believes in magic and fairy tales. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
One day something terrible happened to her best friend, Jack. Jack's heart became frozen like a block of ice and the Snow Queen brought him to her own castle. Hazel is the only one that can save him, the only one willing to believe in the existence of the Snow Queen.
Hazel understands the real meaning of true friendship: sacrifice.
I love fairy tale retellings and Breadcrumbs is a magnificent example of a successful one.
I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author!
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends. But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.
And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbsis a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.
(Description from Goodreads)
------
In comments leave me your name and email and you're entered!
The only requirement is that you follow the blog.
One extra entry if you spread the word (link in comments).
Another extra entry if you follow me on twitter (@hatshepsut0011).
The Blog Hop runs from February 24th to February 28th.
Winners will be drawn via random.org and notified promptly.
Here you can win a YA Paranormal book up to 25 USD from The Book Depository.
In comments tell me 3 YA Paranormal books you would like to read (I will send you one of those 3, but I won't tell you which...who doesn't love surprises?!), along with your name, email and country (I'm just curious! :P).
The only requirement is that you follow the blog.
One extra entry if you spread the word (link in comments).
Another extra entry if you follow me on twitter (@hatshepsut0011)
This giveaway is open to any country that The Book Depository ships to.
In anticipation for the upcoming release of THE SAVAGE GRACE--the third and final installment in the Dark Divine trilogy--Bree Despain and Egmont USA have organized the first ever Dark Divine Fan Fiction and Fan Art Competition.
This colored pencil drawing of Grace is my entry for the contest.
If you vote (for me! pretty please >_<...only if you like my drawing :) ) and spread the word about Dark Divine Fan Talentmania-- you will be entered to win some fabulous door prizes, including:
In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect.
But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it.
Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient alien artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel the secrets of her own past;if she can survive long enough.
Circus Galacticus is the story of a girl desperate to belong, a girl who dreams to travel the stars.
Trix’s parents were astronauts and she wanted to become one, too. She was only 8 years old when her parents died and left her a rock with mysterious powers, a rock that will lead Trix to her true destiny, to a new home....full of aliens! The Circus Galacticus.
This book is a fest of colour and sometimes it was like I could hear the music coming from the circus and actually be there with Trix and the Ringmaster. Circus Galacticus tells us that to be special we don't need superpowers and that diversity is a strength, not a weakness.
Deva Fagan created a charming story that "reminds people they can reach the stars and choose their own destinies".
To conclude with a quotation from the Circus Galacticus:
“Ladies and gentlemen! It has been our honor to entertain you. If you have learned one thing this night, let it be that anyone can reach the stars. Choose your own destiny, and the universe is yours.”
Trixis an Earth-girl determined to follow the dreams of her astronaut parents and reach for the stars. But as an orphan charity case, she has to fight hard for that dream. When the Ringmaster offers her a place in the Circus Galacticus, she leaves Earth behind for a life of intergalactic adventure and danger, new friends, new enemies, and a chance to unlock the secrets of her own past.
The Ringmaster
The dangerously charming young leader of the Circus Galacticus. No one knows how he became the Ringmaster, or fully understands his mysterious bond with the Big Top. Or where he goes when he loses himself in the Restricted Area. Or just how often he visits the auto-salon to get his hair done. He offers Trix the chance to follow her dreams, but can she trust him not to shatter them?
Nola
As one of the Techs in the Circus Galacticus troupe, Nola uses her Tinker powers to interface with technology both to manage special effects during performances and to give her dorm room the latest updates. Loyal, steadfast and fun-loving, Nola helps introduce Trix to the mystifying, magical Big Top, the joys of alien soap operas, and the dangers that lurk in the depths of the recycling system.
Jom
One of the Clown corps of the Circus Galacticus, Jom’s greatest talent isn’t his occasionally embarrassing Tinker power, but rather his skill in the Big Top kitchens. Friendly and happy-go-lucky, he is one of Trix’s first allies among the troupe.
Sirra
Sirra is Etander’s twin sister, and the daughter of a wealthy and vastly powerful family that controls entire star systems. The twins left behind a life of luxury and security when Etander’s Tinker powers manifested, and they were forced to hide themselves among the fantastical freaks of the Circus Galacticus. Now Sirra uses her own gravity-bending powers to astonish patrons on the trapeze, one of the premier acts.
Etander
Etander is Sirra’s twin brother, and the son of a wealthy and vastly powerful family that controls entire star systems. The twins left behind a life of luxury and security when Etander’s Tinker powers manifested, and they were forced to hide themselves among the fantastical freaks of the Circus Galacticus. Though he assists Sirra in the trapeze act, he keeps his own powers hidden.
Theon
One of the Clown corps of the Circus Galacticus, Theon doesn’t mind taking charge or speaking her mind. She’s quick to stand up to a rival, but quicker still to stand by a friend. Her Tinker powers give her the ability to manipulate friction– and green hair!
Reaper
Reaper is a former member of the Circus Galacticus, who abandoned life on the Big Top to join the rebellious Outcasts in their fight against the Mandate, using any means necessary. He’s said to be the Ringmaster’s best friend, and his greatest rival.
Miss Three
An artificial intelligence originally designed by the Mandate, Miss Three was reprogrammed by the Ringmaster to serve as a teacher and chaperone to the members of the Circus Galacticus troupe. Severe and strict, she seems to turn up whenever someone is getting into trouble…
Nyl
Nyl is an agent of the Mandate, the ancient enemies of Tinkers like the members of the Circus Galacticus. And he’s determined to steal the treasure Trix’s parents gave her to keep safe. But his greatest weapon isn’t the powerful bolts of blue lightning he can conjure with a gesture– it’s the answers he can offer Trix about her own past.
The Darkening Dream is the chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.
Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.
1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.
With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?
No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (October 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN: 1416986456 (ISBN13: 9781416986454)
Setting: Princeton, New Jersey (United States)
What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet!
Lily's test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he's her guard. That's weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons—the ordinary one and a magical one—and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets.
When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage—and a little magic—to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.
If I could describe this book with only two words, they would be "treasure hunt". Lily Carter has to find the Ivy Key to be accepted to Princeton, but she doesn't know what it is and she has no idea where to find it. Magical creatures will help her in her test that is much more dangerous than what she thought. She will discover a magical world, meet her soul mate, uncover dark secrets and learn about her true identity.
Enchanted Ivy is a predictable but lovely book and, even though I knew what was going to happen, I was glued to the pages of this enchanting read.
The Blog Hop runs from February 7th to February 14th.
Winners will be drawn via random.org and notified promptly.
Here you can win a book up to 25 USD from The Book Depository.
In comments tell me 3 books you would like to read (I will send you one of those 3, but I won't tell you which...who doesn't love surprises?!), along with your name, email and country (I'm just curious! :P).
The only requirement is that you follow the blog.
One extra entry if you spread the word (link in comments).
Another extra entry if you follow me on twitter (@hatshepsut0011)
This giveaway is open to any country that The Book Depository ships to.
"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."
Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.
Wall Street Journal "notable book" for summer (2007)
Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.
Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?
Austenland is a page-turner. It is not a book I would define great, but it leaves a sweet feeling. This is one of those books you want to read when you feel down and need your mug of hot cocoa (or your cup of tea!).
Jane Hayes is in love with the character of Mr. Darcy. She knows that her quest to find a Mr. Darcy in real life is without hope. But one day she discovered her aunt left her a paid holiday at a private resort in England, Pembrook Park, a place for her to forget about the modern world and immerse herself in Jane Austen's world. Jane is convinced that this is the only way to be free of her obsession with Mr. Darcy and get on with her life. However life does not work out the way you expect. Sometimes it works out even better.
If you are in the mood for something light and sweet (and if you're obsessed with Mr. Darcy like Jane!), read Austenland.
Like the man himself, this elegant, dark tea, grown in rich soil, with a bold beginning yet a smooth finish has a complexity of character that will leave you wishing to know more.
Distinctive notes of leather, chestnut and plum in this well respected Da Hong Pao Oolong. Each steeping introduces you to more of it's character. Good for 6 steepings Gong Fu style or 3 British style.
“Austenland” is produced by Stephenie Meyer ("The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1," "Breaking Dawn Part 2," "The Host") through Fickle Fish Films, the production company of Meyer and Meghan Hibbett, and Moxie Pictures’ Gina Mingacci. Executive Producers are Robert Fernandez and Dan Levinson of Moxie Pictures and co-producer is Jane Hooks (“Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, “Bronson”). Jared Hess("Napoleon Dynamite," "Nacho Libre," "Gentleman Broncos"), Meghan Hibbett, and author Shannon Hale are associate producers.
Jerusha Hess, co-writer of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, adapted “Austenland” for the screen with Shannon Hale.
Jane- Keri Russell (“Felicity”, “Mission Impossible II”,“Waitress”)
Nobley- JJ Feild (“Captain America: The First Avenger) Martin- Bret Mckenzie (the Emmy award-winning “Flight of the Conchords”) Miss Charming - Jennifer Coolidge (“American Pie”, “Legally Blonde”) Colonel Andrews - James Callis (“Battlestar Gallactica”, “Bridget Jones’ Diary”) Mrs. Wattlesbrook - Jane Seymour (“Wedding Crashers”) Mr. Wattlesbrook - Rupert Vansittart (“Braveheart”)
