Welcome! I'm Riv Re, teenager and aspiring author. I post Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Tuesdays are for book reviews; Thursdays are for a weekly meme called "Character Dolls," which showcases character depictions I made online; and on Sundays I just wing it.
This blog is for my writing misadventures, my reviews, ramblings, and rants. My favorite genre is fantasy, so expect a lot of the unusual.

Warning: I've got an awful sense of humor. Don't blame me if you keel up and die from reading the jokes I crack.
Notice: I hold no responsibility for any deaths caused by previously mentioned jokes.

Enjoy and happy reading!

Current Book Showcase-Starling by Lesley Livingston Trailer!
(What's Book Showcase? Click HERE!)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Soapbox Style: Announcing Winners

Hey Blogger Buds,
Warning: Run away now, while you still can. Flee while I'm busy dragging out my nice, big soapbox.

There are a few things I can't stand in the bloggy world, one of which is the way winners are sometimes announced. I'm going to avoid names completely, of course.

I totally get it when the host emails the winner and then announces it on the blog however they want.
It's perfectly understandable that the host adds the winner to the bottom of a post, and adds into the title "This is My Post of Awesome! And Winners Too!" because then a person will probably check.
But when the winner is added briefly into a post and is told to email the host?

That's drives me insane. Personally, I don't read every single post on a blog. I look through my blog roll and click on most of the posts, depending on what it's about. If the title makes it sound interesting, I clicky. But how can someone add the winners onto the end of a post, telling the winner to email them, without the winner having any idea that they were just announced?

*jumps off soapbox, hurting foot from the long drop*

What do YOU think? Am I crazy? Is there a point to my banter?

Peace,
Riv

Current Mood: Getting a Cold... *runs off for OJ*
Current Music: Long Live by Taylor Swift (song of awesome *sings off-key*)

PS: Don't forget to enter my awesome CONTEST HERE! You don't even have to be a follower to enter!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

NYC Teen Author Festival Schedule!

Hey Blogger Buds,
So yesterday,  I think, the schedule for the festival went up! I'm so excited! From Monday, March 14 through Sunday the 19th, it's going to be a book bonanza! The full schedule is over at the Facebook group, but here are some highlights I'm looking forward to! Most of this is in Manhattan.

PS: This is for writers, too, not just readers!

~Monday: Finding Voice, Giving Voice, Speaking Up For Characters
~Tuesday: YA Reader's Theater
Looking forward to Holly Black and Gayle Forman!
~Wednesday: YA Rocks, Featuring Tiger Beat (a bunch of authors with an awesome band) and Music-Related Readings
~Thursday: Five Borough Readings
~Friday: Symposium!
~Saturday: Symposium!
I can't make it but looking forward to Maggie Stiefvater!
~Sunday: Signings! (This is going to be the best part!)
Looking forward to Maggie Stiefvater!

I'm soooo excited for  the 14th! What about you guys? Will you be able to make it? I'd love to see some of my follower love there!

Peace,
Riv

PS: Don't forget to enter my contest HERE!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Willow Review

Hey Blogger Buds,
Sorry, I thought this posted yesterday! Some thing wonky happened, and it went up wrong! So here's my review today!
I have no idea what to post, hence the lack of an updated RC, so I pulled up an old review I wrote. I read Willow a while ago, and it was interesting. Linkage below, of course.

Blurby:
Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy—one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.
Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.

Review:
Willow was weird, at first. It took me about 50 pages before I realized what the problem was; it was written in a format I've never seen before; third-person present tense. Meaning it has sentences like; "Willow cries as she thinks about it all". (I completely made that sentence up.) I lent the book to a friend when I finished with it, and when I asked her if she thought the writing was weird, she said yes and I had to explain the problem.
Willow's a character you feel bad for. She's not a great kid with a lovely personality. I did have a problem with Guy, the one who discovers Willow's problems. My sister likes that he was named "Guy" like he could be anyone, but personally the name gets on my nerves. Guy as a character got on my nerves, too. The summary I read of the book describes him as "a sweet and sensitive boy" with problems of his own. Guy has no problems, at least none as major as Willow's. And his initial reaction to finding out what happened was something along the lines of "I don't need this right now. I'm on my way to college, I don't need this kind of worry on my head right now." There was nothing "sweet and sensitive" about him.
The book was slightly open-ended. It was obvious what happens after, but I'm the type of person that likes a book to be sealed up tight.
Overall, it was an okay book. I wasn't wowed.

Linkage: Amazon Goodreads BN Borders BookDepo

***3 stars

Peace,
RR

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Cover Reveal: Jessica Rules the Dark Side

Hey Blogger Buds,
So I love Beth Fantaskey's books. To remind you, she wrote Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side and Jekel Loves Hyde. And, looking at my WO Cover shelf on Goodreads, I noticed that on Friday the cover was revealed for JGtDotDS's sequel! It's called Jessica's Rules the Dark Side and it comes out next January. That's SUCH a long wait!
Just to throw some linkage at you...
Jekel Love Hyde on Goodreads and Amazon
Jessica's Guide...on Goodreads and Amazon
Jessica's Rules...on Goodreads
There's also a novella that takes place between books one and two, on the Author Site and Goodreads.

Now that that's out of the way...
Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica, #2)
"It's one thing to find out you're a vampire princess. It's a whole other thing to actually rule."

  • The cover model is so pretty!
  • So is the dress.
  • The font matches the first book's and it's  so nice!
  • I'm trying to find synonyms for nice and pretty!
  • I REALLY want to see Lucious's face! I have no complaints with what's already seen ;)
  • Look carefully at what's in Jessica's left hand. I believe that that is a stake...
  • You know those weird splotchy things your camera kinda picks up? Those dots are here too, but this time it's awesome!
  • They look so happy :). Jessica looks happy and wonderstruck, and Lucious has that satisfied, calm, enamored look on his face. (I love the word enamored.)
  • The background is so interesting! It looks like a mansion....
  • Overall Cover Love!


Okay, so I love the style of all of Beth's covers. They all feature a girl and (most of) a boy standing beside each other.
Ex:
Jekel Loves Hyde

The two Jessica books look gorgeous beside each other! I love it when books in a series come out so lovely together!
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica, #1)Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica, #2)
It makes me really want to see Lucious's face!

Here's the official summary, which I got from Goodreads. Spoilery from Jessica's Guide
Commentary in red!

When Jessica Packwood found out she was a Romanian vampire princess, she had the shock of her teenage life. Turns out that was the easy part. Now, married to Prince Lucius Vladescu (what is it with vampire names? At least it's not Vladimir), she has to claim her throne and convince a vampire nation she’s fit to be their queen. But Jess can’t even order a decent meal from her castle’s Romanian staff (shame. I <3 food), let alone deal with devious undead subjects who would love to see her fail.
And when Lucius is accused of murdering a vampire Elder and imprisoned without the blood he needs (again. food), Jessica finds herself alone, fighting for both their survivals.
Desperate to clear her husband’s name and win his release, Jess enlists the help of her best friend Mindy Stankowicz (yay!) and Lucius’s mysterious Italian cousin, Raniero Lovatu (ooh. sounds interesting). But both of them are keeping some dark secrets. Can Jess figure out who to trust – and how to rise to power – before she loses everything, including the vampire she loves?
Full of romance, mystery, and danger, the highly anticipated sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side shows that sometimes a princess has to earn her “happily ever after” – with a sharpened stake in hand (shudders).

Peace,
Riv

Current Music: Speak Now by Taylor Swift

Thursday, February 17, 2011

NYC Teen Author Festival

Hey Blogger Buds!
So, it's not for another month, but every year is the NYC Teen Author Festival! It was a BLAST last year, and I'm SO excited for it again this year! (If I reach 100 followers, maybe I'll go get a signed book and hold a contest...)

So none of the dates are officially up yet, but they should be ready soon! HERE's the Facebook group, to keep track of it!
But although I can't tell you much, Maggie Stiefvater just posted on her blog today about where she'll be! On Sunday the 20th, she's going to be in Books of Wonder! (I'm sure you can guess where I plan to be on Sunday the 20th...)

So Maggie's blog post is HERE, giving you all the info!
I'd LOVE to know if you're coming! Shoot me an email over at rivkarno1(at)hotmail(dot)com or leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

Peace and Books,
Riv

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sweet Venom Cover Release

Hey Blogger Buds!
So, ya know Tera Lynn Childs? She's the author of Oh. My. Gods. (mini-review), and Forgive My Fins. And I'm one of the bloggers helping her publicize the cover for her latest book about one evil gorgon's* triplet descendants.
You can add the first book on Goodreads here. And if Librarything is your thing, it's here.
The webpage over at TLC's site is here.
And over at Books, Boys, and Buzz Tera Lynn posted the character collages, right here.
There's even a Facebook page, here. I like it. Do you Like it?
The release date isn't final, but it's currently October 4, 2011.
No official blurb yet, but here's the teaser line...
Three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in a world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Awesome, no?


So, the cover!......

Isn't it gorgeous?

  • I love the font and the curlicue  thing around it.
  • She's really pretty, if you ignore the, ya know, frightening lump on her back. Don't you want to know what that lump is?
  • That braid looks almost vicious. It curls like a certain serpent we all know...


Peace,
Riv

*If you're not too well-read up on gorgon's, I'm talking about Medusa. (Ya know, snake hair, men-to-stone, that lovely lady?)

What do you think of the cover?

PS: Don't forget to enter my contest to win some TAP buttons! It's right HERE!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentines Day! And a Blogfest!

Hey Blogger Buds!
So, I'm participating in the Valentine Blogfest, hosted by Kate Hart (I'm hoping the "hart" thing isn't done as a joke...)

So happy Valentines Day to my lovely followers, to start off, and now I'll launch into the blogfest!

Blogger Love Fest
Each participant was given the name of another awesome blogger, and we're here today to blog about them! So today I will be talking about...


Claire Dawn!

So, Kate was talking about odes, so here's an attempt at a poem for Claire.

Staring out the window here in NYC,
I'm unable to, though most people will see,
A clear dawn rising in the east,
But have no fear I have an alternative at least!
Coming to greet me with style and flare,
We have the incredible blogger, the one and only Claire!
With weekly giveaways, writing advise, and more,
Her awesome is likely only seen in lore!
So happy Valentines Day to this lovely girl,
Come on, Claire, take a bow and give a twirl!

(Eh, it could have been worse.)

Claire's an aspiring writer originating from Barbados (Rihanna, rum, and grapefruit, it seems), but currently lives in Japan. (All definitely more interesting than my boring New York self.) She's been blogging for an impressive year and a half, with some really great stuff on her blog! She's very interesting; go check her out! Her blog is filled with brilliance!

(A clear dawn)
Happy V-day, Claire! May your skies stay Claire!


(PS: Don't forget to enter my TAP Buttons contest HERE!)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

What's Happening This Week (Come Back Tomorrow)

Okay Blogger Buds,
So first off, happy early Valentine's Day, and good luck tomorrow!
Second of all, speaking of tomorrow, come back here for a special V-Day blogfest!
And because three comes after two, the third thing for you to know is that on Tuesday, instead of a review, I'll be participating in a cover reveal! Look to your left for the RC! I plan to have it scheduled to go up early in the morning.

So, to recap:

Today: This odd ramble.
Tomorrow: V-day blogfest.
Tuesday: Cover Reveal!
Thursday: I don't know yet.

Don't forget to enter my contest HERE!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Amanda Project Giveaway!

The Amanda Project: Book 1: invisible IHi Blogger Buds,
So I've partnered up with Fourth Story's The Amanda Project, and we're having a giveaway!
If you didn't know, TAP and HarperCollins published a book, invisible i last year. The second book, Signal From Afar, comes out next Spring.
Add them on goodreads! Book One Two

So I'm sure you just want to get to the good stuff, the giveaway!!!

PRIZES:
So TAP and I are giving away some buttons! Some will be totem (I'll get to that in a sec) buttons and some will be special TAP buttons!
Since I'm not sponsoring this giveaway, you don't have to follow me, but you get extra entries if you do!

RULES:
Soooo, the rules. Don't worry, it's pretty simple!
First, go to the totem quiz on TAP. Do it!
When that's done, come on back here and fill out the form below!
Easy-peasy, no?

WINNING:
I'l going to use random.org to chose the winner. They'll then be announced on the blog, and I'll shoot the winner (who knows, it could be you!) an email! I'm then going to pass on the info to my awesome TAP correspondent, who'll ship it all out via snail-mail!
Sorry, US only :(
There will be FOUR winners, and each will get FIVE buttons.

DURATION: Thursday, 2/10/11 through....how about March 1st? I may extend the contest if there aren't too many entries, but I hope I don't have to!
CONTEST EXTENDED TO: APRIL 15TH
ETA: CONTEST CLOSED
If you can't see the form below, HERE it is.

Doubling:
If you accidentally post twice, or if you do more extra entries after filling out the form, no worries! If it's a double, I'll delete the extra. If you did more, I'll delete your first entry.

Side stuff:
*I reserve the right to edit/delete a entry if I believe it violated one of the rules. Don't worry, I'll be fair ;)
*The prize will be mailed by the TAP sponsor. The sponsor and I are not responsible if the prize was received lost/damaged. If there's a problem, feel free to send me an email, and I'll do what I can.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Guest Post: Beastly Review

/FHey Blogger Buds!
So, Khadija of Black Finger Nailed Reviews, another awesome teen blogger, wrote a review for me, back in August. I never got it up, so it's here today! She's written a lovely review on Beastly. You guys know me; I can never keep my mouth shut, so I'm here in red to toss in my two cents. I read Beastly too, and I give it a 4 out of 5 stars. Links below, as usual.

Title: Beastly
Author: Alex Flinn
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5 out of 5
Cover Rating: 4 out of 5 (I love the symbolism for the rose)
DescriptionI am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.
My Review: Ok I’ll admit I’m not a very romantic type person…..(That makes two of us.)
And I don’t always exactly enjoy reading about two people falling into mushy gushy love, where they are completely dependable upon each other. Yes I’m a bit of a feminist (hence my vendetta against Bella Swan and all things Twilight) and I agree it destroyed romance.
But I did like the romance in Beastly. Maybe it was because the Beast was so depressed the way he was, maybe it was the references to The Curse of Jullian Gray and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I don’t know. But the point is the romance portion of the book = surprisingly tolerable….maybe even nice. (Yuppers)
Beastly is a definite page turner for sure, you become enthralled with finding out whether or not the Beast gets his kiss and the spell that was cast is broken.
I’m all for YA books from male point of views just because they seem to be not so common in the YA world. So that was another plus for Beastly and probably its greatest appeal to me. I first heard about this book as recommendation from a friend but at the time I didn’t go look it up or find a summary. It wasn’t until the recent movie trailer that my interest was sparked. I went on a hunt (Google is my greatest hero [Yay!]) and found out as much as I could. My findings where that it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, except from the Beast’s point of view. I’ve always been curious, it’s a story I’ve always wanted to read….what it was like for the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast was my favorite childhood book, I loved fairy tales and I must have read Beauty and the Beast a hundred times. It wasn't the romance that was appealing; it was Belle, this girl that was able to appreciate the beauty in the small things….(Aww)
Her ability is to see the world in such a way. And also to see past exterior beauty and look within to discover one of the kindest men there ever was.
I got to read this modern-day fairytale and see it all from the Beast’s point of view. What it was like for him…and really the only words I can use to describe it with are Friggin and Awesome (Friggin AND Awesome? Wow...).
I give this book a 5 out of 5, I can’t stop talking about it and always recommend it. It’s a great read and definitely worth the time. :)

Check out more about Beastly and other Alex Flinn novels at www.alexflinn.com Also check out the new movie site for Beastly http://beastlythemovie.com/
Rock on Peeps,
(Rock on, Khad)
Khadija
Did you love Khadija (who doesn't?) and her review? For more, check out her blog,
Peace,
RR


Linkage: Amazon  B&N BookDepository Goodreads Borders AuthorSite

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Arrival of the Review Clue

Hey Blogger Buds,
Lookie at the left sidebar. There's something called the Review Clue. Every Tuesday I post reviews here, and I've started dropping little hints as to what the review will be about. Now I've officially put those clues in the sidebar! As soon as I know what I'm going to be reviewing, I'll be putting the clue up over there. Plus, if you want to take a guess as to what the book is, there's a little form thing to fill out! Just drop the book title and your name, and on Tuesday I'll credit everyone that guessed correctly!

If you want to take part in RC too, on your blog, you're welcome to! Just please credit me!

Peace,
Riv

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Little Announcement! Giveaway!

Hey Blogger Buds!
Okay, I knoooooow it's not a regular posting day, but I'm just letting you know that if all goes well and everything runs smoothly, I'm having a contest tomorrow. Hint: I know you're probably drumming, or TAPPING your fingers against your computer desk/computer/lap/leg/whatever in anticipation!
Followers, and old followers get extra entries!

Go forth!

Peace,
Riv Re

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Drought Review


This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinion expressed here are my own.
Hi Blogger Buds!
So, I received Drought by Pam Bachorz for review! I loved Pam's Candor, and I reviewed it HERE. If there's one thing you can count on from Pam, it's a spectacular ending. And...well, I'll save it for my review. (All links below)

Blurby:
Ruby dreams of escaping the Congregation. Escape from slaver Darwin West and his cruel Overseers. Escape from the backbreaking work of gathering Water. Escape from living as if it is still 1812, the year they were all enslaved.
When Ruby meets Ford--an irresistible, kind, forbidden new Overseer--she longs to run away with him to the modern world, where she could live a normal teenage live. Escape with Ford would be so simple.
But if Ruby leaves, her community is condemned to certain death. She, alone, possess the secret ingredient that makes the Water so special--her blood--and it's the one thing that the Congregation cannot live without.
Drought is the haunting story of one community’s thirst for life, and the dangerous struggle of the only girl who can grant it.

Short Review:
Another original semi-dystopian fiction from Pam Bachorz, taking place in the near-future, about one girl with a kind, brave heart. Ruby is a character who is selfless but still determined. Ford is a great male MC, no cookie-cutter with a haunted past, who's a go-getter who knows when to stop. A beautiful, heart-wrenching ending, and I would expect nothing less from Candor's author.

Longer Review:
I loved Candor, and was so excited to get Drought. I was so excited to dive into it, and the premise is so brilliant. I was confused in the beginning as to what was happening, but Pam cleared up everything for me pretty quickly. That actually surprised me, because I'm so used to author's that keep the reader in the dark, but it would have been a hard book to understand without the elaboration (is that a word?). And this book takes place in 2012--tastefully distant from now, but frighteningly close.

The book was filled with lovable, if ignorant characters. I can't say too much, as it would be massively spoilery.
The protagonist, Ruby, is mature and intelligent. Her heart is torn, but she always makes sacrifices. I don't want to say any more, for fear of being spoilery, but she's awesome.
Sula is Ruby's mother, and one of the community leaders. She's a zealot, doing whatever it take for her Community, and truly believing in Otto. (I'll be talking about him in a second.)
Ford is an Overseer, who loves Ruby. He's determined, but still doesn't cross any boundaries. His love for Ruby is so strong, he can't stop coming back to her. Ford is a welcome change,as he's not "a tortured soul with a dark, tormented past". He's a normal guy, trying to keep his job to pay for his sick mother's medical bills.
The Community works for Darwin West, who is Ebil. Sorta. Well, yeah, okay, he's ebil. But he's not fully to blame, because he's offered to free everyone, if Sula will love him and stop "enduring". But he's evilness.

Religious Aspect, Otto, and Fighting:
Otto. Ruby's father, Otto, had "Sacred Blood" as does Ruby. It's the only thing that can save the Community. I didn't appreciate this religious aspect of the book, where the Community prays to Otto, their savior. The Community spends their Sunday mornings praying to Otto to come save them. And while they wait for his return, they believe they have to "endure", and not "fight". Ruby's mother is constantly telling Ruby to "wait for Otto" to save them. They were in love before Otto disappeared, and Sula is so intent on waiting for his return, she refuses to save the Community herself by marrying Darwin West.
Ruby doesn't fully believe in Otto's return, and can't believe the father she never met would want everyone to suffer. She finds the Community's  desire for Otto to save them is insane, when they can free themselves, but her word means nothing.
I didn't really appreciate the religiousness of Drought, though I understand the reason for it. And I had some suspicions in the end, though I won't voice them...*zips lips*

The Ending: (Not spoilery, just me rambling)
I want to perform a lobotomy on Pam. (No, not like that.) I want to take the part of her brain that makes up endings and install it in my brain. Because Pam is Queen of Book Endings. She doesn't write happy endings. She writes gut-wrenching, tear-jerkers that make you want to throw the book down, scream at the imperfection, then snatch it back up, kiss off the wounds you inflicted, and hug it tight, saying sorry and promising never to let go of it, simply because of those last pages.
Just like in Candor, it's perfect and impossible to put the words "Happy ever after" in the end.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Pam Bachorz awesomeness.


Peace,
Riv

Current Music: Look After You by The Frey (listening to Drought playlist on Pam's site)
Current Mood: Jealous of Pam Bachorz Awesomenss