You Know:

You know when you're blog is dead when out of your 391 followers,  only 4 have entered to win a free, signed copy of Ally Carter's 3rd Gallagher Girl book, Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover.

Giveaway ends November 22, 2013. Find the post, enter to win.

11/4 Edit: Yeah so I realize that seems kind of whinny. What I wrote. But I would just like to say that the last time we gave away an Ally Carter book, we had 103 entries. Before that we gave away Terrier by Tamora Pierce and that had 151 entries.

But now we're at 12 last time I checked! Woohoo! Except I guess now you're chances to win have been lowered. Whoops. 

Donating a Scribbled Book

We're trying to see how many active followers we have. If you're reading this, then you have the opportunity for us to donate to you this book: A copy of Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter. There's a page where the author just scribbled her name on it so we are donating it to one lucky person.

In an attempt to keep this for active followers, we are trying to stay away from certain words. We are not even going to label it correctly. As you may have noticed. That's why we are not asking you to share anything, but you can if you want. We like new followers too.

The donating form opens on 10/22/2013 at 12:00 am. It won't let us change the date unless we pay. We do not want to pay.

The person we donate it to will be chosen November 15th, 2013. We will announce it on the blog November 16th, 2013. They will have 48 hours to get back to us or we will donate the book to a new person.

We do not ship internationally. As it says in our Terms and Conditions. Sorry abroad peeps. Unless you have a US address we can ship it to, you're going to have to sit this one out.

Have fun you guys!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another One of Those Updates

Okay, so I know we/I said we'd be getting back into the swing of things around here and it hasn't really happened.

But it will! Being in college means that I don't have quick access to any newly released books and that since I live on my own, I have to pay for them. They saying that a college kid is a broke kid is true. (I don't know if this is a really saying or if I made it up...)

But I recently got the newest Ally Carter book, the last one of the Gallagher Girl series so I'm planning on reading and reviewing that.

And my mom bought me the newest Rick Riordan book, signed! But I can't read that until I go home for Thanksgiving.

But see, there are things coming your way! And I brought my kindle along so I can rent books through it soon!

So stick around, things are happening here!

Karina

Ally Carter Q&A

Yes, I know this has long been anticipated (probably) and I finally come to you with it!

Ally Carter's Q&A session! Videotaped, by me (which explains why it might be sideways...), with April at my side. After almost a month of toiling and trying to figure out Windows Live Movie Maker, I succeded into cutting up the long (too long for Youtube) video and uploading it onto Youtube.

And then it told me that they wouldn't upload due to unexpected error.

But we got the last couple questions on paper! And here they are:

Q: Will Kat [from Heist Society] and Cammie [from Gallagher Girls] ever meet?
A: I suppose they're from the same world, so I guess it's possible they could meet. Will they ever? No, but it is possible they could make a cameo apperance.

Q: Which series do you like most?
A: Ask your mother which child she more.

Q: Will the books ever be made into movies?
A: Maybe. Always a maybe. Hiest Society is under option at Warner Brothers.

[Update: Mega IMPORTANT movie update at Ally Carter's blog:http://allycarter.com/blog/heist-society-movie-news-0 ]

Q: Have you ever had writer's block? If so, how do you fix it?
A: Being a writer is equivilant to having writer's block. There are two types of writer's block:
1) The 'Oh my gosh I don't actually want to write' block
2) The 'Everything feels wrong' block which can be fixed by distracting oneself.

Q: Have you ever done NaNoWriMo [National November Writing Month]?
A: Yes. The first draft for "I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You" was written during NaNoWriMo.

Q: Do you ever switch Kat and Cammie's voice?
A: No, but I was afraid I might, which is why Hiest Society is written in third person.

Q: Would you ever go back to writing adult fiction?
A: Most likely not.

Q: Can we expect a Hiest Society 3?
A: Probably.

UPDATE: The title for Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl #5 book has been released! Coming out March 20, 2012:

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME

You can read more about her newest book at this link: Here

Till next time:
Karina

Ally Carter Signing and Surprise!

Okay, so for all you who remember, April and I went to Ally Carter's book signing today!

I recorded the Q&A session for you! But it's sideways, most because I forgot the thing didn't change when I flipped it. And well movie maker isn't allowing me to cut the segement into seperate movies and upload them on youtube. So until that is figured out you'll have to wait for that.

Here's a picture from the St. Louis County Library Flickr page.  We're sitting in the 2nd-ish row.  Karina is sitting behind the girl with the pink ribbon in her hair, and I'm on her left :)



Also, here's the surprise:

WE'RE GIVING AWAY A SIGNED COPY OF UNCOMMON CRIMINALS! Get excited! Just fill out the form below for a chance to win! Giveaway until July 15th at Midnight!

US only, sorry international peeps :'( We'll try to have an international giveaway soon!

*We're adding in an Uncommon Criminals key chain, and a pin/sticker we got from the event*

Guys, you're awesome if you're following Ally Carter on twitter.  But the Follower box is for if you're an email subscriber to our blog or a Google Friend Connect follower.  Just wanted to clarify, sorry for any confusion!

Review: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Title: Uncommon Criminals
Author: Ally Carter
Pages: 298
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books, 2011

Goodreads Summary:
Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

My View:

It wasn't what I had been waiting for. Sadly, I had much greater expecations for this book.

Kat comes back into the thief world with a mission: to return all the unjustly stolen art to their homes. Sure, sounds like a good plan with potential for good stories with thrills.

Yet somewhere, it went amiss in this book.

Kat continues to struggle with the fact that she is back to the life she tries to run away from. Then throw in the two boys, Nick and W.W. Hale the Fifth (we do not learn Hale's name in this book, sadly) and you have a very confused girl.

Normally I'm all for confused girls (actually not really) because it makes them seem like more realistic characters. Except, this time it didn't. Kat is already beyond realistic, with her life as a theif, so making her normal with confusion over life and guys just didn't really suit my fancy. Don't get me wrong, it's better than having a flawless girl and better than constantly depressed/lack self-confidence girl. I didn't see Kat's character develop much from book one to book two.

Writing style: same as always. Though I will admit that there were times that I was much confused about what was going on. And I pretty much saw Nick as an irrelavent character who Carter just brought back because of fan girls. (Not a Nick fan, sorry :P)

The heist: it lacked adventure, drama and danger. In my opinion, it was too quick and too easy. There really wasn't anything hanging on the line, except for perhaps pride.

Overall:

It was an okay book. Not what I had expected, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. It was dull, and confusing at times and no real relationship movement.

Rating: 3.5/5

Karina

P.S. Remember that we're going to be meeting Ally Carter on the 27th, so if anyone has any questions that you would like us to ask her, post a comment!

Ally Carter and Maggie Stiefvater

This message is for ever Ally Carter (author of the Gallagher Girls Series and Heist Society) and Maggie Stiefvater (author of Shiver and Linger) fan and just any reader with questions for writers.

Ally Carter and Maggie Stiefvater will be on their separate book tours this summer for their newest books, Uncommon Criminals and Forever, respectively. And fortunately for me (and you) they'll be coming to our hometown!

So April and I (more like me and I've dragged April into this) will be heading to their book signings and with any luck, be able to either get a time to catch before hand, during or afterwards. We'll ask them questions and get answers which of course we'll be posting on this blog.

Now for the important part. What kind of questions do you want to have answered? Comment on this post with questions and we'll see if we can have them answered! Ally Carter's visit is near the end of this month and Maggie Stiefvater's visit is near the end of July. But the earlier you post, the faster I (and April if she agrees) can get everything organized!

So don't forget to comment with questions!

Karina

Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Title: Don't Judge A Girl by Her Cover
Author: Ally Carter
Pages: 263
Hardcover, Hyperion Books CH

Goodreads Summary:
When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth...


My Review:

**spoiler alert**
Soo....

Okay I've formed a theroy, somewhat. Since you don't really get to know much about Zack, he's still this huge mystery, I'm thinking he's a legacy like Cammie, but only all his relavtives, or some, are evil. Or just working for the wrong side. Hence his 'sources'...

Blackthorne is liek the opposite of Gallagher Academy, (no duh) but I don't think the guys there are trained to work in the CIA, FBI or those kinds of things, but trained to work for both sides. Like they get to choose where they want to go when they're done.

I keep thinking in one of the future books Zack is going to say his line: "I'm someone who doesn't have anything to lose."

And then Cammie will go up to him and be like Yes you do. You could lose me. OMG I know that's kind of dorky but hey, that's how it works in my head.

Also, what is up with Aunt Abby's comment. "Well, someone had to do it." Does this mean Cammie's mom was crushing on Mr. Solomon? Cause that's kind of weird....

Okay so the whole Circle of the Caravan has something to do with Cam's dad. I think it's connected to how he died, because after all, "Someone knows." That's why everyone was freaking out, including Mr. Solomon who said. "They won't stop until they get her."

I'm mean seriously!! Could Ally Carter have left it at the worst/best cliff hanger ever? I mean I love it!! I totally can't wait for GG4 too come out.

I'm really glad Macey's dad didn't win. That would have sucked majorly because then Macey would have had to go and live in the white house because they weren't going to be able to keep Abby as her only secret service agent. The plot would have gone all weird because then it would be back to the threesome we never read about.

Overall, this was a really good book. I deffiantly give it 4/5 stars and I reccomend it to everyone!

-A