HELP get #TeamTOD a spot at the YA Crush Tourney 3.0

Hello, hello, hello,

I have some super important news today! Some of you might still remember last year's amazing YA Crush Tourney hosted by the awesome girls over at YA Sisterhood. Well, it's back again this year and I, personally, think it's going to be better than ever - more diverse with a lot more authors/books and new crushes to discover. Last year, I was an advocate for the always hilarious and gorgeous reaper TOD HUDSON of Rachel Vincent's  SOUL SCREAMERS series. He is still my absolute favorite fictional character and with the new rules to the tournament, I figured he could use a little bit of early support to, hopefully, ensure him a spot in the final 28.

For all the tournament details, go and check out YA Sisterhood's post right here.

As I said, there are new rules this year, with one of them being that the tourney is going to be divided into four categories and the one that my favorite reaper fits into, happens to be the toughest of all - with A TON of competition. So, which is why I am writing this post today because I really, really truly believe that there is no one quite like TOD HUDSON and he most certainly deserves to be in this tournament.

Please, please, please, peeps, GO HERE and NOMINATE the BEST REAPER there ever was, you all know you want to!!! Nominations are ONLY OPEN until MAY 25th at 12:01AM!!!

Need any more proof to convince you to go and nominate him? How about some quotes?

“So, 'reaper' is really just a nice word for 'covert pervert?' Is that what you're saying?” 

*****

“So you’re saying the afterlife is hard on the libido? FYI, that’s probably not a good bullet point for your recruiting brochure.” 

 *****

 “Uh, yeah, I do. The scythe was a little tricky at first, but—much like golf—turns out it’s all in the swing.”

*****

 “I'm dead, not impotent. Nasty rumors like that must be squashed before they gain momentum. Feel free to emphasize how very functional I am.”

***** 

“As a matter of fact, I was going to offer you something.”
“What did you have in mind?”
"A field trip. You interested in doing something dangerous, and possibly illegal?”
“Does it involve underage girls, broken curfews and assorted fruit toppings?”

***** 

“You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else can reach us.” 

 ***** 

 “There's a good kind of crazy, Kaylee," he insisted softly, reaching out to wrap his warm hand around mine. "It's the kind that makes you think about things that make your head hurt, because not thinking about them is the coward's way out. The kind that makes you touch people who bruise your soul, just because they need to be touched. This is the kind of crazy that lets you stare out into the darkness and rage at eternity, while it stares back at you, ready to swallow you whole."

***** 

This last one is one of my absolute favorites, but since some might consider it a bit spoiler-y, you have to highlight it to see it - at your own risk if you haven't yet read the series - or at least, past IF I DIE.

 

“You're the brightest thing I've ever seen, Kaylee. You're this beautiful ball of fire spitting sparks out at the world, burning fiercely, holding back the dark by sheer will. And I always knew that if I reached out -- if i tried to touch you -- I'd get burned. Because you're not mine. I'm not supposed to feel the fire. I'm not supposed to want it. But I do. I want you, Kaylee, like I've never wanted anything. Ever. I want the fire. I want the heat, and the light, and I want the burn.”

There you have it folks! I really hope you'll show your support for the incredibly charming TOD HUDSON!!! Seriously, when else could you ever call a reaper "charming"??? He really needs your help, so PLEASE hop on over to Fantasy Book Addict and fill out the form. It will only take you a minute, I promise!!! Thank you so much!!!

#YACrushTourney - TOD HUDSON's advocate!!!

Hello my lovelies!

I'm so sorry I've been a little bit absent over the weekend, but it was a busy one and today was the first quiet and relaxing day - it felt so good.

That's not the reason for this post though. I am sure a lot of you remember the amazing YA Sisterhood's Crush Tourney last year. It was the event and the incredible advocating job of Rachel from fiktshun who got me into reading Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and ultimately made me fall in love with our one and only reaper, Tod Hudson. Back then, I didn't even have a blog - I was barely realizing there actually WERE blogs dedicated only to books.

This year there will be another YA Crush Tourney and I still cannot believe I am saying this but I - yes, silly old me!!! - will be Tod's advocate this year!!! When I first find out, I literally jumped up and down screaming - there might even have been a hysterical laugh thrown in here or there. My other half just looked at me a bit weird, but I didn't care.

I AM TOD HUDSON's ADVOCATE - yes, THE Tod Hudson!!!

I cannot say it often enough, I am so, so excited and proud and am really, really hoping to do him and Rachel Vincent justice. I have very big shoes to fill after the incredible and amazing job fiktshun did last year.

Tod and I will need ALL of YOU to help get him to the second round. His first match is a really tough one. 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

WEDNESDAY - JULY 11th, 2012 against Magnus Bane from Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series

Voting will be open from 12:00am to 12:00am Eastern Time.

I will be posting the link here on the blog on match day, and you will also see me tweeting @smiling_ina all day long, so be prepared to get spammed with Tod and #YACrushTourney tweets on July, 11th. You can also follow Julie from Confessions of a Teenage Bibliophile on twitter @lBrokenAngel since she is a member of TEAM TOD as well.

We need to rally up as many friends, relatives, bloggers, anybody to vote for Tod! If you want to help Tod, please tweet, facebook, tumblr, as much as you possibly can before and on his match day. Please remember though, to keep everything friendly. No bashing of Magnus Bane or Cassandra Clare. It's all supposed to be a lot of fun, so we don't want any negativity.

I am super stoked to get this thing started!!!

PLEASE JOIN IN OUR QUEST TO LEAD TEAM TOD TO VICTORY!!!

SSRC: Reaper (+ MSTSteal & Reaper Spoiler Chat Reminder!)

We are in the last month of the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge, people, which is why I will be - hopefully - putting up four SSRC posts within the next three weeks. That is if everything goes well and I actually manage to read all of the last three stories (one full-length novel, one novella, and one short story). I am pretty confident right now, but you never know what could happen.

A big shout out to the wonderful Rachel over at fiktshun who is hosting this incredible challenge.

Reaper is the second novella in the Soul Screamers series and was released on December 1st, 2010 by Harlequin Teen.

Goodreads description:

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food, and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred. 

Suddenly, Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

I think out of all the novellas, this one is my favorite. Though I thoroughly enjoyed both, My Soul to Lose and Never to Sleep, Reaper is just the one. It's not simply because it's about Tod, but the whole concept of sacrificing your own life, future, everything that makes you who you are, to save someone you love. It's a very tough choice to make and I'm sure not everybody would have done what Tod did.

While re-reading this novella for the SSRC, I found myself loving it even more than the first time around. Tod and Nash really had the typical love/hate relationship all siblings go through. I can still remember how my brother and I used to fight constantly, and I mean ALL THE TIME. Our parents got so frustrated with us, and then seemingly from one day to another it all changed, but this isn't about me.

One thing seems clear, Nash and Sabine really are dependent on each other during the time Reaper takes place. The way Nash tries to convince Tod to break Sabine out of the halfway house shows it perfectly. Nash appears willing to pretty much do anything to get her out of there, no matter what the consequences may be. Now, I'm not sure I would call it love, but for Nash it might have been. Though, even good-natured Harmony says what they have isn't healthy...

Then Nash sneaks out while being grounded and everything seems to be falling apart. Nash and Tod get into this huge argument where Tod completely "loses it". He says things he later regrets and wishes would have never crossed his lips.

Then BOOM... and it's time to meet Levi, Grim Reaper, there to test, and eventually recruit, Tod.

Most of Tod's interactions with Levi are just hilarious. He is lucky Levi is somewhat of a good sport and doesn't just fire him. Levi is actually a great character and I am hoping we will get to see more of him. There hasn't been a moment in this series where I haven't liked him.

"What'd you say?" I asked, fighting the urge to scruff his curls. He didn't like that. At all."

It makes me laugh every time I imagine Tod messing up Levi's curls.

Obviously, I can't talk about Reaper and leave out one of the key scenes - the moment Tod hears and sees Kaylee for the very first time. Even though it only lasts for a couple of short minutes, it is so intense. It is one of my favorite scenes in this novella for sure.

This little part alone opens up room for so many questions - which, of course, I am going to ask Rachel Vincent during the My Soul to Steal & Reaper Spoiler Chat later today - 6pm Eastern/3pm Pacific to be specific. Everybody can join - simply click on the picture and it will take you to Rachel Vincent's blog where you will find a link to the chat room thirty minutes before the spoiler chat starts.

As always, here are some of my favorite quotes:

Tod to Levi:

"So, would you say I'm closer to a zombie or a vampire? I gotta know - are my parts going to rot and fall off, or am I forever frozen in youthful perfection?"

*****

“So you’re saying the afterlife is hard on the libido? FYI, that’s probably not a good bullet point for your recruiting brochure.” 

*****

Tod to Harmony:

 

“Uh, yeah, I do. The scythe was a little tricky at first, but—much like golf—turns out it’s all in the swing.”

*****

Harmony about Nash and Sabine's relationship:

“It isn’t healthy, how wrapped up they are in each other. Relationships like that burn bright, but when they burn out, they leave everyone blistered.”

*****

This last one always makes my heart ache...

Harmony to Tod:

"I don't think you even understand what you gave up for him. I don't think you will, until we're both long gone." 

If this doesn't make your heart feel heavy, then I don't know...

*****

Yes, I do realize I might have gone a little bit overboard with the quotes, especially considering it is only a novella, but what can I say? I love it!

*****

What about you? Did you love it as much as I did? Do you have a favorite part?

I would love to hear from you!

Also, don't forget to join the My Soul to Steal & Reaper Spoiler Chat with Rachel Vincent!!!

Wednesday, May 23rd - 6PM Eastern/3PM Pacific

TGIF at GReads! {4}: Supporting Characters

TGIF at GReads! is a weekly feature created by GReads! to re-cap the week's posts and propose a question to followers.

The question for this week is:

Supporting Characters: We tend to gush over those main characters the most, but what about those supporting roles? Who are some of your favorites?

I love this week's question, because there are actually a few supporting characters I swoon over more than the main character.

~~~ All pictures link to the respective Goodreads pages. ~~~

Whenever I think about secondary characters, two names pop into my head - Donovan and Carter.

Donovan - or "D" - is one of the supporting characters in the Escape from Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith. You can tell he is not your nice-boy-from-next-door type of guy. He is a criminal and comes across as a real bada** and tough guy who doesn't care about anybody else. However, a closer look reveals what a caring and protective boy he really is. Life in Furnace has hardened him, of course, but he has never lost his heart or soul. Even though, I absolutely love the main character Alex, I have a real big soft spot for Donovan. He is by far my favorite character and I wish I could talk about my favorite scenes "with" him from book two (Solitary) but I don't want to put any spoilers here.

Quote: “Don't make the mistake of bringing your heart down here with you, there is no place for it in Furnace.” (Lockdown)

*****

Carter is a supporting character in the Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead (NOT YA!!!) and he is definitely my favorite angel of all time. He is also my favorite male character in this series. Yes, I know Seth is amazing, but Carter has my heart. He is smart, funny, sometimes even a little mysterious, and just so incredibly swoon-worthy. Did I mention he is a freaking angel??? I am still hoping someday we will be able to read something from his POV - even if "just" a short story. I would love to know what's going on that mind of his.

Quote: “Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.” (Succubus Blues)

*****

When I first saw the question for this week, there was one other name which crept into my head right behind Donovan and Carter. Some might consider him a supporting character, others might only see him a minor one. Either way, he has left a lasting impression on me - it is none other than Mason Ashford from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. I still adore him to this day. He was always so sweet and kind of innocent when he was flirting with Rose. He captured my heart with his funny comments, his cheeky smiles, and also his courage. He also gave me a whole lot of heartache, but let's not talk about it here.

 

Quote (with Rose): 

“Belikov is a sick, evil man who should be thrown into a pit of rabid vipers for the great offense he commited against you this morning."
"Thank you." I said primly. Then, I considered. "Can vipers be rabid?"
"I don't see why not. Everything can be. I think. Canadian geese might be worse than vipers, though."
"Canadian geese are deadlier than vipers?"
"You ever try to feed those little bastards? They're vicious. You get thrown to vipers, you die quickly. But the geese? That'll go on for days. More suffering."
"Wow. I don't know whether I should be impressed or frightened that you've thought about all of this.” (Vampire Academy)

*****

Then there is Gabe... ah Gabe... wouldn't you know it, he is another angel. He is one of the amazing characters in the A Touch series by Leah Clifford. He always had something very intriguing about him which drew me in right from the start. It also doesn't hurt that I really, really love his name. I haven't had a chance to read "A Touch Morbid" yet to see what's going on, but I'm hoping to do so within the next couple of weeks - well, before May is over, anyway.

Quote (with Eden):

"Because he belongs with you," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Eden scoffed. "A bit dramatic, Gabe."
"Do what you need to do, but you know what they say, right?" he asked, smiling. "Once you get celestial..." He paused before laughing. "Yeah, I got nothin'." (A Touch Mortal)

*****

Two other of my favorite supporting characters are from Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. No, I'm not talking about Tod Hudson, because he is not just a supporting role for me. I am talking about Kaylee's best friend Emma Marshall as well as Alec. 

Emma is the sweetest person ever, but she can also get her claws out when it's needed. She always supports Kaylee and is there for her whenever Kaylee needs her. She doesn't judge or ask too many questions. She trusts Kaylee completely, and would go to the end of the world with and for her.

Quote:

“It's not like I'm actually wishing for more dead cheerleaders. I'm just saying, if someone has to go..."
Tod snorted. "I like her." (My Soul to Save)

Alec is this quiet character who Kaylee can turn to, especially in "My Soul to Steal" when there is nobody else to talk to. He has a very hard time adjusting to his new "old" life, but never gives up. I can't really pinpoint a specific reason, but I have always really liked him. I guess he just has a natural likability to him.

Quote Alec (with Kaylee):

I gaped at him. "In what universe does Nash's ex wanting him back qualify as a good thing?"

Alec leaned back against the cushions. "Think of it as a second opinion on his value. If he wasn't worth the fight, wouldn't she just let him go? Wouldn't you?" (My Soul to Steal)

 *****

Drew Armstrong is from Scott Tracey's Witch Eyes series and I love, love, love the mysteriousness around him. He has somewhat of a dark and really deep character. He also always has a witty comeback. I am already super, duper excited about "Demon Eyes" since we will be seeing a lot more of him.

Quote (with Braden):

“Someone want to tell me what’s going on?” I walked into the room and stared at both of them.

“Planning committee for your execution,” Drew announced without missing a beat. “How about we skip the catering and just get everyone Happy Meals?”

  

I just had to add this one as well...

“You sure you’re not some sort of moron?”

*****

I was going to write down a few more with more details, but decided just to do some honorary mentions instead: Avari from the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, Stark from the House of Night series by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast, Caleb from Jennifer L. Armentrouts Covenant series, Jules Marchenoir from Amy Plum's Revenants series, Sampson from James Patterson's Alex Cross series, and Johnny from The Outsiders by Susan E. Hinton.

*****

What about you, my lovely readers? Are their any swoon-worthy supporting characters you can't get enough of? I would love to hear who you are drooling over.

Have a wonderful Friday & Happy Reading!

TGIF at GReads! {3}: Book Blogger Influences: Fiktshun

TGIF at GReads! is a weekly feature created by GReads! to re-cap the week's posts and propose a question to followers.

The question for this week is:

Book Blogger Influences: Has there been a particular book blogger who's influenced what you read? Share with us a review/book blog that convinced you to pick up a certain book.

I haven't participated in this feature in a long time it seems like, but when I saw the question, I knew I just had to write a post.

My biggest blogger influence is Rachel from Fiktshun.

I absolutely adore her blog - all her blogs, really. If it wasn't for her, I would have missed out on two amazing series which I now can't live without.

The first is the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.

It was Fiktshun's passion and enthusiasm about the characters and the world that got me to pick up these books. Right now she is hosting the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge and it's been an absolute blast so far. My favorite fictional character is Tod Hudson and without Rachel I would never even have known about him.

The second is the Escape From Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith.

I think I first saw the cover for Lockdown on her facebook page and it creeped me out so much, I had to check out her review for it. It was pretty much instantly that I knew I had to pick it up and give it a try. Needless to say, it was fan-freakin-tastic as well. I'm actually reading book four, "Fugitives", right now. It's one of those amazing series that grabs you and won't release you until you have fully lost yourself in it.

Come to think of it, I can honestly say about 90 percent of the books I pick to read, are because of Fiktshun. I trust her opinion completely, and so far I haven't been disappointed once. If anything, I have gotten to know a few amazing authors and their books because of her. That's only one of the few reasons I am dedicating my TGIF post to Rachel from Fiktshun. You rock, girl! Keep up the incredible work you're doing! I am so grateful to have found your blog and all the awesome books you have recommended so far.

*****

Now it's your turn! Is there one particular blog you go to to find out about books? One blog whose opinion on books you trust? I would love to hear from you, and maybe learn about a few new blogs for me to check out.

Happy Reading!

SSRC: My Soul To Keep

Wow, I cannot believe month three of the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge is almost over. The challenge, which is, of course, hosted by the amazing Rachel over at fiktshun, is over halfway done, but there is still plenty of time to join in on the fun - simply click on the gorgeous SSRC button.

Oh hey, I just noticed how perfectly the SSRC button and this month's book "My Soul To Keep" work together with all their purple beauty.

Last month I was in a little bit of a panic situation, and even though it's the last day for this month's challenge, I'm pretty relaxed since I finished the book a couple of days ago and still have a few hours to finish this post.

As I have already mentioned, this post is dedicated to "My Soul To Keep" which is the third book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series.

  

  

Goodreads description:

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does. 

Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And so is someone else…

When I first picked it up to start my second read-through, everything was a little bit hazy. I couldn't remember a lot of the details, but once I started reading, everything came crawling back. One thing I had totally forgotten, however, was the long wait for my favorite reaper, Tod, to appear. It seemed like forever for him to show himself, but when he did, it was on! There are so many things he said and did - even some of the smallest gestures - but I can't share any of them because I wouldn't want to ruin anything even just the tiniest bit.

As for Kaylee, with everything she has been through already, this is probably the toughest and most emotionally draining experience for her. Honestly, if it would have been me, I probably would have felt like curling up into a ball and hiding in a dark corner somewhere. Not Kaylee though - or if she does, she surely doesn't show it. Once again she puts herself in harm's way in order to save the ones she loves the most, even after being betrayed. I have said it before and I'm saying it again, I admire Kaylee's strength and loyalty and utter selflessness.

I cannot believe how hard it is for me to write this post. There are so many things I want to say and talk about, but it would include so, so many spoilers...

Nash... well, this is the book which proofed me right. I always felt a certain way about him and now it all came true. I won't say any more...

I can't talk about "My Soul To Keep" and not mention Avari. He is so purely evil, it's extremely frightening. Seeing Addison again and hearing Tod talk about the things she has to endure each and every day is simply sickening. The incredible joy he feels in other people's misery and pain is simply disturbing. This book really showed why he is the "Hellion of Greed". He is one selfish and greedy son of a gun.

We also get a new edition to our "gang". Alec. Oh, how I like Alec. This might sound weird, but I liked him right away. There was just something about him, I found intriguing. I guess I kind of have a soft spot for him. I'm really glad Rachel Vincent decided for him to show up and be a part of this amazing world she has created. 

*****

It's always so incredibly hard to pick a favorite scene or quote because everything seems to be too spoiler-y. There are so many things I would love to share, but I just can't without giving way too much away. So, this time I decided on a quote from Emma. Some might consider it semi-spoiler-y, so if you're worried, just skip over it. Part of the reason I chose this one is that it shows why I love Emma so much. Yes, she is very loyal, but she is also not afraid to be brutally honest - even with Kaylee. Here is a little piece of her honesty which I love, love, love.

"I'm just saying guys only come in a couple of models, and Nash didn't exactly break the mold. So lay off my boyfriend until you're ready to take a closer look at yours."

I found another quote I love and that I can actually share. I did take out a name though, just in case. The first sentence is from Kaylee and the reply is Tod's - you didn't think I would do a post and not include something Tod-related, did you?

"You were supposed to get rid of [...] without hurting the host!"

"Yeah, I didn't get that memo. Maybe next time you should be a little more specific when you boss me around while I'm saving your ass. Though, frankly, this whiny little shrew is lucky she only has one bump, 'cause she's had this coming for a while."

Ah, Tod, never has any problems coming up with a genius comeback. I loved this whole scene, jeepers, I loved the whole book - even more than the first time which seems to be a reoccurring theme with every book. So amazing!!!

This shall conclude my little post and now I'm anxiously awaiting my inter-library-loan copy of "My Soul To Steal". My library doesn't carry any of the Soul Screamers book, but I did request it, and hopefully, they will get it from another library soon.

*****

Now it's your turn! What did you think of "My Soul To Keep"? Is it maybe your favorite book in the series so far? Do you have any favorite scenes or quotes? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you are enjoying this Soul Screamers Reading Challenge as much as I am.

SSRC: Niederwald

It is time for another "Soul Screamers Reading Challenge" post. SSRC is hosted by the wonderful Rachel over at fiktshun, and there is still plenty of time to sign up - simply click on the button to read the rules and sign up.

Rachel Vincent's "Niederwald" is a Soul Screamers short story which you can find in the "Enthralled" anthology.

As far as the plot goes, I will only say that Sabine gets herself and Emma in a little bit of trouble in a small town called Niederwald.

First of, I love the fact it was written from Sabine's perspective. It's always very enlightening to get to know the "bad guy/girl" better. You can see how desperately Sabine wanted to find Nash in the measures she took. I mean the price she had to pay to find him was her most valued possession. Which brings me to the new character Syrie. She is so eerie, dark, and in some degrees even disturbing, she captivates you right away. I love this character and would love to get to know more about her.

I have been wondering though whether there will be any further consequences for Sabine's actions in this story. She did something I cannot really see being left unpunished in some sort of way. Obviously, we haven't come across anything yet, but there are still two books left filled with all kinds of possibilities.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this short story. It fits perfectly in the main story, and shows a different side to Sabine which might make you like her a little bit more. At least, I liked her more after reading this. There is no doubt, she is still infuriating but you can relate to her in some ways.

My next SSRC post will be about "My Soul to Save". I actually cannot believe there is less than a week left in this month's challenge, and all I have read is about a half a page.

What did you think of "Niederwald"? Has your opinion of Sabine changed (even just a little bit), or are you disliking her even more now? I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.