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Smugglivus Day 18 – Guest Author (and Giveaway): Sarah Rees Brennan

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 18!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: Sarah Rees Brennan, YA author who debuted this year (and knocked Ana’s socks off with her writing). To read Sarah’s article about her Inspirations and Influences, go here.

Recent Work: The Demon’s Lexicon (set to make Ana’s top 10 of 2009). Ana reviewed the book here and Thea reviewed it here.

Please welcome Sarah and her list of favourite things of 2009 (plus a giveaway):

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My Favourite Things of 2009

So here’s a thing people don’t talk about a lot: reading books by people you know.The first book you read by someone you know is simultaneously really exciting (because you’re happy their book is out! You love this person! You’re dying to read it!) and absolutely terrifying (If you don’t like it, perhaps you can move to Siberia and never ever check your email?).

The thing I never expected is that reading a book by someone you know is really reassuring. You know you’re going to get their humour: you know you find the same kind of things interesting. You’re absolutely certain that there is never going to be that Horrible Lurching Moment of Dismay when you realise the author’s value system is totally different from your own and now all the characters you love are tainted and you can never talk about the books again without going off on a weird rant that makes you look like you’ve been through a bad break-up.

‘I always knew the books were flawed (Oh we were never that serious), I still sometimes pick up their books in the shop (I drunk-dialled him last week), That character was really always the weak point in the series (I always knew that vile girl from the copy shop/his suspiciously clingy best friend Mitch would steal him away from me!), I guess I feel like other people should know how the series turns out before they waste their time (I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights).’ Book break-ups are hard to do!

But when you know someone’s mind and find out you love their writing (and that one’s a gamble…) then you can have a lot of fun. I made a lot of friends among fellow debut authors in 2009, and thus I had a lot of opportunities to find authors I trusted and books I love. (Some of them, of course, were written by total strangers. Who I will now be stalking incessantly in an attempt to get to their laptops – uh, I mean, enjoy their company.)

2009 BOOKS WHAT I LOVED

Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

I have been reading a lot of romance this year, looking at what works in romance for me, enjoying rolling around with books that seem to really like the ladies (hating on the ladies, something I am very very tired of in books), and I’ve observed that some of the most recent historical fiction has an increased focus on the heroines. Which I love – how d’you invest in a romance without loving both of the main players? And Goddess of the Hunt has one of my very favourite heroines of the year – Lucy, who gets all dolled up in the morningtime to woo a suitor and looks ridiculous, who is self-confident and occasionally embarrasses herself and then picks herself up and goes again, Lucy who eats a crazy amount to keep up her levels of energy for new adventures. I loooove Lucy. The writing and the hero, also excellent, but Lucy made the book one of my favourites.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

I loved the first book and when I found the sequel in a bookshop early, I performed a little spinny dance that caused one of the bookshop ladies to come and bond with me over the brilliance of this series. Derek and Chloe, I looooove them. I am also fond of Derek’s half-Asian sweet and good-lookin’ foster brother, though if he gets in the way of the romance, there will be consequences. Dark, snarly and hideous genius werewolf Derek! Tiny, blond and relentlessly sensible movie buff Chloe! If I had dolls of them, I would make them kiss all the time. (Quit looking at me like that.)

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Definitely one of my favourite books of the year – reminded me of To Kill A Mockingbird. I have a deep weakness for the South, possibly due to imprinting on Gone with the Wind young, and I also have a deep love for sensible heroines, mysteries, dark secrets in the past, and everybody being to blame and yet not being unlikable.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margi Stohl

In a world of lots and lots of YA featuring withdrawn ladies who fall in love with magnificently beautiful supernatural dudes – not that I don’t love several examples of that YA, but a change is nice – a sweet, normal boy narrator, a deep South background that was exotic (to me at least) and beautifully realised, and a romance that is goofy and adorable and obviously deeply-felt.

Knife by R.J. Anderson (known as Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter in the US)

Knife is the most badass YA heroine I came across this year, and she’s only about five inches tall. She wields a letter opener with deadly accuracy, though! And she spies on the strange and terrible humans who live near her – including Paul, who is newly wheelchair-bound, blond, sensitive, and – ahem! – kind of a hotass. Two very different people coming together in a gorgeously written mystery.

2009 MOVIES WHAT I LOVED

Star Trek

Went in having slept through every Star Trek episode I’d ever been shown, only because I’d heard awesome things, still very wary about space and action. Five minutes in, I looooved it: I loved the cool, reticent Vulcan dude, I loved the rebel with the cause that was daddy issues, and I loved the girl who was cool, confident and very brilliant at something that wasn’t kicking ass but was cerebral – I wish to see more of that. And the subtle, tropes-inverting romance was wonderful. I can’t wait to see the next one.

Let The Right One In

Vampire movie of the year! I love creepy child vampires, I love romances where the girl is the supernatural one, I love supernatural stuff that’s edgy and not romanticised. I loved the cold horror and the analysis of how morals would degrade in the face of the necessity of killing – and how children have very different morality, anyway.

Sherlock Holmes

Um, I haven’t seen it. But I really want to, and Robert Downey Jnr plus hilarity plus a new and strange take on the Sherlock Holmes mythos – I expect to love it!

2010 BOOKS I CAN’T WAIT FOR

(These include books I haven’t read and am dying to read, books I have read and am dying to talk about, and so on!)

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Dude, how awesome was Forest of Hands and Teeth? Plus, everyone who has read it says it’s even better than the first book. I mean, I don’t know, personally. Because I haven’t read it. I guess Carrie Ryan hates me or something. But Carrie ‘Doesn’t Love Me’ Ryan is still pretty magnificent. I’m dying to read it. By the time March rolls around perhaps I will be a zombie already. Not that Carrie ‘Heartless Withholder’ Ryan cares.

Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

As I said earlier, I have been observing a trend I call the New Wave of Historical Romance, which I LOVE, and I think ‘Proof by Seduction‘ is one of the best examples I’ve read so far. The heroine is a scheming fortune teller, and we start out thinking oh well, she’ll repent of her ways, the handsome hero will teach her to love again, and then you realise that in fact Jenny is like a psychiatrist for her clients – she didn’t know that’s what they needed, and they didn’t either, and yet they all needed help – and that truth can be found in lying, cheating and gambling: and the proof is in the book.

The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

This is one of those I have read: I love Cassie’s other books, and how they’re funny, dramatic and romantic all at once, and I was excited and nervous to read her historical demonhunters. I think this is her best book yet – I expected to love the uber-gentleman super-zen Jem, but I did not expect how much I would love Will, who is tall, dark and Totally Insane, and I really did not expect that the Love of the Book for me would be Tessa, the heroine who loves books in a way that I think we can all identify with – passionate, consuming, relating real life to books and books to real life, and being all the better for it. Plus – demons and period clothes and a secret London and lots of delicious humour, what’s not to love?

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

My rule of trilogies is as follows ‘Book One: set up, Book Two: make out, Book Three: defeat evil.’ The first book was a symphony in punking the steam, dressing the cross and buckling the swash, and it set up (I hope) a romance that is my favourite of Scott’s books so far. Therefore I am extremely eager for the Make-Out Book. Also, I have received thrilling spoilers for this one. I know some stuff that happens. And you will be electrified! (Also, I am willing to sell these spoilers to the highest bidder. Okay, not really.)

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

I would kill to read this book. Seriously – no, seriously. All Kelley would have to do is send me an email, with a name in it. And I would understand her. I would go and commit murder, while Kelley constructed a perfect alibi for herself. Perhaps she could be doing a reading? And then later, I would receive my book. It would be completely worth it! I must know what happens next with the surly, shockingly not-hot werewolf Derek and the damsel-in-distress-who-occasionally-stabs-a-bitch Chloe. My suggestion is – making out! (To be fair… that’s usually my suggestion.)

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

I am expecting gorgeous writing, a genius mystery and a use of point of view that makes me really think. The King of Attolia is one of my favourite books ever, ever, and really… I don’t know what would happen if Megan Whalen Turner decided to get in on my murder offer for Kelley Armstrong and I opened the letter and it had the name of a loved one in it. Well I’m not saying I would do it. BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY HARD DECISION.

The White Cat by Holly Black

A world where magic was outlawed at the same time as Prohibition, and now magic is the province of crime and seven magical, criminal families. Cassel is the youngest son of a family of magical conmen: he has no magic, has a hard time not thinking like a criminal (though he tries) and he has far too many secrets. A family of attractive and potentially evil brothers and a very unusual romance, and a YA fantasy written like a noir detective novel. It’s so funny, so different, and I so can’t wait for other people to read it.

And, er, well, in 2010 my second book The Demon’s Covenant comes out, and I thought I might share an excerpt with y’all.

“It’s not some kind of tragically stupid love triangle. I’m not going to choose one guy out of two and settle down. It doesn’t have to be either of them for me, or have to be me for either of them. The world’s full of people, if you hadn’t noticed. I could ask any of a dozen guys out, and any of them could ask me out.” Mae took a deep breath. “I didn’t ask for your advice on my love life,” she said. “And it’s not necessary.”

“Glad to hear it,” Nick told her. “One last thing before I go.”

He leaned in closer, his hand held up to screen their faces as if he didn’t want anyone watching to even read his lips. His fingers were curled about half an inch from her cheek.

“I’m sure you’re right,” he said, his voice a whisper that seemed to curl in the air like smoke, to find a way in to her stomach and twist there, low. “I’m sure there are a dozen guys who will ask you out if McFarlane loses his chance. I just want you to know something.”

“What?” Mae asked, whispering because he was whispering, tilting up her face because he was leaning down, and for no other reason.

Nick looked down at her, his face obscuring the rest of the world, narrowing down her focus and stripping everything else away until she was left with cold black eyes instead of a summer sky.

“I never will,” he said.

2009 was a very special year for me in a lot of ways – chiefly that it was the year my first book was published. I’ll never be a debut author again! It was nervewracking, exciting, and humbling. I’ve loved the responses for my book – I hope more people will start reading with the release of the paperback and The Demon’s Covenant in 2010 – I carry gratitude, terror, happiness and a whole lot of booklove from 2009 to the next year, and the next!

To celebrate Smugglivus and the Year of My Debut, pray comment to win one of two Irish silver quillon dagger charms – my hero Nick’s favourite kind of knife. And happy Smugglivus to you all!

Sarah

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And a Happy Smugglivus to you Sarah!

The Giveaway:

Leave a comment to enter to win one of two Irish silver quillon dagger charms! The contest is open to everyone and will run till Saturday 26th 11:59pm (PST). Good luck!

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119 Comments

  • Katee R
    December 18, 2009 at 12:57 am

    I seriously have to read Beautiful Creatures! Great teaser. If I wasn’t already frothing at the mouth for The Demon’s Covenant, I would be now. 😀

  • Kimberly B.
    December 18, 2009 at 12:58 am

    Wow! That excerpt really caught my interest! I enjoyed The Demon’s Lexicon very much, and I can’t wait for the sequel!

  • Donna B
    December 18, 2009 at 1:00 am

    Oh Wow i would love to win one of the Irish silver quillon dagger charms as i know i am getting a silver charm bracelet this christmas & this would mean i would have two gorgeous charms on it.

    Good Luck to all who enter. xx

  • Terri
    December 18, 2009 at 1:10 am

    Great excerpt and I love the cover! Adding to my TRB pile!

    I can’t wait to read “The Reckoning” by Kelley Armstrong.

    Thanks for a chance to win a dagger charm!

  • Nikki @ Bookizzle
    December 18, 2009 at 1:19 am

    Ooh, adding to my TBR list. Excellent picks for 2009, Sarah!

  • Llehn
    December 18, 2009 at 1:21 am

    I’d love to play please!

  • Carol Thompson
    December 18, 2009 at 1:48 am

    It must be really weird to read a book written by someone you know well.

    I have never had that opportunity and probably never will but I can imagine it could be quite stressfull.

    WHat do you say to the person if they ask what you thought of it.

    Do you be critical (although in a constructive way) or do you just gush over how much you enjoyed it ?

    Carol

  • Veronica F.
    December 18, 2009 at 2:38 am

    Sarah! U make me laugh,lol. Loved ur interview ❗
    And I’m totally chomping at the bit for The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare too! Her series was another YA trilogy that made reading great for me this year. And Irish silver quillon dagger charms sound awesOme;I look forward to picking up Demon’s Lexicon now that I see how funny u are, so I completely get what ur saying about how knowing anything about the author affects our perception of what they’ve written. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  • Chelsea B.
    December 18, 2009 at 2:39 am

    Great post! You listed allot of books I’ve been wanting to read (including yours) 🙂

  • Catherine
    December 18, 2009 at 2:49 am

    The Demon’s Lexicon was one of my fave releases of 2009, and I am chomping at the bit for Covenant. So of course I’d love the chance to win the knife.

    I also adored Knife – I even bought a copy for my young cousin as a Christmas present. She got to open it early as I was only in that part of the country for the weekend, and we had to pry her face out of it each time we wanted to speak to her. She wouldn’t let it go.

  • Juliana
    December 18, 2009 at 3:35 am

    I love Sarah, her writing is sooo funny, I never get tired of reading her blog.
    I’ll be sure to check out some of the books she recommended

  • Karen Mahoney
    December 18, 2009 at 4:14 am

    Okay, this is now my NEW favourite Smugglivus post. So cool.

    Also, I cannot WAIT to read THE DEMON’S COVENANT. 🙂

  • tait
    December 18, 2009 at 5:31 am

    Sarah’s recs always excite me! The books she writes of sound so exciting and well-written! …And yet there never seems enough time to read everything out there that I want to. Still, I am glad there is an ever-growing “out there”–good stories are wonderful things. ^_^

    Anyway, count me in for the dagger charms, please?

    *adds books to her goodreads list*

  • Sarah
    December 18, 2009 at 5:40 am

    I’m so excited/nervous about The Demon’s Covenant! I’m going to miss being in Nick’s head – he was kind of awesome. But I’m so excited to know where this all is going! AHH! We’re supposed to have a snow storm this weekend, and I have a feeling I’m going to be rereading Demon’s Lexicon for the 3rd time…

  • Snazel
    December 18, 2009 at 6:02 am

    Now I must add Knife to my to-read list that is already 50 books longer since the beginning of the week. Sigh. WHY MUST THERE BE SO MANY AWESOME BOOKS AND NOT ENOUGH TIME?

    Er, which is to say, I’d like a dagger charm, and I’m trying to get my hands on a copy of the Demon’s Lexicon? ^_^

  • Pebble
    December 18, 2009 at 6:23 am

    I have a ridiculous amount of love for Sarah and all her writings: books, blogs, fanfics. Thanks for this guestpost.

    I’d love for a chance to win the giveaway.

  • Karlie Jai
    December 18, 2009 at 7:07 am

    That little bit of TDC has actually made me really interested to read Mae’s POV now! 🙂 Can’t wait. Will have to read TDL again to satisfy my cravings.

    I am so desperate to read The Reckoning that i’m pretty sure I would do some pretty immoral things also. Derek is my favourite character that I’ve read in a long time, I love him and I want to smoosh him, and he would hate that, but that would just make me want to smoosh him
    more! 🙂

    Eternal love to Sarah. She’s awesome. 🙂

  • Dee
    December 18, 2009 at 7:15 am

    Great post! I love your humor. I really need to try Armstrong’s YA books. I’m slowly making my way through her other series.

  • David Kotsonis
    December 18, 2009 at 7:30 am

    Demon’s Covenant hooray! Knife charm whoopee!

    The White Cat seems really cool. I shall have to track that down and hold it for ransom.

    Or possibly just purchase it. That would work too.

  • Sarah Rees Brennan
    December 18, 2009 at 7:46 am

    Thank you for the lovely reception so far, y’all! I was most honoured to be asked to be part of Smugglivus. (Which I keep typing as Snugglivus, no doubt because it is snuggly awesome.)

    @ Carol Thompson – I admit I was pretty nervous the first time I read a friend’s book. She sent me an advance copy and it lived on my table for days. Then I picked it up, and then I could not be parted from it, including when I had to go to the Emergency Room.

    Nurse: Miss-
    Sarah: DO NOT BOTHER ME CAN’T YOU SEE I’M READING?
    Nurse: The doctor will see you now?
    Sarah: Oh. Right.

    So as you can see, it’s scary, but worth the risk because often you LOVE your friends’ stuff.

    @Veronica Why thank you *curtsies*

    @Snazel Copies of the Demon’s Lexicon float about at bookshops and libraries – all you need to do is sneak up on them. 😉

    I assure you all that all the books I have mentioned (save for modesty’s sake my own) are double plus awesome! And I beam at all those who liked the excerpt…

  • Gerd D.
    December 18, 2009 at 7:53 am

    I’m afraid I can’t think of anything remotely intelligent or complimenting to say (my brain stills has to to work out that todays guest is not Neve Campbell :)) but I would like to be added to the drawing.

  • Liyana
    December 18, 2009 at 8:04 am

    The first thing that came to my mind as I read the excerpt was “BURN!”

  • Lisa B.
    December 18, 2009 at 8:13 am

    Sarah,
    What a great rundown. I’ll have to add more books to my wish list. Including The Demon’s Lexicon!

  • Cynthia
    December 18, 2009 at 8:24 am

    I can’t wait to red The Demon’s Covenant.. I loved The Demon’s Lexicon.. one of my favorite books of 2009. 😀

  • Theodosia21
    December 18, 2009 at 8:36 am

    Interesting! I’ll have to check some of these books out…

  • Ebyss
    December 18, 2009 at 8:37 am

    I have to agree with you with the books you would love to read. Especially Cassandra Clare “The Clockwork Angel” I love the Mortal Instrument Series. She is a great writer. 8)

    And I am definately going to check out The Demon’s Covenant.

  • Alex D
    December 18, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Enter me please 🙂 I haven’t read The Demon’s Lexicon but the sequel sounds awesome so I might have to give it a try

  • Boo
    December 18, 2009 at 8:54 am

    Amazing excerpt – I love Nick so much. Is it May yet?

    I agree very much with The Reckoning, that and your book are by far the two I’m looking forward to most.

    …and I would also love a dagger charm. Preeeetty.

  • Sophie
    December 18, 2009 at 8:59 am

    I’m MundieMomSophie and I had to pop over to see the excerpt….ooooooooh Nick!! LOL. 8) 8) 8)

    Thanks for hosting an awesome giveaway.

  • Ginny
    December 18, 2009 at 9:09 am

    The book break up bit made me laugh. Knowing my luck if one of my friends told me they’d written a novel & wanted me to read it I’d hate it & have to move away so I wouldn’t upset them. Actually, it’d be the other way around; I’d write something, get all my friends to read it & wonder why I was all alone after a few days.
    x

  • Carolyn
    December 18, 2009 at 9:11 am

    I agree about most of what you think is awesome and what you look forward to! (Definitely including Demon’s Covenant. Thanks so much for the excerpt!) The ones that I don’t agree with are just the ones I haven’t read yet. The ones I am most looking forward to are A Conspiracy of Kings, Demon’s Covenant, and White Cat. And the next Hunger Games book – am a little surprised that this is not on your list, but then again, there are just so many good books!

    Also, would love a chance to win one of those Irish dagger charms.

  • Andrea C.
    December 18, 2009 at 9:21 am

    I really need to read The Demons Covenant now. Seriously

    Please?

    Okay can I have one of those dagger charms instead then?

    Thanks

  • RKCharron
    December 18, 2009 at 9:27 am

    Hi 🙂
    Thank you for the great book selections you posted here Sarah. And thank you for the excellent excerpt.
    Happy Holidays!
    RKCharron

  • Jessica
    December 18, 2009 at 9:35 am

    Now I have to read ALL of those books, I have read a couple but now… ALL of them.
    I have to confess, I bought The Demon’s Lexicon when it first came out and I left it at a friends house in British Columbia (I live in Alberta)
    I actually had to go and buy a new book. Which means I now own TWO copies of The Demon’s Lexicon.
    I can’t bring myself to feel silly about that. It’s AWESOME.

  • Bre M.
    December 18, 2009 at 9:38 am

    I think all of these books are on my TBR list, and if they weren’t, they certainly are now. Great post! and would love to win =)

  • Isi
    December 18, 2009 at 9:40 am

    I can’t wait for ‘The Demon’s Covenant’ “Is it Mae yet?!” but also love Sarah’s book recs, Holly Black’s ‘White Cat’ looks intriguing.

    I’d love to be entered to possibly win a dagger charm.

  • Elaine G
    December 18, 2009 at 9:50 am

    The reckoning is one YA book I can’t wait to read.

    Thankd for the excerpt,sounds good.

    please enter me for the giveaway

  • Paperback.Pixie
    December 18, 2009 at 10:10 am

    I am gutted after the excerpt! That Nick is something else. Cannot wait to read it 😀

    Looking forward to Cassandra Clare’s and Holly Black’s new ones, as well!

    Thank you!

  • Kohikari
    December 18, 2009 at 10:17 am

    *wibbles* Daggerdaggerprettydaggerknife?

    *ahem* Er, I mean, yes, indubitably. Love the new peek at Covenant; I can see already how frustrating it will be to be unable to see inside of Nick’s head, but how rewarding it will be to see things from Mae’s perspective!

    And, as ever, should I run out of things to read I will consult one of Sarah’s lists. Oh, the comprehensiveness. Oh, the impossibility of reading them all, especially now when I should be studying for my last final.

  • Mandy
    December 18, 2009 at 10:18 am

    Oooh! I read “seven magical, criminal families” and took a long gasping breath and got dizzy and developed a BURNING DESIRE to read this. Also that murder offer idea … SRB – drop me a name.

    Also, please to be entering me for giveaway! 😀

  • my5monkeys(julie)
    December 18, 2009 at 10:23 am

    oh her list of books to read is almost like me. I agree about sherlock holmes too. Robert Downey jr.

  • Travis
    December 18, 2009 at 10:24 am

    Awesome! Thanks for the contest!

    spongyman1026@yahoo.com

  • katiebabs
    December 18, 2009 at 10:29 am

    Sarah: You and I have a lot of the same likes in books and movies. I am super excited for Sherlock Holmes!

  • Adrienne
    December 18, 2009 at 10:30 am

    That comment- Carrie “doesn’t love me” Ryan, Carrie “Heartless Withholder” Ryan made me laugh! Wow, that was a really good channeling of Italian mother guilt (I have 3 Italian women in my life, so I am an expert at Italian mother guilt 😯 ). So I added more books to my TBB list-thanks for the recommendations! I am also eager to read the new Cassandra Clare. Thank you for your awesome book and I can’t wait to read the second in the series

  • phoquess
    December 18, 2009 at 10:31 am

    Can’t wait for Demon’s Covenant! And now there are other books I can’t wait for too 🙂

  • Vildea
    December 18, 2009 at 10:36 am

    Of the listed books there’s only a few I haven’t read (but none that I’ve never heard of). My “waiting for list” looks pretty darned similar (I’m with you on the murder-scheme by the way, it’d be so worth it! I need to know what happens with Derek and Chloe and everyone else, NOW! *impatient*)

    I’m also getting all of Megan Whalen Turner (the ones set in Thief-realm at least) for Christmas. Or, I got one myself and my friend got the rest because I knew I’d love them!

    Yeah, I’m just going to go twitter about awesome books for awhile and calm down enough so I can get back to reading! The daggers sound pretty darned wicked 🙂

  • Toby
    December 18, 2009 at 10:41 am

    Love the excerpt! Oh, Nick. :]

  • Play
    December 18, 2009 at 10:47 am

    I am looking forward to almost all of those 2010 books (and adding the ones I’m not to the list of Books to find out more about) (:

    also I am loving Covenant more with eveyr extract, cover or quote I see (is it Mae yet?)

  • Violet
    December 18, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Thank you for sharing that DC excerpt! Reading your official rule of trilogies (i.e. 2nd book = make out!) has made me even more excited to read The Demon’s Covenant! YAY!

    Loved all of your reviews and recommendations & am insanely jealous that you have already read Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel. Seriously, send me a name tucked in an ARC of that book and I will disappear them for you with no questions asked (family member or not, the choice is yours). 😉

    I am also eager to read Holly Black’s White Cat, Carrie Ryan’s Dead-Tossed Waves, & Scott Westerfeld’s Behemoth. And I adored your comments on Leviathan, particularly: “The first book was a symphony in punking the steam, dressing the cross and buckling the swash” Haha! Thank you for brightening my day with this article! 🙂

  • Kelly S
    December 18, 2009 at 10:51 am

    You’re reviews are wonderful as you have me interested in books with plot lines that I would normally not care to read. Great job and congratulations!

  • Raelena
    December 18, 2009 at 11:07 am

    I loved the excerpt of The Demon’s Covenant. Can’t wait to read it!

  • MaryK
    December 18, 2009 at 11:37 am

    Wow, you’re a really good book pusher. Are you sure you’re not a Book Smuggler in disguise? :mrgreen:

  • Hannah
    December 18, 2009 at 11:43 am

    Ohh so excited for so many of these books! And glad to see so many of my top-2009 books are shared by Sarah and apparently so many others! 🙂

    Charms of all sorts are wonderful and knife charms doubly so, so I am glee-filled at this giveaway! Now can it just be Mae please?!

  • Katrina
    December 18, 2009 at 11:51 am

    There is a creative writing professor at my university who put out a YA fantasy book this year (Paula Morris, and I can’t believe I just forgot the title of the book, oh my god. Uh. The cover is green? And there are ghosts, and a girl and a New Orleans semetary — oh, it’s called Ruined. I knew that), which I desperately want to read, because what if I can’t stand her writing style! What if I take a class with her and can’t take her seriously, because I will just stare at her and go, “I hated your comma use on page 65”?

    In other words, you are a far braver person than I to read the work of people you know. Also, oooh, knives.

  • April
    December 18, 2009 at 11:54 am

    Sarah rocks! Now I need to pick up the Demon’s Lexicon. This being said I agree with her 100% about the Dark Powers series by Kelley Armstrong, seriously Chloe + Derek is where it’s at, with plenty of making outtt.

    Awesome guest post 😀

  • Nicole Czirjak
    December 18, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    YES! Go aesome Nick! *is in love* I love how Sarah’s writting makes me feel like I’m right in the scene! Wish I cold date Nick XDDD Best medicine after scary final. I can’t wait to run around work and tell customers they need to -read- it mwhahaha.

  • Erin
    December 18, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    That was interesting! I can’t wait for Kelley Armstrong’s book either 😀

  • Chelle
    December 18, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    I can’t wait for some of these books either! Especially Sarah’s own sequel. And her recommendations have never let me down yet.

  • Dawn
    December 18, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    I’m with you on Kelley Armstrongs next YA book! Can’t wait. I’m reading Beautiful Creatures right now and it’s not making my top 10 books of 2009 pick. I’m realy trying to like it but it’s been very hard to not set it aside and do something else. Only 150 pages in and it’s a huge book so I’ll keep trying!

  • polly oliver
    December 18, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    Awesome excerpt–how you do tease us, Sarah! Additionally, I must share with you my love for “Let the Right One In.” Possibly not only the best vampire movie of the year, but the best movie of the year? It was excellent.

    Can’t wait for The Demon’s Covenant!

  • S.
    December 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    Woohoo! <3!

  • My Favorite Reads of 2009: In Which I Am Most Verbose « Greenwoman
    December 18, 2009 at 1:20 pm

    […] and it becomes clear how The Summoning was setting the stage for the things that follow. NOW I am willing to be Sarah Rees Brennan’s murder accomplice to read The […]

  • Tiah B
    December 18, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    What an amazing list of books, and and even better prize! Sweet!

  • Colleen
    December 18, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    Oh man, I have to go out and buy every single one of these books immediately. Finals what now?

  • Anonymous
    December 18, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    I need the knife charm in case my dolls start turning into Demon’s Lexicoven characters. They’ve done all the Harry Potter characters and several Harry Dresden characters; magic fascinates them, but they’d like to get out of the “Harry” rut…

  • sgt_majorette
    December 18, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    Wait, Anonymous??? Moi??

    comment #65 is the sergeant majorette, thank you very much!

  • Meg
    December 18, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    I just started reading romances this year too, and they can be quite wonderful.

    I love the excerpt. *wantsbook*

  • Celia
    December 18, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    I feel the same exact way about Star Trek. AH-mazing.

    Also, you evil author you – you just whet my appetite EVEN MORE for tons of awesome books that I won’t get to read for MONTHS! (thanks, and all that)

    Happy Holidays. And thanks for the giveaway!

  • Ava North
    December 18, 2009 at 3:34 pm

    thanks.
    happy holidays.

  • Kathy Martin
    December 18, 2009 at 3:35 pm

    OK, seriously, stop that! I added the Goddess of the Hunt, The Summoning and The Awakening to my Kindle and ordered a print copy of Shadowed Summer to my Amazon order. Mercifully, I have already read Beautiful Creatures. Thanks for the intriguing blurbs.

  • Danielle
    December 18, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    Ooh-wooh, a knife. This chick is just getting more and more creative 🙂

    Sign me up!

  • Setauuta
    December 18, 2009 at 3:41 pm

    I’m going to have to bookmark this entry so I can keep track of all the cool books I need to read! Alas, I’m not allowed to buy any books for myself until after Christmas, but once I’m able to, I can just bring in the list – all of these sound fascinating. Thanks, Sarah!

  • Roxy
    December 18, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Can’t wait for Conspiracy of Kings!!!

  • Rio
    December 18, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    Oh, how I am drooling right now! I want to read them ALL!!! 🙂

  • Hannah
    December 18, 2009 at 5:46 pm

    I really love reading your lists of recommended books, Sarah! I feel kinda proud I’ve read a goodly number of these 😀

    I also am waiting desperately for Kelley Armstrong’s next installment … and that pretty Demon’s Covenant *g*

  • JenP
    December 18, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    Great interview! And I love the original book recs!

  • Serena
    December 18, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    “shockingly not-hot werewolf Derek and the damsel-in-distress-who-occasionally-stabs-a-bitch Chloe”
    Oh my god, I must read this now!
    Also, Nick you are such a tease. <3
    I would love to win a Nick dagger charm! Just saying.

  • sheere
    December 18, 2009 at 6:44 pm

    I have to read Beautiful Creatures soon! And Knife seems pretty good! And I can’t wait to read more Cassandra Clare’s books, I need them soon ❗

  • Telyanofcelore
    December 18, 2009 at 8:02 pm

    I love your book reviews, and I cannot wait until I am not in Japan (though that was good, because now I have the Demon’s Lexicon in Japanese which is lovely even if I can’t exactly read it very well yet) so I can get some of these fabulous books! Also, Sophos-centric new Megan Whalen Turner book! *incoherent*

  • Stella Omega
    December 18, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    “I never will.”

    Yeah, right, Mr. suave and debonair demon guy.

    When will it be coming to us to read, must we wait till nearly the end of 2010?

    You sure do give good book review! Silver Quillon charm sounds so lovely…

  • Sommer Leigh
    December 18, 2009 at 8:44 pm

    I can’t wait to read Holly Black and Cassie Clare’s new books, but I’m really dying to read The Demon’s Covenant. I adored Demon’s Lexicon. Thank you so much!

  • Jessica Capelle
    December 18, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    great post! I’m really looking forward to reading the books you mentioned for 2010! And what a cool contest! Count me in 🙂

  • Kristen
    December 18, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    Would love to win! I loved The Demon’s LExicon!

  • Laurie (TimeStandStill)
    December 18, 2009 at 9:53 pm

    I borrowed Let the Right One In from Netflix. I really liked it but I really like foreign films and with subtitles too. Beautiful Creatures has been working its way up my to read stack on my desk and is now at the top when I finish Levely Bones.

  • Hester
    December 18, 2009 at 11:27 pm

    I love the Demon’s Lexicon AND SO I SHALL ENTER 🙂

    85

  • dragonrose
    December 19, 2009 at 1:08 am

    I to am waiting anxiously for A Conspiracy of Kings. The whole series blows my mind!

  • Casey
    December 19, 2009 at 1:58 am

    Oh wow I really like the sound of Let the Right One In… I’ll definitely have to get it off Netflix. Can’t wait until your second book comes out! :oD

  • Anja Kapllani
    December 19, 2009 at 5:21 am

    Oh wow thats awesome! And great interview;)
    I would love to win:)

  • Stacie
    December 19, 2009 at 6:06 am

    Please count me in.

  • Kate
    December 19, 2009 at 7:53 am

    Hah! THIS is the book review list I’ve been looking for, now that my lit degree is done and I no longer have any idea what to read when left to my own devices. Thank you, Sarah!

  • AGS
    December 19, 2009 at 7:57 am

    Now I have a whole new list of books I need to read/buy. 🙂 Thank you Sarah.

    And…yay for prizes! Count me in!

  • Krista
    December 19, 2009 at 8:02 am

    Ooh, daggers. I want.

  • bunnyb
    December 19, 2009 at 10:26 am

    I can’t wait to read Beautiful Creatures!!! It seems like it’s a sure fave!

  • Dora Gordon
    December 19, 2009 at 10:44 am

    OH MY GOD. I LOVED the Demon’s Lexicon, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the Demon’s Covenant. And Beautiful Creatures looks so wonderful too!

  • Kristina
    December 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    OMG. I totally loved Demon’s Lexicon (I just re-read it yesterday! *hearts*) and can NOT wait for Demon’s Covenant. I couldn’t wait so much that I went and looked it up and bought it on Amazon. Oh preorders…how I adore thee. I also loved Kelley Armstrong’s Awakening series and can’t wait for the 3rd one to come. (I haven’t bought the books because I had to prioritize. It is next on my list of books to buy. ^^;;) I too wish for the making out between Chloe and Derek. *winks* Happy holidays to all!

  • Linda Henderson
    December 19, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    I always like to see what an author is reading. I can’t wait for Sherlock Holmes either. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

  • Cassie
    December 19, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    Those books sound really good! I can’t wait until yours comes out!

  • Anonymous
    December 19, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Sarah, nearly every time you blog (anywhere), my TO READ list grows by several titles. I have not the room for all these books! My husband will someday be crushed by an avalanche of them. He has accepted his fate.

    I love the excerpt. Oh, Nick, with your not-exactly-melt-inducing ways. Well, maybe some melting. Just not the warm, fuzzy kind.

  • Khasael
    December 19, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Oops. Comment #98 was mine. Fail, self. Too used to LJ.

  • Mardel
    December 19, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    I loved all your comments on the books you are looking forward to in 2010. I (even though I’m an older adult) am looking forward to Kelley Armstrong’s newest YA book myself. I loved the Summoning, and have the Awakening in my TBR list – will be reading it for one of the book challenges I’m taking part in.

    I loved the excerpt for Demon’s Covenant – Now I want to read your first. (sorry- haven’t got a hold of it yet) I’m definitely planning on it now.

  • Linn Landmark
    December 20, 2009 at 3:27 am

    I looove Sarah’s book recommendations -whenever I’m looking for new books to read, I check Sarah’s blog to see what books she’s been writing about, and I tend to get about 2/3rds of them -and then force them on my friends for them to read too.
    Am really looking forward to the demon’s covenant too. Yai for Sarah!

  • Parris
    December 20, 2009 at 4:18 am

    Great teaser! I cant wait for the Demons Covenant! 😀 😆 😆 😆

  • pocochina
    December 20, 2009 at 11:21 am

    Just in time for a long plane trip with Predictable Yet Horrible Delays! Thank you!

  • Mek
    December 20, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    So many books to read, so little time D:

    TO THE LIBRARY-MOBILE!

  • Eva
    December 20, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    This is kind of torture, I mean I have no problems with spoilers when it means I get to read more of the work sooner… but I dislike wanting a book I can’t have because it’s not even out yet. Clearly there is something wrong with me because I still want more cookies 😉

  • Sass (fadedbluejeans)
    December 20, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    I, too, would kill for The Reckoning. Seriously. You’re not alone there, Sarah. And, funnily enough, that will-kill-for-books offer also applies to Demon’s Covenant. Just FYI.

    And I would give up rather a lot for the pretty sparkly knife charm. And then I would wear it to the bookstore where I work, and would scare customers into buying Lexicon. (Hang on, I do that anyway, without the charm.)

  • Josie
    December 20, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    Yay book recs! I don’t know where to start. All of Sarah’s previous recommendations that I’ve read I’ve absolutely loved. 😀

  • Rachel
    December 21, 2009 at 10:01 pm

    I’d love a chance at the dagger charm. And I’m waiting and waiting and waiting helplessly for The Demon’s Covenant…

  • Kate
    December 22, 2009 at 1:38 am

    Oh. WOW.
    The Demon’s Covenant cookie just made me a little weak at the knees.
    See, when I say “a little weak”, I mean I slid out of the chair into a puddle of fangirlishness on the ground.
    I also desperately want to read Knife and am ridiculously excited for Holly Black’s new awesomeness.
    But mostly I want Nick. I’ll settle for his dagger charm.
    Cheers – Kate!

  • Caecandy
    December 22, 2009 at 9:03 pm

    OH NICK, I LOVE YOU.

    Now that that is out of my system, I’m just gong to say that I really can’t wait. Also, I’m not one of those creepy-fangirl types. Nick is not smooth at all. This makes me happy. He is kind of a total jerk. But we have Alan for the nice– as far as you know– person in the story.

    …I haven’t been thinking about this (orwritingficandrantinganddrawingandbeingobsessive) for monthes. I have a life, really.

  • AndreaS
    December 23, 2009 at 8:59 am

    Sarah, if I knew nothing else about you, this post would make me want to read your work 🙂 Thankfully (for you and me) your book is already in my hot little hands. But this post is still make of win.

    And I want a prize!

  • Rage A
    December 23, 2009 at 10:14 am

    Thank God I caught this giveaway before it ended- I missed the one before and made D: D: sadfaces at my computer screen.

    I love Sarah’s bookrecs- more to add to my To-Read plate.

    (Er, obviously I’d love to win the charm too. 😀 😀 )

  • Ann
    December 23, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    Oh wow! That snippet was fantastic! I can’t wait for the book!!!!!

  • Courtney
    December 24, 2009 at 8:35 am

    I definitely jotted down these titles, but I’m MOAST excited about Sherlock Holmes and The Demon’s Covenant, for sure! Time to go reread The Demon’s Lexicon until my eyes bleed…

  • Dana
    December 25, 2009 at 5:53 pm

    Writing all these books down to read as I write this comment… Thank you!

  • The Evil Details by Others | Literary Escapism
    January 7, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    […] Sarah Rees Brennan, author of The Demon’s Lexicon, at the Book Smugglers […]

  • Maggie Lloyd
    January 10, 2010 at 6:28 am

    😀 The guest authors tastes are very similar to mine

  • Anonymous
    October 10, 2010 at 11:05 am

    😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯

  • Demon’s Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan « The Blue Castle
    November 21, 2010 at 11:04 pm

    […] Sarah’s Guest Post @ The Book Smuggler’s Dec. 2009 […]

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