Smugglers Stash

Smugglers’ Stash and News

Hello everybody!!! Ana here, to talk about my very eventful week. Why eventful? Why, I am glad you asked:

It all started last weekend when I was introduced to The Vampire Diaries by Karen Mahoney. She made me watch like, 15 episodes in a row. After that, I felt this compulsion to watch the rest and yes, I like it! It might not be the best TV show ever, it does have some pretty predictable plot elements, but the acting is good, I really like the girls in this and I like the relationships and the β€œmythos” and yes, yes, yes, ok, it is full of eye candy too and that is also a Good Thing:

But I have to say, contrary to all expectations, I am a full-on Stefan girl.

So THAT was a surprise. But not as surprising as being caught on a shit storm of my own making. On Thursday I was minding my own business on Twitter, then I got wind of this really nasty book being sold on Amazon (a manual on how to be a better paedophile) and without thinking I tweeted that Amazon should remove the book from its site and then all of a sudden BOOM, I am a Book Banner. I then wrote a post about that, examining my reaction, trying to come to terms with it. It is now one of our top posts in terms of hits and the comments are AWESOME, the discussion is fascinating and I love how people were thoughtful and respectful when discussing the limits (or not) of free speech. It is well worth a read.

Last week, I also attended an event put together by Atom books (the YA imprint of Little, Brown UK) in London, where a few bloggers were introduced to their upcoming titles. There is a great write-up at their own blog. It was great meeting new bloggers, and seeing Liz of My Favourite Books and Amanda of Floor to Ceiling Books again. As for the books themselves: a lot of effort has been put into the presentation of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (quite similar to the publicity effort behind the book in the US). Unfortunately, I have no interest in reading it. However, there were quite a few others that I am really looking forward to, especially:

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run.

Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane’s boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface – not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.

With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she’s forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.

I’ve had this book on my radar for ages now, ever since I got a copy at BEA back in May. I will be reading it soon and reporting my thoughts on it!

Another one that caught my attention and I can’t wait to read it, is this book (no cover yet) called: One Seriously Messed-Up Week in the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson. Seriously, with this title, how can I not want to?

And I think that’s it!

Ongoing Giveaway

We are giving away copies of The Monstrumologist and The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey. The contest is open till the 20th and you can enter here.

This week on The Book Smugglers

On Monday, Ana reviews Please Ignore Very Dietz by A. S King,

and on Tuesday, The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor:

Then, on Wednesday, Thea reviews Living Hell by Catherine Jinks…

…and on Thursday, Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

And finally, on Friday, we post a joint review of The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron.

And that’s it from us today! As usual, we remain….

~~You Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

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12 Comments

  • Samantha
    November 14, 2010 at 6:29 am

    It does sound like you had quite the week! I’ve got The Spirit Thief on my shelves so I’ll be waiting for that review. Have a great week πŸ™‚

  • Rachel Aaron
    November 14, 2010 at 6:38 am

    I’m looking forward to the join review of The Spirit Thief (but I am a little biased :D).

    Self aggrandizing aside, though, I had to comment and express my tremendous love for the cover art of LIVING HELL. It is freaking amazing. What a GREAT shot. I would 100% pick that up in a store.

  • Mary @ Book Swarm
    November 14, 2010 at 6:52 am

    Ooh, ROSEBUSH sounds amazing! I haven’t heard of it but I’m definitely checking it out.

    Have a wonderful reading week-
    Mary
    The Book Swarm

  • Karen Mahoney
    November 14, 2010 at 7:40 am

    “After that, I felt this compulsion to watch the rest…”

    Hee! Good one, dude.

    Also… MYTHOS!!! hahaha! πŸ˜€

  • Amy @ My Friend Amy
    November 14, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Yay for the Vampire Diaries!!! even with disclaimers. Though can we get an explanation on why you’re a Stefan girl?

  • Ana
    November 14, 2010 at 9:23 am

    Though can we get an explanation on why you’re a Stefan girl?

    Certainly. Because he is awesome and nice, and good (mostly) and loves her, and treats her well and he is hawt and he is NOT A DEMONIC EVIL GOOD PEOPLE KILLER like Damon.

    That is all. πŸ˜† πŸ˜†

    I AM warming up to Damon though and I hope he redeems himself but not with Elena (that would be too gross since he had sex with her best friend and with her mother and made her mom into a vamp and killed Jeremy.)

  • Karen Mahoney
    November 14, 2010 at 9:30 am

    *raises hand*

    Don’t forget that her mother WANTED to be turned and went to Damon to ask for that.

    Um… not that that excuses the other stuff. πŸ˜€

    (Also, who forced Damon to turn, hmmm? *cough*)

  • Amy @ My Friend Amy
    November 14, 2010 at 9:32 am

    LOL I almost said that Karen! I love Damon even if it’s wrong. πŸ™‚ but I also don’t really love Elena.

  • Karen Mahoney
    November 14, 2010 at 9:42 am

    Amy: haha! I couldn’t resist. πŸ˜‰

    Though I DO love Elena. I don’t always agree with what she does, but mostly I think she’s pretty cool.

    (Although Caroline is the REAL love of my life.)

  • Amy @ My Friend Amy
    November 14, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    Yeah I LOVE Caroline! Elena just gets on my nerves sometimes, what with the “needing to know what’s going on every second” and some other stuff, too. I mean overall, I know I’m supposed to like her as the main character so maybe I’m a bit harsher on her. πŸ™‚

  • Emma
    November 15, 2010 at 11:18 am

    My friend also lent me vampire diaries and I was really not interested at all. But I am really hooked on it now! And I agree with you – I prefer Stefan…even I was surprised at that! Has anyone read the books?

  • Adrienne
    November 19, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    Mmmmmmm damian

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