and the winner is...!

thank you so much to everyone who participated in my big end-of-year giveaway!

and now, without further ado, the winner is:

Heather McCorkle!

congratulations, Heather!!! i will be emailing you imminently :)

*winner was selected randomly via this link

YA Highway--Roadtrip Wednesday

okay, so i don't normally do road trip wednesday (hosted by YA Highway) but the question this week was really fun, so i thought i'd give it a try.

This Week's Topic:
Give a book character a Christmas present!

so, if you could give your favorite book character a present this Christmas, what would it be?

well, i don't know about you, but i always find myself cringing when a favorite character is dashing about doing herioc-charactery things and DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT!!!!

i mean, that is the worst. i myself cannot go more than six hours without food (i've tested this...and no, i don't know what happens after six hours. i never make it that far because i can usually find food by then.)

SO, even though this feels like a not-so-clever/somewhat-unoriginal response, i would choose to give one of my favorite characters (Meliara Astiar from Crown Duel/Court Duel) a nice big meal!

hey, it's a step towards ending world hunger in OTHER worlds--a noble goal, don't you think?

what character would YOU give a present to, and what would that present be?

also, in other news, my blog giveaway ends in five days (see post on extension below if you are confused). remember, you have to fill out the form to be entered! and thank you to everyone who has entered so far and promoted the giveaway--you'll see i am now well over 100 followers!! thank you so much, guys :) YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!!

Important Announcement!

hey everyone! sorry this is so last minute, but i'm announcing an extension to my contest. instead of ending 12/20 (Monday), it will end on 12/27 (the Monday right after Christmas).

thank you to those who have entered already, and good luck!!

'tis the season....

...of many giveaways! and i intend to join in the festive fun with a giveaway of my own!!

so what are the prizes? ONE winner will have a choice between THREE prize packs:

Cassandra Clare Prize Pack:

• a box set of the Mortal Instruments series (books 1-3) click to read my review!
• a copy of Clockwork Angel

Books Galore Prize Pack:

• Three hardback/paperbacks of your choice
  

Multimedia Prize Pack:

• A CD of your choice
• A DVD of your choice
• A book of your choice

*NOTE: all items "of your choice" must each be under $15 and must be eligible on Amazon.com for free shipping


RULES:

• must be a blog follower to enter
• must spread the word about the contest somewhere (Twitter, blog, etc.)
• no international shipping (must live in/have address in U.S.)

alright! that covers just about everything...contest ends December 20th (so the winner can look forward to their prize as a post-Christmas/Hanuka/uh...New Year's! present)

good luck! here's the form to enter.

The Mortal Instruments

hey! Long time no see, right? well, i am only one online final away from winter break. with the fall semester and NaNoWriMo behind me (or almost behind me, i should say), i finally have time for blogging again!

phew. it's good to be back.

i haven't been completely preoccupied with studying and writing, though--i found some great reads during November and the beginning of December.

starting with the Mortal Instruments series.


i started reading these books because of all the hype about Clockwork Angel. actually, to be more specific, i started reading the first installment, City of Bones, right when i was supposed to be studying for finals.

BIG MISTAKE.

this series was seriously addictive. i haven't found such a good series in a very long time--and i couldn't put the books down. i HAD to have the next one as soon as i finished reading City of Bones, and then after i finished City of Ashes.

bottom line: these books are awesome. my rating of the series: 5.0 thus far

Short Synopsis of City of Bones (courtesy of Wikipedia):

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

this summary can hardly do the story justice. hopefully, though, it has peaked your interest and you will now rush out and buy the whole series (for yourself! for Christmas!) and will join me as a hopeless Mortal Instruments addict waiting ravenously for the next three books in the series.

and in the meantime, i have Clockwork Angel on my TBR list to keep me from completely despairing as i wait for Spring 2011 and the release of City of Fallen Angels....