Spies, Thieves, and Diplomats GIVEAWAY [CLOSED]

Ally Carter's books are some of my favorites because they are always about strong girls in action. They are fun, have bits of swoon, and are always an adventure.

One of the common premises in Ally's books is they tend to feature teenage girls involved in or at war with 'the family business.' In the Gallagher Girl series, 'the family business' is espionage. In the Heist Society series, it's thievery. And in Ally's newest book, All Fall Down, the first in the Embassy Row series, it's diplomacy.

From Goodreads:

Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.

From Goodreads:

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

From Goodreads:

A new series of global proportions -- from master of intrigue, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter.

This exciting new series from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter focuses on Grace, who can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world, and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay--in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved.

So using these themes, I've come up with a little game based on the classic Kiss/Marry/Kill. Using celebrities/fictional characters/well-known entities, who would you spy on and why, who would you steal from and why, and who would you befriend and why?

Here are my answers:

I would SPY on Jennifer Lopez to get her workout routine.
I would STEAL Darcy's country estate, Pemberley, because it's gorgeous.
I would BEFRIEND Anna Kendrick because she is hilarious.

Whether you are already a fan or new to the books, now is your chance to win two signed novels by Ally Carter. First, check out my Giveaway & Rules page and then fill out the Rafflecopter widget below. There will be one winner and the giveaway ends at 11:59pm on February 16th.

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Celebrate THE BODY ELECTRIC and WIN!

Hey quirks!

Beth Revis is not only a YA Author extraordinaire, but she also does some amazingly fantastic giveaways, and to celebrate her book THE BODY ELECTRIC, she's having her biggest giveaway yet!

THE BODY ELECTRIC is a YA sci-fi novel set on Earth, but in the same world as the Across The Universe trilogy. It follows a girl name Ella Shepherd (<---is that a Firefly reference I spy?) who has a gift for dreams and memories of other people thanks to some futuristic technology. She does good, helpful work, BUT, as any Across the Universe fan will tell you, there is always a TWIST when it comes to reading a Beth Revis book!

I'm excited to read this, though I want to finish the ATU trilogy first (I'm way behind on my TBR books). If you find it interesting too, you can purchase the book and a dollar of every purchase will go to charity program that creates beehives in developing nations. You can also enter the huge giveaway and win THE BODY ELECTRIC, along with a bunch of other books! To read up on the book, check out the synopsis below and be sure to visit Beth Revis's blog HERE for more info and to enter the giveaway! Good luck!

From Goodreads:

The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

Giveaway Winners!

I'm so glad to be back to blogging and my Friday the 13th was especially nice. And now what you are really here for, the winners of the three prize packs!

Hourglass Prize Pack (#1)

Onge

The Darkest Minds Prize Pack (#2)

Paola B.

Defiance Prize Pack (#3)

Ashley S.

The winners have been emailed and have seven days to respond. Congrats to them and thank you to all who participated! ^_^

Goodbye Hiatus; Hello Giveaway! [CLOSED]

Details:

Giveaway will run from 5/30/14 to 6/13/14 and is US only.

Three winners will be chosen via the Rafflecopter widget.

Please read further rules here.

Hourglass Prize Pack

*signed* paperback of Hourglass by Myra McEntire [review]

paperback of Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita [Goodreads]

paperback of On Location by Jen Calonita [Goodreads]

paperback of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff [review]

paperback of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin [Goodreads]

hardback of The Dark Divine by Bree Despain [review]

hardback of Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King [Goodreads]

The Darkest Minds Prize Pack

*signed* ARC of The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken [review]

paperback of Cut by Patricia McCormick [review]

paperback of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling [Goodreads]

paperback of The Light by D.J. MacHale [Goodreads]

paperback of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter [Goodreads]

hardback of The Lying Game by Sara Shepard [review]

hardback of Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan [Goodreads]

Defiance Prize Pack

*signed* hardback of Defiance by C.J. Redwine [review]

paperback of If I Stay by Gayle Forman [Goodreads]

hardback of The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard [Goodreads]

hardback of The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams [Goodreads]

hardback (formerly library bound) of Wings by Aprilynne Pike [Goodreads]

hardback of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater [Goodreads]

hardback of Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta [Goodreads]

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Good luck!

My ROOMIE Story + GIVEAWAY!!!

Hey Quirks! I have a special treat for you today!

To help spread the word about authors Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando going on tour for their new YA/NA novel ROOMIES, I'm posting my very own ROOMIE story. After you read it, you can check out where Sara and Tara will be visiting on their tour and then enter to win a ROOMIES gift pack!

Sara Zarr                                                                                      Tara Altebrando

My ROOMIE Story:

During my first couple weeks of college, my roommate, Sarah, and I were both involved in sorority recruitment. We were in that stage where you go each night to a themed event. We'd been doing this for a few days already and we were tired of the hustle, bustle, and trying to impress people. To top it off, we'd already made some amazing friends with the girls on our dorm floor, and while they were busy making plans and going out, we were stuck dressing up for events we weren't really into.

One of those nights our dorm friends said they were going to the UC later to watch a movie in the auditorium, and it was a movie we both really wanted to see: Mean Girls. We felt torn - we'd made a commitment to go to these events...but we really, really wanted to hang out with our new friends and go see the movie. Sarah and I debated back and forth about what we should do, and at the end of it, we decided to email our recruitment leaders and let them know that we were withdrawing from recruitment. Sarah and I did this at the exact same time, helping each other write the emails and bolstering each other to hit the send button. When the task was done, we high-fived and, with lighter hearts, got ready for our movie night.

That night turned out to be one of the best of the year. Not only did we have fun with our new group, but that movie became a running theme between us and our friends. We papered our dorm room with quotes, made up songs based on lines in the movie, and even dressed up like the Plastics for a Christmas party (the proof of that one is below). To this day, I remember it as a lesson in following my heart, and I'm glad I got to have that experience with my ROOMIE.

L-R: Me, Shannon, my roomie Sarah, Mona

That was fun! To read more ROOMIE stories, check out NOVL, a YA Tumblr site brought to you by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Now for the important stuff! Hopefully you will get to meet Sara and Tara at one of their confirmed events:

January 12, 2014 - New York, NY: McNally Jackson [more info]
January 15, 2014 - Salt Lake City, UT: The King's English [more info]
January 16, 2014 - Provo, UT: Prove Library [more info]
February 4, 2014 - San Fransisco, CA: Books, Inc, Opera Plaza [more info]
February 5, 2014 - Petaluma, CA: Copperfield's Books [more info]

So what is ROOMIES? Here's the book synopsis from Goodreads:

It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.

Sounds great, right?! I know I can't wait to read it! If you don't want to wait around and see if you win the giveaway, you can find ROOMIES at the following online retailers:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

Before you jump down to the Rafflecopter widget to enter to win a copy of ROOMIES, here are some important rules and information for this particular giveaway:

• To enter, you must have a US STREET ADDRESS (no PO Boxes, sorry)
• The book will be sent out by the publisher, not Writer Quirk.
• The winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter widget after the giveaway is over.
• The giveaway will end at 11:59pm CST January 14th.
• Entering the giveaway means you agree to comply with all terms and conditions.

Good luck!

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Celebrate Banned Books and Win SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson!

Every year, readers around the country celebrate banned books by telling their stories, hosting giveaways, and raising awareness about censorship. (I meant to post this earlier, but life got in the way. Better late than never!)

The first time I heard anything about this kind of censorship was in learning about World War II. Nazis and Nazi sympathizers burned books that were thought of as having values opposed to the Nazi regime. Then I watched a film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 as a freshman in high school. The story is about a futuristic society where books are completely banned and destroyed when found. So to me, this idea that books could be kept from the public was a tragedy of history or a horror of the imagination.

Then Harry Potter happened. I heard about parents being upset, but I still didn't realize books were actually being removed from libraries. I'm sure in the years after that, I came to understand the reality of book banning, but I'd fallen away from reading extensively and I wasn't paying attention to the world of books.

All that changed when I became a book blogger. The ugly truth of book banning reveals itself all too often. Even very recently, one of my absolute favorite books of this year, Eleanor & Park, was not only banned, but the author, Rainbow Rowell, had her invitation to speak at a public library rescinded (read more about that here).

What makes me saddest, and also thankful, is in looking at the lists provided by the American Library Association of frequently banned/challenged books. I recognize so many books I read as a middle school student/teenager on those lists, and not one of those books were a detriment to my life. Despite living in a moderately small Southern town, those books, books like The Giver, A Separate Peace, Scary Stories, Killing Mr. Griffin, and My Brother Sam is Dead, were readily available and even encouraged. I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones, and I hope, for the sake of all the kids who love reading or may need one of those stories that appears on those lists, that book banning becomes a thing of the past.

And now, if you'd like to win a paperback copy of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (the 60th most banned/challenged book from 2000-2009), just use the Rafflecopter widget below! All my regular rules apply (which you can find here) and the giveaway ends 11:59pm September 30th.

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ALL OUR YESTERDAYS ARC Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the ARC of All Our Yesterdays is...

Emily!

Remember, you can catch Cristin Terrill on September 17th 
when she will be part of a Twitterchat!

You can find more information and submit questions HERE.

And don't forget there are more stops on the All Our Yesterdays Blog Tour!
(You can find the full list here.)

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS Blog Tour: A Timely Interview with Cristin Terrill + GIVEAWAY

Hey quirks! I have the great pleasure of hosting Cristin Terrill on the blog today for the All Our Yesterdays Blog Tour!

Before we get to the interview and giveaway, here's a little about the author:
 

Cristin Terrill is a young adult author and aspiring grown-up. She grew up semi-nomadic and graduated from Vassar College with a degree in drama. After getting her masters in Shakespeare Studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, she lived in London, Austin, Boston, and Washington, DC, while working as a theatrical stage manager. Now she writes and leads creative writing workshops for DC-area kids and teens. All Our Yesterdays is her first novel.

You can find her at:
Author Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads


Not only does Ms. Terrill sound cool, but she has also kindly answered some time-sensitive questions for us!


WQ: What is your favorite time of day?

CT: Evening. I’m a night-owl anyway, but that time after all the work is done but before it gets really late is my favorite.

WQ: What is your favorite time of year?

CT: Fall. Still sunny but beginning to get cool, starting to buy Christmas presents, baking pumpkin cupcakes.

WQ: What is your favorite time period in history?

CT: The Renaissance. I did my master’s in Shakespeare and Renaissance England, and I’m a total Tudor fangirl.

WQ: How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?

CT: Fifteen minutes if I don’t shower, twenty if I get fancy and do.

WQ: Do you wear a watch or check time on your phone?

CT: Phone. I haven’t owned a watch in about ten years.

WQ: How much time does it usually take for you to read a book?

CT: I’m actually a relatively slow reader. If I’m really into something, I can finish in two or three days, but otherwise it’s usually a week or more.

WQ: Last question! If you could travel back in time, what would be your preferred method: a Time-Turner (from Harry Potter), the TARDIS (from Doctor Who), or the DeLorean (from Back to the Future)?

CT: TARDIS, no question! It can go anywhere, there’s a swimming pool somewhere inside, and it’s piloted by the Doctor!

A huge thank you to Cristin Terrill for her great answers! I'm right there with her on the showering, the slow reading, and the TARDIS!

If you want to ask her some of your own questions, you will have the chance on September 17th when Cristin Terrill will be part of a Twitterchat! You can find more information and submit questions HERE.

So why were my questions all about time? If you haven't guessed by now, it is because All Our Yesterdays involves time travel! Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

Find All Our Yesterdays at:

Amazon / The Book Depository / IndieBound / Goodreads

Now for the giveaway! If you enter you will have the chance to win an ARC of All Our Yesterdays! All my regular rules apply (see them HERE) and the giveaway will end at 11:59pm on September 3rd (CST).

Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! (Please note that entering the giveaway means you agree to the giveaway terms and conditions.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway   If you want to check out the other stops on the tour, you can find all the blogs and dates HERE. 

The 13th Sign Giveaway WINNER!

Hey Quirks! I hope you've enjoyed reading about The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb this week and have been inspired to check out this book! I had a lot of fun, but now it is time to reveal the winner of the signed hardcover and swag!

Congratulations to...

Brynna!

A big thank you to Kristin and Carla and to all our readers and participants!

Signs, Symbols, and Stars - an interview with Kristin O'Donnell Tubb!

Hey quirks! I have the great pleasure of hosting author Kristin O'Donnell Tubb on the blog today! She has graciously allowed me to pick her brain a little about her latest novel, The 13th Sign, and her research on the zodiac.


WQ:  How did your idea for The 13th Sign begin?

KOT:  Space is one of my obsessions. I majored (briefly!) in aerospace engineering in college, and I always click through those “cool space thing happening TONIGHT!” links on Facebook. When I finished writing Selling Hope (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan 2010), which is about the hysteria surrounding the 1910 visit of Halley’s Comet, I knew I wanted to write another space book. So I asked myself: what about space fascinated me as a tween? I knew the answer immediately: my horoscope.

I originally thought: SCORE! A twelve book-series! (Every author does this in the beginning, I imagine. :-D) I started researching astrology, and quickly stumbled upon a “missing” 13th sign of the zodiac: Ophiuchus. When he is included in the calendar (which he should be! His ankle dips into the ecliptic that makes up the zodiac), he throws off the calendar significantly, making almost everyone a new horoscope sign. I got that writer ZING! that I get when I read a fact that I want to share with others. I knew I wanted to tell Ophiuchus’ story. (If you want to find out your 13-sign horoscope, hop over here to learn more!)

WQ:  What aspect of the zodiac (the names, the personality traits, the constellations, etc.) interested you the most?
 

KOT:  Ah, great question! I actually think it was the history of the zodiac that interested me the most. Most folks who know about these things agree that the Babylonians were the first to develop this idea, some say as far back as 2500 B.C. Like most humans, they were likely trying to make sense of the world around them, to find order in the chaos. Like most humans, they looked up to do that. At that time, Ophiuchus was included in the zodiac calendar, along with other constellations.

I also discovered in my research that many scholars think that the 12 Labors of Hercules was a way of teaching astrology to young Greek students. Each labor was a constellation. When I found that little tidbit, the idea of “labors,” or challenges, formed the basis of The 13th Sign.

WQ:  In your research, did you learn anything surprising about your personal zodiac sign?

KOT:  I’m an Aquarius (water bearer in the house!), and I thought I knew quite a bit about my sign at the outset. I did discover that Aquarians are the least likely to believe in the zodiac, which is interesting. (For the record, I don’t quite know how I feel about horoscopes. Day-to-day, they are rarely accurate for me. But I personify an Aquarius to a T!) 

WQ:  How did you decide which signs to give to your main characters?

KOT:  I knew I wanted Jalen (which, side note, means “healer;” significant to the story!) to be an Ophiuchus once the signs were altered, so in order to be that, her traditional 12-sign horoscope needed to be Sagittarius. As for Ellie and Brennan, I wrote their characters first, then picked which sign suited them best. Once (tiny spoiler alert!) Ophiuchus is awoken and the characters undergo a personality switch, I kinda already knew what they should act like post-personality change: the zodiac told me which traits they should exhibit! (Another aside: I think the zodiac could be a really cool tool for writers to create well-rounded, realistic characters. Each sign has such a variety of traits!)

WQ:  Which zodiac character was the most fun to write? The most difficult? 

KOT:  Leo and Virgo were by far my favorite signs to write – their characters were so distinct and vivacious and fun! I had the most difficult time writing Pisces. Two fish, but not twins (that’s Gemini’s domain, after all!). I had a difficult time coming up with a challenge that involved fish but was still exciting and unique. I hope I made my Pisces friends proud! 

Thank you, Shalena, for hosting me today! I appreciate any opportunity to chat about books and reading! :-D

And thank you, Kristin, for sharing with us! ^_^

If you want to read my review of The 13th Sign, you can find it here, or if you want to know what I learned about my own zodiac sign(s) after reading Kristin's novel, just click here.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY: Don't forget that the giveaway for a signed copy of The 13th Sign and swag ends tonight! Click HERE to go to the giveaway page!

Thanks for reading!

My Old/New/Hodgepodge Zodiac Sign

In The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, Jalen Jones accidentally unlocks the 13th sign, Ophiuchus (the healer), causing everyone in the world to have their personalities changed to match their new sign. People who were calm and stoic one minute are suddenly emotionally unstable. Sarcastic and aloof people have become friendly and helpful. How crazy would that be? Do our zodiac signs have that much of an impact on us?

I don't think so. True, I used to read the horoscopes in my local newspaper or a magazine on occasion, and I loved reading the little descriptions of my zodiac sign on magnets and t-shirts and other trinkets. I even liked to see what my Chinese zodiac sign was when I'd visit a local restaurant. But I never believed in any of it. Sometimes the descriptions seemed to fit, sometimes they didn't. It was interesting if not entirely accurate.

So when I read The 13th Sign, I was interested to see what the signs, no longer symbols but characters, were like and if my old one or my new one fit me better. Here is what Tubb's website says about my signs:

Traditional 12-Sign Zodiac:

Capricorn (the goat) - ambitious, trustworthy, calm, a loner, pessimistic, and determined

The 13-Sign Zodiac:

Sagittarius (the archer) - cheerful, optimistic, generous, restless, controlling, and logical

Reading these descriptors is kind of funny because if you were to put all the adjectives together and form one big list (Capritarius? Sagicorn?), it actually fits me pretty well. Even the antonyms, such as optimistic (Sagittarius) and pessimistic (Capricorn) are accurate because while I tend to have a realistic and sometimes gloomy view of things (pessimist), I still try to stay positive and look on the bright side (optimist).

Want to know what your traditional sign and your new sign are? You can head over to Tubb's website and take The 13th Sign Quiz. Not only will you find out your two signs, you will also find out which sign you act like. 

What sign do I act like?

Leo (the lion) - affectionate, self-confident, creative, vain, gullible, and independent

Again, more adjectives to add to my mish-mash of a zodiac sign (Lesagicap? Head of lion, body of a goat, and a bow?) All of this may just solidify my belief that the zodiac is mostly full of guidelines and for entertainment, not a hard and fast rule of personalities, but it is still fun to see what they are all about.

Want to see what life would be like if the zodiac really had an impact on your personality? Read Kristin O'Donnell Tubb's The 13th Sign! It is a fun and fast-paced adventure through the zodiac with a lot of heart.

Don't have a copy? Get your hands on a signed hardcover by entering my giveaway HERE before it ends on July 19th!

I hope you enjoyed this little rundown of my zodiac results! What do you think of the zodiac? Share your thoughts and your results of The 13th Sign Quiz in the comments! And don't forget to come back Friday for an interview with the author!

Thanks for reading!

The 13th Sign GIVEAWAY!

 
Have you ever wondered if the zodiac really determined your personality? What if the zodiac changed, and you changed with it?

This is what happens to 13-year-old Jalen Jones in Kristin O'Donnell Tubb's MG/YA novel, The 13th Sign. This book is a lot of fun and I enjoyed getting the chance to read it (my review is here). Now you have that chance too!

What if there was a 13th zodiac sign?

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign.

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s.

What about the rest of the world?

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change—and infuriating the other 12 signs? 

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend on it.

I have a signed hardcover copy of The 13th Sign and some swag to give away, so just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. All of my usual giveaway rules apply (you can find them HERE) and the giveaway runs from today, July 15th, to 11:59pm CST on July 19th.

And don't forget to check back here later this week for more zodiac fun and an interview with the author, Kristin O'Donnell Tubb!

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Spring Blog Carnival: Ticket Booth Giveaway WINNERS!

I hope you all had tons of fun at the Spring Blog Carnival! I'm sorry it took me so long to get the winners posted, but thanks to Random.org, they have been chosen!

The winner of Giveaway #1 (US) will receive a hardback copy of Heist Society by Ally Carter, a Lunar Chronicles bookmark, a Team Cinder button, a signed The Madman's Daughter bookmark, and a signed The Archived bookmark.

And the Giveaway #1 winner is:

KATRINA MARIE!

The winner of Giveaway #2 (INTL) will get his or her choice of YA book from The Book Depository.
 
And the Giveaway #2 winner is:

BRANDY GRAVES!

A huge thank you to everyone who hosted and participated in the Spring Blog Carnival! I hope you had fun and congratulations to the winners!

*CLOSED* Spring Blog Carnival: Ticket Booth

Welcome one and all to the Spring Blog Carnival! Here at Writer Quirk I am hosting the TICKET BOOTH. Why did I choose the ticket booth? Because it is where all the fun begins. You can't ride those crazy rides without tickets!

Since ticket booths are where you start your fun at a carnival, I've decided that the prizes for this booth are BOOKS where the fun begins, also known as the first books in a series.

So what can you win here at the Ticket Booth?

Giveaway #1 (US ONLY)
A hardback copy of Heist Society by Ally Carter, a Lunar Chronicles bookmark, a Team Cinder button, a signed The Madman's Daughter bookmark, and a signed The Archived bookmark.

Giveaway #2 (INTERNATIONAL)
Your choice of YA book from The Book Depository (the book must be YA, the first book in a series, and $11 or under). Below are some examples (you don't have to pick just from these, but whatever you choose needs to match the requirements above):

 

Before you enter:
~ Please review my Giveaway Rules.
~ The carnival runs from May 6th to May 12th.
~ Please note that Giveaway #1 is US ONLY and Giveaway #2 is INTERNATIONAL so long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

How to enter:
~ Leave a comment on this post with your answer to the challenge question.
~ You must include which giveaway (#1 US / #2 INTL) you are entering (you may enter both if you qualify for both).
~ If you are entering Giveaway #2, you must leave the title and author of the book you would like from The Book Depository.
~ You must include an email address so that I may contact you if you win.
~ Failure to follow these instructions may result in disqualification.

And now for the challenge question:
 

If you had the opportunity to give up all of your carnival tickets to meet one author,

who would he/she be?

Don't forget to visit all the other amazing booths! You can find the full list here.

Good luck and enjoy the carnival!

The Archived Book Birthday Giveaway Winner!

Hey quirks! As you might remember, I celebrated the release of THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab by giving away a copy from The Book Depository.

Yesterday I had the chance to go to the launch party for The Archived and Victoria herself was kind enough to take a photo for me announcing the winner, and the winner is:

Congrats Daniela! Be on the look out for The Archived arriving in your mailbox in the next couple of weeks.

A big thank you to all who participated, and even if you didn't win, you can still get your own (Beautiful! Amazing! Spectacular!) copy of The Archived at the following online sites (or your own local book seller, of course):

Amazon / Indie Bound / The Book Depository

Happy Book Birthday to THE ARCHIVED + Giveaway!

Quirks! THE ARCHIVED, an amazing novel by Victoria Schwab (one of my favority-fave authors everrrrr) is out TODAY! Keys, secrets, Guyliner, murder, death, muffins, histories, and so much more is waiting for you in this book!

My gushtastic review is HERE.

Where you can buy THE ARCHIVED:

Amazon / Indie Bound / The Book Depository

AND, because I love my quirks and I love this book, I'm giving away a copy!

Unlike my previous giveaways, this one is INTERNATIONAL (so long as The Book Depository ships to your country), so just use the Rafflecopter to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WINNERS for the END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT Giveaway!

We survived 12/21/12 and now it is Christmas, so there is a lot to celebrate!

First, THANK YOU!
There were lots of tweets, follows, likes, and shares of my giveaway and I just want to thank you all for taking the time to enter and spread the word!


Second, some stats (because I thought they were interesting):

Entry method used most:
Tweet about the giveaway

Unique entrants:
51

Total entries:
1149

Winning entry methods:
Tweet x4
Follow WQ Blog x 1
Like WQ on Facebook x 1
Main Entry (Order the Prize Packs) x1


Third, for all of you who guessed in the comments 
which book had the special message, the answer is:

And finally, here are the winners and what they won!

Prize Pack #1

MELISSA

 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (paperback)
Annexed by Sharon Dogar (paperback)
*signed* The Revenant by Sonia Gensler (hardcover) -WQ Review-
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (paperback)
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (paperback) 
Making the Run by Heather Henson (hardcover)

Prize Pack #2

JAIME

Need by Carrie Jones (paperback)
The After Life by Daniel Ehrenhaft (paperback)
*signed* Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton (hardcover)
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga (paperback)
Captivate by Carrie Jones (paperback)
Tithe by Holly Black (hardcover)



Prize Pack #3

KELLI

 Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan (hardcover)
Heist Society by Ally Carter (paperback)
*signed* Hourglass by Myra McEntire (paperback) -WQ Review-
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (paperback) -WQ Review-
  The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (paperback) -WQ Review-
Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce (hardcover)



Prize Pack #4

JACQUELINE

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (paperback)

The Poison Eaters and Other Stories by Holly Black (paperback)

*signed* The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (paperback) -WQ Review-

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (paperback)

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan (ARC)

Sweetblood by Pete Hautman (hardcover)

Prize Pack #5

ANNIE

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (paperback)

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (paperback)

*signed* Die for Me by Amy Plum (paperback)

Fallen by Lauren Kate (paperback)

Torment by Lauren Kate (paperback)

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (paperback)

Prize Pack #6

ERIN

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott (paperback)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (paperback) -WQ Review-

*signed* Defiance by C.J. Redwine (hardcover) -WQ Review-

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (ARC) -WQ Review-

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti (paperback)

Rash by Pete Hautman (hardcover)

Prize Pack #7 

IVY

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (paperback)

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (paperback)

*signed* What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (hardcover)

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova (ARC)

The Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard (paperback)

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (paperback)

 Winners: 
CONGRATULATIONS! An email will be sent to you soon.  
Please respond with your mailing address within 7 days
or your prize will be forfeited.
I will try to mail these out as soon as possible and you will receive another email with a delivery confirmation number when it gets sent.



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!