Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender + Interview

My rank: 10/10 :D
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Publication: April 21, 2009
ISBN: 978-1423108764
Page Count: 3522 Pages
Age Range: Young Adult
Source: Publisher

Get a chance to win this book and its sequel here.

I'm one of those people who are easily surprised, so scary (or 'scary') movies and books were never my thing. Then Bad Girls Don't Die came in the mail and even just by looking at the cover, I know this wasn't the kind of book I'd pick up in a bookstore.

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender is an elegant, spooky story about two sisters--the older is the social outcast and the younger, possessed.

Alexis is the social outcast--she skips school and gets called to the Principal's Office a lot. Kasey has problems--she doesn't have any friends or normal hobbies except taking care of her set of dolls in her room. Also, Kasey will hurt anyone who touches her dolls.

In the beginning of the book, Alexis realizes that there's something weird with Kasey lately. Kasey's...not herself. The shy Kasey suddenly turns out brave and vicious--'hell-bent on murder,' actually. Alexis questions Kasey's new judgment, but Kasey said she only tries to have fun with her nice, new 'friend.'

To stop Kasey from hurting everyone, Alexis bravely investigated and found out the connection of the ghost who possessed Kasey and the antique house they live in. Alexis only has one worry; Kasey's new 'friend' might hurt Alexis before Alexis stops them.

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So I told Katie Alender about how fascinated I was after reading her book, being someone who doesn't want to even get near scary stories and all.

1. This has probably been the most cliche question ever, but what
inspired you to write Bad Girls Don't Die?

The story came to me as a moment between two sisters, who are isolated
from other kids and from their parents and only have each other to
turn to. They make up stories for each other, and then the younger
sister starts making the stories come to life in a very creepy manner.
The book evolved from there into what it is today!

2. Have you ever stayed, lived or visited a house like Alexis and Kasey's?

Ooh, good question! Not that I can remember. But when I was in Ireland
a few years ago, we stayed in an extremely creepy hotel. It was the
very end of the season and there were only a few rooms rented in the
whole place. So we wandered down these curving, deserted hallways, and
it was SO creepy!

3. Whom are you more similar to; Photography-and-deviant-Alexis or
Pessimist-"Different"-Kasey?

I think I have a good dose of Alexis in me. Mostly in terms of being a
total smart-aleck! I always have a wisecrack, often when none is
called for. ;-) But there's a piece of Kasey in me, too. To be honest,
there's probably a piece of all my characters in me!

4. I DON'T like dolls/creepy stuff. Even Barbie dolls creeps me out
(and the crazy part is that I used to own one back in elementary). Do
you....have a..you know, passion for dolls? What made you centered Bad
Girls Don't Die with dolls?

No, I definitely don't have a passion for dolls. I liked them when I
was younger, although this past Christmas I went through my old dolls
and realized that most of them are incredibly spooky looking! The main
reason I chose dolls for the book is that they have the potential to
be so scary--not just because of what they are, but because of how we
project on them--little miniature personalities and lives. The funny
thing is, after writing the book, I'm much more freaked out about
dolls, because so many people sent me eerie pictures of them after
reading the book, LOL!

5. I see Carter as the normal savior in this book. He might not have
saved Kasey, but he was the one who kind of kept Alexis sane. What
role did you have in mind for Carter and did you accomplish your goal?

In early drafts, Carter was a bit more tied into solving the mystery,
but later I decided that role was better filled by another character.
Carter to me is kind of a bait for Alexis to grow as a person--a hint
at the sweetness and trust that can come from letting people get to
know you a little, instead of isolating yourself all the time.

6. Is it really weird to have a fan that DOES NOT like mystery/creepy
books, but ended up loving your series?

Well, not to me. Because I don't really love creepy books, and I wrote
the series! To me, at its core, this is a book about a girl--not a
book about ghosts. The ghost is a tool I used as a writer to get the
girl (Alexis) where I wanted her.

7. What's your favorite book of all time and why?

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. It's such a sumptuous world to
lose yourself in--and the characters are so interesting and varied.

8. Thanks! This is the last question! What would you like to say to
anyone who has not read Bad Girls Don't Die?

What are you waiting for? LOL! No, I would say, don't be scared off by
the fact that it's called a horror novel. It's really more of a
thriller, in my opinion. The word "horror" turns a lot of people off
(it would have scared me away, for sure!), but this isn't a book with
lots of gore or anything. Just a few little scares!

Remember, you have a chance to win this book and its sequel (From Bad to Cursed) here!

Blogoversary giveaway part 2

Hey there!

Sorry I haven't been updating this blog for a while. I do that sometimes when I don't feel like reading. Yes, as much as I LOVE reading...sometimes it can get boring. You know, having to read so many books with SIMILAR themes...

But anyway. I'm not slacking. I've BEEN reading books. I just don't feel like posting the reviews yet... I've just been golfing. A lot. >.> And playing Final Fantasy Crisis Core on my PSP that the Japanese Rotarians gave me.

Aaaand like I promised, here's more books to giveaway! (Again, reviews for these books are coming soon, if not existing).

*PB - PaperBack *HC - HardCover *ARC - Advanced Review Copies *S - Signed/has a signed bookplate attached to it *ALL prize packs also contains some signed random bookmarks/goodies. :)

MYSTERY SOUL PACK: The Body Finder (HC) + Desires of the Dead (HC) + extra Body Finder goodies (S) by Kimberly Derting
DARK PACK: The Forest of Hands and Teeth (PB) + The Dead-Tossed Waves (HC) by Carrie Ryan
VAMPIRE PACK: The Society of S (PB) + The Year of Disappearance (PB) + The Season of Risks (PB) by Susan Hubbard
CURSES PACK: Bad Girls Don't Die (HC) + From Bad to Cursed (ARC) by Katie Alender

...Anybody else notices that somehow these 4 packs are all dark-themed...?

..Anyway. Fill THIS form out to enter. ANYBODY CAN ENTER. THIS CONTEST OPENS INTERNATIONALLY UNTIL AUGUST 30TH. MUST BE A FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG TO ENTER.

See, if you think this blogoversary giveaway is big...wait until next summer, when I'm off to college (that means I'd have to clean up my room and take only the most beloved books that I can't just part souls with ;D)!!!

Summer Freebies for Blogoversary!

Dear Scholarberry readers! August is Scholarberry's Blogoversary month! This page will be updated each time I have more books to giveaway, so keep reading!
As of right now, I have 8 (and counting) set of freebies to giveaway!

Here is the catch, though...everyone who enters the freebies has to be a Scholarberry follower!

Here is the list of books up for grabs! *Every freebies pack will also include bookmarks/swags. Books which hasn't been reviewed yet will be reviewed soon. CLICK ON THE TITLE FOR REVIEW!

1. ROMANCE PACK Perfect Chemistry (paperback) + Rules of Attraction (hardcover) by Simone Elkeles
2. LIFE PACK My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (hardcover) + Tangled (hardcover) by Carolyn Mackler
3. BEAUTY PACK Beauty Queens (hardcover) by Libba Bray + Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood (hardcover) by Eileen Cook
4. WOLVES PACK Claire de Lune (hardcover + signed bookplate) by Christine Johnson + ARC of Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
5. TALES PACK Wither (hardcover) by Lauren DeStefano + Kiss Me Deadly (13 paranormal tales) (ARC)
6. GREEK PACK The Lightning Thief (paperback) + The Sea of Monsters (paperback) by Rick Riordan
7. TOP 8 PACK Top 8 (paperback) + What's Your St@tus? (paperback) + Unfriended (ARC) by Katie Finn
8. LIAR PACK Signed copy of Flawless (paperback) by Lara Chapman + Poser (ARC) by Sue Whyshynski

Fill out the form HERE! This contest ends August 30th and it's open INTERNATIONALLY! SPREAD THE WORD!

P.S: If all goes well, I might add more prizes :D

Original Personalized Bookmarks by M.E.

There's one more thing you don't know about Scholarberry's writer; she loves to draw! I have a deviantart account that is rarely updated since I'm busy (even my journal says I'm still in Japan >.<) but here is the link to my deviantart account!

So...I was bored. The Copic Markers that I bought in Japan was untouched...and POOF! I cut some white thick papers and started drawing. The sign on the lower left says my name in katakana in Japanese. It's a hanko (their version of 'signature') stamp. I carved mine out for a calligraphy lesson in Japan, and since I can't use that to sign in the US...well, I'm gonna make a use out of it anyway :D

I'm thinking to put it as a giveaway every month--maybe a couple of people will get one every month. But I'm also thinking to sell it--name the theme and I'll draw it for you! What do you think? Good enough to sell $0.25 per bookmark?

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

"What the hell am I doing here?"

My Rating: 10/10
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication: 12/2009
ISBN: 9780061731044
Page Count: 3508
Age Range: YA

Carolyn Mackler's Official Website

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler is a flowing story about 4 people's life that got, well, tangled up. The first character to speak was Jena--a normal teenager who has yet fallen in love. Then comes Dakota; Jena's first crush who's a bit messed up in the head. There's Skye, the super popular and beautiful actress who doesn't really want to function anymore and there's Owen, who have never broke any rules before. Jena went to Paradise with Skye--and for the first time Jena has the guy's attention (Dakota). Dakota seemed to be interested in Jena, but when Dakota spotted Skye...He ditched Jena. After all, it was too good to be true. In Paradise, Jena found a suicide note..and Owen--the Loser with Laptop blogger. In Tangled, their stories cross paths.

In Tangled, readers will learn about discovering first love, how to handle societal expectations and getting outside the box--and live it.

What I love about Tangled: It was funny at one page, but it can be really touching in another page. Mackler's writing style regarding controlling the mood can be really powerful in my opinion. It's pretty cool how Mackler can write something that makes the reader ROTFLMAO and cringe between pages.

What I dislike about Tangled: The beginning dragged a bit--Jena seemed to be very quick at changing her mind in the beginning of the story. She seemed to be insecure, while as of at the end of the book, she's like a completely different person. I like that part of the character development, but I felt like it was necessary to know what's going on Jena's mind--the process of changing. I disliked that it didn't show as much as it probably should have.

FREEBERRY: Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

Hey Scholarberry readers! I'm glad you came across my blog and reading books. People I know at my high school doesn't really like to read books. They REALLY judge the books by the cover--which is wrong, but we all do it!

What's a FREEBERRY?
A Freeberry is a giveaway, but with rules and some bonus/extra chances (Freebie + berry). There's some requirements needed to be fulfilled before someone can actually win a book (or two)!

This FREEBERRY will be LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman. As you guys know (or not), I went to Japan as an exchange student from August 2010 - March 2011. The exchange program didn't want to risk me getting some radiation, so they dragged me back to Minnesota, Saint Paul. It was hard but I'm over the whole reverse-culture-shock thing now. I lived in Ashikaga city, Tochigi prefecture. That's about 2 hours north by car from Tokyo...
I know you guys are here for the FREEBERRY, but for those who are interested in my adventure/some culture shock/reverse culture shock; read the whole post! :)

So anyway. LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman is a book about a girl who was forced to move to the United States. If you guys have never get on an airplane and move to another country, you guys wouldn't know how intense it is (if it's not for vacation). If you have done that, this is a must read. So click the link for my review to read more about the book!

RULES and INFO:
Deadline: June 15
Prize: One hardcover, autographed copy of LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman.
HOW TO: Fill THIS form and you guys must post either a; comment, Facebook post, Tweet, Buzz or etc (and link it in the form) If you guys want to post a comment asking a question about Japan, that counts too :D
BONUS: If Scholarberry has 100 followers before July 15, I will add another FREEBERRY of ARC of Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin. If Scholarberry has 150 followers, I will add another FREEBERRY of TANGLED by Carolyn Mackler (review coming soon).
NOTICE: When I wrote this, the Followers list seems to be down on every blog or every browser. I hope it won't be down forever. -.-

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Culture shock:
When I got to Japan, I was so happy that the culture shock didn't hit me bad. In fact, now I think that having your toilet in the same room as your shower is just disgusting...
I wore blazer uniform to the high school in Japan, but I also experienced the middle school (fortunately one of my host family is a member of the middle school board ;) ).

One of the most memorable thing:
It was my first day of school there, and I had to introduce myself throughout the TV system in the school. Afterwards, I came to my classroom for the first time and found an empty desk with my name on it. So I sat down and waited awkwardly--the teacher wasn't there yet, she was still talking to the principal about me. Then two boys came up to me (I think they were dared by the whole class, really), and asked me--IN JAPANESE--if I've had sex yet.

Boy A: エッチやった事あるっすか？
Me: HUH?! (Yes, I understood it. But I was so surprised that it was the first question that I just said HUH?)
Boy B: You ever had sex? (Yes. In English!)
Me: 意味が分かったけどさあ。。。お前と関係ねーでしょ！？("I understood the meaning but...WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU!?")
Whole class: O.O *realizes that I understood Japanese, even the informal/rough slang and laughs*

Ever since that, all 32 of us are best friends because of my bluntness. :D It was weird, but in a good way.

The Red Pyramid, Invisible I and Deep Down Popular Winners!

I used random.org and here are the winners for The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, Invisible I by Melissa Kantor and Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone!!!
o.o..the creepy part about this was that all 3 winners had no blog...

Jackie won The Red Pyramid!!!
Christine won the Invisible I!!!
Cassie won the Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS! :D

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Thank you for all the participants! It'll be a bit long before I give another giveaway, consider I'll be in a different part of the country...

Who wants some swag???

As you guys know, I have quite a stock of swag right now, and I love to share them! This swag packs giveaway ends on August 10!!! Any of the leftover swags will be given with any swag giveaways in the future. :)

How to get one of my swag packs:
Send me a picture of yourself holding any of the books listed below and tell me what part of the book you love most, and I'll send you some swag that you're guaranteed to love! (You can take a picture with as many books as you'd like, but please e-mail them to me just ONCE, okay?)
I'm making you guys buy/at least read the books (so yes, you can go to the library and take the picture, but the purpose of this swag packs giveaway is to promote these awesome books!) so that you know why I was so excited when I got the swags!

send your email to: seth.hart.exe@gmail.com

The list of books that you can take a picture with:
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (sorry guys, the poster and the tote bag won't be given away just yet)
Carrie Pilby by Caren Lissner
In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth
Portal by Imogen Rose
Any books by Catherine Ryan Hyde
The Mark by Jen Nadol
Any of Angela Morrison's books

P.S: The swags I have are limited, so it's first come first serve!

The Heist Society Giveaway Winner!!

Hello people!!

We have a winner for the Heist Society giveaway! (By the way, it's the first book in the series. I don't have more info about the series yet...)

The winner is...

Rica from Rica.Eat.World

Congratulations to Rica and thank you for all the participants! For those who didn't win, don't worry; I have more giveaways!!! (Or, if you really want to read Heist Society that bad, I suggest you search the public library...)

My current giveaways:

Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone [read review here]
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Kane Chronicles #1) [read review here]
Invisible I by Stella Lennon (aka Melissa Kantor; The Amanda Project #1) [read review here]
Ends August 1st! Read about the three giveaways here!

SIGNED copy of Aries Rising by Bonnie Hearn Hill [read review here]
SIGNED copy of Taurus Eyes by Bonnie Hearn Hill [read review here]
SIGNED copy of Gemini Night by Bonnie Hearn Hill (when it comes out in Fall 2010)
Ends August 31st! Read about the giveaways here!

<3
s c h o l a r b e r r y

AS: Bonnie Hearn Hill's Star Crossed Series + Giveaway!!

As you guys have known, I recently read the Star Crossed series by Bonnie Hearn Hill. Right now there are two books that are out for the public; Aries Rising and Taurus Eyes. Gemini Night, the third book in the series will be out in Fall 2010. Bonnie has been so generous, she's going to give one lucky winner a signed copy of each book! (Gemini Night has to wait, of course, until it's published :D)

Here is a chance to win the signed copies of Star Crossed series by Bonnie Hearn Hill! It ends August 31, 2010. US/Canada only. There will be ONE WINNER! Fill out this FORM to enter!

(P.S: Read the interview below to find out the Star Crossed facebook page, and Like the page to be entered to win an iPod Touch when Gemini Night comes out!! :D)

Here are the gorgeous covers:



Read my review of Aries Rising here.
Read my review of Taurus Eyes here.

My interview with Bonnie Hearn Hill:

1. While writing the Star Crossed series, which book made you felt satisfied the most and why?

A: Each book was satisfying in a different way. ARIES RISING was exciting because--well, because it was first--and because I got to experience Logan coming into her own power. TAURUS EYES was deeply personal to me. Although there's a ghost and a lot of conflict, it's really a love story, and it's a story about letting go of what we love. GEMINI NIGHT was challenging because I got to up the stakes and write more of a mystery. In that book, Logan has to figure out the astrology chart of a celebrity who will be attending the launch party of the teen magazine she wants to write for. She doesn't know which celeb it is. She only knows the stars spell disaster. The love story from TAURUS EYES also plays a part in this book.

2. Which character(s) (Or, based on their zodiac, I guess) was the most interesting to write?

A: Well, I'm a Gemini, so it was fun creating Chili, Logan's best friend. My best friend is a Pisces--and an astrologer--so Paige, Logan's other best friend, ended up with many of her traits. I've had many Pisces readers tell me that they relate to Paige because they are also shy and creative. I hope they like how she changes in GEMINI NIGHT. I've never met a Leo I didn't love, so Nathan Sullivan, Logan's first crush, was fun to write. Logan herself is my favorite. She's conflicted about her mom being on the golf tour and her parents' problems. She's not sure about how to use astrology, but she's proactive and refuses to be a victim. She's willing to take risks. Taurus is also one of my favorite signs. I like their solid dependability, their passion, even their stubborn always-right nature. Some of my favorite people, including my husband, are Bulls. The love interest in TAURUS EYES is also a Taurus, and he is still very real to me. I knew Logan would fall for this guy, and so did I.

3. (I already know your story, but...) Where did the inspiration to write Star Crossed series came from?

A: As I mentioned to you, my best friend, Hazel Dixon-Cooper (the Pisces mentioned above) was once my writing student and became the author of the Rotten Day humorous astrology series and the Cosmopolitan Bedside Astrologer column. She is also a member of my private critique group. You can't spend any time with Hazel before you start checking your Rising sign, staying close to home when Mercury is in Retrograde and refusing to date a guy with a Virgo Moon. When I got the idea for the book, I asked her if she would help me get the astrology part right, and she was a tremendous help. If you read these books, and your sign sounds like you, it's because Hazel was a very good teacher.

4. Does the book Fearless Astrology actually exist? Will you be writing one after the series ends???

A: Others have asked me that. I invented Fearless, and as you know, a member of Logan's family is the author of this imaginary book. I have not thought much about actually writing one, but it could be fun.

5. Do you listen to music while writing? Can I get a playlist?

A: If I listened to music, I would not be able to hear my own voice. I sometimes play classical music in the other room with the volume down. Never anything with lyrics. I'm auditory, and much of my writing process is trying to hear the characters and the story.

6. What was the most difficult part of writing the Star Crossed series?

A: Good question, Eliora. Until then, I had written only thrillers and some nonfiction. I guess it was having the faith to try something new. Even though I was a published writer, I had never written young adult, so I had to complete an entire novel and gamble on whether it would sell. That was ARIES RISING, which I sold as FRANKENSTEIN WAS A TAURUS, a title that was ultimately too young for it. Writing the books was the fun part.

7. Did you ever have your own writing camp sessions in high school? Was it with a famous author, too?

A: I wish! I did marry my high school English teacher, however. Henry Jaffa, Logan's mentor, is based on a best-selling novelist I know who is talented, professorish and extremely helpful to young writers. He's the kind of mentor I wish I'd had.

8. What is your favorite series that you absolutely recommend for YA readers to read?

If you are interested in astrology, read Hazel Dixon-Cooper's Rotten Day books. For fiction, I can't tell you because so much of it is really good. Read well and read widely. Some of the best fiction written today is YA.

9. Is there anything else you'd like to say to Star Crossed readers?

A: To those of you who want to write, never give up. To the rest, I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at bonniehh@gmail.com. Or on my Facebook page.

facebook.com/StarCrossedseries

Deep Down Popular, The Red Pyramid and Invisible I Giveaways!!!

:D More giveaways from me!!!

Okay, so since I met Rick Riordan, Disney Hyperion gave me an extra copy of The Red Pyramid. It isn't signed, but it's HARDCOVER! Good enough, no???

Read my review of The Red Pyramid here.

I have been a huge fan of The Amanda Project ever since I read it, and I would like to share it! Read my review of Invisible I here.

Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone is funny and also meaningful. Read the review here.

All of these giveaways ends at August 1st, 2010 and they are all US ONLY!!!

The Red Pyramid Giveaway FORM
Deep Down Popular FORM
Invisible I FORM

My First Ever GIVEAWAY!!!!

Disney Hyperion sent me a copy of Ally Carter's Heist Society, and you can read my review here. This book was one of my favorites of all-time, and I will be putting it out as a giveaway!!

There will be 1 winner, and the winner will receive a hardcover of Heist Society! This giveaway is for US only! Ends at July 20th, 2010.


To enter, fill this FORM.

"May the odds be ever in your favor!" The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
:D

P.S: SPREAD THE WORD!!! Ta!

Paranormal books giveaway!!

The undercover book lover is giving out 5 books+5 packs of 5 gum!!

Here are the prizes..contest ends July 15th!!

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer (ARC)
Paranormalcy - Kiersten White (ARC)
The Eternal Ones - Kirsten Miller (ARC)
Halo - Alexandra Adornetto (ARC)
Pegasus - Robin McKinley (ARC)

AND

FIVE packs of 5 gum:
Zing (Bubble)
Cobalt (Peppermint)
Flare (Cinnamon)
Lush (Tropical)
Rain (Spearmint)



Enter!