Post-BEA Giveaway: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (CLOSED)

I am finally catching up with life after BEA, and and after my weekend photo trip to Jamaica. I’m now working on some fun daily recaps which should be up soon, editing photos from BEA and the Teen Author Carnival, and trying to plan out my now very intimidating TBR list. Despite being completely worn out by the end, traveling to another country and missing day 3, and learning the hard way what to absolutely not do at BEA (trying to be in 4 places at once, wearing brand new shoes) I had a blast!

In celebration of all the fun I had, and all the amazing people I met, I’m offering my readers a copy of Richelle Mead’s new Vampire Academy spinoff series Bloodlines. As one of my most anticipated books of 2011, I was so excited to I grab a copy during Richelle’s signing on Tuesday. Bloodlines was one of 3 books on my “I will cry if I don’t find it at BEA” list. On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to find a second copy, which I picked up to give my roommate for her birthday that week. Turns out roomie –who also attended BEA doing publicity work for her job– scored Bloodlines, and a matching tote bag from the nice folks at the Penguin booth on her own on Thursday.

Our little mistake will make for one very happy reader! I’d love to keep this giveaway for huge fans of the Vampire Academy series only. But that might be a bit hard, since I have absolutely no way of regulating it. I’d obviously recommend ONLY entering if you have read the original Vampire Academy series. If you haven’t, the copy on the back of this book alone will spoil the entire series for you.

 

GIVEAWAY RULES:
– Comment here telling me why you want to read Bloodlines, your fave VA character, a member of your dream cast for the movie, or something else VA related (MUST DO).
– Tweet a link to the giveaway for an extra entry.
– Be sure to include your email so I can actually contact you if you win!
-Contest closes on Sunday June 12th at 11:59pm.
-Winner will be chosen using random.org.
-Unfortunately due to high shipping costs, this giveaway is open for US residents only.

GOOD LUCK!

EDIT: This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been notified via email. Winner has 48hours to reply, before a second winner will be chosen.

Last Sacrifice: NYC Reading and Signing

Author Richelle Mead.

Last night, I was lucky enough to attend Richelle Mead’s NYC reading and signing, celebrating the release of the final Vampire Academy book, Last Sacrifice. I nearly didn’t make it! Between being slowed down by a broken foot, and bad traffic, I was fashionably late, arriving seconds after Richelle took the stage to read.

The enraptured audience.

Richelle began by reading a selection from the book, then proceeded to a short question and answer session with the audience. Most of the questions were pretty typical— What is her inspiration? What’s going on with the movie rights? Was she sad to leave Rose behind after the end of the conclusion of the series?…One question that really stood out to me was about Georgina Kincaid, from Richelle’s Succubus book series. Richelle said the final book is due out in September 2011, and promises surprises, along with the *spoiler free version*: answer to a certain important question regarding a document that was mentioned in Succubus Shadows. Those of you who missed the webcast can see a typed version of most of the Q&A over at shadowkissed.com.

Another exciting piece of news straight from Richelle: this Friday, December 10th’s issue of Entertainment Weekly will have an exclusive first look at the new spin-off series, Bloodlines!

Once it was time for the signing to begin, everything became a bit of a blur. Because I was in a cast, the Barnes and Noble staffers wanted me to go first in line. I felt sort of weird doing that, so I told them I’d gladly go after the first row of fans had their books signed instead.

When it was my turn, I was escorted over to Richelle. Things went so fast, I barely remember what I said. I forgot everything I had planned to say, but had a nice impromptu discussion with Richelle about the Korean editions of her books that I’d brought to be signed (I’m in LOVE with the gorgeously illustrated covers!), and she asked me if I minded telling her how I broke my foot.

The Korean edition of book 1.

Since my Mother was my nurse/escort for the evening, I was able to get six books signed. Between that, and a recent order from University Books, I now will own signed copies of nearly the entire Richelle Mead catalog!

I’m less than 10 pages from the ending of Last Sacrifice! My review will be coming soon!

See more photos from the signing here.

Thanks so much to Richelle for coming to NYC, and everyone at Barnes and Noble for helping me out while I’m injured. Here’s hoping Richelle makes it back next summer for Bloodlines!

Photos and Content ®2010 RS/BookshelfLust

Falling in Love with Richelle Mead

One of the more recent additions to my “favorite authors” list is Richelle Mead.

It seems even sweeter that someone who would turn out to be a favorite would be someone I avoided reading for so long. For years I saw the Vampire Academy series books on shelves at Target and Barnes and Noble. And for years, I let the somewhat silly title and cover images drive me away. I’ve read what seems like hundreds of vampire novels over the years. I’ve been  fan of the genre since I was about ten. The recent explosion of paranormal fiction after the success of Twilight drove me away from the genre for awhile. Too many books tried too hard to replicate the gorgeous but untouchable boyfriend, falling in love with the clueless, beautiful and naive girl.

Vampire Academy is not that series. And Richelle Mead is not one of those authors.This is teen Vampire fiction written for adults, and wise beyond their years teenagers. The story centers around two warring factions of vampires. The living vampires and their guardians, and the undead. With plenty of illicit romance, action, and tragedy thrown in to keep things interesting. Like many stunned amazon reviewers have said, until main character Rose Hathaway mentions her age, or year in school, you forget she’s so young.
I’m a complete mythology junkie, and this series satisfies my craving for complete back stories, and—something a lot of YA books lately seem to  lack–REASONS for the action and plots. There are still potential soul mates in these books, but characters don’t fall in love just because they meet eyes once across a crowded room. In the Vampire Academy series, Richelle has drafted a unique world in a universe of annoying copycats, and taken this genre as her own.

Lucky for us readers, Vampire Academy is not her only book series! In the next few weeks, I’ll be posting a lot more reviews, including Richelle’s “Dark Swan” and “Georgina Kincaid” series.

All of Richelle’s books feature strong, kick ass female leads, filling that Buffy-shaped hole in my heart. All three of the series are so amazingly good in their own way, I cannot pick a favorite. I read all the entirety of the three series in less than one week each. Completely devouring all five of the Georgina Kincaid books in about four days. They’re just that good!

Like many reviewers, I am absolutely freaking out over next week’s release of the final novel in the series, “Last Sacrifice”.

Pending a lot of begging, and some family assistance, I’ll be at the NYC book signing on release day December 7th. At least I’m hoping—it’s a bit harder to get around the city on your own when you have a fractured foot. Hopefully, next week I’ll have some photos and maybe even video to share if I make it to the signing. I am, after all, a photographer in my everyday life. So I can’t resist getting some shots at a book signing. Whether I make it to the signing or not, I’m sure I’ll be up all night Tuesday like a Harry Potter fanatic with an unreleased JK Rowling novel. Be sure to check back soon for my review.

Get more information at:www.vampireacademybooks.com
Last Sacrifice teaser quotes and videos
And http://www.richellemead.com