Sticky Beak (18)

Sticky Beak's all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so thats very Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an author's website/blog, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything that you would love to share with others.  Just use the comments section for your links!!

Here's Mine:

Blogs I've Come Across:

Life As I See It: Interesting blog to check out.

Adventures of a WannaBe SupahMommy: Cool blog and love the Post It Note Tuesday!!

Lost in Stories:  Great blog check it out.

For Writers:

Tribal Writer - 5 Ways to put more soul into your writing.
The Book Designer - Practical Advice to help build better books 


Other cool stuff
Teen Read Awards - Best new writers.  Worth checking out!
Jennifer Delucy - Whisper of Light - Sequel Preview (2nd book to Seers of Light)

Most Interesting Libraries of the world - Some very cool looking places

Feedback Please!

Hi,

I'd love to hear what you all think about Spellbound By Books and what I can do to make things better.

Click here for the survey!

In My Mailbox (19)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!! (This post was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

NET GALLEYS 

 Majix: Notes from a Serious Teen Witch by Douglas Rees

BOUGHT

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

That's all from me for now.  So what did you all get in your mailbox this week?

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Title:  Monsters of Men

Author:  Patrick Ness

Genre:  Young Adult

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication Date: 1 May 2010

ISBN:  978-1-4063-2823-3

Stand alone or series: Series (Book 3)

Pages: 624

Book Received from: Bought

First Lines:  "War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read the previous 2 books!

Synopsis

'War', says the Mayor. 'At last'. Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, "Monsters of Men" is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

My Thoughts 
Monsters of Men is the third and final book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy and by far the best.

The Ask and The Answer leaves us hanging what is going to happen with Todd and Viola and is a pretty full on cliffhanger.  An army of Spackle are coming from one direction, Misstress Coyle's army's coming from the other, and a group of settlers have just landed.  Poor Todd must make a decision to release Mayor Prentiss to save their lives.  So you can imagine how much is at stake in Monsters of Men.

The story is told between three main characters, Todd, Viola and a third person who I'll keep quiet about and it gives a good perspective as to what each character is going through while the war is going on!

I'm continually amazed by Patrick Ness' writing and Monsters of Men definitely had me anxious to find out what happens next and I definitely cried in some parts.  So be prepared to have the tissues ready on those bits.

This book definitely had me questioning each characters motives and what they want for an outcome of this crisis.  At times the lines are blurred as to who the bad guys and the good guys really are which I think makes these characters are so easy to love.  

If you loved The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer, you will love Monsters of Men.  It's as action packed and fast paced as the previous two but the risks are unbelievably high this time with so many lives at stake.  Brilliant Book and a great ending to a Trilogy.

Once Upon A Time Project G2 Winners

Okay, sorry everyone for the delay but I have some winners to announce!!  

WINNERS!

 A Signed copy of The Pace (Thanks to Jenn at Book Crazy) 

One Smoky Green Handbound Journal

Unlined
~ 6.25 x 4.25 inches
~ 1 inch thick
~ paper size 5.5 x 4.0 inches

 While I don't have a pic of this exact journal, below is what it will look like.  Except the colour will be smoky green.

AND.. a $30 Barnes and Noble e-Gift card!

and the winner for first prize is

Christina 

Who wrote:

Mors Tua Vita Mea

and Runner Up is

 Susan 

Who wrote:

Senses

Thank you so much and please email your details to send your prize out. 

Read them Below

Once Upon a Time Project Giveaway 2 Winners

I'm back online!

Okay, so I've only been without a laptop for like a day and a half but it feels like forever.  I've lost a lot of stuff but thank god for portable hard drives or I would have lost everything.  So bear with me it might take a bit but I will get the winners of Once Upon a Time Project up as soon as I can!!

Once Upon A Time Project Giveaway 3

So here we are again for a Third Giveaway for Once Upon A Time. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who has participated and helped out with this.  I've yet to announce the winner and runners up for Giveaway 2 but as we are yet undecided I am hoping the post with their stories will be up on tomorrows post.

So as I've said there is going to be a change in rules.  There were a few of you that wanted to enter but your stories were too long.  So I've decided for giveaway 3, that the wordcount will be 500-7500words. I've also changed the deadline from 3 weeks to 31 days.  So hopefully that will help those of you who are stuck for time, to get yours finished.

But the biggest surprise is, all stories that are entered into this giveaway will be put into the book!! (For those of you that are wondering, I will be giving a copy of the 'Once Upon A Time' book to the winners and runners up and others will be able to buy it at the cost of the printing of the book as well as shipping) 

I will be holding 2 more giveaways after this and during that time we will get into the Cover Contest and Title Contest!!

For the winners and runners up of previous giveaways feel free to enter again.  Even if you have won a prize before you can still enter each giveaway with a story.

Also, Winners and runners up, I'd love to try and put a little biography of about 250 words or so in before each of your stories, as well as a picture if you'd like.  Just send these to my email.  You have plenty of time to do this.

For those of you that are new I've included 'What is 'Once Upon A Time'

What Is 'Once Upon A Time'?

Once Upon A Time is an ongoing project.  You have 4 weeks to email me your stories.  Between myself and two other book bloggers (who aren't submitting their own stories) we will agree on a Winner and 2 runners up.  I will then post the 3 stories up within a few days of the close off date and prizes will be sent off. (unless winners have stated they do not wish to have their stories posted)  This will happen every 4 weeks until otherwise stated.  Once there enough stories picked I will put together a book and have this published, and given away as a SUPER Prize.    I will do my best to supply each winner and runner up with a copy of this book but this may take a little time (depending on funds)  The book will be available for all entrants at the end of the project.

Entry Rules

Word Count: Between 500 - 7500 words
Time To Complete: 31 days
Genre: Whatever tickles your fancy!
Stories sent to me must be the entrants original work!
Entries must be in english.

One Story Per Person Per Giveaway
OPEN TO EVERYONE 

DEADLINE: 31st July 2010 at 10pm AEST
Send your stories in to melissa@spellboundbybooks.com 

Conditions of Entry
All work posted for Once Upon A Time Project is (c) copyrighted and no work is to be reproduced in any way (e.g. copying, broadcasting, making available on another website etc) without the Authors permission.
I will not be held responsible if this does occur, but I will do everything I can to ensure this does not happen.
 Warnings will be in bold red text at the beginning of the winning entries post if any of these stories include sexual content, swearing etc (depending on the words I may also *** out some)  and if you continue to read this is your choice.  Obviously any *** that are entered will be taken out before the book is published.

Prizes are still to be decided but like the last two giveaways we will have a Winner and 2 Runners Up.  So PLEASE if you have any ideas on prizes at all, if you would like to donate a prize, or have a question feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com

Thanks guys.  Let the writing begin!!

*** UPDATED ***

1ST PRIZE

DESCRIPTION OF JOURNAL
An art journal makes a statement - writing isn't just for notes and lists, but also for writing meaningful content - whether they're drawings, your inner thoughts, poetry or ideas.
It is made to be cherished and read after many many years - the leather is high quality and will last like forever.
Its white pages are acid free, 100 g/mp and are bound together in longstitch style. The cover is painted with golden shades leather specialty paint. 
Its size is: 5½ x 7½ inches (13.5 x 19cm)
It has 140 sheets, 280 pages, plenty of space! 

The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood.

Runners Up
$15 Barnes & Noble e-gift card for 2 runners up.