Smugglers’ Stash and News

Hello everybody!!! Ana here, to talk about my very eventful week. Why eventful? Why, I am glad you asked:

It all started last weekend when I was introduced to The Vampire Diaries by Karen Mahoney. She made me watch like, 15 episodes in a row. After that, I felt this compulsion to watch the rest and yes, I like it! It might not be the best TV show ever, it does have some pretty predictable plot elements, but the acting is good, I really like the girls in this and I like the relationships and the “mythos” and yes, yes, yes, ok, it is full of eye candy too and that is also a Good Thing:

But I have to say, contrary to all expectations, I am a full-on Stefan girl.

So THAT was a surprise. But not as surprising as being caught on a shit storm of my own making. On Thursday I was minding my own business on Twitter, then I got wind of this really nasty book being sold on Amazon (a manual on how to be a better paedophile) and without thinking I tweeted that Amazon should remove the book from its site and then all of a sudden BOOM, I am a Book Banner. I then wrote a post about that, examining my reaction, trying to come to terms with it. It is now one of our top posts in terms of hits and the comments are AWESOME, the discussion is fascinating and I love how people were thoughtful and respectful when discussing the limits (or not) of free speech. It is well worth a read.

Last week, I also attended an event put together by Atom books (the YA imprint of Little, Brown UK) in London, where a few bloggers were introduced to their upcoming titles. There is a great write-up at their own blog. It was great meeting new bloggers, and seeing Liz of My Favourite Books and Amanda of Floor to Ceiling Books again. As for the books themselves: a lot of effort has been put into the presentation of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (quite similar to the publicity effort behind the book in the US). Unfortunately, I have no interest in reading it. However, there were quite a few others that I am really looking forward to, especially:

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run.

Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane’s boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface – not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.

With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she’s forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.

I’ve had this book on my radar for ages now, ever since I got a copy at BEA back in May. I will be reading it soon and reporting my thoughts on it!

Another one that caught my attention and I can’t wait to read it, is this book (no cover yet) called: One Seriously Messed-Up Week in the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson. Seriously, with this title, how can I not want to?

And I think that’s it!

Ongoing Giveaway

We are giving away copies of The Monstrumologist and The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey. The contest is open till the 20th and you can enter here.

This week on The Book Smugglers

On Monday, Ana reviews Please Ignore Very Dietz by A. S King,

and on Tuesday, The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor:

Then, on Wednesday, Thea reviews Living Hell by Catherine Jinks…

…and on Thursday, Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

And finally, on Friday, we post a joint review of The Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron.

And that’s it from us today! As usual, we remain….

~~You Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers