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Smugglivus 2013 Guest Author: Imogen Howson (& Giveaway)

Welcome to Smugglivus 2013! Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2013, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2014.

Who: Imogen Howson, author of the unexpected and totally awesome YA science fiction dystopia Linked (Thea was a huge fan).

Imogen Howson Linked (US)

Give it up for Imogen, everyone!

The first fiction book I read in 2013 was Easy by Tammara Webber, and I loved it. The tortured hero, forbidden love and heroine-in-peril are all familiar elements (and they don’t always work for me by ANY means), but in this book they’re done so well, and I was totally engaged from beginning to end. I also loved the female relationships in this book. I don’t like it when all girls apart from the heroine are nothing but sidekicks—or, alternatively, nasty jealous girls trying to get the heroine’s boyfriend or bitching about her behind her back. This book steered refreshingly clear of both those traps.

Mad About the Boy Easy

I also read the newest Bridget Jones book: Mad About the Boy. Oh, Helen Fielding, you made me cry! I almost couldn’t forgive her for what she did in this book, but it was written so well, and Bridget is so much fun (and, shhh, there is a happy ending), that the author kind of won me over despite myself.

The book that I was recommending to people even before I’d read it was Pretty Girl Thirteen by Liz Coley. The premise was so gripping all by itself, and the UK cover so beautiful, that I was dying to read this book. And it was JUST as good as I wanted it to be. My fourteen-year-old daughter—one of the many people I recommended it to—stayed up literally all night to finish reading it.

If You Find Me Pretty Girl Thirteen

Finally, I was kind of stunned by If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch. This deals with some of the same themes as Pretty Girl Thirteen, but in a completely different and just as fascinating way. Given the subject matter, it could be a really bleak story, and it certainly has some bits that are hard to read, but overall it’s beautiful and uplifting.

What am I looking forward to in 2014?

Well, I’m hopeful that the next book in the A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series will come out this year! George R.R. Martin isn’t the quickest writer, but I’m hoping the next book, The Winds of Winter, will be out in 2014. I have to know what happens to all my favourite characters (the ones he didn’t already kill off, that is).

I’m mourning the end of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris—I’ve been reading those for several years and it was always so exciting when a new one came out. But she’s apparently writing a new series set in the same world, so I’m looking forward to that.

Fault Line Doctor Sleep

I’m also bracing myself to read Fault Line by Christa Desir. It deals with a teenage girl who’s raped at a party, and I’m really not expecting it to be an easy read. But I am expecting it to be good, if not exactly enjoyable!

Ooh, I’m also promising myself Doctor Sleep, Stephen King’s next book, as my holiday read! Stephen King is one of my writing heroes. Every time he brings out a new book I think he might have lost the magic touch, and yet he never does.

As a giveaway to celebrate the holiday season, I’d like to offer a copy of my book, Linked, plus a choice of any of the books I enjoyed in 2013 (Easy, Mad About the Boy, Pretty Girl Thirteen, If You Find Me). Enter below!

Thanks so much, Imogen!

Giveaway Details:

You heard Imogen! We’ve got a copy of Linked and a choice of one of Imogen’s fave 2013 reads up for grabs. The giveaway is open to all and will run until Sunday, December 15 at 12:01am EST. To enter, use the form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

49 Comments

  • Amalia
    December 11, 2013 at 12:17 am

    I am really interested in Crazy About the Boy.

  • Raina Zheng
    December 11, 2013 at 12:25 am

    I’ve had my eye on Pretty Girl Thirteen for awhile!

  • Carl
    December 11, 2013 at 12:36 am

    Well, in this case it’s not about me. I know my wife would love to read Mad About the Boy. Let’s go with that one. Thanks.

  • Lexi
    December 11, 2013 at 1:42 am

    Of the bunch, Easy looks interesting but all would be outside what I usually read so that would be different.

  • Jennifer
    December 11, 2013 at 2:57 am

    I am more interested by Easy, probably because I saw it many times but I haven’t decided to read it yet. Though I will add to my list If you find me.

  • Kailana
    December 11, 2013 at 5:07 am

    Man, I haven’t read any of those books and have only even heard of the new Bridget Jones book. I am behind the times! Bridget was never really my thing, but the rest of the books sound good!

  • Natalia
    December 11, 2013 at 8:22 am

    Pretty Girl 13 is the one I put on my tbr list.

  • Trina Burton (The Bookinista)
    December 11, 2013 at 8:38 am

    I’d love to read Mad About the Boy….big Bridget Jones fan just haven’t gotten around to it!

  • Chenise Jones
    December 11, 2013 at 8:59 am

    I’ve been dying to read Pretty Girl-13 since it came out!

  • Anita Yancey
    December 11, 2013 at 9:01 am

    I’d like to read If You Find Me.

  • Tammy
    December 11, 2013 at 9:04 am

    I’ve read Easy and If You Find Me, both great books so either Mad About The Boy or Pretty Girl-13

  • Laurence L.
    December 11, 2013 at 9:08 am

    I’m pretty curious about If you find me, heard great things about it!

  • Shannon H
    December 11, 2013 at 10:38 am

    I’ve read Pretty Girl 13 and Easy, and am definitely eyeing If You Find Me

  • Samantha
    December 11, 2013 at 11:31 am

    Ooh, they all sound great! I’m a big Bridget Jones fan, though, so I’m probably leaning towards Mad About the Boy.

  • Anna
    December 11, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Ooh, I want to read Easy–forbidden love and female relationships aren’t found together often enough.

  • superbwg
    December 11, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Either Easy or Pretty Girl 13 both sound great

  • Mariya
    December 11, 2013 at 11:59 am

    If you find me!

  • Hebe
    December 11, 2013 at 1:07 pm

    Pretty Girl Thirteen looks interesting.

  • Meghan
    December 11, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    Pretty Girl Thirteen.

  • Rae
    December 11, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    I would love to read Pretty Girl Thirteen

  • Justine
    December 11, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    I’m curious about Mad About the Boy.

  • Daniella Bohill
    December 11, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    I am interested in If You Find Me the most, with Pretty Girl 13 a close second (I have already read and enjoyed Easy).

  • SaraC
    December 11, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    I’d like to read Mad About the Boy.

  • Kelley
    December 11, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    I’d like to read Easy

  • erinf1
    December 11, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    I haven’t read any of those so I’d love a chance to read any of them 🙂 Thanks for sharing and congrats to Imogen on the release!

  • Jasmine Stairs
    December 11, 2013 at 9:44 pm

    All of those books frighten me a bit, but I’m interested in Easy. 😀

  • Courtney
    December 11, 2013 at 10:10 pm

    Pretty Girl 13 sounds great!

  • Katherine
    December 11, 2013 at 10:14 pm

    Tough choice! I would be (most) interested in Easy. Thanks for the recommendations!

  • Jenna F
    December 11, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    they all sound so good but i kinda want to read If You Find Me

  • Allison
    December 11, 2013 at 11:14 pm

    Pretty Girl 13 sounds like an awesome book; I’d love to read it!

  • Kristy McRae
    December 12, 2013 at 12:23 am

    All your picks look fabulous! I think I’m most intrigued by Pretty Girl-13. Oh, and I hope you enjoy Doctor Sleep! I just recently finished it, and you’re right–Stephen King definitely still has that magic touch! Happy Holidays!

  • Stephanie
    December 12, 2013 at 12:28 am

    I like If you find me.

  • Llehn
    December 12, 2013 at 1:30 am

    Mad About the Boy.

  • Gaby Metivier
    December 12, 2013 at 7:30 am

    I’ve wanted to read Easy and Pretty Girl Thirteen for a really long time now, so either of those would be amazing 🙂

    Thank you!

  • Cassy
    December 12, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    If you find me.

  • Emilia
    December 12, 2013 at 3:33 pm

    Pretty Girl 13!

  • Rachel G
    December 12, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    I started reading If You Find Me in the bookstore once and when I looked up I was already a third of the way through. I had to go, but it’s been niggling at the back of my brain to find time to find out how it ends ever since.

  • Nicole
    December 12, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    I want to read If You Find Me

  • Heather
    December 13, 2013 at 7:54 am

    Pretty Girl Thirteen would be my choice.

  • Lauren
    December 13, 2013 at 1:52 pm

    Definitely Pretty Girl 13. I’m a middle school librarian, and it looks like a book that I would love, and that I would love to share with my kids at school. This is the kind of stuff that they eat up and get excited about!

  • Jamie
    December 13, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    I like the look of If You Find Me.

  • Emma
    December 13, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    I’d like to read Pretty Girl 13.

  • Melanie
    December 13, 2013 at 10:13 pm

    Pretty Girl 13!

  • Mary Preston
    December 13, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    I’d love to read MAD ABOUT THE BOY.

  • Rachael L
    December 14, 2013 at 3:58 am

    I would like to read Easy. Thanks for the giveaway!

  • Darith
    December 14, 2013 at 4:02 am

    I’d love to read Easy!

  • Ivana
    December 14, 2013 at 2:53 pm

    Easy sounds interesting!

  • Becky C.
    December 14, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    If you find me

  • Ashleigh M
    December 14, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    I would read Mad about the boy. It seems really interesting. I have read Easy by Tamara Webber and It was a good read.

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