The Possessive Bookaholic Devourer

Eating books for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and everything else!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Win an ARC from I Should Be Writing with multiple winners!

I Should Be Writing is having a contest giving away (at least) three ARC's with (at least) three seperate winners! This contest is open internationaly and you must be a follower to enter. Here's what you can win...

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Maze Runner by James Dashner

AND!

If
I Should Be Writing gets 50 entries, I Should Be Writing will add another ARC. (After by Amy Efaw)
If
I Should Be Writing gets 100 entries, I Should Be Writing will add another ARC again! (Candor by Pam Bachorz)

This contest ends November 22! So, head on over to...

http://valeriekwrites.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-win-some-of-best-books-of-2009.html

and enter to win!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Win your choice of 4 books from a slew of awesome ones from Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm!

Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm is having contest for one person to win four books of their choice! You must be a follower to enter (old or new) and the contest is open to US and Canada. The following list is of the books that the winner gets to select their fout from!


The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes(PB)
Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, #1) by Gail Carriger (PB)
Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis(HB)
Shiver By Maggie Stiefvater(HB)
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater(PB)
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick(HB)
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe(HB)
The Hollow by Jessica Verday(HB)
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters(PB)
Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E Van Lowe (PB)
You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay(ARC)
Intertwined By Gena Showalter(HB)
Devoured by Amanda Marrone(PB)
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink(HB)
Reign or Shine (Demon Princess, #1) by Michelle Rowen(PB)


Cool right! The contest ends November 15! So head on over to

http://fayeflamereviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-awesome-contest-finally.html

and enter to win!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Win either Demon Princess or Hush Hush from That Chick That Reads!

That Chick That Reads is having a giveaway for two lucky people to win either Demon Princess by Michelle Rowen or Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick! Giveaway open to the US and Canada and is open to followers only (old or new)!



Demon Princess
Book Description:
As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her gowing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?


Hush, Hush
Book Description:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life



This giveaway ends November 14th 2009 at 11:59 p.m. So head on over to

http://thatchickthatreads.blogspot.com/2009/10/demon-princesshush-hush-giveaway.html

and enter to win!

(A/N: All book descriptions used in this post were taken from
That Chick That Reads)

Friday, November 13, 2009

Win ARC of Captivate from The Undercover Book Lover!

The Undercover Book Lover is having a contest to win ARC of Captivate by Carrie Jones! This contest is International and is open to followers only (old or new, as far I can tell)!


Captivate
Book Description:
Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.
(This Book Description was tekn from
The Undercover Book Lover)


This cantest ends November 14 at 4pm (GMT+8)! So head on over to

http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/2009/10/contest-win-arc-of-captivate-by-carrie.html

and enter to win!

Win a signed copy of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side from Books Obsession!

Books Obsession is having a contest to win Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey!


Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Book Description:
The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancĂ©. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.
(Book Description taken from
Books Obsession)


This contest is open internationally and will end on November 14 at midnight! So head on over to

http://booksobsession.blogspot.com/2009/10/hbt-vampire-contest.html

and enter to win!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Win a copy of Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year from In Which a Girl reads!

In Which a Girl Reads reads is having a giveaway to win Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year by Amy Belasen! Contest is only open in the US an you must be a follower to enter!


Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year
Book Description:
Hell hath no fury...
Jenny Green is a spoiled teen "princess" and the newest junior at Montreal's Molson Academy. Jenny wants a fresh start in her new school, and she's curious to see what Montreal has to offer, most especially in the boy department. Beautiful, charming, and sharp-witted, Jenny has no trouble getting the boys to fall for her.
But when she discovers just how despicable the male gender can be -- with the lying, the cheating, and the utter disrespect -- she decides to make them pay...with their lives.
(Book Description taken from
In Which a Girl Reads

This contest ends November 13th, so head on over to

http://inwhichagirl.blogspot.com/2009/10/giveaway.html

and enter to win!

Win a book of your choice from Gofita's Pages!

Gofita's Pages is generously having a giveaway for a follower to pick a book of their choice! This contest is open to followers only and is open for people everywhere. This contest endsNovember 13th. So head on over to

http://gofita.blogspot.com/2009/11/fifty-followers-giveaway.html

and enter to win!

Win your choice of one book by Sarah Dessen or Laurie Halse Anderson from B.A.M. Book Reviews!

B.A.M. Book Reviews is having 200 follower's contest!!! The winner will get to pick one of the nine following books



Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Book Description:
Ever since she started going out with Rogerson Biscoe, Caitlin seems to have fallen into a semiconscious dreamland where nothing is quite real. Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He's magnetic. He's compelling. He's dangerous. Being with him makes Caitlin forget about everything else-her missing perfect sister, her withdrawn mother, her lackluster life. But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?


Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
Book Description:
She's usd to counting on no one and answering to nobody. But all of that changes when her mother vanishes and Ruby is sent to live with her older sister, Cora. Now Ruby's got her own room in a fabulous new house, she's going to private school, and -- for the first time -- feeling as if she has a future. Plus, there's an adorable and sweet boy next door, Nate. Everything should be perfect. So why is Ruby so wary? And why is Nate keeping her at a distance? Ruby soon comes to realize that sometimes, in order to save yourself, you've got to reach out to someone else


Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Book Description:
It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.


Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Book Description:
Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything; at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf 's Department Store. This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.
In this multi-layered, impossible-to-put-down book, Sarah Dessen tells the story of a year in the life of a family coming to terms with the imperfections beneath its perfect facade.


Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Book Description:
Fifteen-year-old Colie is spending the summer with her eccentric Aunt Mira while her mother travels. Formerly chubby and still insecure, Colie has built a shell around herself. But her summer with her aunt, her aunt's tenant Norman, and her friends at the Last Chance Diner&150 teaches her some important lessons about friendship and learning to love yourself.


Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Description:
[close] Chemistry honors student and cross-country runner Kate Malone is driven. Daughter of a father who is a reverend first and a parent second ("Rev. Dad [Version 4.7] is a faulty operating system, incompatible with my software.") and a dead mother she tries not to remember, Kate has one goal: To escape them both by gaining entrance to her own holy temple, MIT. Eschewing sleep, she runs endlessly every night waiting for the sacred college acceptance letter. Then two disasters occur: Sullen classmate Teri and her younger brother, Mikey, take over Kate's room when their own house burns down, and a too-thin letter comes from MIT, signifying denial. And so the experiment begins. Can crude Teri and sweet Mikey, combined with the rejection letter, form the catalyst that will shake Kate out of her selfish tunnel vision and force her to deal with the suppressed pain of her mom's death? "If I could run all the time, life would be fine. As long as I keep moving, I'm in control." But for Kate, it's time to stop running and face the feelings she's spent her whole life racing away from.


Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Description:

High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background - average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn't believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his fathers boss's daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy and Tyler's secret crush. And that sets off a string of events and changes that have Tyler questioning his place in the school, in his family, and in the world.


Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Description:
Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis." What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute...


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Book Description:
“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.



This contest ends November 13th, so head on over to

http://bambookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/contest-time_12.html

and enter to win!


(A/N: All Book Descriptions used in this post were taken from http://www.goodreads.com/)

Win one of four copies of Cheating, Death from Blog with Bites!

Blog with Bites is having a giveaway to win one of four copies Cheating, Death by Teel McClanahan! Contest is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO Boxes). You must be a follower of Blog with Bite to enter.

Cheating, Death
Book Description:
When the walking dead fill the streets, who can cheat death? Who can survive? Featuring a zombie outbreak that devastates Denver, an indecisive adulterer, and a series of violent, disturbing, and perhaps even heart-rending events of the sort you'd expect when the dead rise up to eat the living, Cheating, Death is a roller-coaster ride through a horror show both of death and of the heart.
(Book Description taken from
http://www.goodreads.com/)

This contest ends November 13th, so head on over to

http://blogwithbitereviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/cheating-death-giveaway.html

and enter to win!

Win a copy of Catching Fire from The Book Vixen!

The Book Vixen is having contest to win Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins! This contest's winner must have an US mailing address (No PO boxes). This is a followers (old or new) only contest.

Catching Fire
Book Description:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
(Book Description taken from
http://www.goodreads.com/)

This contest will end at 8pm PST on November 13, 2009, so head on over to

http://thebookvixen.blogspot.com/2009/10/50-followers-contest-time.html

and enter to win!

Win a copy of Tempest Rising from Ellz Readz!

Ellz Readz is having a giveaway to win a copy of Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler!

Tempest Rising
Book Description:
Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie's lamp.
(Book Description taken from
http://www.goodreads.com/)

You must be a follower (old or new, as far as I can tell) and comment on the interview to enter!

Please note that this is not a YA novel and if you are under 18, you must get your parent's permission before entering.

This contest ends Thursday, November 12. So head on over to

http://ellzreadz.blogspot.com/2009/11/author-interview-and-giveaway-nicole.html

and enter to win!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Clicking to Give!

Some of you may have heard of 'Clicking to Give' websites! If not, 'Clicking to Give' websites are charity websites that have sponsors who donate to them every time somebody clicks! Most 'Clicking to Give' websites have a policy of 'A Click a Day'! But that's what makes it so easy. It only takes a daily click, and you get the satisfaction of knowing you helped someone! I personally started clicking a few months ago. The amazing thing is I'd never heard of 'Clicking to Give' websites before! Wanna guess where I heard about it? Surprisingly I found a 'Clicking to Give' button on random book blog, and followed the link. After that, I became a daily clicker! Or, at least I tried. After all, I'm a very busy person with a procrastination habit, and sometimes I forget. But, in the event that I remember, I stop whatever I'm doing (online shopping, entering a contest, English report, ect.) and go click. Now why am I ranting about this you ask? Well, last night I couldn't sleep and I decided to Google some other 'Clicking to Give' websites! I found a really cool website called http://www.thenonprofits.com/ that linked to several 'Clicking to Give' websites! Now before you on over there, I just want to say that 'New Clickers' shouldn't start with multiple 'Clicking to Give' websites! The reason for this is because, despite the ease and quickness of clicking, multiple 'Clicking to Give' websites can eat your time, and before you know it, it's so time consuming that you've STOPPED clicking! Which is why it's better to start with a 'Clicking to Give' website that has several clicking opportunities (Hunger, Breast Cancer, Animals, ect.)! I personally started with http://www.thehungersite.com/! My intelligence clearly shines through with the fact that it took me several weeks to notice the interconnected clicking opportunities at the top of the page (Hunger, Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest, Animal Rescue)! I also found a nice site with interconnected clicking opportunities (located on the left, you can't miss it!) that I had never seen before last night at http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/ (Children, Rainforest, Big Cats, Breast Cancer, Pets, Oceans, Primates, Global Warming, Stop Violence, Wolves)! So my top to recommended sites for new clickers are...

http://www.thehungersite.com/!

http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/

So please, spare a second and help make the world a better place!

Love, Haiely (or Shadowofwonder47)

If you support this cause, feel free to repost this on your website, blog, ect, but make sure you don't take edit anything out (including this, that way your readers can also repost!!).

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Win three ARC books from Confessions of a Wandering Heart!!

Confessions of a Wandering Heart is having a 300 Followers Contest to win three awesome ARC books!!! There three ARS's are...

Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser
Book Description:
Str-S-d:
I’ll begin with Lucy. She is definitely first on the list. You can’t believe how it feels to be in the cafeteria and turn around and there she is staring at me like I’m some disgusting bug or vermin. Does she really think I WANT to be this way? I hate you, Lucy. I really hate you. You are my #1 pick. I wish you were dead.

The day after anonymous blogger Str-S-d wishes the popular girl would die, Lucy vanishes. The students of Soundview High are scared and worried. Especially frightened and wracked with guilt is Madison Archer, Lucy’s friend and the last person to see her the night she disappeared.

As days pass with no sign of the missing girl, even the attention of Tyler, an attractive new student, is not enough to distract Madison from her growing sense of foreboding. When two more popular students disappear after their names are mentioned on Str-S-d’s blog, the residents of Soundview panic.

Meanwhile, Madison receives anonymous notes warning that she could be next. Desperate to solve the mystery before anyone else disappears, Madison turns to Tyler, but can she trust him when it becomes clear that he knows more than he’s sharing?

The clock is ticking. Madison must uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances . . . before her name appears in Str-S-d’s blog.



The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
Book Description:
Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can't sell. For as long as Han can remember, he's worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They're clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai camp - riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.



How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
Book Description:
New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn't made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It's not romance, exactly - but it's definitely love.

Still, Bea can't quite dispel Jonah's gloom and doom - and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?


Contest ends november 10th! So head on over to...

http://confessionsofawanderingheart.blogspot.com/2009/10/300-followers-contest.html

and enter to win!!!!!!


(A/N: All book Book Descriptions/Summarys used in this post were taken from
Confessions of a Wandering Heart !)

Saturday, November 7, 2009

#2 The Mediator series by Meg Cabot - Completed

Meg Cabot (born Meggin Patricia Cabot on February 1, 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana, United States) is an American chick-lit author of romantic comedies for teens and adults. She has written under the name Meggin Cabot, as well as the pseudonyms Patricia Cabot and Jenny Carroll. She has written and published over fifty books, and is best known for The Princess Diaries, later made by Walt Disney Pictures into two feature films of the same name. Cabot has more than fifteen million copies of her books — children's, young adult, and adult — in print worldwide. Her website averages about 80,000 unique visitors a month .


The above paragraph was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Cabot.

For more information on Meg Cabot visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Cabot. and/or http://www.megcabot.com/!!!


The Mediator series by Meg Cabot
About the series


(This piece was taken from
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/about.php, and is written by Meg Cabot)

I first got the idea for The Mediator series after my father died in 1994. My brother and I kept thinking we saw him out of the corners of our eyes. I know it was just a trick of our unconscious, but it did seem a little like Dad-who had a good sense of humor, and played a lot of pranks-was haunting us, in a joking way. That got me thinking-what if there WERE such a thing as ghosts? And what if, instead of just the ghost of someone YOU happened to know and love, you were someone who could see EVERYONE's ghost?

When I mentioned this to my brother, he groaned, "You're not going to write a book about this, are you?" I started writing one that day-a book that eventually became SHADOWLAND, the first book in The Mediator series, about a sixteen year old girl who can see and speak to ghosts (only no one in her family knows this) and who moves, with her mother, from Brooklyn to live her new stepfather and brothers in California, where she encounters Jesse, a spirit like no other-and to whom she later proves to be bound by destiny.whether she likes him or not.

And she definitely does.

I chose Carmel as a setting because when my brothers and I were kids, our father taught at the Naval Academy in Monterey, CA, and we lived in Carmel, CA, and went to the Junipero Serra Mission School, just like Susannah Simon, the series. I've never forgotten the beauty of Carmel, or the haunting mystery of the mission, so I based the books there (although all the characters at the Mission School and in the Carmel of the books are fictional).

I originally planned there to be 8 books in the series in all. Simon and Schuster contracted me for 4 books, but the books didn't end up selling at all, and after the publication of DARKEST HOUR, they chose not to buy my proposal for the next four books in the series (in other words-I got fired).

I was devastated. But life goes on. Happily, The Princess Diaries series WAS selling well, and when I broached the subject of continuing The Mediator series with HarperCollins my Princess Diaries publisher, they agreed to not only publish two new books in the series, but purchase the previous books in the series and reprint them. I'm eternally grateful to HarperCollins for breathing new life into The Mediator series, and allowing me to finish it up the way I'd planned to.

I have no plans on continuing The Mediator series past six books at this time. I'm happy with where I've left Suze and Jesse in TWILIGHT, and hope readers are as well. To continue the series would mean to introduce further conflict into Suze's world, and I feel like she deserves a rest after everything she (and I) has been through with this series. I'm grateful to all the readers who've stuck by this series, and hope you'll look forward to the new paranormal series I'll be writing in the future!

Thank you!

Love, Meg

(The above piece was taken from
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/about.php, and is written by Meg Cabot)



1. Shadow land

Suze is a mediator—a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind ... and Suze happens to be in the way.




2. Ninth Key

Everything is going great for Suze. Her new life in California is a whirlwind of parties and excellent hair days. Tad Beaumont, the hottest boy in town, has even asked Suze out on her very first date. Suze is so excited that she's willing to ignore her misgivings about Tad ... particularly the fact that he's not Jesse, whose ghostly status—not to mention apparent disinterest in her—make him unattainable.
What Suze can't ignore, however, is the ghost of a murdered woman whose death seems directly connected to dark secrets hidden in none other than Tad Beaumont's past.




3. Reunion

The RLS Angels are out for blood, and only Suze can stop them—since she's the only one who can see them. The four ghostly teenagers died in a terrible car accident, for which they blame Suze's classmate Michael ... and they'll stop at nothing until he's joined them in the realm of the dead.
As Suze desperately fends off each attempt on Michael's life, she finds she can relate to the Angels' fury. Because their deaths turn out not to have been accidental at all. And their killer is only too willing to strike again. [close]




4. Darkest Hour

When the nineteenth-century ghost of Maria de Silva wakes her up in the middle of the night, Suze knows this is no ordinary visitation—and not just from the knife at her throat, either. In life, Maria was the fiancĂ©e of Jesse—the same Jesse who was murdered a hundred and fifty years before. The same Jesse Suze is in love with.
Maria threatens Suze: The backyard construction must cease. Suze has a pretty good idea what—or rather, who—Maria doesn't want found. But in solving Jesse's murder, will Suze end up losing him forever? [close]




5. Haunted

Suze is used to trouble, but this time she's in deep: Ghostly Jesse has her heart, but Paul Slater, a real flesh-and-blood guy, is warm for her form. And mediator Paul knows how to send Jesse to the Great Beyond. For good.
Paul claims he won't do anything to Jesse as long as Suze will go out with him. Fearing she'll lose Jesse forever, Suze agrees. But even if Suze can get Jesse to admit his true feelings for her, what kind of future can she have with a guy who's already dead?




6. Twilight

Suze has gotten used to ghosts. She's a mediator, after all, and communicating with the dead is all in a day's work. So she certainly never expected to fall in love with one: Jesse, a nineteenth- century hottie. But when she discovers that she has the power to determine who becomes a ghost in the first place, Suze begins to freak. It means she can alter the course of history ... and prevent Jesse's murder, keeping him from ever becoming a ghost—and from ever meeting Suze.
Will Jesse choose to live without her, or die to love her?

Twilight is the sixth and final book in the Mediator series.


You can read can read excerpts of the books on Meg Cabot's website that I will link below.

1. Shadow Land excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_shadowland.php

2. Ninth Key excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_ninthkey.php

3. Reunion excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_reunion.php

4. Darkest Hour excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_darkesthour.php

5. Haunted excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_haunted.php

6. Twilight excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/mediator/mediator_twilight.php


Oh! By the way, from what I can tell, this series was origianlly published under different titles, but the titles were changed, for one reason or another.

1. Shadowland (Love You to Death)
2. Ninth Key (High Stakes)
3. Reunion (Mean Spirits)
4. Darkest Hour (Young Blood)
5. Haunted (Grave Doubts)
6. Twilight (Heaven Sent)

Just in case somebody comes across an older version, that way they won't be confused.


Anything more you think I should share? Any comments on the book or author? Please let me know in a comment, and I'll try and respond as quickly as possible (on the post, in a comment).


(A/N: All summarys used in this post were taken from
http://www.goodreads.com/)

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

#1 The 1-800-WHERE-R-U series by Meg Cabot - Completed

Meg Cabot (born Meggin Patricia Cabot on February 1, 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana, United States) is an American chick-lit author of romantic comedies for teens and adults. She has written under the name Meggin Cabot, as well as the pseudonyms Patricia Cabot and Jenny Carroll. She has written and published over fifty books, and is best known for The Princess Diaries, later made by Walt Disney Pictures into two feature films of the same name. Cabot has more than fifteen million copies of her books — children's, young adult, and adult — in print worldwide. Her website averages about 80,000 unique visitors a month .


(The above paragraph was taken from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Cabot.)

For more information on Meg Cabot visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Cabot. and/or http://www.megcabot.com/!!!


The 1-800-WHERE-R-U series by Meg Cabot
About the series


(This piece was taken from http://www.megcabot.com/1800/about.php, and is written by Meg Cabot)
I first got the idea for the 1-800-Where-R-You series-- about sixteen year old Jess, a girl with the psychic power to find missing people--after a friend and I went for a walk one day in downtown Manhattan and got caught in a terrible thunderstorm. We tried to ride out the storm under some metal scaffolding (not very smart!) and of course it got hit by lightning. We were all right, but we both wondered.would we get psychic powers now?
Of course we didn't (darn!) but I couldn't stop thinking about what KIND of powers I could have gotten. The best, I thought, would be the power to find missing people.When I mentioned this to my friend, she groaned, "You're not going to write a book about this, are you?"
I started writing one that day-a book that eventually became WHEN LIGHTING STRIKES, the first book in 1-800-Where-R-You series.
Of course, Jess has another unnatural talent as well.for finding trouble! This doesn't make her too popular with Rob, the hot guy she sits next to in detention, who manages to find trouble all on his own, without her help.enough to get him on probation, which is reason enough to make him determined to stay away from Jess.much to her chagrin.
I set the book in a fictional town in Indiana (you'll notice I never say the NAME of the town in the books). It's based on the town I grew up in, where there were Grits (people who lived in the country) and Townies (people who lived in town), and a lot of prejudice.but also good people who didn't care if you were a Grit or a Townie, as well. While I made Jess a tough girl who gets into fights-I did get detention once or twice for fighting. It's what happens when you grow up with brothers-I, like Jess, did eventually learn that solving problems with your mind and not your fists is ALWAYS the answer.
As with The Mediator, I originally planned 1-800-Where-R-You as an 8 book series. The publisher who bought the rights only wanted 4 books, though, and when those didn't end up selling well, that publisher chose not to buy my proposal for the next four books in the series after the publication of SANCTUARY, effectively ending the series in what I considered the middle of it! I was pretty bummed, as you can imagine.
Eventually the television rights to the series got picked up by one of the producers to The Princess Diaries movies (Debra Martin Chase), and the series ran (as the show "Missing") on the Lifetime Channel for several seasons (though the television series was VERY different from the books, and really had no relation to them at all).
Fortunately, my Princess Diaries publisher said they would publish more of the books in the series if I wanted to write them. And that's how the final book in the series, MISSING YOU, came to be. I'm eternally grateful to HarperCollins for allowing me to finish up the series.
I have no plans on continuing the 1-800-Where-R-You series past five books at this time. I'm happy with where I've left Jess and Rob in MISSING YOU. They've been through a lot! I'd like to let them have a well-deserved rest.
I'm very grateful to all the readers who've stuck by this series. I hope you'll look forward to the new paranormal series I'll be writing in the future!
Love, Meg

(The above piece was taken from http://www.megcabot.com/1800/about.php, and is written by Meg Cabot)



1. When Lightning Strikes JESS MASTRIANI
was misunderstood by her teachers and had a crush on the local bad boy, but that didn't mean she was trouble. But trouble found her when she survived a lightning strike and discovered that a newfound talent had been bestowed upon her.
Now, whenever she sees a picture of a missing child, Jess knows exactly where he or she is when she wakes up the next morning. Reuniting lost children with their desperate parents is one thing, but Jess must choose whether to use her power for good...or for evil.

2. Code Name CassandraJESS MASTRIANI
was dubbed "Lightning Girl" by the press when she developed a psychic ability to find missing children after she was struck by lightning during a huge storm. Now Jess has lost her miraculous powers...or at least she would like the media and the government to think so. All she wants is to be left alone.
But it doesn't look like Jess is going to get her wish -- especially not while working at a summer camp for musically gifted kids. When the father of a missing girl shows up to beg Jess to find his daughter, Jess can't say no. Now the Feds are on her tail again, as is one ornery stepdad, who'd like to see Lightning Girl...well, dead.


3. Safe House JESS MASTRIANI
was on vacation when Amber went missing. Most people blame Jess for Amber's brutal slaying, but how could Jess -- even with her psychic ability to find anyone, anywhere -- have stopped the cheerleader from turning up dead, without having known she was even missing?
When yet another cheerleader disappears, Jess has a chance to redeem herself. If she can just find the girl before it's too late, maybe Jess will finally have a chance to be part of the in crowd. Except that it's starting to look like being "in" might just get you -- not to mention your loved ones -- killed. So much for popularity.


4. Sanctuary JESS MASTRIANI
Knew she wasn't going to be able to hide her psychic powers from the U.S. government forever. But she never thought that she and Dr. Krantz, the special agent brought in to convince Jess to join his elite team of "specially gifted" crime solvers, would have something in common.
When a local boy's disappearance is attributed to a backwoods militia group, it turns out that Jess and Dr. Krantz have the same goal. Suddenly Jess finds herself collaborating with one enemy in order to stop a far worse one. In an atmosphere of hate and fear, Jess and Dr. Krantz must work together to unite a community and save a life...without loosing their own.


5. Missing You Ever since a walk home on a particularly stormy day, Jessica Mastriani has had an ability like no other. She became known worldwide as Lightning Girl—a psychic who could find the location of anyone, dead or alive. Jess finally had no choice but to embrace her newfound talent, and ended up lending her skills to the U.S. government.
But her work for them has taken a terrible toll, and Jess resurfaces months later a shadow of her former self, her powers gone, Lightning Girl no more. Her only hope is starting over in a new place, a big city where nobody knows her. It's only when Rob Wilkins unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep that she's forced to face her past. Rob, all the way from back home, needs her help. But how can Jess, her powers gone, find anyone, let alone the sister of a man she once loved . . . when she can't even find herself?

Missing You, the fifth and final book in the 1-800-Where-R-You series


You can read can read excerpts of the books on Meg Cabot's website that I will link below.

1. When Lightning Strikes excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/1800/1800_whenlightningstrikes.php


2. Code Name Cassandra excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/1800/1800_codenamecassandra.php


3. Safe House excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/1800/1800_safehouse.php


4. Sanctuary excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/1800/1800_sanctuary.php


5. Missing You excerpt
http://www.megcabot.com/1800/1800_missingyou.php

Anything more you think I should share? Any comments on the book or author? Please let me know in a comment, and I'll try and respond as quickly as possible (on the post, in a comment).


(A/N: All summarys used in this post were taken from http://www.goodreads.com/)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Win one of two sets of Maria V. Snyder's books from Bookworming in the 21st Century!

Bookworming in the 21st Century is having a Maria V. Snyder books Giveaway! There are two prize packs and there will be TWO different winners!


Prize Pack 1
The Study Series
Poison Study
Magic Study
Fire Study
All of these will be signed/personalized by Maria for the winner!

Prize Pack 2
The Glass Series
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Cool glass-like glitter ball

Books will be signed/personalized by Maria for the winner!


This contest is open to US & Canada and will end Thursday, November 5th at 11:59 pm CST. so head on over to...

http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentury.com/2009/11/maria-v-snyder-books-giveaway.html

and enter to win!

Win a signed copys of Possessions and Pretty Little Devils from Books Obsession

The Books Obsession is having a contest to win signed copys of "Possessions" and "Pretty Little Devils" by Nancy Holder!

Description of "Possessions":
New-girl Lindsay discovers all is not right at the prestigious Marlwood Academy for Girls. Ethereal, popular Mandy and her clique are plotting something dangerous. Lindsay overhears them performing strange rituals, and sees their eyes turn black. It doesn’t help that the school itself is totally eerie, with ancient, dilapidated buildings tucked into the Northern California woods, a thick white fog swirling through campus. There are hidden passageways, odd reflections in the windows at night, and scariest of all is the vast lake rumored to have captured the ghost of a girl who drowned many years ago. What Lindsay doesn’t yet realize is that Mandy and her cohorts are becoming possessed by spirits who have haunted the school for two hundred years. Spirits who want someone dead... And that someone is Lindsay.


Description of "Pretty Little Devils":
Some girls would KILL to be part of the in crowd. POPULARITY is the one thing Hazel wants....High school junior Hazel Stone is sick of being stuck with the c-listers. She'll do anything to be one of the Pretty Little Devils, her school's most coveted clique. The PLDS are famous for their secret soirees, held in the oversized suburban homes of the people they babysit for. So when Sylvia invites her to one of the PLD parties, Hazel couldn't be more thrilled! Little does she know... Hazel's new social status comes with a price. Sure, it's fun skinny-dipping in infinity pools and drinking the contents of the well-stocked rec rooms...after the kids are in bed. But when the lights go out, this babysitter has to deal with more than monsters in the closet. Nasty things start happening. Frightening prank calls. A cat gone missing. Mysterious threats. It seems that someone's jealous of newly popular Hazel... DEADLY JEALOUS. When other babysitters start turning up dead, Hazel has to figure out who to trust, before someone turns their backstabbing ways on her.
(Both book descriptions were taken from Books Obsession!)

This constes is open to USA residents only and will end November 3rd! So head on over to...

http://booksobsession.blogspot.com/2009/10/hbt-win-signed-nancy-holder-books.html

and enter to win!!!!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Win a copy of Little Black Lies from The Hiding Spot!!

The Hiding Spot is having a contest to win a copy of Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen!

A Quick Summary:
Sara Black is tiptoeing across a fraying tightrope. As the new eleventh grader at Anton High–the most elite public school in the country–she sticks out like an old VW bus in a parking lot full of shiny BMWs. But being the new kid also brings a certain advantageous anonymity. In Anton High’s world of privilege, intelligence, and wealth, Sara can escape her family’s tarnished past and become whomever she wants. And what’s the harm in telling a few little black lies when it can lead to popularity? That is, until another it girl at Anton becomes jealous of Sara’s social climbing. With her balance evaporating, one small push could bring Sara crashing down.
(This Quick Summary was taken from The Hiding Spot)

You must be a follower (old or new) of The Hiding Spot to enter this contest. This contest ends on November 1st. So head on over to...

http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/2009/10/contest-win-copy-of-little-black-lies.html

and enter to win!!!

Win a signed copy of Strange Angels from Books Obsession!!

The Books Obsession is having a contest to win a signed copy of Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow!

Book Description:
Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.) Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?
(Book Description taken from the Books Obsession)

This contest is open to USA only and will end on November 1 at midnight. So head on over to...

http://booksobsession.blogspot.com/2009/10/hbt-win-strange-angels-signed.html

and enter to win!!

Win a copy of The Exorsistah and Hush, Hush from The Bookologist!!!!

The Bookologist is having a contest to win a copy of The Exorsistah and Hush, Hush + loads of swag. Contest is International and ends november 1. So head on over to...

http://the-bookologist.blogspot.com/2009/10/fallen-angels-and-possessed-demons.html

and enter to win!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Teens Read and Write is having a MegaBook GIVEAWAY with Multiple Winners!!!

Teens Read and Write is having a MegaBook GIVEAWAY with Multiple Winners!!! This giveaway is open to followers of Teens Read and Write only (new or old) and ends November 15. As Teens Read and Write gets more followers they will add winners and books.

RULES!

"1) You must fill out the form (required items are noted). (The form can be found on the actual giveaway post at
Teens Read and Write which will be at the bottom of this post)

2) You Must Be a Follower (old or new). You can sign-up easily on the right sidebar.

3) Provide your email (on the entry form)

4) Comment on this Post.


Anything will do but if you have a book you'd like us to add to this Giveaway, please tell us in the comments here. No guarantees but we will add one or more books based on the voting, so give us your input! (Just keep in mind it must be something available by the end of this giveaway."
(rules taken from
Teens Read and Write)

So head on over to...

http://teensreadandwrite.blogspot.com/2009/10/our-first-megabook-giveaway-with.html

and enter to win!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Why Zombies are cool Quotes!!

This is my way of celebrating Halloween! Basically, I just came across a zombie related blog post and decided to quote some of the one's I found amusing! I PLAN to put more on here, but don't hold me to anything since I put off something that I was already behind in to post this, and I may not have time.

zombie apocalypse Pictures, Images and Photos


"Zombies are cool because they don't care what other people think of them. I wish I could walk around unshowered, dirty, smelly, and with ripped up clothing without having to worry about it." Quoted from Jenna (http://www.blogger.com/profile/13158077097318397993) in a comment she posted! Her blog is A Read in the Life!!

"Zombies are awesome because... A: I AM secretly a zombie, and so thy are my kin and I am obligated to love them... and B: They just are. Trying to argue that they aren't won't work. It's in out bones. ;P But also because we come from all different periods of time, different nationalities, religions, races, we don't discriminate. *hitschestwithhandfor emphasis*"
Quoted from ReaderGirl (
http://www.blogger.com/profile/08435896084917633832) in a comment she posted!

"I have loved Zombies since I was barely old enough to say the word Zombie. They are, to date, the only 'horror' creature that has never terrified me. There are reports that as a toddler I would laugh uproariously whenever they came on the screen during a Romero flick."
Quoted from Lexie (
http://www.blogger.com/profile/01997726505496899916) in a comment she posted! Lexie has three blogs: 1. Graphic Novels Challenge 2. Poisoned Rationality 3. Royal Reviews!!

"I love zombies because, to quote the remake of Night of the Living Dead, "We are them and they are us." Interpret how you will."
Quoted from Dannie (
http://www.blogger.com/profile/15148118403462060553) in a comment she posted! Her blog is Opinionated? Me?!!

"Zombies are cool because so far unlike Vampires they haven't been sparklized. Zombies are still tough, if not always the smartest."
Quoted from BrittLit (
http://www.blogger.com/profile/18067872282413345969) in a comment she posted! Her blog is Reading Nook!!

"I love Zombies cause they refuse to die even though they are dead!"
Quoted from YA Vampire Books (
http://www.blogger.com/profile/07655345113702376708) in a comment she posted! YA Vampire Books has two blogs: 1. YA Vampire Books 2. What a Girl Reads!!

"Zombies are cool because they like girls for their brains not their looks. XD"
Quoted from Haley (http://www.blogger.com/profile/00037745245888874446) in a comment she posted! Her blog is Haley's Book List!!

"Zombies are cool because they can eat anything. And they do!"
Quoted from Donnas (http://www.blogger.com/profile/15468804026216474775) in a comment she posted! Her blog is Donna's Blog Home!!

"Now, why do I think ZOMBIES are cool? Obviously, they don't sweat much. They look hot in shades. Zombies are also very self-confident, I've yet to meet a zombie with low self esteem issues.

Also, contrary to popular belief, zombies are absolutely wonderful with small children - who are so fascinated with oozing, decaying body parts that the little tykes will play quietly in their rooms the rest of the night and (unless prompt psychological counseling is administered) maybe for the rest of their natural life.

Furthermore, as everyone knows, zombies make excellent BFFs! They are not prone to gossip, and will be the first to let you know if that particular shade of fuchsia actually DOES make you look fat. And, unlike most human males,a zombie boyfriend can sit through movies like the Titanic or Sex in the City without farting and making loud snarky comments."
Quoted from Mary Ann DeBorde (http://www.blogger.com/profile/14924439808069320143) in a comment she posted! Mary Ann DeBorde has four blogs which you can find on her profile above!

"Zombies are cool because they're like having that fat friend around so that you look thin, only in Zombie's case, they make you look smart!"
Quoted from Llehn (http://www.blogger.com/profile/03808225636111637085) in a comment she posted!

"Zombies are cool because they're everywhere lately and the books and movies that feature them all have a different perspective on them. Not to mention, my best friend has a fear of zombies actually being real and attacking her, so we have some interesting conversations in regard to escaping zombies."
Quoted from Nikkayme (http://www.blogger.com/profile/10379785087255968519) in a comment she posted! Her blog is A Haunt of Ancient Peace!!

"Zombies are cool because they are always killed off in the best ways"
Quoted from Jamie (http://www.blogger.com/profile/16171062468539789228) in a comment she posted! Her blog is Copper Llama Studio!!

"I love Zombies because of their shuffle that is irresistible to imitate!"
Quoted from LiLi (http://www.blogger.com/profile/02752508063795405204) in a comment she posted! Her blog is . (or http://lilibethramos.blogspot.com/)!!

That's all for now! I'll try and find some similar stuff to put on later but no promises!!!


zombies Pictures, Images and Photos Icon, Friend, Zombies, Funny Pictures, Images and Photos ZOMBIES ATE MY ICON Pictures, Images and Photos Zombie Plan Pictures, Images and Photos



Identifying a Zombie Pictures, Images and Photos


Zombie Emergency Procedure Pictures, Images and Photos

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Win one of 2 Vampire's Assistant prize packs from The Story Siren - Ends 10/22

Win one of two Vampire's Assistant prize packs from The Story Siren at http://www.thestorysiren.com/2009/10/cirque-du-freak-vampires-assistant.html - Ends October 22
so head on over there and enter to win!!

Welcome to my blog!

Nice to meet you, my name is Hailey, and I eat books for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and everything else! You know that kid that was at your school dance, sitting in a corner reading, looking perfectly content until someone dared disturb them? That kid is one of my long lost siblings. I'd rather stay home reading and being anti-social then go to a amusement park or sled riding. Anyway, the purpose of my blog is YA recommendations. Since I can be a very picky reader I often have trouble finding satisfactory books for my taste. I can't begin to tell you the hours I've wasted browsing Amazon looking for something good to read. So, I decided to try and help all those YA readers who have trouble deciding what to read, but as I said I can be pretty picky, which is why I want YOU to give a YA book recommendation of your own. Just post a comment and tell me the name of the book and author(if you can remember) that you would like to recommend to others!!!

YA Book Recommendation List

  • 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
  • Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
  • Coffee House Angel by Suzanne Selfors
  • Candor Pam Bachorz
  • Dull Boy by Sarah Cross
  • Growing Wings by Laurel Winter
  • Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe
  • Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
  • Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
  • Intertwined by Gena Showalter (Sequel "Unraveled" Coming September 2009)
  • Jinx by Meg Cabot
  • Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne
  • My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
  • Never Bite a Boy on the First Date by Tamara Summers
  • Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis
  • Never Slow Dance With A Zombie by E. Van Lowe
  • Neverwhere By Neil Gaiman
  • Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
  • Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
  • Ruined by Paula Morris
  • Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley