No Reflection (A VAMPED Music Video)

Check out this fun music video based on Lucienne Diver's Vamped series!

If you like the song, click here to download your own copy for free!

Friday Funny: My Little Pony

For more giggles, check out this link.

The Norm of the Month: Bad Kitty: Catnipped (Written and Created by Michele Jaffe; Art by Lince)

Description: Trouble seems to follow aspiring detective Jasmine Callihan. Or maybe it’s that Jas (who apparently never learned what Curiosity did to the Cat) follows trouble.

All Jas wants to do today is hang out with her pals (and her superfantastico boyfriend, but shh, don’t tell the Thwarter, aka her dad, who’s trying to keep her under permanent lockdown). Simple. Straightforward. But catastrophe is lurking. First Jas stumbles upon a schoolmate’s lost purse. Then there’s the jewelry store heist, the wrongly accused man, the clueless cops, the seven words that destroy her relationship, and…well, before she knows it, Jas has got a lot more than brunch on her plate.

Now it’s up to her and her mega-cool crew, Roxy, Polly, and Tom, to catch the thief. It won’t be easy—not with Jas’s cousin Alyson and her Evil Hench Twin Veronique tagging along for the ride and having to elude the Thwarter with his All-Seeing Eye. Oh, and her heart breaking into a million tiny pieces.

Trying to right wrongs and have brunch with a hot guy shouldn’t be this taxing, should it?

Why It’s Great: I must admit it: I have never read the Bad Kitty novels. However, after stumbling upon the manga sequel Catnipped, I am more than eager to now! This manga whodunit was heaps of fun to read. Although I never read its YA novel predecessors, it was still easy to follow without them for reference. The plot could be a bit predictable at times, but the humor and heart throughout the story—not to mention the quirky characters!—more than make up for that. The artwork by Lince is also very pleasing, portraying the story in a somewhat more comical manga style that is both enjoyable and suitable. It’s a shame a cliffhanger was tacked on to the story, since a sequel was never released, but the main plot wraps up satisfyingly, so anyone jonesing for a comedic whodunit that happens to be told in manga-form shouldn’t shy away from Catnipped!

Happy Halloween!

Hope you're all having a spooktastic holiday! To help celebrate, you can check out my list of creepy fantasy characters, if you haven't already, 'cause what better time is there to enjoy characters like that than Halloween? ;)

Now, to help celebrate further, here's a fun animated short of the character Sam, who's awesome Halloween self can be seen in movies like Trick 'R Treat...

Waiting on Wednesday: Eerie Cuties (Vol. 1)

Title: Eerie Cuties (Vol. 1)
Creators: Gisèle Lagacé and David Lumsdon
Release Date: Mid-November 2011

Collects chapters 1 through 4 (Nov 3/10 to Oct 10/11) of the new full-page format.

Chapter 1: Girls just wanna have fun
Chapter 2: Store-bought
Chapter 3: War dance
Chapter 4: Sisterly Love

Plus includes: Datebusters - An 8-page print-exclusive bonus story.

This collection collects the first year of Eerie Cuties' new full page format, hence the start of a new volume 1 (the previous "comic strip" collection is now volume 0.) Relive all the party fun at the Delacroix's house, Layla & Tiff's blooming friendship, all the events that led to the dance AND the dance itself; and the book's closing chapter, where Nina and Layla switch bodies.

Plus read a brand new print-exclusive story "Datebusters," which follows Ace & Brooke's first date! You don't want to miss that! ;)

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Eerie Cuties is easily one of my favorite webcomics, so of course I can't wait to own more of it in print! (I already own the comic strip collection.) The fact that this volume is going to contain a print-exclusive story of Ace and Brooke makes me squee even more, since those characters are some of my favorites in the comic! Have you yet to be exposed to the awesomeness that is Eerie Cuties? Click here to read it from the beginning!

Contest Results

Due to a lack of entries, no one has won the Cirque Du Freak giveaway. I won't be extending the contest deadline since, at this point, I don't feel like anyone would enter even if I did prolong it. Thank you to the couple people who helped spread the word about this contest, despite not wanting to enter themselves. I greatly appreciate it!

Creepy Characters in Fantasy Fiction: Round 1

In honor of Halloween this month, I’ve decided to make a list of characters who have left an impression on me throughout the years because of their—what else?—creepiness! With fantasy’s tendency to lean toward the horrific, this list could get real long, real fast, so I’m just going to name a few for now. Hopefully I can spotlight more creepy characters for future Octobers! Is one of your favorites a part of this list? Or have I ridiculously forgotten to list someone you think deserves a mention right now? Sound off in the comments!

Edward Cullen

“I’m essentially a selfish creature. I crave your company too much to do what I should.”

—Edward

As Seen In: The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

Why He’s Creepy: I tried refraining from mentioning Edward in a list like this, since I know he’s not supposed to be creepy, but…come on. When he’s not being downright stalkery, he’s over-controlling and possessive. Forget vampires; this kind of monster—too easily found in the real world—is the thing that gives me nightmares.

The Fairy King

So the Fairy King reached out with his long, ghostly fingers…and ate her soul.

As Seen In: The Dreaming series by Queenie Chan

Why He’s Creepy: This entire manga is full of creepy characters, but if I have to narrow it down to just one for this list, I’m going to go with the Fairy King, since a lot of the creepiness that happens throughout the series wouldn’t have been possible without him. If you thought making a deal with the Devil was bad, wait until you make a deal with a quinkan….

Gravedigger

His face broke into a hideous grin that stretched the width of his skeletal head like a gruesome gash.

As Seen In: The Morpheus Road series by D. J. MacHale

Why He’s Creepy: Has Gravedigger inexplicably been brought to life from a stack of drawings, or is he just a figment of your imagination? Doesn’t matter, because one way or another, this thing is haunting you until he gets what he wants—in this case, your life—and nothing he does to persuade you involves something as pleasant as a “please.” (It may, however, involve a silver pick….)

Harold the Scarecrow

“There really is nothing to be afraid of,” they told one another. “After all, what can a doll do?”

As Seen In: Scary Stories Treasury by Alvin Schwartz; illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Why He’s Creepy: As a kid, Harold’s story—creatively titled “Harold”—is one that always stuck out to me when reading (and rereading!) this series. Considering how this scarecrow has no qualms skinning you and hanging your bloody hide up to dry, is it really that much of a surprise that it did?

Him

With one quick decision he could determine if they awakened tomorrow, or if they languished for hours or days on end, or if their hearts stopped suddenly, midbeat, without the slightest warning.

As Seen In: The Unseen series by Richie Tankersley Cusick

Why He’s Creepy: This supernatural stalker—from a breed so shrouded, no one has a name for them—can take the guise of anyone, as well as show up anywhere, anytime. When he sets his sights out for something—or, rather, someone—don’t expect your life to stay normal for long…if he even lets you live.

Regulators

He sensed his body bleeding into the Regulator, becoming part of her essence…

As Seen In: The Daughters of the Moon and Sons of the Dark series by Lynne Ewing

Why They’re Creepy: They can look supermodel perfect—better than supermodel perfect, even—but that’s only when they bother shapeshifting to look “normal” while traipsing through our world. Evil has deformed their true appearance, making them monstrous inside and out. But don’t worry, they won’t kill you—they’ll just absorb you into their bodies, dooming you to spend eternity seeing life through their eyes as they do their malicious deeds.

The Shadow Men

It looked down at Jenny with its crocodile eyes: ancient, pitiless, and endlessly malevolent.

As Seen In: The Forbidden Game series by L. J. Smith

Why They’re Creepy: Although born beautiful, they grow grotesque with age, to better match the evil within them. (How grotesque? Well, some can be described as looking like a “withered fetus,” for one thing….) These creatures, from a nefarious realm called the Shadow World, like bringing nightmares to life and playing games with humans. (No, not of the Monopoly variety.) What they like even more, however, is souls, and they will stop at nothing to possess yours.

Which of these characters is the creepiest?
	Edward Cullen
	The Fairy King
	Gravedigger
	Harold the Scarecrow
	Him
	Regulators
	The Shadow Men
pollcode.com free polls

Don't Forget...

There's only a few days left to enter my Cirque Du Freak contest, where you can win both a book and DVD! To learn more, click here. No one has entered the contest yet, so if you do, there's a very good chance you'll end up being the winner. ;)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Space Between

Title: The Space Between
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Release Date: November 14, 2011

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

Why I’m Looking Forward To It: I have yet to read Brenna Yovanoff's first book, The Replacement--although it's in my TBR pile!--but still, I love her short stories, so I'm excited regardless for any book she may write. Plus, who can resist being excited about a premise like the one for The Space Between? Or--more superficially--a book with a cover that stunning?! I know I can't!

What books are the rest of you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday: Trick or Treat

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

So, which book am I teasing this week?

Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick, page 15:

There was a carving knife through his head....

And as the moonlight fell across his slashed face, he grinned up at her.

Cirque Du Freak Contest

I recently received a book I did not need, so guess what? I’m offering it up in a giveaway for one of you to win!

And what is that book, exactly? Cirque Du Freak: Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan! That’s not the only prize, however: I am also giving away a copy of the DVD Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, an adaptation of the book series!

 

Want a chance to win both these prizes? All you have to do is…

1) Be a US resident. (Sorry, non-USians. I can only afford to ship within the US at the moment!)

2) Leave a comment on this post with your email address (so I have a way to contact you if you win) and an answer to this question: What is your favorite vampire book?

That’s it! Easy, right? But guess what: you have more opportunities to win! You can earn extra entries by…

1) Being a follower of this blog. (Earns you 1+ entry. Please be sure to mention you’re a follower in a comment on this post.)

2) Spreading the word about this contest on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. (Each individual post = 1+ entry. So, a blog post = 1+ entry. A blog post AND a tweet = 2+ entries. Etc. Just be sure to link to each in a comment on this post so I can verify it!)

Now that’s it. So what are you waiting for? Enter now! The contest ends Monday, October 17, at midnight. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and announced on this blog on the 18th, as well as contacted via email. Good luck!

Archie's Weird Mysteries

Description: Everyone is used to hearing Archie tell wild stories and tall tales, especially in his “Weird Mysteries” news column. But when vampires, werewolves, aliens, and bigfoot monsters start popping up, it’s up to Archie, Betty, Veronica, Reggie and Jughead to get to the bottom of it! There’s always something strange going on…in a little town called Riverdale.

Review:

Archie’s Weird Mysteries is a collection of stories from the now-defunct comic series based on the TV show of the same name—a TV show which was based on the Archie comics franchise in general. (Mind-boggled yet?) Fantasy fans who also happen to enjoy the campy fun Archie and the gang get into will love this particular branch of comics, since it is basically Riverdale with a Sunnydale flare, and what could be more awesome than that?

Absolutely nothing, which will be more than evident once you give Archie’s Weird Mysteries a try. Eager for parodies of Scream and Scooby Doo? You’ve got it! Curious to see what it’d be like if aliens played baseball, or if bigfoot started attending high school? You’ve got that, too! You’ll even get to see beloved characters who once existed solely in the TV show, such as Dr. Beaumont and Scarlet, which is more than a delight if you’re still missing the days new episodes aired with these characters.

This omnibus collection isn’t completely flawless, however. Although Paul Castiglia’s writing is consistently funny, with Fernando Ruiz’s art more stellar than ever thanks to the extra freedom he has with the typical Archie style, I wish this collection of their work was more than just of the “best of” variety. All the stories may stand perfectly well on their own, but there is a sense sometimes that something is missing…and that something is more stories that had originally been released in between the ones collected here. Incidents and back-histories are sometimes alluded to, and while it’s not necessary to see them firsthand to understand the current story, I would have enjoyed seeing them nevertheless so this particular world Archie and the gang live in could be more fleshed out. As a result, I would have much preferred to have, instead of a “best of” collection, several collections released so anyone who missed this comic series when it first came out could now enjoy it all in graphic novel form.

Regardless of this personal preference, Archie’s Weird Mysteries is still more than worthy of checking out, whether you are looking for a dose of nostalgia as an old Archie fan or simply in the mood for some good campy fun with comics that emulate all those awesome B-horror movies of yesteryear. Even better? Once you’ve finished enjoying all the stories collected in this volume, you’ll be treated to an interview with both the writer and artist, learning behind-the-scenes info on the comic as well as the TV show! It’s already October, so what are you waiting for? Pick up this volume today to enjoy Archie and the gang’s zany, fantastical adventures that are more than perfect for Halloween!

Contest!

In celebration of autumn, author Janelle Madigan is hosting a contest over at her blog! The prize? A $10 Amazon gift card! The contest ends on October 8. Check out her blog for further rules on how to enter.

Waiting on Wednesday: Vampire Knight #13

Title: Vampire Knight #13
Author: Matsuri Hino
Release Date: October 4, 2011

Cross Adademy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

Yuki is attacked by another pureblood outside a graveyard for meddling in the ways of the vampire society. Injured, she returns home to Kaname, who shares with her his past memories and the truth behind the Kuran family.

Why I’m Looking Forward To It: I adore the Vampire Knight series. It is easily one of my favorites in the manga genre! Naturally, having devoured the previous books, I can't wait for the latest addition to be released!

Page to Screen: The One Season of Chloe King

The Nine Lives of Chloe King--the TV adaptation of the Celia Thomson/Liz Braswell book series of the same name--has been canceled after just one season. For more details, click here.

I have yet to see this show, since I don't have cable, but I am disappointed nevertheless, since I love the books. It's sad to know that its adaptation wasn't successful enough to keep on going.

What about the rest of you? Are you fans of this show and sad to see it go? Or are you saying, "Good riddance!" at this news?

Are You a Fan of Lynne Ewing?

Then you might be interested in my new Tumblr, No One Starts the Party Without Us, where I blog about anything and everything related to Lynne Ewing and her amazing books! Check it out!

After Obsession Trailer

I adore anything Carrie Jones writes--so, naturally, I had to pre-order the spooky new book she co-authored, After Obsession! It was just released this month--on the 13th, to be exact--so I eagerly anticipate the day this book finally arrives in my mailbox! Until it does, you all can enjoy this amazing trailer for it with me:

Page to Screen: A Double-Dose of L. J. Smith!

Tonight the third season of The Vampire Diaries--a very loose adaptation of the L. J. Smith book series by the same name--premieres!

Guess what? The Secret Circle, the latest L. J. Smith adaptation, premieres, too, right after The Vampire Diaries!

You excited? I know I am!

The Norm of the Month: Happyface by Stephen Emond

Description: Cute girls dig him. He even has his own fan club.

But he wasn’t always this awesome. He used to be Mr. Comic Book, a resident of Lonelyland. So when he switched schools, he slapped on a grin and went from big nerd to big shot. Meet Happyface. This is his story.

Why It’s Great: Happyface is the fictional journal of a boy who once did little else than read comics and sketch his own, but after tragedy strikes in his family, resulting in a move and switch of schools, he reinvents himself, earning the nickname Happyface in the process. He still sketches in his journal, but chooses to keep that fact hidden, along with his past, the latter of which haunts him until the happiness he’s trying to exude finally starts to break.

Happyface is easily one of the most satisfying YA contemporaries I have read as of late. It is simultaneously hilarious and touching and heartbreaking. Even when his behavior is inexcusable, you can’t help but feel for Happyface and hope everything turns out okay for him in the end. His growth and maturity is amazing to see unfold, and even a bit painful, since it is far from an easy journey, and one that all of us can relate to in some way, I’d reckon. The art within the book—ranging from doodles to fleshed-out comics—only makes it more enticing to read. (I had actually been in the middle of reading another book, but flipping through this one and seeing all the quirky artwork compelled me to read Happyface instead, it’s that awesome.) Happyface’s world—as tragic as it can be sometimes—is one you’ll be tempted to stay in, until you realize you’ve read the entire book in one sitting and can’t stay in it anymore! Needless to say, if you’re in search of a humorous YA with heart, Stephen Emond’s Happyface is the way to go!

Help a Library!

Libraries have been devastated recently because of Tropical Storm Irene. To learn how you can help compensate for the damage, check out author Kate Messner's blog. Every little bit helps!