What would Harry, Ron, and Hermione do?

As I sometimes do, I am pimping a book to enter a giveaway contest.  In 13 days a YA paranormal comes out called BLOOD MAGIC, by Tessa Gratton.  It has magic, cemeteries, murder, secrets, romance and lots and lots of blood.  For a more plot-oriented description (you mean throwing out nouns isn't sufficient these days?), here's the jacket flap, from the author's website:

For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.

Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.

Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood.

Here is a trailer for the book:



And if you want to enter a contest to try to win a copy of BLOOD MAGIC or other awesome ARCs, here is the contest.

"You're forgetting the most important thing.  Glory has Spike, and she's going to harm him."

I like the first part of that quote as an attention grabber.  Though others might find it bland, you'll know it's secretly more creative than saying "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" b/c everyone quotes Shakespeare and few people quote BtVS.  Plus, you say it and you think of half-naked, tortured, noble Spike, which is always pleasant to think about.

Anyway, the reason I am trying to grab your attention is to direct said attention to a contest hosted by YA author Jennifer Lynn Barnes on her blog to give away a copy of a book of essays on The Hunger Games.  Her essay is about why Katniss is an amazing, strong female character independent of Peeta and Gale.  In order to enter the contest you just need to explain why you love Katniss in a way that doesn't involve the boys.  You can enter five times!  And you get a sixth entry by posting about it on your blog!  (hence my shameless plugging)

So if you love Katniss (and who doesn't?) and would maybe like a book of essays about THG, go enter here.  Contest ends at midnight tonight.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.