Silk and Paper Campaign: Rise Up

The Rising needs new recruits.  We're trying to drive as much traffic over to the Matched Trilogy Facebook fan page as we possibly can.  If you haven't already liked the page yourself, head on over and get that out of the way, and then start encouraging others to check it out as well.  Are you guys up for the challenge?  While I know a lot of you fans and readers out there will do your best simply because we love this series as well as Ally Condie, I'm hoping I can add a little extra incentive to inspire a little bit more action on our parts and sweeten the deal for all of your hard work.  I also just want to show you guys how much I really appreciate all your help!  I couldn't have done the challenge without you and it's been so much fun and I know it can only get better!

Thanks to the Penguin Publishing I've got a few great goodies and swag that I can offer up and give away to a few lucky winners.  This time around I've got some great buttons and posters that you'll want to add to your collection.  I'll admit that I almost wanted to keep them for myself, but no worries....I've resisted the temptation.  But you guys have all been so great and helpful, not to mention supportive of this challenge and future release that I'm going to ask you to fill out the form below and enter for your chance to win!  You'll have until October 29th so hurry up and enter!

Silk and Paper Campaign Traders (2)

As you know last Saturday I decided to introduce you to a few of the Traders that are participating alongside me throughout the Silk and Paper Campaign.  There were simply too many to highlight each of them in just one post so I had to split it into two posts.  I didn't want to just list them and send  you over to their blogs, I wanted to take a moment and mention some of my favorite aspects of their blogs, their writing, and to talk about a few of the more unique elements they've included on their sites.

So here are the rest of the Traders taking part in the campaign.....

Trader #11:  Page Turners

Two co-owners and six additional bloggers make up this blog team, and what a team they are.  I know most of you are probably familiar with this blog and the writers that make it possible, but I felt the need to gush over their site regardless.  This is actually one of the first blogs I came across after starting my own.  And what an inspiration they were.  Their character interviews are some of my favorite posts to check out.  I love the creative and unique questions they've come up with and the answers that follow.  Definitely one of my favorite sites around.

Trader #12:  Novel Thoughts

Three amazing reviewers and bloggers call this blog home and once you stop by you won't want to leave anytime soon.  One of my favorite parts of this blog is their "Praise" section and all I can say is wow!  The compliments and praise that have been given out to these individuals is without a doubt humbling.  Authors, fellow bloggers, readers, etc...they've all got something great to say about this team and they deserve every bit of credit given.  This is definitely one of those blogs and one of those teams that I look up to and enjoy visiting as often as I can.

Trader #13:  Novel Novice

14 contributors people!  Can you imagine the types of variety this site has to offer?  After reading a little bit about each of these bloggers I must say that I honestly can't think of anyone who wouldn't want to be a part of this team, can you?  Be sure to check out their feature book of the month and make sure it's on your list.  I haven't seen a bad recommendation come out of their site yet, so you've got a pretty good chance of likely what they direct you towards.  I especially enjoy the fact that a lot of their books featured or discussed aren't always just revolving around what's topping the hot list, ya know?  They seem to have the eye when it comes to sorting through the mass amounts of new releases that are hitting the shelves or counting down until their release dates and I enjoy reading about the diamond in the roughs they hit on.

Trader #14:  Mundie Moms

Yet another blog I'm sure most of you are familiar with, and also one of the first sites that I came across after starting my own blog.  And I haven't stopped visiting it yet.  It's addicting and information and sometimes there's so much to look at I find myself on overload....I don't know how they find the time to include it all.  What might have started out as a place to discuss Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series (one of my favorites) has since turned into a YA hit where just about everything is hit upon.

Trader #15:  Matched Fandom

I wish I had a picture to go along with this blog but I've used the cover from Condie's series opener as a substitute when I was unable to snag their blog banner.  Once again this site has got great elements and they all revolve around Ally Condie's Matched Trilogy.  I just can't seem to get enough.  Recently they had a post about fancasting for the upcoming Matched movie adaptation and I've got to agree with some of the choices they highlighted.  I could totally picture some of those actresses in the role of Cassia, and doing it justice.  Everyone always has a picture in their mind of what the characters they read about really look like and it's often hard to bring that to reality, but some of these picks are pretty close to what I've always imagined.

Trader #16:  Katie over at Katie's Book Blog

This girl's following speaks for itself.  Her and her blog are and have been a huge hit since she started the site in 2009 and I'm sure that won't change anytime soon.  She's like a lot of us that host our own blogs.  She'd seen and visited enough for so long and then decided it was finally time to start out on her own and share her opinions and reviews along with the rest of the blogosphere.  One of my favorite features she has on her site are the blogger interviews she conducts.  I'm always on the lookout for new blogs to follow and fellow bibliophiles to befriend and I know I'm not alone.  The interviews are a ton of fun to read and the blogs are all on my list of favorites.

Trader #17: Khy at Frenetic Reader

After taking a look at the "About Me" page when first coming across the blog I've got to say that I found it highly entertaining.  It's nothing but honestly, bluntness and the facts.  And because this blogger is a fan of lists, I instantly knew that I would be able to relate...who doesn't like lists, right?  While busy with college, reviews and posts have not completely stopped so I look forward to all Khy comes up with in the future.

Trader #18:  Emily at Emily's Reading Room

Emily along with two contributing bloggers make up this fun and interesting stop.  With such a busy and hectic life, I'm not sure where Emily finds the time to put out the posts she does for her blog, but my hat is off to her.  I do my best to make sure the blog doesn't get neglected, but having all that she's got going on deserves major props in my opinion.  She keeps her readers and fans up to date on reviews, author signings in her area, and lots of other YA lit related news!

Trader #19:  Bookshelf Banter

This blog is made up of four individual bloggers, and I love the way they've shaped this site.  While each person writes their own reviews and contributes to the blog, you might end up seeing a book reviewed by each of them or just one of them, it's all up in the air.  But I love the idea that rather than having to go to a site like Goodreads, you can get possibly four reviews all in the same place, from four different perspectives...it's not something you see on most sites.

Trader #20:  Taschima at Bloody Bookaholic

I became a fan when Taschima compared reading a book to falling in love....find her description in her "About Me" section and I'm sure you'll be laughing but also nodding your head right along with her words.  I just really like the comparison and surprisingly have not heard that one before....something new is always nice to store away, right?  There are reviews to check out, polls to participate in, giveaways to enter, and so much more...see for yourself!

Trader #21:  Anna at Anna Reads

And finally we have Anna wrapping up our trader introductions.  This girl is a major fan of literature.  But she seems to like the lighter side of it more so than most.  She's quite clear that books involving high schools and boys are going to make for the best reads, and if you don't agree with her, she's going to send you on your way...just kidding.  I like her humor and her wit, and I'm thinking I'm not the only one since her blog seems to draw lots of readers.

I just wanted to say thanks again to Penguin for including me among these fantastic bloggers, and fellow traders to be a part of this Silk and Paper Campaign and I can't wait to continue on with the challenges!

As always....Happy Reading!!!!!!!!

Silk and Paper Campaign: Get MATCHED

We've received our orders....as part of the Reached promotional challenge I once again need your help!  Here's what we can do.....

For Cassie Reyes, the seeds of dissent and rebellion were first sown in MATCHED.  The Society is corrupt and people must know.  Spread the word however you can - we need to get as many people as possible to tweet #getmatched.

But that's only the first part.  If you're a part of the twitter community please help us spread the word by tweeting #getmatched as far and wide as you possibly can.  Ask your followers to join in and lend a hand, reach out and see if anyone will accept their challenge to help alongside Cassie and spread the word that the Society's corruption needs to end and we can't do it alone!

Another way we're asking everyone to participate is to embed the MATCHED trailer and Scribd sampler on your blogs, Facebook pages, just about any place you can think of in order to get word out to all the readers and fans out there.

Check out the Scribd sampler here and take the opportunity to read the first seven chapters of MATCHED if you haven't already, and even if you've read the book before it's always fun to go back and see what made you fall in love with this series opener to begin with.  It always gets me that much more excited for the release of the next installment when I get the chance to go back and re-read the others in the series to refresh my memory.

And don't even get me started on the MATCHED trailer.  I've made sure to include it below for those of you who haven't seen it before.  Take a minute and check it out, you won't regret it.  And don't forget to take the trailer with you and embed it along with the Scribd sampler on your blogs, Facebook pages, and anywhere else you can think of to spread the word along with the rest of us as we continue to countdown until REACHED is release!

Silk and Paper Campaign Traders

Now that you guys have heard about the Silk and Paper Campaign that's taken over the blogosphere leading up to Ally Condie's third and final installment in the Matched Trilogy, REACHED, I wanted to make sure you guy knew who my fellow traders were.  There are some fantastic blogs and bloggers out there participating and they, like me have taken on the challenge of becoming a Trader for the Rising.

There are more bloggers than I could possibly talk about in just one post so I'm going to break this down for you over the next few Saturdays so you guys won't miss out on the chance to check out what's going on over at their blogs and throughout the Campaign!

Trader #1:  Lea over at the YA Book Queen

Lea has managed to add a little style and grace to her site revolving around young adult literature and I think her site embodies class to a T.  I love popping over to check out her Weekly Recommendations, so I can see what she thinks everyone should check out and what she's currently excited about in the literature world. Every time I stop by her blog I feel like curling up with a cup of espresso and relaxing.  And I've got to admit, her reviews are well thought out and I especially have started to enjoy and pay attention to her "highlights" and "lowlights" that she includes towards the end.

Trader #2:  Mandy over at Young Adult Book Central (YABC)

You name it and they've got it over at YABC.  You can check out a comprehensive list of the "hottest books" or the "top reader rated" lists and see what you're missing out on and what you need to get caught up on.  If you're looking for giveaways, they've got them covered, author information?  They have a huge list of authors that includes their bios, books, book excerpts, etc...  I'm not sure what else you could possibly want but if you come up with anything they'll probably end up already having it covered because they're just that proactive over at YABC.

Trader #3:  Jenny from Wondrous Reads

One of my favorite things about the YA blogosphere is the fact that we're so spread out and there's always a huge variety in bloggers, locations, styles, etc...  And Jenny is a perfect example since she's located in the U.K.  She started her blog in 2009 and has been at it ever since.  If you check her site out you'll really be able to tell immediately that she's a true bibliophile.  Her review are well written and I've been lucky enough to come across more than a few titles on her blog that I hadn't heard of before and was able to add to my TBR list thanks to her recommendations.

Trader #4:  Audra at The-Society.Net

If you want information regarding Ally Condie, her MATCHED series, and everything in between, this is the site you need to visit.  Just for a few examples, recently the site has posted about Ally Condie's Twitter chats, the Matched and Crossed Read Along...you can check out the button for that at the very bottom of my site (you won't want to miss out on the chance to be a part of this one!)  Interview with Condie, special boxed sets of the trilogy, awards the books have earned, and information about the movie adaptation that is in the works.  How could you resist?

Trader #5:  Benji at The Non Reluctant Reader

Contests, read alongs, memes, interviews, and of course reviews.  This blogger does it all.  With a colorful and creative back drop this is one of those blogs that you won't be able to resist.  The reviews are witty, the blog tours are numerous, and the guest posts and interviews are addicting.  I have this Silk and Paper Campaign to thank for helping me find this blog and blogger and I'm there was never a doubt that I'd be an avid follower after just one visit to this blog, so head on over and check out what Benji's got to say today.

Trader #6:  The Matched Department

A team of bloggers who show their passion for their favorite books by dedicating a blog to those very titles.  I can't get enough of this site.  I love how they've got a little bit of everything.  From book quotes, excerpts, Ally Condie updates, movie news, etc...  One of my favorite things about finding a blog like this one is that you realize that you're not the only one who's gotten so excited over a book or series that you can't help but spread the word.  All the little touches this site includes really had me drooling...the separators they use to differentiate one post from another are images straight out of the book cover art images....love it!

Trader #7:  Tirzah from The Compulsive Reader

Talk about an insightful writer.  This girl doesn't just throw up a post just to make sure she's got one on a daily basis for her readers.  I'm guilty of posting the countdown lists, etc...but while I love doing those, I'm also slightly envious of people like Tirzah because the imagination and creativity that seems to go into a lot of her posts is hard to resist and not easy to replicate.  She's got posts of a wide variety, whether she's featuring a certain cover and discussing what everyone thinks, or what she calls "Looking Ahead" where upcoming books and their authors get the spotlight and readers get a sneak peek of what's to come.

Trader #8:  Nancy from A Lush Budget Production 

With a huge following behind her, Nancy's blog is one that once you visit you won't want to leave.  You'll definitely find yourself coming back again and again to check out what book related events are in her area, what blog tours she's currently apart of, what giveaways she's hosting, and the author events and book signings she's  been to recently.  Just getting the chance to hear about the authors and signings she's recently had the chance to take part in was addicting.  I'm one of those readers who tries her best to get to each signing that is in a reasonable driving distance, but there are never enough to satisfy me.  So if I can't go personally, I love to hear where everyone else has been and who they've been meeting recently!

Trader #9:  Enna of Squeaky Books

First things first, make sure you stop by the blog and shoot her a note to find out the back story of how she came up with her pseudonym.  From what she says in her "About Me" section it may not be a short explanation but it sure sounds like an interesting tale and it's definitely one that I want to hear.  But more importantly have you checked out any of her graphics?  She's a natural and has a bunch of talent.  The Matched and Crossed Read Along floating around the blogosphere....well the graphic is her handy work.  I'm always amazed and inspired when people have and display that kind of creativity, not to mention insanely jealous of all the neat things they can do!

Trader #10:  Reading Lark

A team of six awesome and dedicated book bloggers makes up this site.  One of my favorite things about a site like this is you get a variety all the time.  With so many contributors things will never get dull, boring, or repetitive.  Everything about this site is crisp and clean and very well organized.  The reviews are thoughtful and have already made my TBR list grow by leaps and bounds.  And their "Shopping Lark" featured on Fridays where they try to do their part and help you decide what to buy next and what to put on your shopping list is fantastic!  However I'm not sure how much my wallet will appreciate it down the road.

Stay tuned next Saturday for another posting where I can introduce you to the remaining Traders that are participating along side myself in this fun and exciting Silk and Paper Campaign!

Second Annual #allychat!

I thought I'd send you guys all a friendly reminder that tonight is the second annual chat with Ally Condie on Twitter!

If you guys are even half as excited as I am about the upcoming release of her third and final installment in her Matched series, Reached than I know, like me you're waiting anxiously and counting down the days until you can get your own copy of the book in hand and start devouring it.  But while we all wait patiently for it to hit the shelves (or at least we try to be as patient as possible) we'll take what we can get right?  And tonight readers, bloggers, and anybody who wants to stop by can get the chance to ask Ally all the questions you have or can think of at the time!  Isn't that great?  I've always been a huge fan of book signings and author readings, and just about any type of event where you get to meet one of your favorite authors and possibly the chance to get to know them a little bit better.  So here's your chance!

Ally will be taking questions on Twitter from 8-9 PM Eastern/5-6 PM Pacific and will be giving away Matched Trilogy swag to people who use the #allychat hashtag during that time.  So spread the word wherever and however you can and tune in to see and hear just how fabulous Ally really is!  As if we didn't know that already right?  I cannot wait and I hope to see you guys all there!

Review: Crossed (Matched Trilogy, #2) by Ally Condie

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Well after waiting for what felt like forever for this sequel to come out, I must say that I was pleased with how it turned out. I always want to blame myself when sequels do not live up to all the hype because I know that it's always partly my fault as the reader. When you've been so anxious to read something and work yourself up to such a level that it's almost always impossible for the book to be able to meet the standards you've set for the author, the writing and the series itself. But Condie prevailed and delivered a sequel worth reading and once again has me counting down to the next and final installment in the Matched trilogy.

There were of course things I would have liked to have seen come to fruition that didn't but I'm not the author and have no control over those details. However, Condie might not have included certain things that I was hoping for, but the elements that she did throw in were wonderful. The characters were put the the test (several times) all over again and once again the stress and anxiety that I felt for the characters during their challenges and hardships was at an all time high. I couldn't believe all they had to go through and accomplish to get where they wanted to go.

Now did the book leave us with another cliffhanger like last time? Of course! But it was one that I was OK with, if that makes any sense. I appreciated Condie's writing and the way in which she brought the characters to the points they reached. I had a few moments of pouting on my part because I wasn't getting my way, but I remembered that this wasn't my book and I had to exhibit some patience. Condie also had me a tearing up at a few points, I wonder if I was the only one reacting this way or if she managed to have all her readers attached the way I was.

So if you enjoyed the series opener, Matched, I highly recommend Crossed as an equal sequel and one that is absolutely worth reading. Now if only the third and final installment was coming out right away I could be a completely happy camper.

I gave Crossed (Matched, #2) 4 shamrocks!!!!