Postcard For Reader

February '09 Giveaway -- "Love and Lies"

This giveaway is over.

Ooo, I sound cynical. But the title has nothing to do with my take of love (actually, I'm a hopeless romantic). No, it has to do with the titles I'm giving away this month!

But first, the random winner of last month's "Mosh-Pitt" of books is...
-drum roll-
bohemiangypsy!!!

Now that that's taken care of, here's this month "Love and Lies" book line up. And trust me when I say that this month, the books are great. (I should know. I've read them all. ^^)

The same rule still apply. You can enter by emailing me at nickiheart16@aim.com or leaving a comment on this post telling me which character you'd fall in love with and why. If you blog about the contest or link to the contest, you improve your chances of winning (but you must tell me)!. This contest is only valid to U.S. citizens. Sorry, I don't have the money to ship overseas.

This month's books consist of...

Eva Ibbotson's A Countess Below Stairs
"After the russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young russian countess, has no choice but to flee to england. penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household of the esteemed westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer determination. Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties-not to mention her instant attraction to rupert, the handsome earl of westerholme. to make matters worse, rupert appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there's the small matter of rupert's beautiful and nasty fiancée. . . ."

Barry Lyga's The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, *autographed
"For most of his life, Donnie's followed his mother's advice, given when he was first picked on by bullies in grade school: ignore them. He lives mostly under the radar, both at school and at home, sailing through classes and working on his graphic novel, Schemata. His life sucks, but at least he knows what to expect. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl relates what happens when someone notices him — really notices him — for the first time.

Mysterious goth girl Kyra, dressed in black and with an attitude just as dark, forces her way into his life, renaming him Fanboy. A loner in her own right, Kyra challenges Fanboy's perceptions of his possibilities. When Fanboy's longtime friend Cal starts hanging out with the jocks that have always made Fanboy's life a living hell, Kyra steps in to fill the void. She convinces him that greatness lies within reach, if only he can convince comic book guru Bendis to take a look at his graphic novel..."

Michele Jaffe's Bad Kitty
Meet Jasmine,1 forensic supersleuth,2 aspiring Model Daughter,3 and friend to animals.4 One second she's trying to enjoy her Vegas Vacation,5 the next she's tangled up in an outrageous adventure and has to outwit a crazed killer before he ends ten lives, one of them her own.6

1 Hi! That's me!
2 I. Wish.
3 Emphasis on aspiring. Current status: failing.
4 If friend means "unsuspecting victim" and animals means "one very bad kitty."
5 And meet the cute guy at the Snack Hut. I have priorities.
6 Meep! But I guess it winds up okay since Kirkus Reviews says: "Inventive, witty, and laugh-out-loud funny, with an enjoyably twisty ending." They wouldn't say that if everyone died, right? Right?

Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars
" Gossip thrives amid the Mercedes-Benzes, mega mansions, and perfectly manicured hedges in the exclusive town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Behind their big Gucci sunglasses, beneath their perfectly pressed Polos, everyone has something to hide, especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. Spencer covets her sister's gorgeous new boyfriend. Aria is having an affair with her English teacher. Emily is infatuated with the new girl at school. And Hanna is using some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. Deeper and darker still is a horrible secret the girls have shared since sixth grade—a secret they thought was safe forever.

Then the girls start receiving threatening messages signed by someone named "A." Could "A" be Alison, the ultra-popular girl who disappeared three years earlier? Alison was their best friend. She knew everything about them. But if Alison isn't "A," who is? And how could anyone else know so much about the bad girls they were and the bad girls they've become? Suddenly, their secrets—the big ones, the little ones, even the long-buried ones—no longer seem so secret. Suddenly, nothing is safe in Rosewood. "

And Anna Godbersen's The Luxe
" Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899.

Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent."

Happy reading, all!

~Nicole