Bookanistas Relaunch with Giveaway!

As May draws to a close, we're celebrating the start of summer and another great beginning: THE RELAUNCH OF THE BOOKANISTAS! New members, new logo, new website design and a whole lot more of the book love we all adore!

You know those moments where you see the cool people from across the room--like in the cafeteria or something--and the only thing you really want is to be a part of the cool people, only you're secretly convinced that they are probably total butts in real life, only maybe they aren't? (This makes total sense to me. Doesn't it to you?) Anyway, I'm so thrilled to be a part of the Bookanistas, because they are cool people. This means that at least a small part of me? COOL.

Now that I've convinced you of my coolness, I'm going to book-geek out on you. I tend to fly through books during the summer more than I do any other time. Some of them are comfort reads--I read GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett every summer and laugh like a complete hyena. (As opposed to a partial hyena? Whatever.) And I usually go through the Harry Dresden books during the summer. DEAD BEAT is one of the best. Books. Evar.

I'll be rereading the DIVERGENT books in preparation for the movie (and I totally squealed when I was in Chicago last weekend and saw a series of gates labeled with the various factions). And HOLD ME CLOSER, NECROMANCER, which never fails to make me laugh (because hello--potato hockey). And DEVILISH, which I think is the unsung hero of Maureen Johnson's backlist and the reason I queried my agent.

The Bookanistas are looking forward to bringing some new titles to your attention, but do you have any comfort reads that you'll never EVER tire of?

And don't forget the prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
THE WINNER OF THE BOOKANISTA RELAUNCH GIVEAWAY OF AWESOME WILL RECEIVE signed copies of these Bookanista-authored books…

• IF I LIE and TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson PLUS ARCs of JUST ONE DAY and SPEECHLESS
• LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger
• BY BLOOD by Tracy Banghart
• POSSESSION, SURRENDER and ABANDON by Elana Johnson
• TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini (plus a swag surprise)
• BAD TASTE IN BOYS by ME!!!!!!
• AUDITION by Stasia Ward Kehoe
• THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca (plus sweet swag)
• MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
• LEVEL 2 by Lenore Appelhans

AND A SECOND WINNER WILL GET A BOX FILLED WITH: Bookanista-beloved reads including DITCHED by Robin Mellom, JELLICO ROAD by Melina Marchetta, TAKEN by Erin Bowman, CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare, MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabeth Fama and SPARROW ROAD by Sheila O’Connor.

You can find lots more Bookanista Relaunch Book Love sites around the interwebs:
Carolina Valdez Miller
Christine Fonseca 
Corrine Jackson 
Debra Driza
Elana Johnson
Jessica Love
Katy Upperman 
Kimberly Sabatini 
Lenore Appelhans
Nikki Katz
Rebecca Behrens
Shannon Messenger 
Shelli Johannes-Wells
Stasia Ward Kehoe
Tracey Neithercott
Tracy Banghart  

Bookanistas: The Dinocalypse Trilogy by Chuck Wendig...with a giveaway!

Welcome to Bookanistas Thursday, in which a bunch of super cool authors (and me) talk about books you might not have heard of yet. Because we all need excuses to buy more books. That's what I keep telling my husband, anyway.

Actually, come to think of it, I don't need an excuse at all.

But anyway. Today, I'd like to tell you about the Dinocalypse trilogy, because psychic dinosaurs are always cool. This series starts with DINOCALYPSE NOW, which is already out, and continues with BEYOND DINOCALYPSE, which hits shelves June 18th. So there's just enough time to read book 1. BAZINGA!

Here's the official blurby thing for DINOCALYPSE NOW, courtesy of Goodreads:

Spirit of the Century presents Dinocalypse Now! When the Century Club is called in to prevent the assassination of FDR, it's just another day on the job - but what they discover puts not just the President, but the entire world in jeopardy. With psychic dinosaurs taking over Manhattan and beyond, it's up to Sally Slick, Jet Black, Mack Silver, and the other Centurions to save humanity - from extinction!

Now, I have a confession to make--I just finished a book for Evil Hat Productions which is set in the same world as DINOCALYPSE. I work for them. I am biased. However, in some ways, that makes me a little more critical rather than less. Let's face it; if you wrote a book for a series, and the rest of the series SUCKED, that would be bad. So it was a tremendous relief to me when I opened up the book and began laughing within minutes of reading. I dare you to read about when FDR beans a psychosaur with a microphone stand and NOT laugh.

The best way to describe this series is like an Indiana Jones movie, with all the action and wisecracks and impossible odds and weirdness. It starts off fast and never lets go. And one of the best things about it is that it's clean enough and FUN enough to appeal both to me and to my 9-year-old son. In fact, shortly after my copy arrived, he claimed it and won't give it back. Endorsement-wise, it doesn't get much better than that, and he doesn't work for Evil Hat. :)

Now, one thing that my EH connection gets me is TEH COOL STUFF. I have a copy of DINOCALYPSE NOW, plus a Spirit of the Century collector's patch, plus a Spirit of the Century pin. Enter to win via the Rafflecopter below, open to US residents only. Give it to an adventure-loving kid you know or keep it for yourself. I promise not to tell.


a Rafflecopter giveaway And while you're at it, check out these awesome Bookanistas!

Lenore Appelhans  is blown away by REBOOT by Amy Tintera

Tracy Banghart & Debra Driza join THE GIRL GUIDE by Christine Fonseca book blitz!

Corrine Jackson is stunned by BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Nikki Katz  wonders at THE GRAVE WINNER by Lindsey Loucks

Gretchen McNeil talks TRUTH OR DARE by Jacqueline Green

Elana Johson admires INSOMNIA by Jenn Johannson

Tracey Neithercott celebrates THE YEAR OF SECRET ASSIGNMENTS by Jacqueline Moriarty

Katy Upperman fawns over FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta

Rebecca Behrens is wowed by THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey