Who Doesn't Like Free Stuff??

It a free stuff entry today! Yay!

Okay, first off, I mentioned my debut author community the 2009 Debutantes at www.feastofawesome.com, well, if you have a LiveJournal account and would like to become a watcher of our community, you will be eligible for our awesome giveaways that are starting in January of 2009. Plus we're fun to watch. :) So come over and check us out and maybe become a watcher. Cuz we are going to make next year super-exciting!


Second, we have our next contest! Last month my editor sent me a copy of Michael Grant's book Gone and oh my goodness! I could barely put it down to do essential things like, um . . . eat. Seriously, it was that good!

It's a pretty big hunk of a book, (over 500 pages!) and worth every one of them. Basically it's Lord of the Flies meets X-Men. The basic story is that suddenly, every person in a small California town who is above the age of fourteen disappears. I don't mean they pack up and leave, I mean in the blink of an eye, they're just . . . Gone. Not only that, but the town is surrounded by some kind of impenetrable barrier, so the kids are alone and trapped. As a rough martial government is formed, terrible things start happening. Bullying, starvation, murder, and something else. Something that might be worse or better. Some of the kids are developing powers. Supernatural abilities.

This is one creepy book. Not only do you have the Lord of the Flies theme that makes all of us question what we would do if our leadership was suddenly gone, but there are a couple of supernatural elements that weave themselves tightly around the story although they are themselves a completely different story altogether. Although this book is obviously the first of a series, there is a very nice resolution at the end that made me feel satisfied . . . while still hungering for the next book. I raced through this novel with absolute rapt fascination and the second I closed the book I went, "Man, I gotta give this one away next!"

(Also, this is the British cover which I really think captures the supernatural side of this story.)


The requirements are pretty easy. Just mention my upcoming book, Wings in your blog with a link to either my blog, or my website. (www.aprilynnepike.com) :) That's it! Well, almost it. Leave the link to your blog entry in the comments and once I verify that you mentioned me in your blog, you are entered!

Also, because you are doing me a favor by entering this contest, I'm offering up two copies of Gone. (And because the book is just so freakin' cool!!) So double chances here!

Entries must be in the comments section by Friday, September 19th, 2008, Midnight, MST. You got five days. Go! ;)

Next time, I will be doing a grab-bag of mini reviews on the zillion books I've been reading lately. And there are some really great ones in there!

Ciao!