Blog Traffic - Twitter and new links

I've noticed that my two biggest sources of blog traffic, aside from other bloggers, are Twitter and more recently, Stumbleupon.
You might notice that I've added (at the end of each blog post), a new stumbleupon button.
Some very generous soul submitted my blog to Stumbleupon, and I wanted to actively encourage that.
Do you think the button as it currently is will be visible and easy to click?
Where do you think it could be placed, instead?


If you want to also have this Stumbleupon feature on your blog, I can post a "how to" tomorrow.

Teaser Tuesday #31 - Highborn

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays, a bookish meme hosted weekly by Miz B, at Should Be Reading.

The latest novel from Yvonne Navarro is an award-winning Urban Fantasy novel called Highborn (The Dark Redemption Series). I've carefully picked the teaser out to give you not just an introduction to the book itself, but also an insight into our heroine's head.
Teaser:

That first touch, that kiss...no one knew better than Brynna how it could work on the psyche. Memory, desire, pheromones, hormones. They all played a part in how the universe went round. Birds and the bees. Demons and angels and humans.

Like it? Leave me a comment and a link!
Quick Review:
Honestly, I thought this was going to be "just" another urban fantasy. Usual tropes fell into my mind - angels, demons seeking redemption and some fighting thrown in for fun. Yvonne, the author, uses these worn themes brilliantly, but brings her own twist. 
The story rapidly got interesting as chapters progressed. I opened the first page with zero expectations, but Brynna and her entry into our world, her mishaps with the cops, and her slipping into a real existence in Chicago were all captivating. 
I'd recommend this book to all fantasy readers, and thriller fans. If you are wandering around the interwebs, looking for the next good read, here it is!
Link to author: http://www.yvonnenavarro.com/highborn.htm

General Call-out:
For those of you interested in my blogger spotlight, I'm calling for bloggers with ebooks/ereaders to interview here!

Teaser Tuesday #30 - One More Bite

While I'm still reading The Silmarillion (phew! Heavy going), I didn't want to repeat a teaser. Instead, there is a NetGalley book which I'm supposed to review soon. I'm finishing up the series so I can review the NetGalley of #7 in the Jaz Parks series.

The teaser is from Jaz Parks #5 - One More Bite , close to the beginning of the book.

To me this is just another aspect of your recently upgraded weirdocity."

"That's not a word."

"Shut up".

***

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Let me know what you are reading - recommendations are awesome. I need suggestions or I will have to keep re-reading Jim Butcher, Megan Whelan Turner, Georgette Heyer - which is also fine....;)
If you follow, drop a note, so I can follow back!

News: Hunger Games Cast

The ardent YA fans out there would be very familiar with the popular series The Hunger Games. Starring young  lethal Katniss, and set in a dystopian world, this series has swept the blogging world by storm since the first book was released mid-2010. Suzanne Collins managed to create a maelstrom of emotion among her readers via one of the best YA books I've read.

The three book series (The Hunger Games,Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games), Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)) with its strong female lead, was quickly snapped up as a potential movie release, for 2012.

This weekend, Jennifer Lawrence has confirmed that she will indeed be playing Katniss Everdeen in the movie.

What's your take on this?

I know that there are tons of people out there who are right now creating their fantasy cast for The Hunger Games. Gale and Peeta, the two male leads, are probably the next biggest casting challenge.

Who would you cast as Gale and Peeta?

And if you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for?!

Book Blogger Hop #20: Many Monies for books?

It's time for another Book Blogger Hop, courtesy of Crazy for Books!

 

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

Wow, *does some quick math*, that would be Rs. 4000, which is a LOT of books! (or in my case a few hardcover novels).

I'd pick up The Crippled God by Steven Erikson, another copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for a friend. My recent read of The Wise Man's Fear (my review is here) would go into this basket too, for a gift or re-read (already I don't think I could carry this presumably infinitely-sized basket!).

What else? I should still have enough for one.more.book. right?

I'd get some Manga - Its been ages since I've read any. Maybe some Patricia Briggs, if there is anything new that I haven't read yet...

This is dangerous (read expensive) territory now and I can't resist the bookstores this weekend!!

A Roald Dahl look at new e-devices

The mid-week (or early-week!) blues got you?
This adorable graphic from Unshelved is a great pick-me-up. It references Matilda, by Roald Dahl and her e-reader experience (hint: not good)!
While I'm an ebook fan, I totally understand and GET her experience.

Linked here for the rest of the comic: http://www.unshelved.com/2011-3-4
The art is by Aaron Renier from www.aaronrenier.com

Review: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

This blog has been quiet this week - and this would be because March 1st heralded the release of The Wise Man's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 2), by Rothfuss. I mean, this week has been HUGE in fantasy book releases, you know? We also had Malazan #10 release on the same day, I haven't read this tome and won't until I re-read the earlier books.

I digress.

Patrick Rothfuss amazed me in his Debut novel, The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1). The amazing magic theory and system reached out and grabbed my imagination. I was on fire! Reading this multiple times didn't dim the beauty of the story, and my interest in Kvothe. Completely unique in the fantasy echelon, this book is a breath of fresh air. 

My words fail me - I can't even describe The Wise Man's Fear.

I can link to my teaser of the story of the second day in the Kingkiller Chronicals - Not Teaser Tuesday and Why. I can talk about its slow buildup, astounding scope, and Kvothe's growth from a boy into a fighter, and a man.

Really, I can't do justice to this world and series. I would recommend that you buy it for yourself and see. Experience this fantastic world of Kvothe. Go to the Collegium with him, burn with his thirst of knowledge. Drink and play music with his friends, struggle through tuition payments and set off to earn fame and fortune. Make enemies who will curse you for a lifetime, be seduced by a Fae dream, and master fighting.

Not a Teaser Tuesday - and Why

The second book of Patrick Rothfuss' amazing debut novel The Name of The Wind (an earlier Teaser T. post), is now in my hands. Since today also happens to be a holiday in my part of the world, I don't think I will need to tell you that I will be reading (see hibernating) the entire day.

Since I'd like to leave you with a tantalizing gem of a line from Page 1 of Wise Man's Fear:

"It was deep and wide as autumn's ending. It was heavy as a great river-smooth stone. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die."

What do you think? Would you want to read this? I know I'm super excited!
*update*
Seven chapters in, I've already laughed, cried, frowned thoughtfully and fumbled the name of my blog.