The Monday Muse: Cupcakes, An Awesome Author, and a Delicious Giveaway!

Welcome to this week's Monday Muse, and last giveaway of this month's March Madness feature (details below)! Today's amazing/wonderful/talented visitor is Laura Schaefer, author of The Teashop Girls! I've already conducted an interview with her here, but I thought I'd shake up the usual interviews with something more fun and different....like Laura sharing a favorite recipe that you'd find at teatime at the Steeping Leaf, the teashop in Laura's book! So grab a cup of tea, a comfy seat, and have ingredients at the ready, because this recipe sounds seriously yummy.....

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Laura's Apple Cream Cheese Cupcakes 

From Laura: "Here's a cupcake recipe I just made. It's something I invented by modifying an apple coffeecake recipe. The cupcakes turn out slightly messy, but delicious!"

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large tart apple, cored and chopped

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.

3. Cream 5 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar. Add egg and milk and beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and apples. Batter will be stiff. Spoon into prepared cupcake pan. Bake about 25 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and remaining butter. Mix inn the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Frost the cupcakes after they've cooled. Makes 12.

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Yummy! Sounds great, Laura! I will definitely have to check that recipe out....as you all know, I'm a big fan of cupcakes (especially carrot cake ones.....yum...). 

Interested in reading The Teashop Girls? Well, I have one beautiful, lovely ARC to give away, courtesy of Laura for the last March Madness contest (thanks, Laura!). Rules are the usual:

+1 for becoming a follower

+2 for already being a follower

+1 for posting on your blog

...To enter, post a comment here with your email address and your favorite dessert, tea, or teatime snack. Remember, all March Madness entries will be counted by April 6, so don't forget to enter to win books by Melissa Walker, Lisa Greenwald, and Kimberly Pauley as well!

Click here for a review of The Teashop Girls

Click here for a previous interview with Laura

Parties and Potions

Title: Parties and Potions

Author: Sarah Mlynowski

Pages: 341

Delacorte Press, 2009

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Fantasy

Recommended to: Teen girls, 12-16, who want a magical read

Rating: A!

   Life's good for high school sophomore Rachel Weinstein: last year, she learned her mom and sister, Miri, were witches, and over the summer developed powers of her own. Her longtime crush Raf Kosravi is finally her boyfriend, and together they take the place of the class's cutest couple. 

   Except this year, there's a new girl, Wendaline, in school--and she's a witch, too! Except she's totally clueless about the "notch" (non-witch, think "Muggle") world, and thinks it's perfectly acceptable to wear cloaks and pointy hats to class, along with disappearing in the blink of an eye, zapping herself into the cafeteria, and blabbing her secret to the whole school!

   But as well as being an all-around pain, Wendaline teaches Rachel and Miri about the teen witch world when the sisters sign up for Samsorta lessons--classes that prepare them for a magical type of debutante ball that introduces them to the witch world! As well as learning spells, potions, and witchy etiquette, Rachel and Miri meet other teen witches like them whose idea of "hanging out" is going to Paris for dinner, partying on the Golden Gate, poofing over to the Swiss Alps for skiing (on a school night!), and zapping themselves to Hawaii to catch some waves. The sisters even meet cute witch boys (aka warlocks)....but what about Raf, who doesn't even know Rachel's secret?

   I love this series. For instance, this book (the fourth in the "Magic in Manhattan" series), was fun from start to finish. I loved all the quirky new characters introduced in this novel, the creative spells, the funny witch lingo (norlock! Brixta! Samsorta!), and the sparkling creativity that made this book such a blast to read.

   Let's start with the atmosphere: Mlynowski created an awesome witch world that just glowed with so much originality that I wish I could be a witch so I could see all the fun places and experience all the things that went on in the story, from all the Simsorta parties, to Lozacea, back to Manhattan...

   I'll admit, when I started this one, I was thinking, The previous three books were so amazing, what if this one is terrible? I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, it was the best out of all of the books! I was worried about this book being repetitive, about Mlynowski not having anything new to write about, but the new characters and plot threads just made the novel so much more refreshing and unique from the rest of the series! Rachel really developed as a character, from kind of immature and whiny to realistic and fun to read about.

   At a glance, Parties and Potions looks like a big novel, but the plot moved quickly. There was always more action to come (I guess that's what life is like when you're a witch)!

   Overall, I am dying for more books in the series. *drops to knees* Please, Sarah, please!  One word to describe this one? Amazing. Or fun. Or hilarious. Enchanting. Fast. Light. Awesome! People who haven't read this series yet, you have a magical read in store for you! (:

PS. I won't be here for the next four days, but I'll be back on Sunday...So expect the weekly Monday Muse, giveaway (last one of March Madness!!!), and more reviews to come...Have a great end of the week! (:

Waiting on Wednesday!

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Coming out May 5, 2009

   High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out--doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T--and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest--and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize--Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...

Doesn't this just sound so amazing and unique? I love how fun and different the plot sounds from your typical YA book. I'm super-psyched about this one!

Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

Coming out December 2009

   Felecity's no ordinary teen matchmaker...she's a cupid!

   Felecity Walker believes in true love. That's why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid's Hollow. But when Felecity gets the job, she learns she isn't just a matchmaker...she's a cupid! (There's more than one of them, you know.)

   Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felecity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felecity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired, and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.

Doesn't this one just sound delightfully fun? I mean, how could you pass up a light, funny-sounding story about a teen cupid? In fact, it kind of reminds me of some of my favorite books, Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan: magic, romance... Honestly, I'm dying for this one! Rhonda, got any ARCs to spare? (:

PS. Isn't the cover just adorable? And I love the titles: the other two books are called Flirting with Disaster and Pucker Up. Genius? I know!

The Monday Muse: Interview with Kimberly Pauley & Giveaway!

Today's Muse: Kimberly Pauley

Author of: Sucks to Be Me

Want to win a copy? Details for the "March Madness" giveaway below!

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Bookworm: Welcome, Kimberly and Happy Monday! To start, will you please tell us what made you want to write about vampires?

Kimberly: Well, honestly, I'd never really "wanted" to write about vampires. I never would have thought that my first book would be about them, in fact! Shoot, if I'd known how big vampires were going to explode (I wrote the book in 2005 before Twilight), I don't know if I would've written it at all. But, basically, I had an idea that sounded fun and I ran with it. It was a lot of fun to write.

Bookworm: If you could meet any characters from your book, who would you choose?

Kimberly: Probably George because I really like his sense of humor. And Uncle Mortie, since I think he'd be a total trip.

Bookworm: How long did it take to write the novel?

Kimberly: Um...probably about 6 to 8 months, give or take. I was working on some other things at the time, so it's hard to say exactly.

Bookworm: What was/were your favorite book(s) of 2008?

Kimberly: That's a really hard question. Normally, it would be a really easy one, but we had a baby in 2008 and I didn't do nearly the reading I normally do. Not even close! It's hard to even remember a non-board book that I read! I did post a few reviews on YA Books Central, but this year I plan on reading much more and keeping track better, too. However, the last books I read were Scat by Carl Hiassen (great, as always), Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (loved her first book and I really liked this one too), and Losers by Matthue Roth (lots better than I thought it would be, very fun read). 

Bookworm: If you were a vampire, what would you miss most about the human world?

Kimberly: Sleep!

Bookworm: I'd have to agree....although it seems like we never get enough of it! (: So, what would your favorite thing be if you were a vampire?

Kimberly: Not gaining any weight! Well, and living essentially forever. As a writer, I just wanna KNOW what happens next. And next, and next, and next.

Bookworm: Who's your favorite non-Sucks to Be Me vampire character?

Kimberly: Hmmmmmmmmm. I stopped reading vampire fiction after I found out my novel was going to be published, so that makes this question a wee bit harder. Maybe I'll go weird and say Mina Harker from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen...

Bookworm: So, what's next for Mina and the rest of the Sucks to Be Me

cast?

Kimberly: I'm working on the sequel now. The Vampire Relocation Agency (VRA) has a big change in store for her and Raven (remember Raven?) has really got it in for her. Serena is going to have some drama with a capital D and she also runs into a new vampire or two that she's not sure are friend or foe (but sure are cute).

Bookworm: Sounds very exciting--I can't wait to read on! Well, thanks so much for stopping by, Kimberly! I can't wait to see what happens next!

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  Want to sink your teeth into a copy of Sucks to Be Me (trust me, you'll want to--it's that good!)? To enter, comment below with a way to contact you and your answer to the following question:

Who is YOUR favorite vampire character?

Remember, it's +1 for becoming a follower, +2 if you're already a follower, and +1 for posting about it on your blog/website. All March Madness contests end on April 6, midnight PST!

If you haven't checked out the other giveaways (for Melissa Walker's Violet in Private and Lisa Greenwald's My Life in Pink and Green), go on over right now (links in my sidebar)!

   Don't forget to check back next week for the last interview/giveaway of March! And have a great week. (:

Thank You!

   Happy Sunday, everyone! I know, I know--I'm livin' it up and doing TWO posts today because I was nominated for a few awards and wanted to let everyone know how grateful I am! I am only nominating two people back for each award...keeping it simple, but even if I didn't nominate you, I STILL LOVE YOU!!! <3

First, I was nominated by Insert Book Title Here for the Sisterhood Award--many hugs back, thanks so much!

The Rules:

1) Put the logo on your blog/post

2) Nominate up to 10 blogs (hehe...) which show great attitude and/or gratitude!

3) Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4) Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5) Remember to link to the person from whom your received your award.

And my nominees are....(Drumroll, please):

- Mrs. Magoo of Mrs. Magoo Reads simply because she is one of my BFFs and her blog ROCKS!

- Hope of Hope's Bookshelf because she is such a nice person, and has tons of great reviews!

   

The awesome Cecilia of The Epic Rat nominated me for the Proximidade Award. Thanks, I'm so honored (and isn't the icon pretty?)!

Here's the rules:

This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY--nearness in space, time, and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to 8 bloggers who must choose 8 more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

And I choose:

- Shalonda of Shalonda's Blog because she is totally sweet (and has some awesome bookshelves...)

- GreenBeanTeenQueen because she is super-nice and has a great blog with really well-written reviews!

  Lastly, Hope of Hope's Bookshelf nominated me for the Your Blog is Fabulous award. Thanks so much, Hope!

I've already posted a list of the things I love/am obsessed with, so you can check that out if you want (I know, I know, I'm being totally lazy today!). I nominate the following people, who will also list their five addictions with the usual linkage and nominations on their own blogs:

- Kristi of The Story Siren because....well, she is fabulous!

- Alea of Pop Culture Junkie....do I really have to explain? (:

...Oh, and I'm sorry about my poor linkage to other blogs. For some weird reason, I accidentally deleted my URL bar on Safari on my computer and now I can't type in any URLs (or copy and paste them, for that matter).....any advice/answers? HELP!

In My Mailbox!

Inspired by Alea and started by the Story Siren, In My Mailbox explores the contents of a reviewer's mailbox weekly! Thanks, Kristi, this is so much fun!

From Random House:

Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

   For the past two years, Bailey Morgan has lived a double life: high school student by day, ancient mystical being by night. As the third Fate, Bailey literally controls the fate of the world, but as Plain Old Bailey, her life is falling apart. She's got a tattoo that was supposed to be temporary (but isn't), friendships that were supposed to last forever (but might not), and no idea what her future holds after high school graduation.

   Then Bailey meets the rest of the Sidhe, an ancient race defined by their power, beauty, and sinister habit of getting what they want at any cost. But before Bailey knows it, she's being drawn into an otherworldly web more complicated than anything she weaves as a mortal Fate.

Oooh, this sounds so good! And isn't the cover just gorgeous? I love it! I haven't read the first book, Tattoo, so I just requested it at the library. Many thanks to Random Buzzers!

Highway to Hell (Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil) by Rosemary Clement-Moore

   Maggie Quinn was expecting to find plenty of trouble with Lisa over Spring Break. Give a girl a bikini, a beachfront hotel, and an absent boyfriend, and it's as good as a road map to the dark side. But Maggie doesn't have to go looking for trouble. Trouble has started looking for her. One dead cow and a punctured gas tank later, she and Lisa and stuck in Dulcina, Texas--a town so small that it has an owner. And lately life in this small town hasn't been all that peaceful. An eerie predator is stalking the ranchland.

   Everyone in town has a theory, but not even Maggie's psychic mojo can provide any answers. And the longer the girls are stranded, the more obvious it becomes that something is seriously wrong. Only no one--not even Maggie's closest ally--wants to admit that they could have been forced on a detour down the highway to hell.

Yet another YA series (and another really cool cover!) that I need to sink my teeth into! I've heard of these books before, but I'll definitely have to check out the first now!

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

   Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it's all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery. 

   But Annika's plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?

I love how this one sounds! It seems like Janette Rallison always has the best plot ideas. I'm also using this book for an upcoming school book report, but I've been wanting to read it for a while. Thanks, Mom, for buying it for me at Barnes and Noble! (:

Random House also sent me Brutal by Michael Harmon and Surface Tension by Brent Runyon, but I'm feeling super-lazy, so I don't feel like typing up the summaries. (:

So, what did you guys get this week?

Celebrity Skin

Title: Celebrity Skin: Fame Unlimited

Author: Liane Bonin

Pages: 278

Berkeley Jam, 2007

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Chick Lit

Recommended to: Girls, 13-16

Rating: B

Guest review by: Megan Daly

   Today, Taylor Christensen is hot, glamorous, and famous. Yesterday, not that much. Erin Kim knew Taylor when she was a big dork: braces, glasses, the works. She was there for Taylor when she needed a friend, and has been there ever since. Now that Taylor's star status is growing, she needs a friend more than ever to deal with her overbearing stage mom, paparazzi, and a bad boy. As Erin watches Taylor destroy herself, she struggles to tell the truth as it is.

   I loved how Liane Bonin, the author, brought Erin Kim, a normal teenage girl, into the life of a Hollywood star. This made the book feel more relatable, not just another "confessions of a Hollywood star" type of book. (Although I do love them). Coming from Erin's point of view, we get the other side of the story of a Hollywood star.

   When I first saw this book, I thought to myself, "Ugh. Bad cover. Looks a little weird." Very true. The cover and title are so off from the story. Celebrity Skin? No way. Anyways, I actually liked this book a lot more than I thought. I looked like just another chicklity, fluffy book, but some aspects were deep and sincere. So if you see this book at your local bookstore, go get it. But don't make a special trip.

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   Thanks to Liane and the Faye Bender Literary Agency for sending me a copy! And more importantly, thanks to my (awesome, wonderful, amazing) friend Megan Daly for the great guest review. Both Megan and I love these guilt-free, fun Hollywood tales so I knew I'd have to feature her take on the book on my blog.

    Megan has recently started her own block, Chicklita, so be sure to check it out--she is one reviewer to watch! <3