BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Showing posts with label Zaman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zaman. Show all posts

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Review & Giveaway - Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review 
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Pitched as The Devil Wears Prada meets James Bond for teens, featuring a fashion magazine intern in Rome who uncovers a plot to kidnap the First Lady.

Expelled from yet another boarding school for hacking, sixteen-year-old Rebecca "Bec" Jackson is shipped off to Rome to intern for Parker Phillips, the editor-in-chief of one of the world’s top fashion magazines. But when a mysterious accident lands Parker in a coma, former supermodel and notorious drama queen Candace Worthington takes the reins of the magazine. The First Lady is in Rome for a cover shoot, and all hands are on deck to make sure her visit goes smoothly.

Bec quickly realizes that Parker's "accident" may not have been quite so accidental, and when the First Lady's life is threatened, Bec is determined to uncover the truth. On top of that, Bec must contend with bitchy models, her new boss, Candace, who is just as difficult as the tabloids say, and two guys, a hunky Italian bike messenger with a thousand-watt smile and a fashion blogger with a razor-sharp wit, who are both vying for her heart.

Can Bec catch the person who's after the First Lady, solve the mystery of Parker's accident, and juggle two cute boys at the same time? Blonde Ops is a fun, action-packed romp through the hallways of a fashion magazine and the cobblestone streets of Rome.

Friday, May 9, 2014

The Friday 56 #25 Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman


This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.


I'm reading a new YA romantic thriller, "Blonde Ops" by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman, the writing team responsible for the Sirenz YA books. The quote is from 56%  in the egalley. I'll have a review and giveaway next week, on the 15th.


"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I mean, after what happened at the Pantheon. That biker nearly took you out."
"Oh, that," he laughed. "It was probably just some maniac messenger. Maybe he was watching the shoot, realized he was running late, and took off. He was going so fast I didn't notice him until he was practically on top of me. That kind of thing  happens all the time in cities."

Bennardo and Zaman have a fun sense of humor and I enjoyed their Sirenz books. Have you read anyting by them?

Oh, and a quick SQUEE! I need to go buy a print copy but in the meantime, I'm super excited to be named in the acknowledgements, though my name is misspelled. I'm told the print version has the correct spelling of my name but here's what the egalley has -



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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hades for President Giveaway

Here in the US, it's time for us to elect a new president. Though only two candidates, Mitt Romney and President Obama, get the bulk of the coverage, there are in fact other names on the ballot and one who wants to be. Who is that you wonder? Why Hades, Lord of the Underworld and star of the Sirenz series by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman. Now, why he wants to rule a country when he already has the entire underworld and the dead, I can't fathom. But hey, he's a Greek God and, well, they're known for being bugnuts. :D

Still, Hades wants to be president and he's even playing by the rules and running a campaign instead of using his powers to steal the presidency. As part of that campaign he had some swag made up and he's generously shared some with me on the condition that I share it also. I suspect a trap as he didn't make me hand over my soul or set any other conditions. But, if you're willing to take your chances, enter below.

How do you enter? Decide if you're voting for or against Hades and then enter via the appropriate rafflecopter widget. You MUST choose one; if you enter both, both entries will be disqualified. Now, unlike the real presidential election, there will be 2 winners. I'll choose one from each side. Each winner gets the prize shown below.


Sunday, June 3, 2012

Review of Sirenz Back In Fashion by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman

Publisher: Flux Books
Series: Sirenz #2
Release Date: June 8, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

 It's Hell on heels--again.

When Shar tries on a ring from Hades, it activates an obscure contractual clause that puts Shar and former-frenemy-now-friend Meg in Hades' service once more. Shar is whisked away to the Underworld to prepare a ball for Persephone, while Meg is sent to retrieve the errant soul of spoiled rich girl Paulina Swanson and send her to the abyss. Just when it appears the girls will be doomed to serve Hades for eternity, Shar meets two possibly helpful demi-gods who also happen to be gorgeous. Can the girls finally ditch the Lord of the Dead once and for all?


Teaser:
I was prime bait. And a good hostess. And a husband stealer, failed beauty queen, unmissed roomie and pathetic mortal. Mother would be proud. So far I'd felt like a mannequin on display for everyone who knew what Hades wanted. Worse was wondering if they thought I was giving it. Still, a binding, lethal, unfair contract is a binding, lethal, unfair contract. I played my part to storybook perfection.
Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

I had the pleasure last summer of reading and reviewing the first back, Sirenz, and of interviewing both ladies. Today, I'm reviewing the second book, "Sirenz Back in Fashion". SBIF is even funnier than the first, and though they're about the same length, this one, for me, was a much faster read.

Shar and Meg have become friends after events of the last book and are still roomies at their private high school (which sometimes felt more like a college). Once again, they're out shopping when Hades comes back into their lives. Hades tricks them, no surprise there, but I didn't expect the full extent of it. I figured out Caz's real identity pretty quickly but, I'm embarrassed at how long it took me to figure out who Paulina was.

I didn't completely buy into Hades' reasoning behind the job he tricked Shar and Meg into doing but it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story. It was fast, enjoyable, funny, and gives us new, and interesting, takes on Tartarus, Cerebus (also spelled Cerberus, and I'm glad I don't have to scoop up HIS poop!), the dead in Greek mythology, and even Zeus. Bennardo and Zaman don't make major changes to traditional Greek mythology, just tweak it a bit to update it, and it works well. They keep the basics, including personalities, while making them modern and relatable. Tartarus particularly seems like it could be a fun place, not what you would expect to find in the underworld, and is an intriguing version of the afterworld.

The ending of the story is a bit pat, but the authors set up an intriguing storyline for the next book involving Kronos aka Chronos, one of the Titans, who is even sneakier than Hades. Meg proves herself even braver than I thought, and Shar is quite clever. As they deal with their separate pieces of their job assignment, they have to re-learn how to trust each other and work separately yet together. Their fights and disagreements felt real, like your average American teen, though at times Shar felt more mature than I expected. She copes quite well, for a teenager, with the come-ons and seduction from a married man, Hades.

All together, "Sirenz Back In Fashion" is fun, funny, clever, and enjoyable. Flux Books sadly declined to pick up book three but the authors are planning to release it themselves as an e-book. I'm looking forward to it.

I received an eARC from the publisher for review.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Hades Strikes Back! A New SIRENZ Book Trailer



Well, Hades, god of the underworld, is not easily pushed around. Remember the book trailer I posted for SIRENZ? The one created by Sirenz authors Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman? Hades did NOT like it, and came up with his own. Go here to see both versions. I like both versions but you can definitely tell that Hades has a perverse sense of humor, his version has a loud crunch during the train scene.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Book Trailer for Sirenz!

It's the holidays, and Meg and Shar are about to have a memorable encounter with Hades, Greek God of the underworld. Christmas, shoes and a god can be a deadly combination.  You may have met Meg, Shar, and Hades already in the comic YA novel, Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman. If not, take a sneak peek at this book trailer then head over to http://thesirenz.com/author/sirenzmeg/ then head to the bookstore to pick up a copy of the book.


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Winners! Lots of winners!


I had four giveaways end over the weekend, it was a busy week for giveaways. Now that they have all ended, here are the winners.
1) The winners of "So Near" by Liza Gyllenhaal are Marjorie (posted Sat. Oct. 22) and Carol Wong (posted Sat. Oct. 22)

2) The winners of "Sins of the Angels" by Linda Poitevin are Michelle Adams (posted Thurs. Oct. 20) and Jennelle S (posted Thurs. Oct. 20)


3) The winner of an ecopy of "Hide'N Go Seek" by Dale Mayer is Kathryn Merkel.

4) The winner of the shoe charm from "Sirenz Back in Fashion" is Kayla (posted Sun. Oct. 23)

Congratulations everyone, I hope you enjoy your prizes.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Sirenz Back In Fashion Cover Reveal Bomb!

Today, I'm excited to share with you the cover for the next "Sirenz" book, "Sirenz Back In Fashion", by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman. I read and reviewed "Sirenz" this summer and enjoyed it. Are you ready? Here it is......













What do you think? It's very different from the first cover. It's definitely eye-catching, that purple is not a color you see as a background color very often. It should stand out on the book shelves and computer screens. I like the ankle boots with the toga, not stylish, but it suits her. :D

The Sirenz Back In Fashion Cover Reveal Bomb is ON! Sirenz Back In Fashion, the sequel to Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman will be hitting the shelves in June 2012—but for now, enjoy the new cover! We’re having a mega-giveaway to celebrate. The Sirenz Back In Fashion cover is debuting simultaneously on SEVEN different blogs. Visit all of us to enter and win prizes—yes, that’s PRIZES as in more than one!
 
How will the adventures of Meg and Shar continue? Visit these blogs to see if you can figure out what happens next:

Each blogger is giving away a very special charm necklace which symbolizes something from Sirenz Back In Fashion. It could be an important object, or represent a significant place or character… or a god! Leave a comment on what you think of the new cover and what you think that particular charm means, along with your email address to enter. You can comment to win on EVERY participating blog! Make sure to visit all of us. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL—let’s spread the Sirenz love around the world!

As mentioned, each blog is giving away a different charm. Here's what I'm giving away, via Natalie and Charlotte.



 
Drawing end dates will be determined by individual bloggers, so read each blog post carefully. Once all blogger drawings are complete, another drawing of ALL entries from ALL blogs will take place for a grand prize to be announced at http://www.thesirenz.com and/or http://nataliezaman.blogspot.com and http://charlotteebennardo.blogspot.com.  

Ok, to enter, click on the rafflecopter thingy below and follow the directions. You MUST post a blog comment to be entered but please use rafflecopter so your post counts. Please follow the directions exactly. Thanks! 


Monday, July 18, 2011

These winners are no scoundrels! Giveaway winners for Dreiling, and for Zaman & Bennardo





I apologize for the delay in announcing the winners. I don't have internet access at home except for my smart phone and I was laid up all weekend, dealing with my asthma.

Anyway, we have winners for both of last week's giveaways. The winner of "How to Seduce A Scoundrel" by Vicky Dreiling is Tore!


The winner for a copy of  "Sirenz" by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman, and other fun swag is Stacey Donaldson!



Congratulations ladies. Please send me your mailing addresses so we can get your prizes sent out.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Interview with YA Authors Natalie Zaman & Charlotte Bennardo

Today I'm pleased to have Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman visiting us. Their debut YA novel, "Sirenz",  was released last month. Mix teenage girls, fashion, and Greek Gods, shake and you get -

SIRENZ:

Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when they find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes—with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades—the god of the underworld—himself. To make them atone for what they’ve done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld any individual whose unholy contract is up.

But just because they have an otherworldly part-time job now doesn’t mean Meg and Shar can ignore life’s drudgeries (work) or pleasures (fashion!). Finding that delicate balance between their old and new responsibilities turns out to be harder than they expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there’s the matter of the fine print in their contracts . . . 



Natalie Zaman is the co-author of Sirenz, the first in a YA contemporary fantasy series published by Flux. Her work has appeared in various magazines, newspapers, e-zines and anthologies for adults and children. She's currently plotting disasters for the characters of Sirenz and working on a Victorian steampunk fantasy for teens. Natalie lives in central New Jersey with her family and several fine looking chickens.

 Charlotte Bennardo is also a co-author of Sirenz, the first in a YA contemporary fantasy series published by Flux. When not contemplating embarrassing situations for the characters in the sequels, she works on her own YA, MG and adult level novels. She has been published in magazines, newspapers, e-zines and anthologies. She is held captive in New Jersey by three sons, husband, cat and friends.
 



Hi ladies, welcome to the Nook and thank you both for taking the time to stop by and answer some questions. First, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves? BTW Natalie, the picture on your blog of you with pink hair is wonderful. The color actually works on you. Was it really that color or did the photographer photoshop it?
Nat: Thanks!! I USED to have pink hair for real—about a million years ago—but the pic on my blog was photo-shopped by fellow Elevensies Lisa and Laura Roeker. I had them pink me up for the launch of their book THE LIAR SOCIETY earlier this year :)
How and where did you two meet? What led to your writing together as a team?
Nat: I was at one of our NJSCBWI mentor sessions (our chapter does all sorts of great things for its members—mentor sessions are retreats where authors can meet/get advice/crits from agents and editors), and mentioned to the critique group coordinator that I was looking for a group to join. She told me she had the perfect one for me—because she could see that I took criticism well (LOL!). Char and I became friends after that—our kids are very close to the same age—the youngest are the same age. Then one summer I asked if she would rabbit sit for me...
Char: And the ungrateful wretch bit me. I made him ‘email’ his mother and confess. Nat was ‘busy’ so the ‘cat’ answered, telling him to stop whining. That was our first project- E-Meow. It was fun, but it didn’t go anywhere. Realizing we worked well as a team, we hashed ideas around to write a full length novel. (OMG, LMAO. I'd enjoy reading that. - Bea)
Why writing? Would you all continue to write if you were no longer published?
Nat: I have to write. For years, I kept (and still keep) a journal, so I've always written just for myself. I'll always write, even if its just a to do list :)
Char: If I couldn’t write, I’d go insane- I HAVE TO write. Even if I didn’t get published (although I’d keep trying) I’d write novels, stories, articles, poems, letters to the editors… anything!
What is your favorite part of writing? What is your least favorite part?
Nat: I LOVE revising. Love, love love it. The initial write is always hard for me, but I get it done—but when I get to go back and fix things—add, take away, enhance—I feel like I'm really in my element.
Char: I ADORE the writing- especially the initial draft. I feel the muse and write like a demon. Revising- first one, ok. After that, I’d rather have root canal. 
How do you write as a team? Are each of you responsible for certain characters, do you each do a chapter, how does it work for the two of you?
Nat: For this project, we each wrote the initial draft for a specific character; Char did Shar and I did Meg. From there we would go back and forth—Char would send her chapter to me, I would edit it, then write my chapter based on what happened in hers (and according to our plot-planning), then send it to her. She would mark up my chapter. We would physically get together to go over changes every five chapters or so and go over any changes before putting them in—then it was onto the next chapter chunk.
Char:  From the beginning we knew it would be alternating POV with two main characters, so we didn’t foresee many problems.
Would you describe yourselves as planners when writing or do you wing it?
Nat: I think we started out winging, and then we had to plan—to make sure the story had an end. On my own, I come up with an idea and then take a lot of time to write the first ¼ to 1/3 of the book, then plan and outline.
Char:  I’m a semi-winger; I get an idea, but I generally know the ending and certain scenes that will take place. For SIRENZ, we had to plan because the story was going all over the place. Books 2 and 3 in the SIRENZ series were outlined (SIRENZ Back in Fashion, due out 2012, is already written and Book 3 is roughly outlined.)
Your take on mythology is …. different. Was that deliberate or did it evolve as you wrote? Did either or both of you enjoy reading mythology growing up?
Nat: From the start we wanted to put the gods in a modern setting—so it was totally deliberate. And we wanted them to have a stylish edge. I always loved mythology and fairy tales—I think the similarities between cultures is both telling and interesting. So many of us have the same story to tell; we're all interconnected.
Char:  I’ve always loved a good mythology, whether it was Greek, Roman, or other. However, there were some things, like Hades being ugly and totally evil that we didn’t like. Personally, I think he got a bit of a bum rap.
Has there been someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?
Nat: Char and I wouldn't have met if it wasn't for the NJSCBWI (the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). We met through the organization (see above). Lyn Sirota (author of  several nonfiction books for children) was the critique group coordinator who hooked us up, and our Regional Adviser Kathy Temean and the Assistant Regional Adviser Laurie Walmark, provided us with so many opportunities to present and polish SIRENZ. We can't thank them enough.
Char:  I’d have to add our friends Yvonne Ventresca and Elisa Roland, who read many of the drafts of SIRENZ.  And they still bought the book! 
Natalie, you have a Twitter account, a facebook account, and a blog. Do you think those are important for today’s authors, particularly a YA author? 
Nat: I really think twitter has helped us get the word out about SIRENZ—more than any other social networking site. I really should blog more often than I do, but there's only a finite number of hours to get it all in (hours I share with my husband, mom and three kids!). Hopefully this will change come the fall as Shar and Meg will be launching a Sirenz life and style blog. Hopefully a little discipline (and cutting off sleep time) will do the trick! I think it is important for today's authors to have a web presence—but make no mistake, it's all about making connections with people, not about selling yourself. The minute you start doing that (only talking about things you're doing, only talking about your book etc. etc.) it turns people off. It's a delicate balance to strike—being out there, but still maintaining the personal. For YA authors, I think it's even more of a must. Kids live online.
Charlotte, what do you think? You’re fairly active on Twitter but your blog is quieter. Time is a problem I’m sure. I know it’s an issue for me with mine.
Char:  Guilty of neglecting the blog! (You can be sure I’ll update it before this comes out!).  Especially now that we have to do PR for SIRENZ and I have other projects I’m working on, kid going to college, etc., I find Twitter and FB the easiest to keep up on. I’m not as tech savvy as Nat, but she and my son are trying to school me.
Do the two you prefer paper books or ebooks? Why?

Nat: I am finally succumbing and getting a reader—though I haven't decided which one yet. I LOVE paper books and have a serious library, but it's getting hard to store, care for and keep track of things. I think I'll still buy paper books (don't think I'll be using a reader for cooking!), but I'll just have more options (and thus can buy more books!).
Char:  I love my Kindle, but there’s nothing like the feel of a book in your hand. For books that I know I’ll want to keep, like books in a series I’ve started, or a favorite author, or a friend’s book that I’ll get signed, I want the physical book. For other books I only want to read, I’ll get the e version. (I do the same; I have a Kindle :D - Bea)
If each of you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)
Nat: Ooooo tough one—cause there's lots. I wouldn't mind being a hobbit—not one bit. They live on one floor, dress to kill and have second breakfasts. What's not to like?
Char:  So many choices…  Hated high school, so I don’t think I’d want to relive THAT time again! I’m not keen on living in times with no bathrooms or anesthesia, I’m really afraid of horror and getting shot, so maybe a nice fantasy where there’s a kick ass heroine, a sexy guy and a happily ever after. May have to write that one.

Thank you, Natalie. Thank you, Charlotte. This has been fun. I'm not a hobbit (though that IS one of my favorite books) but you are both welcome to drop in for tea any time. We can discuss mythology, that was the main reason I picked up your book. I almost majored in mythology and folk lore in college.


*************************************************************************************

 Giveaway!!!

Natalie and Charlotte have put together an awesome package for giveaway; it includes a copy of the book, and fun swag such as buttons, bookmarks and stickers. The pictures below show what the winner will receive. 


  
Now, the gory details:

the giveaway is open internationally; you must leave a comment answering the following question - what is your favorite myth? It can be from any mythology around the world; leave a way to contact you - email, twitter name, Blogger profile, etc. 

The giveaway is open until 11:59PM EST, Friday July 15th, 2011

See all giveaway rules and policies here

That's it! Good luck and happy reading. :) 

Review of Sirenz by Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: June 8, 2011

More Info: Amazon    The Book Depository

Book Blurb:

Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when the fashionistas find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes-with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades, Lord of the Underworld himself. To make them atone for what they've done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld an individual whose unholy contract is up.

Finding that delicate balance between their fashion addiction and their new part-time job in the eternal hellfire biz turns out to be harder than Meg and Shar expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there's the matter of the fine print in their own contracts...

My Thoughts:

"Sirenz" is fun and funny, and had me laughing out loud many times. Meg and Shar have been thrown together as roommates at an alternative high school that offers residential, college style housing, to it's top students, and it's been a bumpy ride; they are dissimilar and they barely tolerate each other but the school's policy is clear: irreconcilable differences = removal from the program.

While spending time some together shopping over the Christmas school break, in an attempt at bonding, they find themselves arguing over the same pair of red shoes and a cute guy; the latter is named "Bad-ass jacket" by Meg and "Sweet Jeans" by Shar. Guys and fashion, what every pair of BFF's can enjoy, even if their styles are different. "Sweet Jeans" aka Jeremy reappears later in the story and is crucial to the overall plot.

Their arguing leads to an unfortunate event and out of nowhere, Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, appears and offers to help them out. Of course, there's a catch - if they fail to achieve the job he offers them, they will turn into Sirens - bird shaped women who act on his behalf to bring him mortals who have sold their soul to him a la Faust. After much talk and negotiation, a deal is struck, and they have 2 weeks to complete their assignment.

Hades, in Bennardo and Zaman's world, is a lot like the Christian Satan, with a bit of Loki, the Norse god of, among other things, tricks, thrown in. True to classical Greek mythology, Hades is sneaky, lecherous, and not to be trusted. Bennardo and Zaman give us a new spin on the Demeter, Persephone and Hades story, giving us a modern update.None of the gods we meet are particularly nice or trustworthy, straight out of classical mythology.

The girls are stuck together while they work on this job and it doesn't always go smoothly but they keep trying. Along the way, they live in a fabulous condo, enjoy shopping sprees, try to resist temptation, and discover that they can work together and even get along.

The story has twists and turns, the occasional cliche, snappy dialogue, and a fun, original take on Greek mythology. There's a happy ending, but we know that life will not be a smooth ride as the second book is already written. I'm looking forward to it.

I received this paperback from the authors for review as part of a Bewitching Books Blog Tour.