Follow Friday #8

 Follow Friday is a weekly book meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. For information on how to participate please visit their wonderful blogs!

This weeks question is:

"It's Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for - blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?"

I'm not American and we don't have Thanksgiving in Australia but that won't stop me from answering this question!!

I am thankful for many things about blogging. Of course I am thankful to all of my followers! Without you guys there would be no Following The Reader! I am also ever thankful for Goodreads... Without it I probably wouldn't have discovered there is a whole world of book people just as obsessed as me!

Some book bloggers I am thankful for:

Giselle at Xpresso Reads and Taneika at Flipping Through the Pages. Both of these lovely ladies have been there pretty much since I started my blogging journey!

I also have Sophie at Born to Buy to thank, she isn't a book blogger, but if it wasn't for her I probably wouldn't have started a blog in the first place. We got talking one day about YouTuber's and how we are way not game enough to make YouTube channels and that blogs would probably suit us best!

What books am I thankful for reading? There are so many. Tomorrow When the War Began - John Marsden would have to be a big one. This one I had to read for school, back when I hated reading (don't hate me! I love it now and that's what matters!) and it got me into reading. Then I hit a slump and Twilight came along. I have to admit that I'm not as big of a fan as what I used to be, but Twilight is the book that got me reading again!

Then there are other books I'm thankful for such as:
Icestation - Matthew Reilly
Looking for Alaska - John Green
One for the Money - Janet Evanovich
Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder

What are you thankful for?

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning
Release Date: September 27th 2011
Edition: Ebook 298 Pages
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

My Rating 4/5 Stars

"For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. 


Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead.


After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie."


First off, thanks to Taryn Browning for providing me with an ecopy for review! As always this does NOT alter my review in anyway, all thoughts expressed are my own. 


Now lets get down to the review!! I sat down to start this book and finished it in one sitting! This is the first in the new Dark Seeker series and it did not disappoint! 


This story follows the life of Janie, a high school student and a Seeker. A Seeker, someone who is raised and trained to rid the streets of the undead. She spends her days being an ordinary teenager, going to school and her nights fighting and killing the undead. I liked how kick-ass Janie was, she knew what she had to do and she knew that if she didn't innocent people would die. She has promised herself she will never fall in love. Following the tragic death of her dad, she learnt that it is better not to get too close. She does have friends at school but she is by no means popular, constantley getting picked on by popular girl Molly. Little does Molly know that Janie could kick her ass into next year!

One night Janie is over her head with the undead, they are getting closer and closer to her school and she doesn't know why. She was unprepared for a big fight that night. Just when she thinks things couldn't get any worse. Someone pulls her aside and finishes off the undead for her. Facing her saviour she realises that he is undead himself! So why did he save her life? 

His name is Kai and oh gosh he's a bit dreamy! He's one of the undead that she usually fights and kills. So what stopped her from following through the threat? He has human features, very unusual for his kind. He has green eyes and doesn't smell... well.. horrible. Kai is even tougher than Janie and on meeting her for the first time, (when Janie tries to kill him) he is drawn to her. He becomes very protective of her, even though he knows that for the most part, she can look after her self. Kai saves Janie's life on more than one occasion, completely going against everything she has learnt as a seeker.

Janie and Kai are falling for each other but their love is somewhat forbidden. In more ways than one their relationship is truly complicated. But your not going to get anymore spoilers from me regarding that!

Taryn Browning has done an excellent job on this book. Her writing kept me interested and also kept me guessing. I knew something was up with her Uncle but I did NOT see that twist coming at all! I like to be surprised by books and Taryn  Browning achieved this in Dark Seeker. The book was fast passed, action packed and easy to read, three things I love in a book.

If you haven't already I suggest you check this one out! I look forward to reading the second one in this series to see what gets thrown at Janie next!

Happy reading!
- Amy

PS. Sorry about the biggish gaps between paragraphs guys, usually I can fix it but it doesn't seem to be working...

In My Mailbox #6

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren to showcase books received this week.

Borrowed from my library:
Hunting Lila - Sarah Alderson
Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles (FINALLY!)
Outside In - Maria V. Snyder
My Soul To Take - Rachel Vincent
Virals - Kathy Reichs
Along For The Ride - Sarah Dessen

I didn't buy any books for myself this week. I'm trying to save money and make better use of my library. As a result, I walked out of my library with more than a few books! I didn't necessarily need any new books to read, but I couldn't help myself!

This will be my first Sarah Dessen book! Very excited! I've also already read and returned Hunting Lila and Perfect Chemistry!

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Let me know in the comments below or link me to your IMM!

Happy Reading!
- Amy

Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Release Date: August 1st 2011 (Australia) February 14th 2011 (America)
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Edition: Egalley
Goodreads | Book Depository


My Rating 4.5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: "Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes."

I requested this book on NetGalley and was super excited when I got an email saying that my request had been approved! Since I'm an Aussie and this is an Aussie book I was pretty excited!

Set in suburban Melbourne this book follows the story of Lucy and Shadow. 
Shadow is a graffiti artist who has sprayed pieces all over the town. His pieces are accompanied by poetry by his friend Poet. their true identities has been kept hidden to ensure they don't get caught by the cops. 

From the start we as the reader know their identities. Shadow is known as Ed and Poet is Leo. When we are first introduced to Ed he seems arrogant, but that could possibly be because he is re-meeting Lucy after dropping out of school not long after she broke his nose. Ed has always been able to express himself through art. Studying art in school he was expected to learn the history of certain artist. He finds himself being judged for not being book smart when he knows just as much about art as the next student, he has just learnt it in a less conventional way.

Leo's chapters were significantly different to Ed's and Lucy's. His were made up of poetry. From his poetry you can see how much he grows and changes as a character throughout the book. I have to say that I pretty much skimmed over these chapters though. I'm not big on poetry, and got so caught up in Ed and Lucy that I just wanted to know what happened with them next.

Lucy has seen and loved all of Shadow's pieces. She understands his work in a way that other people don't. She wants to meet the famous Shadow, believing that a boy who can create such works of art would be different to all the jerks out there. Lucy is a great character. She doesn't take any nonsense from anyone. She is smart, book smart and loves art. Spending most of her time in a glass blowing shop. She wants to meet Shadow, thinking that he will have the same appreciation for art as she does, and she isn't wrong.

Getting forced in to a spending a night together Lucy and Ed finds themselves in search of Shadow. What Lucy doesn't know is that Shadow is Ed and he is taking her on a wild goose chase! As the story goes on Ed realises that Lucy doesn't want to meet Shadow for the sake of meeting him, she thinks that he really does have a talent and that he could be worth all of her chasing. What he doesn't count on is Lucy and Ed hitting it off so well. Especially after the nose breaking incident. Lucy starts to think that she doesn't want Shadow, she likes Ed more than someone she may have no chance of meeting.

Lucy and Ed are both very likeable characters once you get to know them. I really felt that they grew as characters as the story went on and their relationship grew. This book was beautifully written, the descriptions of Shadow's graffiti pieces were very well done, I can picture them in my mind.

Graffiti Moon was an easy and fun Aussie read that covered some deeper problems of society. I look forward to checking out more work by Cath Crowley!

Have you read any Aussie YA that you can suggest for me?

Happy reading!
- Amy

Follow Friday #7

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!* 


Follow Friday is a book meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. This weeks question is a fun one!

"Question: Letter to Santa: Tell Santa what books you want for Christmas!"

Dear Santa,


This year for christmass I would like only books.


Books I've Read But Don't Own:
Geek Girl - Cindy C. Bennett


Books I Haven't Read:
Shut Out - Kody Keplinger
Divergent - Veronica Roth
The Death Cure - James Dashner
Explosive Eighteen - Janet Evanovich
Paranormalcy - Kiersten White
Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins


There are so many books that I want, it's hard to only pick a few!!

What books would you like for Christmas?? Let me know in the comments below or link me to your FF!

Happy reading!

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Release Date: January 1st 2011
Publisher:
Goodreads | Book Depository

My Rating 4.5/5

From Goodreads: "Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"

I have to admit that when I bought this one I didn't know what it was about. I had read so many good things about it that when I saw it at my local K-Mart for a pretty good price, so I just bought it. I didn't even read the back!! Though I had heard many great things about it, they were just vague "OMG so amazing!" statements, rather than plot info.

Karou is our main character of this fantastic story. A seemingly human girl raised by a group Chimaera, who she considers her family. Brimstone, her father figure, has raised her to be part of both the human world and his world, Elsewhere. She is a complete mystery to her friends (and sometimes even to herself). She has mastered the act of telling the truth in a way people think she is lying. But really who would take her seriously if she said that there was such thing as Angels and other fantastical creatures? Instead she has become famous among her friends for drawing and creating stories with them. Stories that actually happen, but her friends don't need to know that. Karou is a bad ass! She can knows how to look out for herself and she has been trained in martial arts. There is no messing with this chick! Though she leads an action packed and interesting life, Karou doesn't feel whole. There is something missing and she doesn't know what.

In walks (or rather flies I suppose) Akiva. The Angel sent to close all doors to Elsewhere and her family. While on earth he is pulled to follow Karou. There is something about her that almost seems familiar. For as long as anyone can remember, the Chimaera and the Angels are enemies. So a romance between the two would be completely forbidden. Which Akiva knows first hand, having fallen in love with a Chimaera, only to see her executed and him be next. Now he lives to destroy the Chimaera. His life gets thrown full circle when he comes across Karou, the human girl who for some reason has eyes marked on her hands. Generally the marks that come with the resurrection of a Chimaera.

Laini Taylor did a great job with the plot. It was such a mystery! From the beginning we were introduced to things that Karou had no answer to. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, especially when it was all revealed towards the end! I won't say anything else about the plot because I want you to have the joy of being surprised like I did!

This book left me speechless! I had to take a couple of days to write this review because I couldn't form words other than "wh-wh-WHAT?!" and "Must. Read. Next. One. ASAP." Laini Taylor did an amazing job with her writing. She gave nothing away too soon, which was great and kept me guessing the whole book. I can honestly say that I couldn't guess what was going to happen next, whether it be because I just had no idea, or because I was so engrossed in the book I couldn't think ahead. Either way, both of these are good things in my book! Not often that I come across an unpredictable story line.

Life seems so ordinary after reading a book like this! I highly recommend this one. Laini Taylor did an amazing job.

If you have read this, what did you think? I'd love to hear all your opinions!

Happy reading!

- Amy

Waiting on Wednesday #5

*Checkout my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win*


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. To allow our readers to see what books we are waiting to be released so we can read them!

This week I chose: 

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting  
Release Date: March 29th 2012
Goodreads | Book Depository

From Goodreads: "Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. 

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye...."

I have read and LOVED the other two books in this series, and I just can't wait till march next year!!

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Happy reading!

- Amy

Dusty Reads #1

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway, for your chance to win!*


Dusty Reads is a meme hosted by the lovely Giselle over at .Xpresso Reads. for information on how to participate or to check out her blog click the link!

Dusty Reads was started to feature a book that has been sitting on the shelf not read for a long time!

This book has been sitting on my shelf for SO long and it isn't even mine. I borrowed it from a friend because she said I just HAD to read it.

You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Sarah Manning

From Goodreads: "Gentle, shy twenty-five-year-old Neve works in a dusty archive library, and is half the woman she used to be -- literally. Determined to make a change, she has whittled her body down from an unprintable size to a size fourteen so that when the love of her life, William, returns from his sabbatical in LA in six months, he'll see the new her and fall in love with her body as well as her mind. In the mean time, her little sister Celia, horrified by Neve's total inexperience when it comes to love, decides she needs a practice boyfriend. And she just happens to have the perfect temporary solution -- sexy, flirtatious, irresponsible, heart-breaking Max, who's never had a relationship longer than a one night stand himself. But Max and Neve should have known that nothing is simple when it comes to affairs of the heart..."

Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a really great book, but around the same time that she Lent it to me I discovered (or re-discovered) my love for YA. It's safe to say that this book has been sitting on my shelf for a very VERY long time. It has been that long that I'm pretty sure my friend forgets that I still have it!

What is getting dusty on your shelf?

Happy reading!
- Amy

Teaser Tuesday # 6

Hi everyone! 

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading to showcase a teaser from the book we are currently reading!

This week I am reading Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Goodreads is 'currently unavailable' so I can't link you)

So the rules say that you are to share two teaser sentences but really I think you only need one!

"My face is in his hands and my lips are at his lips and he's kissing me and I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe"

Ohhh maaah gosh!!!! Awesome. Right?!! I haven't finished this book yet but so far I'm really enjoying it!

What are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments or link me to your teaser!

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Hunger by Michael Grant

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*

Hunger by Michael Grant

Release Date: May 26th 2009

Publisher: Egmont UK Limited

Edition: UK Paperback, 600 pages

Goodreads | Book Depository

My Rating 4.5/5

From Goodreads: "It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results."

*If you haven't read the first in the series this review may contain spoilers. For my review of Gone please see here*

I had seen the first in this series, Gone, in the bookstore so many times but never bought it! I really wish I had picked it up that first time! I just love this series! For a situation that is so unrealistic, Michael Grant makes it work and makes it seem plausible!
 Recap: All of the adults have disappeared and a sort of wall has appeared around their little town. No one can get out and no one can get in. The animals have all become mutations of their former selves. Talking coyotes, flying snakes and underwater bats. Strange right? Well it doesn't end there. The kids have started developing odd abilities like invisibility, super speed and laser hands.

Sam is still in charge of everyone (except Caine and his followers) he has taken on the role of the "Mayor." He didn't want to be in charge, but that is the way it turned out. Now he has to deal with sibling fights and other minor things he shouldn't have to.

It has become obvious that there is no end to these conditions in the near future. Sam realises this, he also realises that the food they have won't last much longer but he can't seem to get the other kids to help him.Big problem. The kids are already on rations. This is the main problem throughout this book: hunger. Fighting against Caine and the conditions of the FAYZ to survive is hard enough without going hungry. Now it has come time for new ways of food input to be put in place. There are fields with different vegetables that are surrounded by killer worms (that utterly freaked me out - bleurgh!) These are just some of the problems that the kids face.

I think Michael Grant did a great job of portraying how kids would react to starvation without adults. These kids have relied on their parents and other adults for food and shelter and protection all of their lives. Now they are starving and fighting for their lives constantly and in an altered environment.

Now on to the characters. This book featured more of the characters that were in the background of Gone. Brianna and Jack feature more than what they did, which I thought was great. I LOVE these two characters and I can't wait to see where the story takes them. Jack who used to be part of Caine's following but switched sides. Brianna who thought she was invincible until to her dismay was proven otherwise. Michael Grant touches on a love relationship between these two characters. I think they would make a good pair. However I am a little torn because one of the other girls, Dekka, is in love with Brianna and has been for a long time. It would be nice to see what would happen if that relationship could flourish but at the same time I really like Jack. I just don't know you guys! I guess I will have to wait and see what happens in the next book!

The writing flowed very well and I found I could sit down and read it for long periods of time. Each chapter more or less features one character at a time, at the end of almost all of the chapters you were left hanging to see what would happen to the character. I found that I wanted to keep reading so I could find out what happened to each character in their next feature chapter. So it was a cycle. "Oh no Brianna! Must keep reading to find out what happens to her." "What! Little Petey? Must keep reading." "Must keep reading must keep reading." You get the idea.

Overall a really great read! I recommend YA fanatics to check this series out if you haven't already. If you liked Hunger Games, I think it is comparable to that in terms of violence and survival but still very different at the same time.

Happy reading!
- Amy

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

*Check out my 100 follower giveaway for your chance to win!*


Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15th 2011 (however it is already available in Australia)
Publisher: Harper Collins
Edition: Paperback, 352 pages
Goodreads | Book Depository

My Rating: 5/5

Goodreads: "Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

You guys!!! This book was AMAZING! I get nervous to read a book that has had a lot of hype, but Shatter Me didn't let me down! I started this one in the morning and found myself not wanting to leave my house just so I could finish it all in one sitting. This is one of those books that captured my attention from the get go and held it the entire way, which if I'm honest, doesn't happen very often!

This book was made available in Australia before its US release date. This really surprised me since we generally don't get anything before the US, we are lucky to get something 4 months later! When I found out that it was already available in Oz, that was it. I was in my car and going to the shops. Though I couldn't find it the first time I looked, I went back a couple days later and there it was, I could barely contain my excitement.

Juliette is no ordinary girl, and she has had no ordinary life. She can't touch people. If she touches someone for long enough, they die. While she was growing up, she was shunned, kids at school were told to stay away from her. Her own parents didn't interact with her due to their fear. One day there is an.. Incident I guess you could call it without giving to much away. Juliette gets taken away from her parents, without any resistance from her parents. She gets locked up in an institution where she sees and speaks to no one. Left alone in the same room for 264 days while the outside world goes through many changes. I loved Juliette as a character, though she is vulnerable, she isn't helpless. This I really liked. She is vulnerable as a result of her situation but she will always be a strong hearted person.

In walks Adam. No really he literally walks in to the room she has lived in solitary for 264 days. Why? She doesn't know, all she knows is that she has seen those piercing blue eyes before. Finally realising they belong to the only person who wasn't cruel to her in school, who even defended her when she was picked on. Adam comes across as a total jerk when he re-walks into her life, but he becomes a character that I love, and you probably will too. Still sacrificing himself to save her, even when he discovers her terrible secret.

This book was beautifully written. I really felt like I was in the head of a confused girl who has never had human contact. Her thought processes were confused and some thoughts were even stricken through, when she would think upsetting thoughts. I have to admit this threw me at the start, I found it hard to read the sentences that were stricken through.  When editing hand written work I will strike through sentences that I change or don't like, so when re-reading I would skip over the crossed out material. In a way this is what Juliette does. If she thinks something horrible - "my parents gave me up. My parents love me." This is not an exact quote as I don't have my copy on hand at the moment, but you get the idea. Also Juliette repeated herself, she would get hooked on a word and repeat it, generally three times. Like she was trying to convince herself that what she was saying was true or convincing herself not to do something. This really added to her confusion. I thought this was a very powerful and unique writing style, I really felt that I was in the mind of the utterly confused and lonely Juliette's head. I don't think this book would have been as effective if it was written in the average way. It just wouldn't have capture the voice of Juliette otherwise.

Overall a really great read. Tahereh Mafi has come up with not only an original idea, but an original way to portray Juliette's story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an engrossing read. I can't wait for the sequel to come out!!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Happy reading!
- Amy

It's 100 Follower Giveaway Time!!

Hi everyone!! 

It's time for my 100 follower giveaway! Yayy! Thank you to all of my followers both old and new! 

Giveaway Details:

• Open Internationally (if Book Depository ships to your country)
• Must be a GFC follower! (I know there are some changes to the GFC system so if you cant follow with GFC use networked blogs of follow by email) 
• Open to new and old followers
• The giveaway will be open for one month starting today 6th of November till the 10th of December (now I know that is a long time but I'm going to be really busy at the end of November and start of December!)
• If I hit another milestone in followers before the giveaway ends I might be extra kind and pick TWO winners!

The winner(s) will have their choice of ONE of the following books:

Note: All books are ones that I have either read and enjoyed or ones that I have been wanting to read!

How to Enter:

• Fill out the form below with your name and email address

Please Be Advised:

• I am not responsible for lost or damaged goods from The Book Depository
• No personal information (address) will be stored or used except for the purpose of this giveaway
• Winner will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to respond with mailing address and book choice or a new winner will be chosen.
• The winner will be picked by a random number generator (random.org)
• There is only one entry per person, if you comment more than once, one of your comments will be deleted
• I have the right to change giveaway details as I see fit
• Entrants must be 13 or older

Also keep in mind that it is coming up to the holiday season so it may take a little while longer for things to be delivered! 

Thanks and happy reading everyone! 

In My Mailbox #5

*100 follower giveaway currently underway, to enter visit here*


In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. it is a bookish meme that was created to showcase any books that were received, bought or borrowed recently.

This week I have a few book to share! (Some of them I have already finished)

From my library:

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I Would Have To Kill You - Ally Carter
Eona - Alison Goodman
Hunger - Michael Grant

Borrowed from friends:













Bossypants - Tina Fey

Purchased by me:

 



Beautiful Chaos - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Shatter me - Tahereh Mafi 
The Birds and the Bee's - Milly Johnson

From NetGalley:

 



Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley

For Review: 

Dark Seeker - Taryn Browning (Thanks Taryn!!)

I really need to get a wriggle on with my reading... Starting to build up a pretty big pile! It's starting to get hard to pick what I should read next! 

That's it for me this week! What did you get in your mailbox?? 

Happy reading!

- Amy

Follow Friday #6

Is it really Friday ALREADY? I know I probably say that every week... But each week Friday comes around and each week I can't believe it's here again!






Follow Friday is a weekly bookish meme carried out by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. This week is a little different!

"Today's Question is something new, an activity. We want to see what you look like! Take a pic with you and your current read! Too shy? Boo! Just post a fun pic you want to share."

Note: I know the image is mirrored, but I really couldn't figure out how to flip it! Since I've gotten a Macbook I haven't figured everything out yet. So sorry everyone for my noobiness! 

How fun! I like knowing the face behind a blog! so here is a picture of me with my current read... Eona by Alison Goodman. So far it is really good! 

Also I have a giveaway coming up, check out the link to let me know what books you would like to see as options to pick from! 


Happy Friday!


- Amy

Upcoming Giveaway!

So you may (or may not) have noticed that I have nearly hit 100 followers! *Dances in celebration, pulling all of my lovely followers in to join the party!*

So now it has come time for a 100 follower giveaway! I'm still gobsmacked that I have 100 people that follow my blog! I have to say that the book blogging world is one of the greatest to be a part of. It has become its own community of people who love to read. So Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all of my lovely followers! (I really can't thank you enough! But thank you once more for good measure)

So I rallied my creative friend Bec to help me come up with a blog name, bouncing ideas back and forth while I googled to see if they already existed (and most of them did). So finally after I thought all hope was lost for a blog name, (when even your creative friend is stumped you know things aren't looking good) I came up with Following The Reader. Of course in times of need my mind turns to Disney movies right? Peter Pan was one of my favourite childhood movies and I will always always remember the song 'Following The Leader.' (Sometimes in peoples Meme Linky's I find myself typing Amy @ Following The Leader. woops!)

So what books would you like to see up for grabs in the giveaway? I would love to hear your thoughts. The books will be coming from The Book Depository straight to you, so have a looksie and let me know what you would like to see available as options for the giveaway! I will pick a few books to choose from, so there is more variety. The giveaway will be open internationally (if The Book Depository ships to your country). I can't say when for sure it will be open, but follow me on twitter @AmyTheReader for updates and of course there will be an official giveaway post!

Enough rambling from me! Don't forget to comment with what books you would like to see!

Happy reading and stay tuned!
- Amy

Waiting on Wednesday #4

Hi everyone! 

Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. This meme features books that we are anxiously waiting for the release date of or waiting to get our hands on. So my pick this week is... *Drum roll please!!*

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Release date: November 15th 2011 
BUT  I've been told that this is already out in Australia! (However the bookstore I went to earlier hadn't received their stock yet)

Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

From Goodreads: "Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. 

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

Sounds so good that I can barely contain myself!! Lucky for my local bookstore they had this one on order, otherwise I would have been having words with them! 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? I would love to hear from you in the comments or link me to your WoW posts :)

Happy reading! 

- Amy