The Fourth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason and OS teaser # 21!

We'll kick off today's post with our Original Sin teaser du jour! In our last teaser, we met Rhenorian. His appearance at the pizza place Frannie works at has left her pretty shaken. Here's some of her thoughts:

#OriginalSin p43 Frannie: Nightmares of the ground opening up and swallowing Luc in some demonic earthquake kept me awake all night. I kept getting up and going to the window to be sure the Shelby was still there. When he pulled out this morning, I felt sick. I thought about telling Matt to go with him.

I always expected Hell would keep coming after me, but I never thought about Luc—that they’d want him back too. Acid churns in my tight stomach as I drive, too fast, to get to him.

And now, the fun stuff! I fangirled Gayle Forman for you yesterday so I could get you guys some signed books and share the If I Stay and Where She Went love.

You heard my OMG moment with Cassie Clare when I met her last month (she has Personal Demons on her Kindle!!!) and meeting Gayle was totally amazing too. It’s no wonder that such authentic characters flowed from her, because she seems a very genuine person. If you get a chance to catch her on the road, do it. =)

You all know how I feel about these books. I’ve raved all over If I Stay here, and you’ve heard how Where She Went totally rocked my world here. It’s the wave of inspiration from reading Where She Went that has me on the edge of finishing a 70K word novel in three weeks, which would be a record for me.

So…here’s your chance to win a signed copy of the first of these incredible books, If I Stay (Hardcover), and a signed Original Sin ARC. Squee!! All you have to do is comment below before noon PST on Friday May 6^th. So easy! In addition to commenting (for which you get one point) you can accumulate extra points as follows:

Old blog follower: +3 points
New blog follower: +2 points
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez) +2 points
Link to my contest post on your blog or twitter: +1 point
Dedicated post with link to my contest on your website/blog: +3 points
Add me to your blogroll: +2 points
Original Sin widget in your blog sidebar +2

Also on your entry, please remember to tell me how to find you (email address). And ADD UP YOUR POINTS because I can’t be trusted with math…just sayin’.

As always, the contest is open internationally. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted on the blog after noon on May 6^th. SQUEE!! Enter early and enter often! (Joking--one entry per person, please :p) Good luck!!

Original Sin Teaser #9 and the book that has left me emotionally devastated

I have two very important things to say to you today. This: 

And this:

If you haven't read them, do it. I read If I Stay last November and it amazed me. Ever since, my new answer to the question: Which book do you wish you wrote? If I Stay, without any hesitation.

Last week the sequel Where She Went was released. After reading it, I am emotionally devastated. Other books have touched me and left me thinking about them long after I closed the cover, but I can’t remember another book leaving me totally wasted. I can barely function—no joke. And, Adam has ruined me for all other fictional boys. Even mine. Gayle Foreman is a master at creating characters that are so real you can't help but sink into their world.

Not that long ago, I did a post on stakes in YA. This book proves to me that the stakes don't have to be the annihilation of the world for a story to matter. All that is at stake (for the most part) is a relationship. But it's a relationship that the reader cares deeply about.

So, my question of the day: What is the last book you read that has left you emotionally devastated?

And, today’s Original Sin teaser. More Luc and Frannie hotness, continuing from the last few:

#OriginalSin p21 Frannie: His hands slide down the curve of my hips and I look over my shoulder at him. “Oh, you enticed me just fine,” he says with a beautifully wicked grin. “The only reason I can resist right now is because I’m fairly certain we can pick up where we left off when I’m done.”

“Don’t be so sure,” I say, knowing he’s right. “You snooze, you lose.”

He looks genuinely concerned for a heartbeat; then his face clears. “We’ll see about that.” His smile is back, and all kinds of wicked ideas flash behind his eyes.