FF - Reader's Choice!

Spring Break began today. It's been in the upper 50's and 60's all week, and this morning? This is what we see out the window==> Really, Mother Nature? Really?

Sigh.

Anyway... before we start this week's Freebie Friday, I want to send a huge congratulations to this year's Golden Heart and Rita finalists. (The Ritas are for published works and the Golden Heart is for pre-pubbed.) The finalists in the YA category are:

RITA:
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro (<===agency sistah! Yay, Tina!!)
Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

Golden Heart:
Ghost-Ridden by Vanessa Barneveld
Shattered by Shea Berkley
bloom by Shelley Coriell
Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelly Coriell
The Halo Chronicles: The Guardian by Carey Denise Corp
Squeeze Three Times by Kimberly Eve MacCarron
Spelling and Glamour by Jennifer McAndrews (<====Good friend and CP!!!! YAY, Jen!!!!!)
Unchosen by Erica Daniel O'Rourke

And now, without further ado (and before my kids get up...) this week's Freebie:

It's time once again to make room for new books in my book piles, which means I have to part with some of the fabulous books I've recently read. This week's winner may choose any FOUR of the following books for their Prize Pack:

THE HUNGER GAMES - Suzanne Collins

CATCHING FIRE - Suzanne Collins

HEIST SOCIETY - Ally Carter

SOMETHING, MAYBE - Elizabeth Scott

FALLEN - Lauren Kate

HUSH, HUSH - Becca Fitzpatrick

SHADOWLAND - Alyson Noel

SHIVER - Maggie Stiefvalter


To be entered to win, you can do one (or more!) of several things:

* Leave a comment below, telling me what book you would recommend I get to read next and rebuild my book piles.

* Post about this contest on twitter, facebook, myspace or on your blog.

* Post the TRANCE countdown widget on your blog.

* Take the DEATH BY DENIM quiz created by 'Paramorebud' and tell me your score.

* FREEBIE BONUS: Leave a comment on Robolobolyn's Birthday Bash blog post. (She is giving away four copies of DEATH BY DENIM!)

Each of these will earn you one entry. The winner will be chosen by random drawing on Wednesday, March 31. Apologies to my overseas readers, but since most of these books are hardcover and thus expensive to send, this contest is open to continental US/Canada readers only.

THE WINNER

Drumroll, please...

The books in this week's mystery bag are:


FADE by Lisa McMann (Second book in the series, following WAKE, both of which are NY Times bestsellers. Watch for the next book, GONE in February.)

SENT by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Second book in the MISSING series, after FOUND. Hit #4 on the NY Times list its first week out.)

WINGS by Aprilynne Pike (First of a four-book series. Debuted at #6 on the Times list its first week out and has been optioned for a movie by Disney.)

DEATH BY DENIM by yours truly (Book three in the DEATH BY series. Imposter among these NY Times listers, but a fun read anyway!)

BLUE MOON by Alyson Noel (Second book in IMMORTALS series and a #1 NY Times bestseller. Watch for the third book, SHADOWLAND, which will be out in less than two weeks! (November 17.))

And now, by random drawing, the winner of this intense collection of books is:

Christine

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (at) lindagerber (dot) com and I'll get them sent out to you. Please write WINNER in the subject line so your email doesn't get lost in my inbox.

Everyone else, please join me back here tomorrow for another freebie. I'm not quite sure at this moment if our guest blogger will be joining us, but either way, we will do a giveaway here on the blog. Which makes now a good time to ask for your feedback...

What would you like to see more of on the Freebie Friday posts?
A. Author interviews and giveaways
B. My overloaded bookshelf-clearing giveaways
C. Bookstore card drawings
D. Quizzes and contests
E. Other

Thanks! See you tomorrow.

Ode to Books

Over at TFC today, Alyson Noel asked about books that changed our lives. I listed two in my reply; CITY OF JOY by Dominique LaPierre and A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith.

Both of these books dealt with hardship and poverty, but they showed the characters rising above their circumstances. When I read them, I gained a whole new perspective and appreciation for what I have.

As I think about it, though, there are so many more books that have shaped the way I see things, taught me about life, given me joy, grew my vision outside my own small world. Books have been a constant in my life and each one of them I've read has contributed something to the way I think, act and feel. In short, books are life.

What do you think? Have you read any books that you believe changed your life?