Guess what?  We have another awesome Cassandra Clare giveaway for you!  This time we are giving away a signed copy of Clockwork Angel to one lucky Australian winner.

Magic is dangerous–but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by–and torn between–two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length…everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world…and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

If you have already read this, aren’t you super excited for Clockwork Prince?! I know I am.  December can’t come soon enough.

The Nitty Gritty:

• Simply fill out the form below with your name, email, and mailing address. We randomly draw the winners using random.org.
• Contest open to Australia only.
• Ends on July 31, 2011.

To celebrate the release of the third and final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series – Forever by Maggie Stiefvater, yaReads is taking part in the Forever Blog Tour!

On this stop of the tour we’ll be talking about one of Grace’s friends – Rachel, as well as sharing some awesome content from Maggie and hosting a giveaway.

Rachel

Rachel plays a relatively minor role in the series as Grace’s friend but her moments on the page are anything but minor. Rachel’s bright, sometimes dramatic and often hilarious personality lights up the scene and has become a favorite for many readers.

I think a good example of this is a quote from Grace in Shiver -

“Really, Rachel looked like a sun, bright and exuding energy, holding us two moons in a parallel orbit by the sheer force of her will. “

My personal favorite moments are her one liners and just her general humor, particularly when she refers to Sam as ‘The Boy’.

“What do you mean? Grace Brisbane, you do not mean that you’re not going back home again. Tell me that this was just because you were momentarily angry at them for grounding you. Or even tell me it’s because you could not live without The Boy’s stunning Boyfruits for another night. But don’t tel me you think it’s forever!”

Sam’s face was twisted into a weird shape at the mention of his Boyfruits.

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Still facing Sam, Rachel did a strange dance move with her index fingers extended; it looked like it had possibly been invented in the fifties, when people weren’t allowed to touch each other.
“Hi, The Boy!” she shouted over the music. “We’re making Italian food!”

Still holding a piece of chicken, I turned and made a loud noise in protest.

Rachel said, “My colleague informs me that I spoke too strongly. I am watching Grace make Italian food!”

Besides her humor, as a character, she may not always have as much contact with Grace but when the time comes, she’s always there for Grace which is the most important part of being a good friend. How will these two friends end up at the end of Forever? You’ll have to pick up a copy to find the answer to that question.

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Maggie Stiefvater has put together an awesome playlist that best describes Rachel, which you can check out below -

1. Hey Trouble – The Concretes
2. Gospel Song – Magnet
3. When I Decide – My Terrible Friend
4. White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes
5. Honey Bee – Zee Avi
6. The Wind Blew My Heart Away – The Fruit Bats
7. Her Morning Elegance – Oren Lavie
8. Mr. Pitiful – Matt Costa
9. Uncovered in Your Eyes – Jonas & Plunkett
10. In The Woods – Benjy Ferree

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Giveaway - One lucky yaReader will get the chance to win a framed original illustration of Rachel (pictured, right), drawn by Maggie Stiefvater herself. To enter, fill in the form here. (U.S. residents only, sorry!)

Make sure you check out the next stop on the tour, on Wednesday 20th at Presenting Lore where they’ll be discussing Cole.

Also, Scholastic (the amazing publisher behind the series) recently launched an online community called This Is Teen to connect readers with their favorite YA authors and books. Visit their page on Facebook for all the latest news on Maggie Stiefvater and Forever: www.facebook.com/thisisteen.

Fans of Maria V. Snyder will know that the the publisher behind her awesome book such as the Study and Insiders series,  is of course, Harlequin Teen.

With Maria heading to our shores for a book tour in August (woohoo!), Harlequin Teen Australia have launched their very own Facebook page. Head on over to their page here, give them a like and make them feel welcome

To celebrate the launch of the FB page, we have a whole heap of swag to giveaway to one very lucky winner – A copy of Inside Out and Outside In, both by Maria V. Snyder, a signed poster and bookmarks.

To enter fill in your details below

The Nitty Gritty:

• Simply fill out the form below with your name, email, and mailing address. We randomly draw the winners using random.org.
• Contest open to Australia only.
• Ends on July 31, 2011.