I can't believe it's almost that time of year again! On December 30, 2009, started my a little blog called i swim for oceans because nobody wanted to hear me babble about books anymore. In just over one month, I will be celebrating my second blogoversary! Can you believe it?!

In that time, I've learned to write better reviews, interact with publishers and authors, met some incredible bloggers and even had the opportunity to go to BookExpo America in NYC (and can't wait to go again!) In honour of this though, I'm celebrating all of YOU! Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for making this SO much fun, and thank you for being a part of the blogosphere!

The Details:

There will be four (4) winners. Each winner will win two books. The first name drawn will choose their books. The second winner drawn will choose two books. The third winner chosen will two books. The fourth winner will win the final two books. Want to see what's up for grabs? (Bear in mind that they are all ARCs for which I have duplicates, so they are untouched.)

The Rules:

You do NOT have to be a follower to enter but, as always, it is greatly appreciated! This giveaway is open internationally, and it will end promptly at 12 AM EST on December 21, 2011.

Click HERE to enter!

I received a second copy of Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar (book one) back in August at BEA. Recently, I've received two copies of The Rift Walker (book two), and I've decided to share the wealth with one of my lucky readers! If you don't know much about the series, here is what you could win:

Title: Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar
Author: Clay & Susan Griffith
Publisher: Prometheus
Publish Date: November 18, 2010
Genre: Paranormal, Steampunk
Pages: 303

Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath.

One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory. At first, she has only one defender: a mysterious Greyfriar who roams freely in dangerous vampire regions.

Title: The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire #2)
Author: Clay & Susan Griffith
Publisher: Prometheus
Publish Date: September 20, 2011
Genre: Paranormal, Steampunk
Pages: 399

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, senator Clark. With the human alliance in disarrray, Prince Cesare, lord of the British vampire clan, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.

As always, you do NOT have to be a follower, but it is always appreciated! This giveaway is open internationally and will end promptly at midnight EST on Saturday, October 15, 2011.

Click HERE to fill out the form and enter to win!

Title: The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire #2)
Author: Clay & Susan Griffith
Publisher: Prometheus
Publish Date: September 20, 2011
Genre: Paranormal, Steampunk
Pages: 399
Source: Publisher

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet.

These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar.

Adele is running out of time. Her wedding is fast-approaching, and she's running out of reasons to delay it. Though her marriage to Senator Clark will provide an alliance that's great for her people, she's at a loss. She's fallen for the mysterious Greyfriar, despite the fact that he should be her mortal enemy, and everything she does and thinks turns right around to him once again. But when things go from bad to worse and Adele learns of a heinous plot to willingly use humans against the vampire race, she realizes something must be done...only fast because her wedding is going to be held no matter what. The Greyfriar learns of other plans though - plans that could threaten Adele's life, and the two will be reunited on adventure that will change the course of their lives and all those around them, as well.

I always have to add this disclaimer to reviews of books involving vampires because, let's be honest, they still have vampires in them, and I loathe vampires. With a passion. That said, yet again, I was blown away by a book that defied my staunch stance on vampires. The Rift Walker deftly picks up where book one left off, carrying a heavy load of backstory with ease, all the while introducing new problems, battles and enemies for our hero and heroine to work through. Clay and Susan Griffith have created a sequel in The Rift Walker that may very well surpass its predecessor. With surprising depth, this love story brims with gripping action, potent characters and an enthralling world that seeps through the pages into real life.

Honestly, I adored The Greyfriar, and I will rarely (if ever) say that a sophomore novel ups the ante and might just be better than the first book, but The Rift Walker is truly dangerously and deliciously that good. While we saw the Greyfriar as a passionate hero in book one, we now see Adele coming into her own. She becomes stronger and more steadfast in her beliefs, and she ardently fights for what she wants and knows is right now. Though she knows what should be done with the way the world is, Adele is more concerned in what must be done for the good of everyone and not just herself. She carries the novel from start to finish - a heavy burden to be sure - but it's done well. The Greyfriar lends his nature to the depth of the story, which enriches it without making their dynamic cloying or overbearing. Furthermore, The Rift Walker makes you want to get into the mind of the villains. When a plot so gruesome is brought to life, you want to comprehend what makes a character tick, and the best part of The Rift Walker is that you can see it, and you can feel it and through each of the characters' actions, you can live it. The true beauty of The Rift Walker though is that, although it features a paranormal romance, the seamless blend of political agendas, power and prejudice, love and war make for a striking story that is compelling and dynamic.

Yet again, I was blown away by this series, and I'm so excited to finally read a sequel that steps up its game! The Rift Walker was a fabulous read, and it's one I'll be happy to read time and again. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to all fans of both YA and Adult reads, especially those who enjoy paranormal romance and steampunk.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

(ARC) - Thank you, Balzer & Bray

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

FOR REVIEW

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Thank you, Aladdin

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret—behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.

FOR REVIEW

The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith

Thank you, Prometheus

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, senator Clark. 

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

FOR REVIEW:

Vampire Empire: The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith

Thank you, Prometheus Books

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. 

However, the alliance's horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. 

FOR REVIEW

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Thank you, Grand Central

A dystopian novel about a society of haves, who escaped an apocalypse in a futuristic dome-covered city, and have-nots, who survived the nearly destroyed outside world. The have-nots are almost entirely marked or mutated in some manner.

PURE centers around the story of Pressia, a 16-year-old survivor with a doll’s head fused into her left hand, and Partridge, an unmarked Pure who has escaped the Dome to find his mother, certain that she has survived the cataclysm.

I'm SO excited for these two books. I have the second one already, so I'll be giving away a copy soon, and the first book...well, loved book one, so I'm dying to read this one now! A quick aside, I'm holding a giveaway for an ARC of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger. If you want to enter, click HERE for the details!