Dark Days + Nail Polish giveaway!

Hello!

So  a couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go to a Dark Days event featuring Dan Wells (Partials), Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder series, and The Pledge), and Jill Hathaway (Slide).

It was so much fun and I got to hang out with some fabulous bloggers!

Dan Wells, Me, Danielle, Kimberly Derting, Erica, Cindy, Nikki, Jill Hathaway

 If you ever have a chance to meet any of these authors make sure to. They were nice and so funny!

Courtesy of Kimberly Derting I have 5 bottles of The Last Echo nail polish to giveaway!

Rules:

Only available to those with a U.S mailing address (costs sorry)

Contest ends May 7th

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

(Pictures from Kimberly Derting's site, and facebook)

Friday talks Series

Today I'm on Interrobang YA talking about series!

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Received From: Publisher in return for an honest review

Summary:

You will kill. The only question is when.
In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.
Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.
Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Review:

I am one of the many people who fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s storytelling and writing in her Iron Fey series. This newest book is completely different from that world and takes a new and inventive look at vampires.

I know what you're thinking. Vampires? Really? Trust me I know how you feel. But Julie Kagawa makes them new again in The Immortal Rules, and its not just a world with vampires, there are humans and rabids as well. I personally found the rabids creation story to be fascinating.

The vampires are the ruling class in this post-apocalyptic world.  Which was a twist that I found interesting, and it affirmed the fact that vampires are DANGEROUS and not to be messed with. I also really liked how Allie struggled to keep hold of her humanity, it made her easier to relate with and made you feel for her even though she is a vampire.

Also Allie is a bad-ass before she gets bitten, which I appreciated because I am not a fan of weak female characters. There is also a little romance, but it is not a big thing that consumes the whole story which I really liked.

I liked so many things about The Immortal Rules but my absolute favorite was learning the mythology behind Julie Kagawa’s vampires. The way they were created and how their bodies work made so much sense to me, and I loved learning about it.

Even though The Immortal Rules is a pretty size-able book I was able to finish rather quickly and I never got bored. I totally recommend it for fans of vampires and those who are a little tired of them as well. And if you fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series I think you will like this as well! I cannot wait for the next one!

An Adventurer's Guide to What to Read

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great day! A couple of weeks ago I created an Amazon store that I could fill with lists of my must read books, so if you are looking for a quick way to decide what to read next the store is divided into genres and contains the books that I really love in that genre, so be sure to check it out. You can access it by clicking on An Adventurer's Guide to What to Read up in the navigation bar, or by clicking on that link! I hope you like it!

Friday says hello!

Hi everyone I am going to be a new member of Interrobang YA and today I am introducing myself.

Belles

Title: Belles

Author: Jen Calonita

Publisher: Little, Brown

Release Date: April 10, 2012
Received From: Publisher in return for a honest review

Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

Review:

I have read and loved Jen Calonita’s Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and so I was super excited to read Belles especially after reading the summary.

Contemporary fiction is not really my thing, I mean I like it enough but give me a historical or a fantasy over contemp. any day. But then I read books like this and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and I remember how much I actually like contemporary fiction.

I really enjoyed Belles. It was so much more than I originally expected. I loved seeing the plot unfold from both Izzy and Mira’s points of view, it made the story much more 3 dimensional. Though I have to say that I liked the ones from Izzy’s POV more, but that may just be because she had more story to tell.

Savannah is terrible. Are you kidding me? When you think of that mean girl in movies or whatever this is the quintessential girl, and unlike how sometimes in those movies/books the girls learns her lesson and becomes nice, this does not happen to Savannah. Which I really appreciated because that doesn't happen to often in real life so it was nice to see that.

I felt like Izzy and Mira were both perfectly written, they were conflicted and thought they were doing the right things when in reality it was the opposite of what needed to be done. I felt like that was pretty true to life, especially Izzy’s hesitance for buying new clothes and stuff.

The one thing I didn’t like was the fact that the twist didn’t surprise me too much, but it was okay because the book was so good besides that. I cannot wait for the next installment!

Interview with Robin Wasserman author of The Book of Blood and Shadow

Today I have with me the author of The Book of Blood and Shadow Robin Wasserman!



Your book primarily takes place in Prague. Did you visit it? If not what kind of research did you have to do to write about the palaces mentioned in the book?

Yes, I spent a couple weeks prowling around Prague with my notebook in hand (feeling like kind of a fool every time I stopped in the middle of the street and whipped out my trusty moleskine to write down a passing thought). I had never been there before, and It turned out to be really crucial for both the writing and the plotting of the book. Seeing the city in person gave me a much richer sense of its flavor—not just how it looked, but how it sounded and smelled and felt. (You can see some of the pictures I took along the way on my new website, www.thebookofbloodandshadow.com.) But I hadn’t expected how much the trip would also inform the plot. The Book of Blood and Shadow is part mystery and part scavenger hunt, which meant I had to spend a lot of time traipsing across the city trying to figure out where my characters might find their clues.  A lot of pivotal scenes—including the climax—got entirely new locations once I saw the city for myself.
 
The main character is fluent in Latin and some of the other characters are fluent in different languages as well. Are you fluent in any language besides English? Is there any language that you wish you were?

I wish I were fluent in any language besides English, but sadly, I’m nowhere close.  I took years and years of French in high school and college, and I’m pretty decent at reading it and, let’s say, passable at writing it. But my speaking skills are abhorrent and my listening comprehension is nonexistent. I suspect to ever approach fluency I’d have to move to Paris. Which isn’t a bad idea, come to think of it. If I could magically snap my fingers and be fluent in anything, though, it would be French (the better to move to Paris with) and then probably German. I  took a couple years of conversational German in grad school, but all I really took from it are the words for overhead projector and dishwasher.
 
Where did you first hear of Elizabeth’s letters? And what drew you to her story?

Once I’d decided to set my story in Prague, I started researching all of the well known people who spent time in the city around the end of the sixteenth century, and I pretty quickly honed in on Edward Kelley, who was one of the most flamboyant figures (and, conveniently, is famously associated with the Voynich Manuscript).  Once I discovered that he had a teenage daughter at that time—and that the daughter grew up to be this remarkable woman and famous writer—I knew I had my historical protagonist. It was all too perfect, and too tempting for me not to write the story: The adopted daughter of a shady alchemist, forced to live at the foot of his prison and then, after his death, fend for herself on the streets of Renaissance Prague and insinuate herself with the court enough to regain her property and her former life, all the while scribbling Latin poetry? It deserves a novel in itself!
The characters in your book go for a wild and unbelievable journey to find the truth. What is something you would like to go to the “ends of the earth” to discover/find the truth of?

Well, proving or disproving the existence of God would be a pretty irresistible one, I suppose, if I ever got the chance. Any of those Indiana Jones adventures also seem worthwhile quests. And the power to bring people back from the dead? I’d go for that, if I got the suggestion there was such a thing. Although I’m pretty much a lazy coward, so the idea of me traveling to the ends of the earth for anything—especially if it would involve murderous secret societies chasing me—are low.
Oh! Also: Alien life. I’d actually do anything to find the truth of that, if it seemed like the truth was out there…
 
If someone only gets one thing out of The Book of Blood and Shadow what do you hope it is?

That’s a hard question to answer, because all I really hope for my books is that readers find something to get out of them. It doesn’t really matter what—everyone grabs something different from the books that matter to them. It’s the idea of writing a book that matters, for whatever reason, that really drives me.  But if there’s one thing I got out of the story, in the process of telling it, it’s the idea that we all have to somehow choose what we believe in, and more importantly, who.
 
Thank you so much for coming on the blog Robin!
 
Now go make sure you check out my review! And then be sure to check out The Book of Blood and Shadow in stores today!

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Title: The Book of Blood and Shadow

Author: Robin Wasserman

Publisher: Random House

Release Date: April 10, 2012
Received From: Publisher via NetGalley

Summary:

I feel like the summary is spoilery so don’t read it if you want to be completely surprised.

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.
But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

Review:

I do not think I can express to you how good this book was. but I am going to try to.

Spellbinding, beautifully written and completely transporting is the way I would describe it.

I had read Robin Wasserman’s other books and I enjoyed them, but when I heard about her newest book The Book of Blood and Shadow I knew I had to pick it up.

I am the biggest fan of mysteries and this is an epic one that spans centuries and continents. It all begins with the book of blood and shadow and letters written by a girl named Elizabeth. Only Nora can see that Elizabeth’s letters may actually be important and eventually life-changing.

 'I should probably start with the blood.' is the first line of this book. Are you kidding me? I was drawn in from the first page and brought along on this whirlwind of a journey through Prague and essentially through time.

Let me tell you, I never knew who to trust! Once, like Nora, I thought I knew what was going on something would happen that would throw me for a loop. And then that perception would get changed, it was so much fun.

I loved learning about Elizabeth and her story, learning what happened to her and how she got tangled up in all of this was so exciting. Even though we only got to see Elizabeth’s actions through the letters that Nora translates I really felt as if Elizabeth was another main character who was brought to life in such an interesting and different way.

Nora was awesome, I loved her drive and her yearning to find the truth. I also really appreciated that all of her friends helped figure things out. I hate when the main character is the only one who can figure things out. It is so unrealistic. But thankfully that was not the case.

PRAGUE! Prague was almost a character in of itself. It was so richly written that I felt like I was there, it also made me need to go there someday.  Also secret societies.

The Book of Blood and Shadow was more than I ever could have imagined. It left me more than satisfied and hooked the entire time I was reading it. It is a must read and the perfect example of what I mean by A Reader’s Adventure.

Also don't forget to check out my interview with Robin Wasserman!

The Marked prequel scene (Jack’s POV)

Today I am proud to host Inara Scott author of The Marked.
But before we get to the fun stuff here is more about Inara!
 
Inara was born in the winter wonderland of Buffalo, NY. She promptly commenced complaining about being cold, and didn’t stop until she moved North Carolina to attend college. Eventually, she settled down in Portland, Oregon, which is a lot like Buffalo, but without all the snow. After college, Inara spent time teaching outdoor and environmental education, but given her love of writing (and let’s be honest, arguing), it was only a matter of time before she ended up in law school. Today, Inara juggles every career she can think of, most at the same time. She practices law, writes romance and young adult fiction, and does frequent school visits. Her debut young adult novel, THE TALENTS (formerly released as DELCROIX ACADEMY: THE CANDIDATES) was a 2010 Oregon Spirit Book Award Honor Book. THE MARKED (A TALENTS novel), will be released in April of 2011. Her most recent contemporary romance, RULES OF NEGOTIATION, was inspired by her years of practice in corporate law. That, and a very active imagination.
 
Now here is Inara to introduce this cool scene! 
 
For those who haven't read The Candidates/The Talents, you should know there are two boys: Cam and Jack. Jack's the bad boy, and he gets a lot of attention. In fact, I'd say the majority of my questions from readers are about Jack. Where is he? Is he coming back? Is he okay? :-)
Well, for all of you who asked, this is a little prequel scene for The Marked...a shot from Jack's point of view, which occurs shortly after The Candidates ends. 

I was used to running—and hiding. I’d been practicing since I was a kid, when it was my mom and me running, and the one we were hiding from was my dad. But this was different. These people knew how to track. Every time I thought I’d lost them, a new, suited figure would appear, casually scanning the crowd. Or there would be a woman standing at the edge of a park, pretending to be reading a book, but never glancing down at her hands.
A teenager studying the crowd at the mall.
An older man, his hand resting at his hip.
Always watching.
Catching sight of me the moment I let down my guard.
With no way to earn any money and no one to ask for help, I had to resort to robbing convenience stores. I hated doing that, though not because I had any compunction about breaking the law. Let me tell you, I lost that a long time ago. No, I hated stealing because it drew attention. Even those idiots at the 7-11 had some kind of direct line to the local TV news. And they had cameras. There were always cameras.
I headed down I-5 toward Portland. I tried hitching, but I didn’t like standing beside the road and having everyone look at me, so I got off the highway pretty quickly. Later that night, I stole a car from a motel. That worked better but there were too many cops around, even on the back roads. I ditched it a few miles outside of Portland, and walked the rest of the way into town. At least once I was there I could get some help. My old gang wasn’t pretty, but they knew how to hide someone.
I refused to use my freak-power. I don’t know how they tracked it, but it seemed the moment I flexed my mental muscles, their snipers popped up all around me.
I ended up in Portland on a hot, sunny day. I knew most of the gang would be downtown or by one of the bridges, but those spaces were too public, especially when the weather was nice. Instead, I walked down the paved path that ran along the east side of the Willamette River. When I was several miles from downtown, I followed a footpath into the wooded area between the path and the river. It was quiet here, with only the whir of bike tires on the path and the distant sound of a boat on the river breaking the silence. I walked past the remnants of an old campfire, and skirted a pile of garbage. Homeless people lived down here, when the weather was decent. This area wasn’t always safe, especially after dark, but I didn’t worry about it. I could protect myself.
When I got closer to the river, I found an overturned log and sat on top of it. I wished I had brought a water bottle, or some food. My stomach rumbled and my head spun a little. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a full meal.
Now that I’d stopped moving, the hopelessness of my situation finally hit. What was I going to do next? Rob a bank? Head for Mexico? Their snoops could find me there. They could find me anywhere.
For a moment, the image of a girl with blonde curly hair and piercing blue eyes filled my mind. I wondered what she was doing. I wondered if she missed me.
I wondered if she was with him.
Without realizing, I’d made my hand into a fist, and started to punch the soft, decaying bark of the tree underneath me.
“You alone down there?” a voice called out behind me.
I jumped, so startled by the intrusion that I almost fell off the tree. The guy approaching me was beefy, with thick biceps that strained the edges of his faded red t-shirt. His face was round and soft, and in another setting I might have guessed he was friendly. Maybe even kind. But then I saw the intensity radiating from his eyes.
Nothing friendly about that.
I forced myself not to react visibly, but every muscle in my body tensed.
“Yeah,” I said. “What’s it to you?”
He ambled over and extended a large, meaty hand. “I’m Thaddeus.”
“Jack.”
He gave me a firm shake, but I had the feeling if he wanted, he could have swung me around in the air like a toy. He dropped my hand and then turned to the river. A thick layer of brush, blackberry brambles, and cottonwood trees blocked our view, but the sun reflecting off the water sparkled through holes in the foliage.
“Bet you’re hungry,” he said.
I stared at his broad back. “What makes you think that?” My heart started to pound. Was he one of them? Without moving, I began to draw in energy from the world around me, feeling it crackle in my chest.
“I wouldn’t,” he said calmly. “The others are right behind me. They won’t appreciate it if you try something.”
Did he know what I was doing, or was it just a really good guess? I supposed it didn’t matter; I redoubled my efforts, and then imagined the coil of air looping around his neck.
“What could I do against you?” I scoffed. “You’re like, ten times bigger than me.”
Adrenaline and fear mixed together. After weeks of running, I was ready for a fight.
“Let’s not play games, Jack,” Thaddeus said. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the trunk of a tree. With an exhalation of breath, he squatted slightly and then stood, pulling the tree from the ground like picking a daisy. I heard cracking from somewhere at our feet, and a small collection of branches fell from the sky. Then he rotated the trunk in either direction, turning left and right, snapping and ripping whatever roots were holding the tree into place.
He was one of them. But why all this fuss? Why spend time proving his power? Why not simply kill me and be done with it?
“I won’t be watched,” I said flatly, coming to my feet. “I’d rather be dead.”
Thad nodded and tossed the tree to the side. It crashed through the underbrush, landing with an enormous thud. Then he turned back to me. He wiped his hands together and smiled. “I agree. I’ve come to give you a different alternative.”
 
So cool! I always wondered what happened to Jack and this explains some questions I had while reading The Marked.
Here is some more about The Marked: In her second semester at a boarding school for teenagers with special powers, Dancia Lewis faces danger from both inside and outside of Delcroix Academy.
All of her life, Dancia Lewis has wanted to use her powers for good. And now that she’s learned the truth about Delcroix Academy—and herself—she may just get the chance. But being part of Delcroix’s top secret Program isn’t anything like Dancia expected. She has to ask herself: what happens to the Talented kids who refuse to pledge their loyalty to the Program? And why did her friend Jack run away rather than join? Dancia’s adorable boyfriend Cam insists they need the help of every Talented student to defend Delcroix from dangerous enemies outside their gates. But Dancia has to wonder: what if Delcroix’s most frightening enemies come from within?
 
To find out more check out my review of The Marked! 

Explorer X: Beta

Title: Explorer X: Beta

Author: LM Preston

Publisher: Phenomenal One Press

Release Date: June 1, 2012
Received From: Author for a blog tour

Summary:

Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they've changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.

Review:

I am excited to be the first stop on the blog tour for Explorer X: Beta by  LM Preston.

I read the first book as part of a blog tour before it first came out so it has been a while since I read it so at the beginning it was hard to remember/understand what was going on. So I would definitely recommend reading the first book before reading this one. Once I got into the story it was really interesting and fun.

I really liked getting back into the characters lives and slowly remembering what happened in Explorer X: Alpha. At times the plot was little confusing but I was really tired while reading it so that could have had something to do with it.

I didn’t like the fact that as the story progressed the characters started to keep secrets from each other and not communicate, it was aggravating but I guess that helped add to the suspense.

I enjoyed learning more about their powers and the different worlds. The overall arc that was created become more complex and intriguing which I really liked.

Overall I think this is a fun book that would be great for upper middle grade.

Be sure to check out my review of Explorer X: Alpha!

And don't forget to check out the rest of the tour!

April 8th: Mariah @ A Readers Adventure

       8th: The Plot Thickens (Interview Only)

       9th: Angie @ My Four Monkeys

     10th: Glenda @ Book Reader's Heaven

     11th: Krystal @ Live To Read

     12th: Nicole @ Purple Peguin Reviews

     13th: Shelia @ Shelia Deeth

     14th: Luke @ http://digitalsciencefiction.com/

     15th: Andrea @ So Many Books, So Little Time

     16th: Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! (Guest Post Only)

     16th: Megan @ The Book Addicted Girl

     17th: Dee @ Book Zone

Here is the trailer:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Poppy

Release Date: January 2, 2012
Received From: Publisher in return for a honest review.

Summary: 

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review:

So I’m not the biggest fan of “insta-love” but I have to say even though the entire book takes place over 24 hours I really didn’t get that feeling while I was reading it, I really enjoyed how it was paced and the rate at which they started to like each other.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight can be described in one word. Adorable. I loved it! Hadley and Oliver were great and I want to have a romance like theirs. Now before you go and think that this book is just full of fluff let me stop you. It is so much more than that, it is about love, loss, and forgiveness. It is about taking risks even when you are scared to, and accepting what you cannot change.

Jennifer E. Smith has created a real gem. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is heartfelt and wonderful. It made me happy and fulfilled after reading it. I cannot express how it was sweet but, yet it deals with some heavy issues. I think you should just go read it so you can see what I mean.

The thing about the title is while it is a mouthful, once you find it in the book you feel like you are part of an inside joke between Hadley and Oliver which to me just makes it that much more special.

This is a perfect book for fans of Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins.

Other reviews:
1. YA Reads
2. Zoe's Book Reviews

Related Posts:
1.Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
2.Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Title: Vesper (Deviants #1)

Author: Jeff Sampson

Publisher: Balzer & Bray/ HarperCollins

Release Date: January 25, 2011
Received From: Publisher in return for an honest review.

Summary: A compelling debut novel in which a teen girl must figure out who's causing a rash of murders in her small town--and what's causing her to turn into a monster. Ideal for fans of "Heroes" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Review:

Vesper starts with a girl giving a testimony to some “government” official and I don’t know about you, but that always intrigues me!

Vesper was so not what I expected. It was more complex and gritty, with twists that I certainly didn’t see coming. I enjoyed unraveling the mystery with Emily and wondering what would happen next. I really love mysteries so this was a fun take on a mystery.

Jeff Sampson created a situation that was different from the typical paranormal genre, and might I say that I really enjoyed how Emily wasn’t a lame, typical paranormal protagonist. She took things into her own hands and (at least at night) wasn’t afraid to investigate. I also really liked that there was no real “romance” I mean there was toward the end but it was different and interesting.

The end of Vesper left me yearning for the next book, yet satisfying what I wanted to know at the beginning of the book. That is one of my biggest pet peeves, when an author doesn't answer a fundamental question by the end of the book, Jeff Sampson didn’t do that to me which I really appreciated.

I definitely recommend this book to fans of Paranormal books and even people who are a little wary or tired of paranormal. I think they would both enjoy it!