Book Giveaway: The Replacement by Brenna Yavanoff

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED 02/18/11

I first heard about this book last January in 2010. I was at  the Winter conference of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. The publisher of Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin, was so excited about this book. He was singing it's praises along with his other exciting discovery, Across the Universe.

His description of the cover alone had me intrigued. I was salivating to get my hands on it. I was new to blogging at the time and had no idea how to get one, so I did the unthinkable. I emailed the publisher and asked for one. Now mind you, the book was not due to be released until eight months later, in September, but like I said, I had no idea how these things worked, so I just did what seemed obvious to me. I contacted him and asked for an ARC (wasn't exactly sure what that was either). Much to my surprise, he responded rather quickly and promised to send me one! Not only did he send that one, but I received all the hot books he was so stoked for. He's an incredibly nice gentleman to do that. As a busy publisher of a whole division, I'm sure he has plenty to do besides send avid readers advanced copies of books, no matter how enthused they are. I will always be grateful for his kindness. That being said, please don't do anything like this! I know better now and the idea of it seems pretty crazy when I think back on it! Maybe he just admired my chutzpah!

Anyway, he was right. It's a very intriguing, creepy and thought-provoking book. I recall reading one scene in which there was a party going on. Some girls were described as playing around and indulging in various antics. I believe it was a Halloween party. It took me several read-backs to realize that those girls are not wearing any costumes; that is how they really look--ugh! Let's read the blurb from the book, shall we...


Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement - left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye in this wildly imaginative and frighteningly beautiful horror novel about an unusual boy and his search for a place to belong.


I was fortunate to receive two ARC's so I'm going to give one away. If you'd like the opportunity to win it, just leave a comment telling me the name of another dark and creepy book you've read--if you've read any of course! Don't forget to include your email so you can be contacted if you win. That is all.

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's international, so everyone is welcome to enter.

The Replacement released September 21, 2010

Toodles!