If you've been following Zombiepalooza this year (or last year for that matter), you'll have seen posts from J. L. Bryan. (Here's last year's bog post if you're interested - here), and this was his post just last week. He's currently on A Parnormals Blog tour promoting his Paranormals Trilogy that includes Jenny Pox, Tommy Nightmare, and Alexander Death. There's actually a ton of cool things going on with the tour, including a giveaway for a free Kindle Fire (which looks REALLY bad ass), so you should totally check out the Paranormals Tour info: here.
Also, in related fun news, Jenny Pox is currently free for the Kindle. Yeah. You heard me. Free. And since Jeff has no control when Amazon makes it not free anymore, you should hurry up and pick it up while you have the chance.
I do have a really awesome giveaway for a signed paperback of Jenny Pox, too, and the details will follow closer to the end of the blog. But first, I figured I ought to tell you what this Jenny Pox is that I keep talking about.
Well, Jenny Pox is one of my favorite books I read last year. In fact, if you exclude graphic and books I've read for the second (or third, or fourth time), then I'd say Jenny Pox was the best book I read last year. Yeah. That's how much I loved it.
Here's the description of it I've pilfered from Amazon: Jenny's touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. She can't control her power, so she devotes her life to avoiding contact with other people in her small Southern town. Her senior year of high school, she meets the one boy she can touch...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the "Jenny pox" inside her to survive his devious, manipulative girlfriend, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all. Not recommended for readers under eighteen.*
But here's what I say about it (and then I'll come back to the bolded * part in a minute): It's a really good book. I stayed up all night reading it. I met Jeff (or J.L. Bryan to you non-D-list celebrities) in a message board, and I liked the cover of his book, so I bought it. A few weeks later, I just decided to check it out and see if it sucked or not. And it did not suck. It didn't suck it all. It was awesome.
He reminds me of Stephen King, but funnier. Jeff actually is a terrifically funny guy, and while I wouldn't exactly describe Jenny Pox as funny, it definitely has it moments. And it's really, really smart. It's sorta like Carrie, but honestly, I think it's a lot better. (Full disclosure: Carrie isn't in my top ten Stephen King books. Salem's Lot is, though, and I'd say Jenny Pox is right up there with that).
It also has touches of Alyson Noel Evermore, which in mind is why it felt like a YA paranormal romance. I do think Jenny Pox is definitely a paranormal romance but the YA part has been - and probably should be - disputed.
And now we come back to the * bold part. This book is not recommended for readers under 18. When Jeff wrote this book, he wasn't writing a paranormal romance or a young adult book. He was writing a horror novel. He didn't think of his audience being teenagers, so he put in some graphic content that he felt served the book best.
With that said, I think the overall storyline is fine for teenagers. When I was in high school, I was reading Stephen King and Michael Crichton, and there was things far more graphic in them, and I survived. However, as always, I suggest that parents read the books themselves and make the decisions for their children accordingly.
I'm making a big deal of pointing this out because the only negative reviews Jeff is getting on Jenny Pox are about the graphic content and how it's not a young adult book. And Jeff agrees with you. He never said it was a young adult book. I did. So it's my fault, and I'm sorry for misleading you.
Okay. Now that I've talked about it enough, here's the give away details for a signed paperback of Jenny Pox:
1. One winner will win an autographed copy of Jenny Pox.
2. The giveaway runs from today until midnight on Friday, October 31, 2011.
3. To enter: Comment below and with a way to contact you in case you win (email addresses work best).
4. Only one entry per person.
5. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
Don't forget to snag a free Kindle version of Jenny Pox while you can and check out J. L. Bryan's super rad Paranormals Tour. Also, you can check out his website www.jlbryanbooks.com for more info his books and himself, and follow him on Twitter, because he's funny.
Yay!! Jenny Pox giveaway!! I really enjoyed the series in my kindle xD
ReplyDeletetaehyeon027@gmail.com
YES! I LOVED this book!megan.7622@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Can't wait to read :)
ReplyDeleteMgutierrez254@yahoo.com
I really want to read this series after Ashley from the Bookish Brunette did a vlog review on it. I had seen it around but she sold me on it. Would be nice to win an autographed copy:D
ReplyDeletetintinbrains@bigpond.com
MIchelle
The series is great! I read Jenny after you recommended it last year, and it was brilliant! As was Tommy and Alexander...
ReplyDeleteVshanno1 (at) mail (dot) naz (dot) edu
:)
LOVE LOVE LOVE Jenny Pox (all 3 books actually!)
ReplyDeletegringitajill@gmail.com
OMg awesome I would love an autographed copy! That woudl be so awesome! Thanks so much! :D
ReplyDeleteAmmy Belle
apereiraorama @ gmail . com
http://lateintothenight.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much Amanda! This is fun, and I appreciate all your kind words about my book.
ReplyDeleteThe YA paranormal thing keeps coming up in all kinds of reviews, positive and negative, because the story is about teenagers. It's not your fault LOL! And maybe it really is YA paranormal but just for older readers - I mean, if everyone calls it that, there must be something to it.
I really don't think books can mess kids up or anything, anyway. I know I was reading Stephen King and Anne Rice in elementary school. Well, maybe I'm not the best example of a non-messed-up person. But you know what I mean. Unless the kid is just repeatedly reading Mein Kampf or The Turner Diaries, anything's probably OK if it's not too scary.
I still wouldn't recommend Jenny Pox for young children, and I have to keep the age warning up there for parents who might think it's OK for kids. But, in all reality, this series is not going to destroy the minds of teenagers and turn them into sex-crazed drug-addicted mass murderers. Not too much, anyway.
Woo-hoo! Another contest!
ReplyDeletefolk DOT lorefanatic AT gmail DOT com
Bahah! Jeff you are so hilarious! My opinion is that if kids are already, sex-crazed drug-addicted mass murderers...well...maybe Jenny Pox will just keep them occupied and halt their sexing,drugging,and murdering for a while...otherwise...normal kids won't be messed up from it. I didn't think this series was YA...a lot of people think that because the MC's are Teens, the book is for Teens...well...that's dumb...In that line of thought...The "story" of Jesus being born has a baby as a MC...does that mean that it is for babies?? lol and on that note...Thanks Jeff and Amanda for this fab giveaway!
ReplyDeleteandralynn7 AT gmail DOT com
I just got it on my Kindle when you talked about it earlier this month and I cant wait to read it. (I just got a new puppy and sadly havent had alot of reading time lately)
ReplyDeleteThanks for another giveaway.
~Samantha
sstoddart08@hotmail.com
This series is seriously AMAZING! I read each book in a day, you just can't put them down! Anyone who turns these books down is crazy haha As soon as this semester is over I'm reading them all over again :)
ReplyDeleteBemerick89@gmail.com
Jenny Pox was amazing, and I finished Alexander Death so quickly I am totally bummed its over. I don't really want to win through, I already have the series but I wanted to come over and SQUEE about Jeff, he's a fab writer and everyone should check him out.
ReplyDeleteHi, Got the Jenny Pox book. It's great!!! I'll be releasing my YA/Urban Fantasy, TIES TO THE BLOOD MOON, next month. I hope you'll read it, too(Amanda and jeff)
ReplyDeleterobinpwaldrop@gmail.com
I absolutely love these books! I read each of them in one night!
ReplyDeletedaneenel@comcast.net
I love this series! Amazing
ReplyDeleteI love this series! Amazing
ReplyDeleteericab44@yahoo.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would love to have Jenny Pox in paperback. I've read J.L. Bryan's work before, and it's definitely right up there with the best...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'd lose my head if it weren't attached... I forgot to mention that there's a valid email address in my blogger profile for just such occasions as the possibility I might be drawn as the winner of this contest.
After just reading a horror adult book, I'm on the haunt on for another one. And I have heard a lot of good things about this series. Thank you for the chance to "meet" Jenny in print form.
ReplyDeleteCambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
Coolness(=
ReplyDeletejenidominique@gmail.com
I love horror books! I think people are just too caught up in what's "Appropriate" for age levels...I, Like Amanda aparently...was reading Stephen King while in school...I dont remember if it was middle school or high school when I first picked it up, but There is WAY more graphic things in there than J.L. could even TRY to put in his books lol...and I think I turned out alright :P
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
<3 Kate Hensel
hense1kk AT cmich DOT edu
Hope I win 8)
ReplyDeletekainlane [at] gmail.com
I've been dying to read and review this book for a long time :) edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom Thank you very much for the awesome giveaway!
ReplyDeleteesmer832@yahoo.com
ReplyDeletechoti.duang@gmail.com who doesnt like paranormal things! :D
ReplyDeleteI want to win!
ReplyDeletekatiestillgrowing@hotmail.com
Downloading Jenny Pox now while it is still free. Sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeletedickinson_autumn@yahoo.com
I wanna read it!
ReplyDeletebrittanyc24(at)yahoo(.)com
Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteb00boy@comcast.net
This book looks soooo good, and I have seen so many awesome reviews- I have to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletekreagsheehan@yahoo.com
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteKailashaila@yahoo.com
I've read all 3 books and I love them! A signed copy would be awesome!
ReplyDeletevasan.anjana@gmail.com
I just picked Jenny Pox up on my Kindle last night on your suggestion and finished reading it today. Very good, very fun, very pleasing read. I feel like you represented it well in your review. Just bought the second one in the series and plan to read it later this week. Thank you for the suggestion. Goes well with the Halloween season.
ReplyDeleteI'm in! Hope I win this one!
ReplyDeleteansley(dot)kniskern(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeletehoardh2002@yahoo.com
I read Jenny pox all in one day! wonderful book. Looking forward to reading the next two.
ReplyDeleteJessalewis1@gmail.com
This is an excellent book! I downloaded it after reading every book you had to offer on B&N.com and needed something to hold me over.
ReplyDeleteTheacepilot87@gmail.com
Count me in :)
ReplyDeletetigerlilly2494@aim.com
Just read Jenny pox! Couldn't put it down. Downloaded the second book and I'm almost done with it. Thanks for recommendation!
ReplyDeleteapril_7578@yahoo.com
Yay! Great book!
ReplyDeletelvicory@gmail.com
this book sounds extremely awesome in every way!
ReplyDeleterockstar_10197@yahoo.com
yay! I cant wait to read it!
ReplyDeletemisty_mrosko23@hotmail.com
You had me hooked on this series after taking your advice and reading Jenny Pox! I loved them!
ReplyDeletemrsnglriousbstrd@gmail.com
If you like it, it has to be good!
ReplyDeleteKara
Karakay2004@hotmail.com
YAY! this should be good
ReplyDeletep.stephani@ymail.com
this sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteKayla
kbethp(at)yahoo(dot)com
awesome!!!! I have not read this story yet, but it sounds really intresting.
ReplyDeleteaiko819@live.com
I love Jenny Pox! am currently working on Alexander Death. I am really looking forward to Hollowmen! :)
ReplyDeleteoops, that was mine above, got a a little excited and didn't leave my email
ReplyDeleteashleyrose5@gmail.com
I've heard such good things about this series! Thank you for the giveaway :)
ReplyDeletetwizzlertwist28@hotmail.com
I'm always looking for a new series to start & I'd love to read these. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletehstorm799{at}gmail{dot}com
Please enter me!
ReplyDeletejuniperbug2006@yahoo.com
Please choose me!!!
ReplyDeletedamaris.tiongson@gmail.com
Hope I get a win.
ReplyDeletequeendsheena@hotmail.com
I would LOVE to win! =)
ReplyDeleteI just finished Jenny Pox a few days ago. I am absolutely addicted! =)
zombiegurl16@hotmail.com
Thanks!
Thanks. Sounds great.
ReplyDeleteannafriday11 (@) gmail (dot) com
Oooh sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteVeracolodney@gmail.com
Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeletestutzmanrn@yahoo.com
Now I want to read it! But I'm confused. You said until Friday the 31st. the 31st is a monday....oh well. I just hope I'm not too late!
ReplyDeletebethy528@yahoo.com
sounds soooooo good =D
ReplyDeletekkluvs2sung@aol.com
Oooh ! This seems nice(: I hope I'm not too late !
ReplyDeleteteafairyy@hotmail.com
A lot of good hype about Jenny pox, I have it on my kindle and loved it. Didn't know books 2 and 3 were already out, can't wait to get them. Would love to have a autographed paperback to add to my library. thanks for the chance to win one!
ReplyDeletebluesun1218@dishmail.net
This book does look rather nifty! And perfect to grab for Kindle in time for Halloween. Just looking at the info about the other 2 books, they look so good! Definitely going to have add "Jenny Pox" to my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the chance to win, by the way. Definitely going to toss my hat in. postedcontests (at) g m a i l (dot) c o m
Sounds very interesting!!! I bought it on my kindle, but have yet to read it. Hmmm... Maybe I should get sTarted!
ReplyDeleteI.luv.you.4ever@live.com